Kitchen makeover on a budget - decorative accents

Now that you have made one or a few updates to your kitchen it is time to put on the finishing touches.  Important decorative items that will add beauty, comfort and style to your kitchen are fabric, paint color and artwork.  These choices will make your kitchen unique and inviting.

 Kitchens have many hard edges that can use some softening.  These can easily be softened with the use of fabric on the windows or furniture.  Window treatments add color on the walls and softens window frames.  Upolstered furniture mixes in with the wood cabinetry and tables in the same way.  Fabric is also used to bring in additional colors for accents.  When kitchens are designed many of the expensive surfaces such as granite counter tops, cabinets and floor are kept neutral.  This is done to increase the longevity of your kitchen.  Fabrics can be added and removed more easily and with less cost.  It allows you to take a risk with color in order to keep your kitchen fresh and updated.  Even small dish  towels can add a shot of color with very little cost.


I usually try to select the paint color after I have selected the fabric.  You hate to exclude a fabric you love, because it doesn't match the paint.   You can always find a matching paint color.  It can be done with paint first it just takes a little more effort to find the perfect fabric.  It is important to make sure the paint color coordinates well with your cabinetry.  If your cabinets are white then it makes sense to paint the walls with color in order for the cabinets to pop out and not just blend into the walls.  Paint color for a kitchen with wood cabinetry can be tricky.  The paint color on the walls should be a color that enhances the cabinetry.  The wrong yellow can make your cabinets look orange or drab.  Sometimes selecting one of the lighter or darker shades that exists within the wood creates a cohesive monochromatic color scheme.  Or pull a color from your counter top.  Putting test swatches of color on the wall in different locations can help identify the best color for your kitchen.

Once the fabric and paint have been selected it is time to move on to artwork.  This can include paintings or prints on the walls, as well as, dishes, baskets or vases around the room.  Plants also add an organic element (silk or real).  Mix things up, put decorative plates on the wall or rustic wood pieces in a modern kitchen.  Pops of color with these accents can add dimension and interest to your kitchen.

If you have any questions please comment below or contact me on my Facebook Fan Page at Facebook.com/dottywymandesigns. I would love the hear from you. I look forward to writing about more ideas for your custom kitchen.

Dotty Wyman is the principal designer at www.dottywymandesigns.com.