Renovation of your old kitchen may sound like a challenging task. But the truth is – you don’t need to be a designer to choose how to decorate your kitchen. All you need is some creativity and a will to do it. There are so many ideas you can find on blogs or social media, even the designers themselves are sometimes lost between the vastness of choices. That’s why it’s important to take your time and to pick the ideas you love. Let’s take a more in-depth look at the kitchen decor process. We’ll walk you through the most important things you need to know. We will also show you some cheap and easy tips. Finally, there’s going to be a lot of beautiful ideas!

Minimal kitchen by Cate.

Important things to consider before renovating your kitchen

To begin with, we would like to point out that there are many choices of how you can do any project. While there are some rules you will want to follow, everything else is completely up to you. Your kitchen is not going to be a showcase for a design magazine, so don’t follow every trend blindly! Otherwise, you may end up in disappointment after some time, when you will realize that this isn’t what you wanted. So, remember that the most important thing when talking about a kitchen or any other renovation is that it’s convenient and beautiful for you. It doesn’t matter if your kitchen is trendy or not – the trend will end in a few years! Make it practical first, and then choose the things you like.

Black and white. Source.

Separate zones

The kitchen, along with the bathroom, is the place that is inevitably going to be dirty every day. So, your kitchen should be well organized with every item having its place. One of the ways to achieve this is to divide it into two spaces – hot and cold.

Separate zones are a perfect way to keep your space clean. Source.

This division helps to keep the kitchen tidy because you will always keep different items separated. For example, if you’re preparing a salad, only the cold area will get dirty, and the hot one will remain clean.

• Hot zone. So this is the space, where you will want to place everything that you need for cooking. That is your oven, stove, hob, microwave, etc.
• Cold zone. Your dishes, dishwasher, refrigerator, and all kitchen utilities go here. Usually, this cold zone is located near the sink.

This may sound like an unnecessary expense in your total kitchen decor project. But believe me, if you’ll separate your space well, you’ll be surprised that it remains clean for much longer.

Simple kitchen design. Source.

Colors

Because there are so many options here, we will not dive deep into this. White kitchens always look good and are the ones that never go out of style. Another practical aspect of white is that it makes your space look bigger.

Yellow plywood cabinets. Source.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that you need to go all-white. You can always choose accent coloring or use white paint on the walls, but have green cabinets and so on. Check out this LOFT’s interior without white colors.

Olive cabinets in contrast with white walls. Source.

Lighting

Lighting is perhaps one of the key factors in a comfortable and beautiful kitchen. It’s especially important if your kitchen is facing north or doesn’t get much daylight. Even if it’s bright, you will want to have enough light in the dark. Also, it’s much easier to spot dirty areas and to keep your kitchen neat when you have proper lighting

Minimal LED pendant lights. Source.

So do not skip this part and invest in high-quality lighting. If you’re planning to have cabinets above the counter, it’s worth placing LED lights under the cabinets to have even more light.

Storage

After choosing colors and other decor elements you will have to make sure you have enough storage in your kitchen. A proper amount of storage is the key factor in a functional and organized kitchen. This ensures that every item will have its place and you will be able to keep a neat and tidy kitchen.

Simple storage. Source.

Think where you can place your glassware, canned food, and all the kitchen utilities. Plan your storage according to the tools you use every day, plus make extra space for the items you are going to get in the future. If you don’t have a lot of space, use wall cabinets and high shelves.

Kitchen decor elements you can use without renovation

Decor ideas. Source.

If you are not planning to completely renovate your kitchen, there are still a lot of things you can do to refresh its look. These do not require a lot of time or money, but the result can be fantastic. Let’s take a look at the small but important kitchen decor elements:

Floating shelves

Nowadays open shelves are a very trendy kitchen decor element. Open or floating shelves make your space look bigger and lets the light go through, thus making the space brighter. And it just looks great. You can creatively place matching plates, glasses, and other decor elements on these shelves, and combine or create a contrast with the rest of the kitchen.

Simple white floating shelves. Source.

Another great thing about open shelves is that they’re much cheaper than cabinets. So, it’s both a beautiful and functional way to decorate your kitchen, right…? Almost, but there’s one little disadvantage of these shelves compared to the cabinets – it gets dusty. Yes, you will have to wipe the dust more often than you would normally do. But if that doesn’t scare you – go on and get those shelves right away!

Side table

Aluminum side table. Source.

