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Interior Designer, Licensed Therapist & SoCal mama of three. Welcome to the blog!  I hope it brings you inspiration to create a life (and home) you really love.

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Spring time Kitchen Styling

March 22, 2018

As you can guess, spring cleaning for me isn’t just for closets and pantries. Sprucing up all areas of my home is my obsession! Today I would love to give you some kitchen styling tips infused with fresh organic vibes. When I style, I am intentional to what actually works in my home. I stay […]

As you can guess, spring cleaning for me isn’t just for closets and pantries. Sprucing up all areas of my home is my obsession!

Today I would love to give you some kitchen styling tips infused with fresh organic vibes.

When I style, I am intentional to what actually works in my home. I stay committed to showing you easy steps.  Making your kitchen design forward without sacrificing function.

Welcome Spring

plants white kitchen open shelving loren loloi rug

I absolutely love Spring! Is it because my birthday is in April? Sure, that definitely is a reason. Who doesn’t love to be showered with lovely tulips?

Over the past few years, Trader Joe’s floral selection has been my main go to. The pricing is fair and they often have seasonal sought after floral such as peonies! That is one flower I regret not being able to grow here in Socal. It is just too warm for it to bloom.

Image Credit: Pinterest via Instagram @rachpurcell

A combination that works really well is picking a “filler” flower like these purple wildflowers. And adding a air plant to it. In this way, the two together adds visual layering, contrasting color and textures.

air plant wild flowers white kitchen

Isn’t it amazing that it doesn’t matter what kind of design you are achieving, layering is a integral component.

white modern rustic kitchen loloi loren rug

Big plus to this floral power duo? They last forever. 

Obviously the air plant longevity will reign over the filler flowers. But put these in a glass pitcher or mason jar and it could spring-ify your kitchen counters for weeks!

Kitchen runner

Per usual, I can’t write a post without mentioning some type of rug styling. This beautiful Loloi Loren Runner is the perfect floor accent against the dark wood floors and the white cabinets.

When choosing a runner, make sure it is definitely stain worthy. Even if it true vintage, you have to be mindful of the intense foot traffic that will occur.

loloi loren runner white kitchen modern rustic

That being said, I am a true proponent of wear and tear anything and everything in your home.

It shouldn’t feel like you are in a antique shop or catalog where it may be pretty but sterile and no warmth.

Using our beloved rugs adds that much memory and history to it.

Kitchen Runner Benefits

There are a few major benefits of using a kitchen runner:

  1. The narrow length of a runner creates the illusion that the space is bigger. Crazy right? This is especially helpful with kitchens like mine where there is little space between the island and sink area.
  2. Use colors and patterns for visual impact. 60-30-10. Do you know this classic interior design rule?  Basically keep 60 percent of your décor the color of your walls or cabinet, which is also the dominant color. The next 30 percent is the primary accent color. For my space, you can see blue is highlighted in the kitchen towels to the rug’s intricate print. Lastly, the remaining 10 percent is the red, an extra accent color. This is usually sprinkled throughout the space with small decor items such as books, objects and art.
  3. Following this rule, I chose a rug that complemented the secondary color to coordinate nicely with the kitchen’s existing color palette.

loloi runner white kitchen

Decorating Shelves with Colorful Ceramics and Glass

white kitchen shelving anthropologie kitty pitcher the sill plants loloi runner

When my littlest daughter first pointed out this cute Kitty ceramic pitcher from Anthropologie, I knew we had to add it to our kitchen shelving.

Finding things with varying heights is a great way to add visual interest and depth. Something you always keep in mind with shelves.

Depending on how deep the shelf is, think about small framed art you can prop up against the wall, stack books, add cute mementos or in this case, add whimsy with this Kitty pitcher.

white kitchen shelving anthropologie kitty pitcher the sill plants loloi runner

Books, Books and more Books

I have become quite the book hoarder. My sister who is a avid bookworm laughs at me cos she knows my stamina for reading. However, interior design and cooking books require lots of visual examples and that keeps me interested.

the sill planter cook books

It has been such a joy to collect meaningful books and have them at my fingertips in the kitchen. In this digital era, it feels good to run my fingers through the raw pages and also visually soak in the pretty pictures.

Stacking books vertically or horizontally is the first step in styling. After that fill in the negative space with planters, kitchen tools, or utensils to tell the story.

Nespresso coffee station Jenni Kayne mug pf candle

You can instantly interpret that this is my coffee station.

Also my morning meditating spot. I love aromatherapy so having a candle lit even in the wee hours of the morning invigorates me.

And yes, Coffee First.

faux marble contact paper kitchen counters the sill plants kitchen canisters

Here you can tell this is where I do my cooking with the books, wooden utensils, kitchen canisters and raw lentils and quinoa. Of course plant babies too.

Plants in the Kitchen

Yes! Plants in the kitchen! And why not? The kitchen is the heart of the home and so are plants.

So the two of them definitely go together in my book.

mini baby cacti kitchen shelves

From itty bitty cacti decorating tiny nooks and crannies on the shelf.

pf candle co plants muddy heart

To a small corner with lovely scents and ceramic art, plants breath new life.

white shelves kitchen counter tops vintage rug plants the sill

 

Larger plants add interest in odd spaces too. For example, the Dracaena Anita plant fits perf in this corner. (You can easily guess why I have this plant!) *wink*

In any case, this spot is too narrow for anything else. I am loving The Sill blush color large planter!

Pretty Textiles and Wood Accessories

I also love sourcing pretty tea towels and wood kitchen accessories like this Anthropologie tea towel and acacia wood salt container.

acacia salt box Anthropologie tea towel

coffee pour chemex

Making coffee in this carafe is another morning ritual I plan to work in. Isn’t that leather and bead beautiful?

white kitchen open shelving Anthropologie

Is there anywhere in your kitchen you would want to add these styling tips to? Just because we use our kitchens in full force, it doesn’t mean it has to be neglected. Making it a design forward space can motivate you to plan your meals happily!

Happy day!

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