The kitchen is one of the most foundational and important spaces in the entire home; and this fact is often difficult to let go of when trying to work on the decor! Everything from the countertop to the colors, shelves, and furniture comes under scrutiny as you try to figure out the decorations.

However, there are a number of simple tricks and ideas you can use to perfect the kitchen as its own unique part of the home and give it a breath of fresh air. Here are four basic ways to bring your kitchen to life and give it a wonderful sense of style!

1. Pick Your Favorite Furniture

A good first place to start with kitchen decor is also one of the biggest concerns: The furniture. One neat idea to think about is investing in multi-functional furniture that can also be hidden away to conserve room; this can apply to bar stools, tables and cabinets, cutting boards, and just about anything else you can think of!

You’ll also want to think about what dining table could work with your kitchen ideas the best. With a larger family, you can’t go wrong with an eight-seat dining table, something that works as a nice return to form for traditional dinners and get-togethers.

Also, check out this video on How to Organize Your Kitchen Like a Pro:

2. Pay Attention to the Countertop

As a main focal point of the kitchen, the countertop merits its own special attention. Luckily, there are a multitude of quick and easy ways to give your counter the aura it needs.

Consider minimizing the clutter by using a smooth top cooktop (ceramic or glass, for example) or by investing in a cooktop cover so as to be able to use the stove as an extra work space without any safety concerns. You can also add more counter space by using shelves and bars.

If you’re interested in more ways to add counter space and reduce clutter, you can try taking a look at this post on Family Handyman.

3. Adjust the Lighting

One fantastic (and often overlooked) way to get your kitchen decor a little bit closer to perfect is to change up the lighting. A few little ways to do this include adding LED strips to cabinets and shelves, using mirrors to reflect light throughout the space, or switching outdated lighting sources to their more efficient counterparts.

Some more ideas for getting your kitchen lighting closer to ideal can be found at HGTV.

4. Space for Storage

A fourth and final trick to perfect your kitchen decor is finding or creating space for storage. There are a number of fantastic ways to go about this, from adding some extra shelving to the kitchen, to putting items in corners, drawers, cabinets, and other compartments that you might have overlooked before.

For those who would like some help in figuring out the best ways to utilize additional kitchen space, check out this post at kitchn for that much-needed flash of inspiration.

Jessica Wheeler

Jessica is an east coast native who found her way to Austin, Texas. When she’s not writing about furniture or interior design topics, you’ll find her scoping out cute coffee shops, binge-watching a good Netflix show, or spending a Sunday in the park with her dog Ruffles.