100 Best Kitchen Decor Ideas to Create the Most Welcoming Space in Your Home
It's the heart of the home for a reason.
By Amy Mitchell
They say the kitchen is the heart of the home, but if you're living with a too-cramped layout or outdated feeling cabinetry, it can feel more like heartache than true love. Updating your kitchen can be as simple as a refresh (think: a quick one-day DIY project like swapping out pendant lights or cabinet hardware) or as complicated as a full remodel (think: you’re calling the contractor, and the next thing you know it’s demo day). But there are plenty of projects in between that will make your kitchen feel more fun, more functional, and in many cases, brand new. Just imagine what a transformation giving your cabinets a fresh coat of paint would bring. (If that’s sounding like a good idea, check out our guide on how to paint kitchen cabinets.)
If you're ready for a change, this photo gallery of 100 kitchen ideas is sure to get your planning going. No matter if you’re looking for a budget-friendly facelift or splurging on a complete renovation, you'll find kitchen design ideas here at all price points and skill levels.
But the inspiration doesn't stop here. Need additional seating and more prep space? We have tons of kitchen island ideas to check both boxes. Want to give your kitchen a brand new color scheme? You'll find the perfect palette among these kitchen paint color ideas. Not even sure where to start? Browse these pretty white kitchens and farmhouse-style kitchens to cook up gorgeous design looks to suit your space and taste.
Painted Floor
“The best way to express color and pattern in a kitchen is with a painted floor,” says designer Heather Chadduck. “I’ve always been inspired by those in Bunny Mellon’s homes and wanted to do something similar.” To get the look, try a floor stencil (cuttingedgestencils.com), then give it instant age by using a palm sander to remove some paint. Coat with polyurethane.
Bifold Windows
Bifold windows (lacantinadoors.com) above the kitchen sink fully connect the indoors and out. Outside the windows, a bar-height terrazzo counter extends the kitchen's entertaining and dining space and serves as the small kitchen's work space. Meanwhile, a couple of wood chairs left as trash in an alleyway put homeowner Raili Clasen on the hunt for more mismatched pairs, all which she gave a uniform look with a very California appropriate avocado-toned green hue.
See more of Raili's California cottage here.
Get the Look:
Chair Paint Color: Avocado by Sherwin-Williams
Classic Country Color Combo
Blue and yellow make for a classic country color combination, as seen here with happy canary yellow cabinets and a quilt-like cement tile backsplash.
Open Fronted Cabinets
Homeowners Nora and Doug O'Leary host lots of guests at their Wisconsin cabin. To make everyone feel more at home and make hosting a little easier, the couple chose to install their cabinets without doors inviting guests to help themselves. “The idea was to avoid people asking where things are,” Nora says. “It’s all right there.” Beadboard cabinets, soapstone countertops, and handmade terra-cotta tiles set on the diagonal add to the vintage cottage vibe.
Get the Look:
Cabinetry Paint Color: Phillipsburg Blue by Benjamin Moore
A Pretty Eating Bar
Courtney and Ashley Robertson artfully outfitted their Texas kitchen with materials that are pretty but not precious. For example, soft gray concrete countertops pair well with limed oak barstools upholstered in an indoor-outdoor fabric. Reclaimed beams frame the inviting gathering spot and tie in to the other wood details in the kitchen.
Get the Look:
Stool Fabric: For similar, try “Ticking Indigo” by Bella Dura; calicocorners.com.
RELATED: To find some reclaimed wood for your home, check out 6 Best Places to Find or Buy Reclaimed Wood Near You.
Bistro Shelving
Give a white kitchen the look of a French bistro with floor-to-ceiling subway tile (choose a dark grout) and bistro-style open shelving.
Stone Range Hood
Mixed materials—an eye-catching stone range hood, soapstone countertops, subway tile, reclaimed beams, Douglas fir cabinets, and rush barstools— reinforce a collected aesthetic.
See more of this cozy cabin here.
Hardworking Prep Area
Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell of Beekman 1802 recently renovated their 200-year-old farmhouse giving the kitchen old-meets-new results. Tucked away behind the fireplace, they created a hardworking prep area that houses recessed shelves to keep ingredients within arm’s reach. The hanging collection of copper pots ensures the practical merges with the pretty.
See more of their kitchen here.
Creative Wall Storage
A peg board (painted a sunny yellow) keeps tools at the ready and creates smart storage. Butcher block countertops from Ikea warm up the otherwise white kitchen.
Skirted Sink
Achieve ultimate farmhouse-chic status with a sink skirt in a patterned fabric that looks vintage and sweet.
Blue-Stained Cabinets
To give the turquoise blue cabinets a slightly weathered look, Jolie Sikes-Smith (one half of the Junk Gypsy sister duo) first coated the them with blue interior oil stain, then used a rag to apply and partially rub off a layer of Provincial Wood Finish stain by Minwax. "Embrace color," says Jolie. "Just because kitchens are utilitarian rooms doesn't mean they should be quiet, sterile, or boring."
Learn more about Jolie's kitchen here.
Floating Shelves
Homeowner Kay Stanley installed a pot rack above the sink for easy access to cast-iron skillets and other kitchen accessories. Above a pair of simple floating wood shelves hold antique finds such as stoneware, breadboards, whiskey jugs, and a collection of Native American baskets.
Tour more of Kay's North Carolina cabin here.
A Pass-Through Bar
A pass-through bar connects indoors and out making for easy entertaining. It makes a great casual spot to grab breakfast too!
A Cozy Breakfast Nook
Turn an under-utilized corner into a useful breakfast nook with a tiny round bistro-style table and pair of wooden chairs.
Blue and White Cabinets
To give air to this itty-bitty kitchen, the designer painted the lower cabinets a happy blue hue but matched the upper cabinets to the light wall color.
An Antique Work Island
An old printing press work table is now a one-of-a-kind kitchen island in designer Hadley Wiggins-Marin's Long Island kitchen. Shallow drawers that once held type pages now house cooking utensils.
Tour all of Hadley's farmhouse here.
Unconventional Cabinetry
Lacquered plywood is an unusual material for kitchen cabinets. Normally matte, the lacquer finish gives a great shine and makes them wipeable. Brass hardware, modern lighting, marble countertops, and a creative backsplash complete the unique design.
Clever Hardware
Think outside the box when it comes to hardware. Vintage lover Jeannette Fristoe swapped out her drawers' store-bought pulls for repurposed silver spoons and forks.
Tour all of Jeannette's antique-filled bungalow here.
Eye-Catching Backsplash
Encaustic tile really pops in this kitchen along with a cool blue island topped with easy-to-clean quartz countertops. Tractor-seat barstools, wood cabinets, and a wood ceiling add warmth to the open layout.
Overscale Pendant Lights
Instead of a standard cabinetry island, a built-in marble-top table anchors this kitchen by architectural firm Historical Concepts and interior designer Barbara Westbrook. A pair of bold-colored oversize pendants hang overhead.
Tour a tour of the rest of this dreamy farmhouse here.
Amy Mitchell is the managing editor at Country Living Magazine. She writes about a wide range of topics, including homes and lifestyle content.
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