A side table is another practical and beautiful kitchen decor element. If you have enough space, you can fix it to the floor, but if there isn’t much, then you can choose the one with the wheels. During a dinner party, it will be a great place for one more person to give you a hand with the preparation. On a daily basis, it will serve as extra storage for fruits and vegetables.

Small kitchen decor elements

If you want to decorate your kitchen, but you don’t have much time and your budget is tight, there are things you can still do. Small decor elements are a cheap and great way to upgrade your kitchen. You can find them in any household store or you can use things you already have.

Trays are a practical way to store things that you keep on the counter. They won’t do much, but a simple tray will bring more order into your kitchen. Just remember to wash them regularly!

Simple kitchen tray. Source.

A kitchen pot rack is another practical and beautiful kitchen decor element. It’s a perfect way to store your pots and pans especially if you don’t have a lot of storage. Even if you do, this rack is still a very convenient idea because you can easily access everything you need.

A simple kitchen pot rack fixed under a floating shelf. Source.

Vases are also a beautiful way to decorate your kitchen. There are so many options here – glass, ceramic, plastic, etc. Choose accordingly to your kitchen interior. And as always – you don’t need to buy it, you can use the stuff you already have. Be creative!

Glass vases are a great decor element. Source.

Aromatic plants can also be a kitchen decor element. They fill the kitchen with a great smell, not to mention that you always have fresh herbs at hand. And you don’t need a fancy pot to plant these herbs. You can make a beautiful flower pot of a recycled yogurt container.

Kitchen decor with herbs. Source.

You can also grow herbs on floating pots like these. Source.

Kitchen decor ideas

There are literally thousands of them and each kitchen has something unique. Trends come and go, so don’t follow them blindly. Take a look at these kitchens below. We hope you’ll find inspiration for your renovation project.

White kitchen decor ideas

White is always a good idea. It makes your kitchen brighter and more spacious. You can either go all-white or use accent colors in contrast with white walls and ceiling. You can often find white kitchens called ‘Nordic’ or ‘Scandinavian’ because this style is very popular in Scandinavian countries.

Beautiful white kitchen with white cabinets. Source.

White and bright minimalist kitchen. Source.

Scandinavian style all-white. Source.

All-white simple kitchen. Source.

Nothing but pure whiteness here. Less is more. Source.

This interior was a finalist of Australia’s Room of the year 2016.

Love those white cubic tiles. Source: thatkitchen.tumblr.com.

Modern white kitchen. Source.

Minimalist kitchen decor ideas

If you’re the kind of person who lives by the less is more philosophy then these are for you.

Soft tones. Source.

All-wood designed by Lauren Nelson. Source.

Absolute minimalism. Source.

Aesthetic and simple kitchen decor. Source.

Simplistic design. Source.

Modern black. Source.

Small minimalist kitchen. Source.

Plywood kitchen

Plywood kitchens gain a lot of popularity in the last few years. They’re sustainable, look great, and are much cheaper than regular MDF cabinets. Take a look at these plywood kitchen decor ideas.

Plywood kitchen. Source.

Plywood cabinets. Source.

Cozy plywood kitchen. Source.

Simple plywood cabinets. Source.

Colorful kitchen decor ideas

If you prefer more colors, you can use more tones in your decor. Just choose soft colors as very bright ones will not create a cozy atmosphere. Take a look at these ideas below.

Beautiful colorful kitchen. Source.

Kitchen with lots of plants. Source.

Pink kitchen. Source.

Colorful Art Deco kitchen. Source.

Colorful plywood cabinets. Source.

Simple kitchen decor ideas

We believe that simplicity is the key to decorating and renovating your home. Simple things and ideas are usually what never goes out of style. Also, simple things are not expensive, but they are often much more sustainable than expensive and fancy ones. That doesn’t mean your kitchen can’t be fancy, but we invite you to use your creative mind and simple things to create perfect kitchen decor. Take a look at these simple kitchen ideas below.

Boho Chic kitchen decor. Source.

Another simple kitchen decoration. Source.

Simple details make beautiful decor. Source: pinterest.com/pin/367606388330902756/

Beautiful storage solutions. Source.

Blue cabinets. Source.

A pegboard hides the gap behind the fridge. Source.

A tiny mint kitchen. Source.

Another small kitchen decor idea. Source.

Bohemian chic kitchen. Source.

Parisian style kitchen decor. Source.

Finnish style decor. Source.