Home Tree Atlas: Home Decor Ideas and Mood Boards

A Palette Guide for Kitchen Color Schemes: Decor and Paint Ideas

Everything comes into play when choosing the color scheme for a kitchen. In the pictures above you can see that the color palettes are made up of the main features in the kitchen: from the wall colors and floors, to the cabinets, countertops and decor pieces. So when you are looking at paint color ideas, you’ll have take note of the other colors that are already in your kitchen.

White is always a great color to paint the walls. This creates a blank canvas to decorate the kitchen with more colorful pieces like a blue kitchen island table, colorful light fixtures or cabinets. Other popular kitchen wall colors include: light grey, cream, and light green. One thing to note is that bright warm paint colors will make the space feel larger, while darker colors will make it feel cozier and smaller.

For a collection of black and white kitchen designs have a look at our post here.
If you like a darker look, then check out my black kitchen designs post
You can find blue design ideas here.
Red design ideas here.
Purple kitchen design ideas here.
For white kitchens look here.
And grey ideas here.

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February 21, 2013 in Kitchen

Beautiful Wall Decor Ideas for a Kitchen

From creating a home command center to making the space feel larger with a mirror, check out these kitchen wall decor ideas we’ve put together:

Wall Hangings: One idea is to decorate the walls with a wrought iron letter of your choice. Or how about going with a framed quote “A meal without wine is called breakfast” or a sign as seen in picture (1).

Family and Friends: For a more family and personalized feel, create a 3-6 framed photograph layout on the wall (2).

Tuscany: If you have a Tuscan kitchen, hanging up pottery, ceramic, or even copper pots and pans are some decorations that keep in line with the Tuscan style (Tuscan Kitchen Decor Ideas Mood Board).

Organization and Management: How about creating a home HQ aka a kitchen command center (3). Hang up a chalkboard, or better yet cover a wall with chalkboard paint (4). For more ideas on how to create a command center check out our post here: Ideas for Setting up a Family Command Center in the Kitchen .

Small to Large: One quick trick to make the basement feel larger is to hang up a framed mirror (5).

The Art of Textures: If you want to liven up a flat painted wall, some textured wall ideas include using: textured painting techniques – sponge or a brush to create a marble or linen look (Textured Wall Painting Ideas: From Faux Wood to Linen Effects), wallpaper (Design Notes on Kitchen Wallpaper Ideas), or wall tiles (6).

Storage as Wall Decor: Keeping things well organized can add to the decor of the kitchen (7). Here are some examples of things to group and display on shelves: wicker storage baskets, displaying pasta or other ingredients in mason jars, vintage bottles (8), plants, or books. How about hanging up a fruit basket or a wine rack?

Lighting: Don’t forget to light up the walls (9). If you have something hanging up then see if you can have a light pointed to it, to create a focal point in the room. Ceiling track lights can have their lights angled differently. Or how about creating an elegant glow in the kitchen by using cabinet lights – whether that is done using under cabinet lights or display lighting (Kitchen Lighting Ideas Mood Board and Inspiration). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9

February 21, 2013 in Kitchen

Cooking Time: U Shaped Kitchen Designs and Ideas

U shaped kitchen designs, the compact ones, are the most efficient layouts you can have. Just spin around and you can reach different cabinets, the sink, cooker, etc. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

A few layout ideas include:

Having the U wrap around three walls just like in photos: (1) (2) (3)
If you have a larger kitchen space then you can have the main cooking area wrapped around to a breakfast bar counter, or just continued to a peninsular work space with storage underneath instead of leg space for seating. Seating: (4) (5). Work space: (6) (7).
Another idea for larger kitchens is to have the u-shaped layout spread out against the walls and have a kitchen island in the middle of it all: (8) (9).
A makeshift way of having a u shaped kitchen is to put a small table, or storage cabinet around an L shaped kitchen to complete the U shape as seen in picture (10) above.

February 21, 2013 in Kitchen

Attractive and Easy to Maintain Kitchen Flooring Options

The kitchen is typically one of the busiest areas of your home so you’ll want to choose flooring that is not only attractive, but durable. Here are the most common, easy to maintain types of kitchen floors that look great and are easy to maintain.

Tiles: Tiles are typically the first option in kitchen flooring for many homeowners. Tiles are available in hundreds of colors, materials and styles including:

Ceramic is a classic option for any kitchen design as seen in pictures (1) (2) and (3). For example, when tiles are alternating dark and light, it provides a classic, traditional look.
Vinyl kitchen tiles are inexpensive, durable and a great option for do-it-yourself homeowners who enjoy updating on a regular basis. Vinyl tiles are long lasting, but inexpensive to replace for new designs (4) (5).

Laminate: Laminate floors are a great alternative to expensive hardwoods. Laminate floors usually make the space appear larger and because of its durability, it is an excellent option for busy kitchens (6 – IKEA Pine Effect Laminate Flooring) (7).

Hardwood: This has been one of the more favored kitchen flooring options for centuries and continues to be a popular choice. There are several different types of woods to choose from, some of which are better suited for specific kitchen designs (8) (9 – with a herringbone layout pattern). Some of the most common wood options include:

Maple, which is typically a narrow plank floor, is used in kitchens with a rustic design. It can either be stained or left in the natural color. Maple is also easy to refinish.
Walnut is naturally dark in color, however, for an old-world charm, the wood can be stained darker. Walnut is a great option for kitchens with a modern as well as rustic look.
Pine is used often in kitchens with various designs. It is easy to maintain and can be stained or left in its natural color. Lighter pine floors can make a small kitchen look larger as well as give it a clean, crisp feeling.
Under Your Feet: Modern Flooring Ideas

Concrete: Quickly becoming one of the most popular options for kitchen flooring concrete is a great alternative to tile or stone and is very durable as well as versatile (10). Faux grout lines can be added to give the concrete the appearance of stone tiles (11). It can also be painted over or stained to give it some color (12), and polished for a more luxurious look.

Other Kitchen Flooring Ideas: Cork is another durable flooring option, one that is easy to maintain and can be stained in any color to match the design of the kitchen. For a more eco friendly kitchen floor, rubber is a great option. Rubber flooring is typically made from a variety of recycled items such as old tires – and is very durable.

An Added Layer: A carpet runner is a quick and easy way to add a splash of color to the kitchen as well as provide protection for soft wood floors (13) (14). These should be placed by cookers and sinks, places where you stand a lot, to avoid excessive wear on the flooring around those areas. It also helps prevents the floor from getting slippery. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14