20 Kitchen Counter Styling ideas that are Functional
This article will show you 20 kitchen counter styling ideas that are functional and beautiful.
The kitchen functions as the heart of the home, providing the meals that nourish the family members and much of the activities and work that goes into a home goes through the kitchen. This makes it important to have a style for the kitchen counter that is both functional and beautiful.
20 Kitchen Counter Styling ideas that are Functional
1.Create a Coffee Bar
For those who like to start their morning with a coffee, having a coffee bar is a great way to prepare for the day. This can include all of the necessities and some things that are just nice to have. Include the coffee pot, your favorite cups, fresh ground beans, and any flavors you use.
2.Breakfast Station
Glass canisters lined up against the wall filled with oats, granola, toppings, cinnamon buns or other breakfast foods can start your day the right way. Not only is it beautiful but streamlines mornings and allows you to see what you are running low on and what you have enough of. This is great for granola bits, grab and go breakfast, or offering options to the whole family.
3.Focus On Lighting
Overhead lighting can be harsh and bright, by adding new lighting with chandeliers, scones, or undercounter lighting you can change the feel of the room. Create romantic lighting for slow evenings, sunrise lighting for waking in the morning, or brighter lights for following recipes.
4.Islands
To add both counter space and style to the room, add an island. Kitchen islands can be either on wheels and mobile or they can be built in. Match it to the countertops that are already present, or use a butcher block top for a statement piece that is also functional and easily used for meal prep. This can also double as storage for appliances or other supplies.
5.Butcher Block Counters
Butcher block is a popular and on trend countertop for its longevity, usefulness, and ability to withstand constant use. They can be used to hold hot pans or serving dishes, used as a cutting board for meal prep, and easily cleaned after each use. Using a butcher block offers a country style feel and makes your kitchen function well in each area.
6.Spice Organization
Spice organization is often a problem in kitchens, with no space or style or type of organization feeling like the right fit. While often spices are stored above the stove, this isn’t ideal as the heat and humidity will damage them and affect the taste, as well as create lumps. Place your most used spices into an on the counter spice rack to add interest to the counter and keep them easy to reach. Small thin shelving across the back of the counter can make them easy to reach and add color to the counter.
7.Bread Bin
Bread needs specific storage environments, and by adding a stylish bread box to your counter you can add both height and texture but also store your bread in a way that will help it last longer and stay fresh. Modern kitchens may be best suited to a metal breadbox, while country kitchens may be better suited to a wooden one.
8.Banquet Seating
Bar height seating and counter seating are falling out of popularity as they don’t make the best use of the counter space available and can limit the use of some areas of the kitchen.
9.Disguise Appliances
Instead of hiding away your appliances where you need to lift them out every time you use them, disguise them right on the counter. This can be done by hanging valances along the bottom of your cupboards that can be pulled open the same way curtains are to show the appliances you need. Choose beautiful appliances that add to the feel of the room. You can also use sliding doors to hide them or simply decorate them to be a stunning focal point.
10.Library Ladder
Dreaming of a library with a sliding ladder? You can have one in the kitchen instead, sliding around the perimeter to reach those high shelves that may go unused or only store items you rarely use. This expands the usefulness of your cupboards while adding interest and keeping your countertops clear with open space and usable work areas.
11.Zone the Kitchen
Create zones in your kitchen and use them to assign uses to each section. A breakfast area with counter appliances used to make breakfast including a toaster or kettle, make a coffee station for upgraded coffee making experiences, make a baking zone with all supplies and ingredients, and you will find counters stay organized and you can easily move around the kitchen completing your tasks efficiently.
12.Add Storage
Whether you have excess counter space you’d like to use, or you have a lack of counter space and need to keep it clear, added storage is the solution to both concerns. Place bread boxes, floating shelves, or short spice rack shelves to line up the spices along the back of the counter, use floating shelves on the backsplash to increase storage without adding clutter.
13.Brighten the Colour
The color of your countertops will affect the brightness of the kitchen and the overall style. Marble, quartz, and tile have all had their moment and are well suited to some uses, while butcher block and dark counters have their moments. Match the color of your counters to the style of the kitchen for the best overall effect.
14.Hanging Pots
Counters that are not cluttered create a wide space above them, and this vertical space can be used without affecting the counters below. Hanging pots above the counters keeps them easily available while adding height and dimension to the room and the counters themselves.
15.Use Vertical Space
Each person uses their counters for different purposes, whether that’s holding appliances, used for meal preparation, space for baking and cooking, or serving meals. In order to get the most from the space between counter and ceiling, it is key to use that vertical space.
16.Fruit and Vegetable Storage
Adding a fruit bowl will create a focus on the counter that is full of colour and vibrant, drawing the attention of snackers and admirers alike. In addition, it makes it more likely that the fruit will be consumed and enjoyed by those who are present.
17.Upgrade Seating Material
Tie in the rest of your kitchen with your counters by adding a complimentary fabric to your seating. While these seem unrelated, they tie together the entire kitchen, as well as seating often being available at the bar height counters or breakfast spaces.
18.Add a Pantry
Clear space for the modern, sleek look, of empty counters by adding a pantry with closed doors or an open shelving unit for appliances, food, and other supplies. This will leave lots of space for your counter to shine and leaves more usable space for cooking. Keeping counters cleared also makes it easier to clean them and wipe them down each day.
19.Mirror a Surface
Create a sense of space and style by adding a mirrored backsplash to your counter, both keeping the wall behind clean and easy to wipe down and adding a modern aesthetic to the counters and the kitchen. This can also be done on the back of cupboards leading up to the counter in order to create a feeling of more room and longer counters.
20.Appliance Storage
Using the counter for appliances is a great way to ensure they are easy to use, and beautiful appliances can add to the style of the room rather than distract from it. You can upgrade countertop appliance storage with roll top doors, platforms with wheels that make them easy to use and clean underneath, add curtains to close, or many other methods.
Recap
Stylish countertops can change the entire feeling of the kitchen and create the aesthetic that you are looking for. There are many ways to style counters from choosing colors to adding appliances, moving eating areas or changing how things are stored and accessed. Add plants and herbs to bring in some of the outdoors, decorate the counters, and fresh herbs are a great addition to any kitchen.
Resources: https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/kitchens/g623/beautiful-designer-kitchens/
