Kitchen Decor and Accessories Refresh

Kitchen accessories are a fun way to refresh your kitchen. After finally giving my kitchen the makeover and design it needed, I have carefully selected kitchen accessories to use season after season. With new kitchens come new gadgets and decor pieces to add visual interest and function. Here’s a breakdown of what I’m using in my kitchen, to help inspire you.

Having chosen a light gray design, I can incorporate any color in the rainbow to add as my accent. Being a lover of color (my closet certainly reflects that!), I would not be true to myself if I left this kitchen all neutral tones.

Kitchen Accessories

How To Choose Complimentary Colors

I love using 2 accent colors in a room. It gives it a more modern feel while allowing you more flexibility with decor choices. Two complimentary colors, the colors next to each other on the color wheel, gives a soothing, serene feel. Alternatively, contrasting colors, colors on the opposite ends of the color wheel, gives a more vibrant pop.

Keeping with a serene vibe to the kitchen, I went with a calming medium blue hue in the decor and accessories. I already own lots of blue accent pieces throughout my home so this made sense.

Complimentary to blue is green, nature’s truest neutral. It’s a color I love so I went with green as my secondary kitchen decor accent. Green is everywhere in nature. The trees, the grass, the leaves on a flower steam, green is nature’s neutral. I love keeping fresh herb pots in the kitchen so this choice just seems to make the most sense.

Kitchen Vases

Every kitchen needs several vases to hold seasonal florals. I love the whole vibe of Etu home and wanted to add some of their design elements. This color-block vase is the perfect shade of blue in my opinion. Plus it really compliments the gray veins in our quartz countertop. In fact I love this color so much, I also got the matching cookbook holder (I love this sage cookbook holder as well).

I love kitchen designs that have some historical characteristics. One way to do this is to add antique vases or transferware pieces. In addition to vases, I like to use pitchers for displaying flowers or wooden spoons. It adds a casual feel. This pitcher is actually not an antique but is from Burleigh Pottery. However it has the look of an old collected piece that has its own story. Vases are the easiest accessories to add, since they can be moved from room to room as needed.

Charcuterie boards

Charcuterie boards, cheese boards, serving platters, however you like to call them, are great for serving snacks and Sunday football games. These boards serve as a food tray and as a decorative object. I’m all about form and function. What kitchen decor is complete without a cutting board or tray displayed? I love how you can get them in a multitude of colors. I chose this blue charcuterie board for it’s bright cheerful Hydrangea hue (I also have this mini version). And yes, it does match the vase and cookbook holder. I couldn’t help myself, I love this color so much! These are your must-have kitchen accessories.

Kitchen Glassware

If you are like me, you have your everyday glassware and your special occasion glassware. I love this set of glasses from Amanda Lindroth for it’s versatility to be used as a special occasion set, or an everyday set. We use these everyday. The rattan detail is removable for easy washing. It also comes in several different colors. My husband actually likes these too (although he removes the rattan), as they are sturdy glasses. In addition to these everyday glasses, the serving pieces are extra special! While I only use the serving pieces on occasion, they really add such a fun detail to a table. I love these for Spring and Summer entertaining indoors or outdoors.

Fruit bowls

Fruit is just another art form. If you display your fruit, you are bound to eat it! Keep it looking as tempting as possible in a beautiful fruit bowl. I chose to use a clear bowl to take advantage of the orange’s bright hue. Here are some of my favorite bowls to brighten up your kitchen:

Herb pots

Herb pots are great kitchen accessories to add fresh greenery indoors. While in the summer months I have my herbs pots outside on my deck, in the winter months I want to bring the greens in. And what better way to display them than in a cute pot? The fresh green of the herbs adds texture and interest. Plus it’s useful! Who doesn’t love fresh basil or parsley anyway? Shop herb pots and transferware pieces:

Kitchen Towels

Don’t underestimate the kitchen towels as decor accessories. Kitchen towels are essential to decor just as much as they are a pretty accent. Function and looks are what I’m going for here. Plus, if you leave it out, it looks intentional rather than an accident! I have been shopping kitchen towels through this company for years. I highly recommend their beautiful prints. You can also find them on Amazon! They are my absolute favorite towels! Pretty and absorbent.

Other Ideas for Kitchen Decor and Accessories

For those of you starting out with a new kitchen, I love the idea of counter appliances in complimentary colors. If I didn’t already have my kitchen aid mixer in silver (which I got 15 years ago and still works great!), I would love to get one in a beautiful blue or green tone. The same goes for toasters. As soon as our breaks, I’m getting this adorable blue toaster! Or this more traditional green one. But for now, I’m sticking with easy kitchen additions like this pistachio green ice cream scoop!

I chose to use my non-traditional window seat (non-traditional since it sits a bit higher than usual, and because of its close proximity to the island) to add visual impact to the overall look and feel of this kitchen. Using blue in the window seat cushion is my biggest pop of color. For added texture I used a mixture of blues and lilac in the pillows. I’ll likely add a green pillow for additional detail. I made this cushion myself.  I highly recommend watching this youtube video if you are going to attempt to make your own window seat cushion. It really helped me a lot.

In addition to the items above, kitchen decor should also consist of items that you love or that you have history with. I love family items that have been passed down and continue to use and enjoy. You can also shop my kitchen stools here. I love them and am so happy with my choice!