The kitchen is one of the most practically useful places in the home and, as a result, we have to spend a lot of time there. However, if there are aspects of the kitchen that you don’t like, then you can quickly grow to resent the place and even hate spending time there. To make sure that doesn’t happen, here are a few tips to make sure that the kitchen becomes a place that you actually like hanging around in.
Keep it organized and clutter-free
Running out of space and bumping into random objects in the kitchen can become a major headache during food preparation and clean-up. Usually, however, it’s as simple as making sure you have out-of-way means to store your usual kitchen tools. For instance, you can make better use of the vertical space on the wall, whether it’s with a magnet strip for holding knives or a hook rack for multiple utensils.
Jot some notes down
The kitchen is the place where both food storage and food prep happens. More conversations in the family revolve around food than you might think, whether you’re thinking about picking up groceries or putting together a recipe. In either case, putting up a chalkboard in the kitchen can help you remember what you need. It can also be a great place for the family to leave little notes and drawings for one another.
Give it a little home-y warmth
You want the kitchen to be more than strictly utilitarian, of course. It’s a place that you and your family will spend a lot of time, so it also needs a little sentimental charm. Adding more natural materials can give it a little warmth, such as checking out a large selection of bread baskets. If the kitchen looks too cold and too clean it’s going to be hard to have any feelings attached to it.
Refresh the surfaces once in a while
Simply put, looking at the same thing for years on end can get pretty draining in and of itself. The kitchen can be a lot more expensive to makeover than the rest of the home and, as a result, it tends to get updated less regularly. However, by making a single change such as refreshing the cabinets or changing out the countertop, you can still breathe a little new life into it.
Let there be light
Making sure that light is layered as effectively as possible in the kitchen is important. Using lighter window treatments such as blinds can help you maximize natural light, making the place feel warmer and more inviting. However, at nighttime, making sure you have decent kitchen task lighting, such as installing lights in the underside of cabinets, can make the kitchen a much more practical and comfortable space to be in.
Meeting both the practical needs of the kitchen and your sentimental need to make it a part of the home is what’s going to be the key to success in the kitchen. Hopefully, the tips above help you find that balance.
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