Style at Home: 5 spots to dress up in your kitchen

My kitchen was the first room I wanted to redecorate when Dan and I moved into our Money Pit historic fixer-upper. But it was the last room I actually got to tackle. The cost of a complete kitchen renovation, which is what this poor space needed, isnt cheap. As I discovered, there is a lot you can do to make your kitchen look sensational short of remodeling. In fact, by focusing your decorating energies on five key spots, you can make your kitchen a visual treat.

1. KITCHEN ISLAND

In most homes, the kitchen island is the hub of family life. This is the place you grab a quick bite, do food prep, toss all your stuff when you walk in the door and fill with food and beverage services when you entertain. Like a fireplace in the living room, its also a natural focal point in the room. So you need to decorate the island with a display that is minimal enough to accommodate the real life that happens around it, but also fetching enough to give this important spot its decorating due.

I advise building a stunning but shorter display on top of a tray. When the accents are contained in a tray, they wont get spread out into the hubbub of the island. And the display will be portable, so when you need every inch of the island for homework or a sewing project, you can easily remove it without having to take it apart.

Setting your island for daily life also can be a display in itself.

2. ABOVE THE STOVE

Your oven and stove can take up a huge chunk of your kitchen, so make this utilitarian spot as fetching as possible. When my friend Anne designed her dream kitchen, she knew she wanted a big stove that could keep up with the mealtime demands of her busy family. She figured out a masterful way to make the stove a lovely addition by incorporating a few interesting features into the blueprint. The ledge above holds a set of mugs from a family collection and serves as a base for a simple but sensational artwork display.

I have to confess that my stove and oven rarely get used. Im just not a cook, unless you count microwave popcorn. As a result, I get to treat my stovetop more like a display area. To camouflage the griddle on the cooktop, Ive showcased beautiful silver buffet lids. The built-in shelf holds some serving pieces. Displays flank the stovetop. Above the stove is an arch, which I thought was just screaming for a creative artwork display, so its filled with a crazy mix of platters, trays, plates and framed art.

3. BEHIND THE SINK

Think of the little space behind your kitchen sink as a surplus spot where you can add a little decorating flair. It doesnt have to be much just a little accent or two that brings in a touch of color or interest. My friend Anne lined up a few petite blue vases behind her sink. She can fill them with blooms from her garden, snips of fresh herbs or seasonal accents. Love it!

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Style at Home: 5 spots to dress up in your kitchen