Thursday, October 17, 2013

Staging Kitchen Countertops

What is you see in my photos is pretty much what you get with my kitchen.
Once I wipe down the counters and remove the coffee pot I can begin shooting. 


Do you wish that your kitchen could look like the ones on Pinterest?
Well it can and here is how.


Banish the appliances, canisters and utensils and leave the cute stuff. 


This is how my kitchen would look if all of the above were on the counter.
Add in the mail and my laptop and it is just a mess.
Not cute!
Not Pinworthy!
Junky!
Most important- not calm. 
I really believe that in our chaotic world, we need to get away from visual clutter and distractions when we get home.


Maybe you are one of those people that doesn't "see" visual clutter. 
I don't really believe that. 
You may have trained yourself to ignore it but the stuff is still there, affecting a sense of calm for you and for the whole family. 


I don't know why but I have always been a hide the appliances kind of gal. At times it makes my family crazy but I have a little place for each appliance in the cabinet closest to where it will be used.
It takes two seconds to pull out what I need.


You probably don't use all your little appliances daily so 
 it may be possible to hide one or two. If you use something too often to hid away, get the cutest one you can find.


We drink coffee everyday (sometimes several times a day) so our coffee maker sits out on the counter.
It's usually the only appliance . 
The coffee stuff is put up in the cabinet above the coffee maker for easy reach.


My utensils for cooking are in a drawer. 
I don't have a utensil crock and I haven't in years. 
I would rather display a vintage scale or antique spice chest instead of spoons and spatulas.


It's easier for me to get the utensils out of a drawer anyway.
If you have to have them on the counter get something adorable to put them in.
Purchase utensils in all one color to further eliminate visual "noise". 




I have a place in the pantry for all the canisters.
It keeps my pantry neatly organized and cute as well. 


Bill sorts the mail everyday while I put the finishing touches on dinner. 
All the bills go into the office.
Circulars get sorted and moved to my reading area in the living room. 
I may feel differently at Christmas time but lately I haven't even been saving the sale ads.
If you like the look of appliances, canisters and and utensils then remove the knick knacks.

I like my scale 


and 
my bread boards.  


I would much rather display those things instead of
a toaster.
Editing is the key. It has amazed me how much editing I have done since I started blogging. Photos don't really lie. 
I see clutter in a photo that I couldn't see in real life because my brain ignored it before.
Take a photo of your kitchen and have a good look at the stuff that could be edited. Walk out of your kitchen, come back in and try to see what a stranger would see.  
Do I have piles? Yes!
My biggest flaw in the kitchen is the drain board at night. 
If I were super disciplined I would put the pots and pans away immediately after washing.



 Now that I've let you in on my secret, maybe I will start putting the dishes away before I go to bed at night.  
Katie 
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2 comments :

  1. I'm with you, I don't like too many knick knacks...just a little and carefully chosen. I do leave the coffee pot and the big mixer on the counter. That's all when it comes to appliances. We recently added lights up top like you showed. We really like it.

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  2. Yep totally agree.I hate clutter on my counters.And I keep minimal out.Oh yes life happens and things work there way in but I keep it under control.I too only leave our coffee maker out.I am lucky to have lots of space to store things.
    xx
    Ane

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