The short answer is warm lighting and personal items on display: jugs, cups and boards you use anyway, complemented by plants and a bit of colour. It works regardless of the kitchen's size, as long as the worktop doesn't drown in clutter.
Contents
- The short answer
- Lighting: create warmth rather than harsh ceiling light
- Put the nice things on display on the shelf and table
- Greenery in the kitchen brings life and fragrance
- New handles and knobs on the kitchen cupboard doors
- The small kitchen: how to keep the cosiness without compromising
- Frequently asked questions
- Summary
A cosy kitchen is rarely about rebuilding. It's about the lighting, about what you choose to keep on display, and about the small touches that give the room character. In this guide, you'll get concrete ideas for making the kitchen warmer and more personal, whether it's big or quite small.
The short answer
Warm lighting, personal items on display, plants and a bit of colour, without the worktop drowning in clutter. These are the four things that do the most for cosiness in a kitchen, and they can all be used in both large and small kitchens.
Lighting: create warmth rather than harsh ceiling light
Warm lighting makes a kitchen cosier than harsh ceiling light alone. Add a small lamp on the worktop, ideally a rechargeable, cordless lamp so you can move it around as needed. Light candles at the dining spot when you sit down, it changes the mood straight away.
Put the nice things on display on the shelf and table
Things you use every day anyway can easily be left on display as decoration, as long as they're nice to look at. It gives you a personal and inviting kitchen without having to buy anything extra to decorate with.
- One or more jugs for water, squash or milk
- Cups put on display instead of hidden away in a cupboard
- A butter dish, salt and pepper ready to use
- A serving dish you use for fruit or bread
Feel free to gather small items on a tray or dish, so it looks tidy rather than cluttered.
Tip: Choose just a few things for the worktop, but make them nice. It creates more cosiness than lots of things placed randomly.
Greenery in the kitchen brings life and fragrance
Herbs in the windowsill add both greenery and fragrance, and they're handy to grab when you're cooking. Put them in pot covers for herbs, so they match the rest of the kitchen. A vase of flowers on the table or windowsill does the rest of the work.
New handles and knobs on the kitchen cupboard doors
If you want to give the kitchen a new look without replacing the whole kitchen, new handles and knobs the quickest way. It's a small change you notice every time you open a cupboard or a drawer.
Find new handles and knobs to give your kitchen cupboards a fresh look.
Shop kitchen handlesThe small kitchen: how to keep the cosiness without compromising
In a small kitchen, you free up space by using the wall and windowsill rather than the worktop. Choose a few functional items so each one earns its keep, and gather small things on a tray instead of spreading them out. Keep the worktop as clear as possible, it gives both more calm and more space to work.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make a kitchen cosy?
With warm lighting instead of just ceiling light, personal items like jugs and cups on display, and a touch of greenery or colour. It works no matter the size of the kitchen.
How do you decorate a small kitchen?
Use the wall and windowsill for storage, choose a few functional items, and gather small things on a tray. Keep the worktop as clear as possible for more calm and space.
What can you put on the kitchen worktop?
Things you use anyway, like a jug, butter dish or serving platter. It works both as decoration and as something practical.
How do you make a kitchen look more expensive?
Change the handles and knobs on the cupboards, it gives a new look without replacing the whole kitchen. Combine it with warm lighting and a few nice things on display.
Which plants can go in the kitchen?
Herbs on the windowsill are an obvious choice, they add greenery and scent and are handy when you're cooking. Pop them in plant pot covers that suit the kitchen.
Can you change the handles on kitchen cupboards?
Yes, it's one of the quickest ways to give your kitchen cupboards personality without replacing the whole kitchen.
Summary
A cosy kitchen starts with warm lighting and the things you use every day anyway, put on display as decoration. Add greenery to the windowsill and consider new handles on the cupboards. If the kitchen is small, use the wall and windowsill, and keep the worktop clear, so it feels cosy no matter the square metres.
Read also
- Kitchen decor: personality at the heart of the home
- Decorate a small flat
- The comeback of cupboard knobs: furniture renewal on a budget
- How to style a shelf with personality
- Which chopping board is best, and which oil should you use?
- Which colours go well with green?
- Brunch ideas: menu and table setting for a great brunch
- Tapas ideas: dishes, presentation and drinks for the evening
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