How to Style Your Kitchen + a $500 Giveaway!
Today I want to talk kitchens, or rather more specifically - kitchen styling and decorating. Something I notice often when I go into peoples homes is that they've clearly spent a ton of time and resources renovating or building their dream kitchen but then they don't really know how to finish the space with some added decor and personal touches.
I recently had the chance to partner up with Alair Homes Edmonton and get inside this stunning home they've built with Initia Property Marketing to show off a few kitchen styling tips and to host an AMAZING giveaway!
But first, let's just talk about this space, shall we....
Alair Homes is an incredible custom home builder and renovations team that builds some seriously beautiful homes. I've long admired Alair Homes for their stunning infills and custom homes and renovation work so I was definitely very excited to partner together on this project and this home did not disappoint.
With the trend of infill homes on the rise, there can be a common misconception that with a smaller footprint, you lose the function in important spaces such as the kitchen but as you're about to see, that definitely isn't the case. With tall ceilings and cabinetry, minimalist European appliances and an elongated island, this kitchen is definitely as functional as it is beautiful.
Working with such a contemporary canvas, I wanted to show that you can bring as much life and personality to your kitchen as you can with any other space in your house. So if you're looking for some kitchen decor tips, read on below + watch the video (and scroll to the bottom for the giveaway info!)
Tip #1 - Bring in Natural Finishes & Decor Touches
With a kitchen this contemporary, I wanted to show that you can warm things up with natural finishes. Mixing and coordinating different wood and stone finishes was a great way to bring a touch of nature into this space without overwhelming the area. As always, I like to add touches of greenery wherever I can (either real or faux) as it's a great way to bring in color and texture in an easy and inexpensive way.
TIP: Don't worry about 'matching' woods or stone finishes. Bring in different finishes for a sophisticated look that complements the other pieces in the space rather than 'matches'.
Tip #2 - Layer & Group
Just as you would when styling the other areas of your home, layer your accents in groupings in your kitchen too. To avoid looking like you have items lined up all along the backsplash create little vignettes with different items that are both decorative and functional. Use a tray to place cookbooks, decorative accents or functional canisters for a functional grouping that also adds height. Layer your most often used cutting boards and small dishes or salt and pepper shakers. Stack a few cookbooks next to your utensil jar....the grouping possibilities are endless. Mix in both decorative and functional items for a look that's practical but also stylish too.
TIP: For a clean and contemporary look, leave the tops of your cabinets free from any decor or clutter. Leaving the tops of cabinets clear allows the eye to move upwards without interruption and can therefore make your room appear taller and more spacious than it really is! (Plus, then you don't have to worry about dusting endless tchotchkes above the cabinets!)
Tip #3 - Stick With a Palette
Since kitchens are usually on the smaller side when compared to other rooms in our homes, it's best to create a cohesive palette or decor vibe for the space. For example, in this kitchen I stuck with a natural theme of woods, stones and pops of green. By sticking to a fairly neutral palette the space flows cohesively and doesn't appear chopped up or too busy. My advice is to pick a theme whether a color palette, pattern theme or style for the space and stick within that to create a space that is seamless and beautiful.
TIP: Black is a neutral as is white, don't worry about bringing in blacks, whites or wood tones in the style of your cabinetry as accents if they fall outside your selected 'palette' as they're neutrals that will go with just about anything!
Now for the giveaway...
To show you that finishing off your kitchen space doesn't have to break the bank, Alair and I teamed up to style this kitchen space for $500. Everything I purchased to style this kitchen came in at $500 and Alair wants you to win it all! I mean, HELLO! How amazing is that?!
To win all of the accessories I used to style this space head over to Instagram to find out how to win! And as a bonus entry, comment on this post to let me know what piece you'd love the most, or why you'd love to win. How simple is that?! (Leave your IG handle in the comment too so I know who's entered!)
Contest open to residents of the Edmonton & surrounding area + runs until August 15 so go now and enter! Good luck!
