18 Easy, Stylish Kitchen Counter Decor Ideas

The right kitchen counter decor can help make your space look more stylish while in some cases adding function and reducing clutter. You can decorate your kitchen countertops with everything from everyday objects to plants, framed art, decorative serving bowls, colorful accessories, and functional items from canisters to trays to lazy Susans to keep them looking as well styled as the rest of your interior.

Check out these easy kitchen counter decor ideas that will show you how to make your space feel more elevated, functional, organized, and inviting. 

Choose a Statement Object

If you love the look of clean and uncluttered kitchen countertops, consider accessorizing with a single, statement-making object. Kristen Nix Interiors punched up this honed quartz countertop in bright white with a bold, bronze star sculpture. It lends a pop of dark, dramatic contrast to the crisp, white cooking space.

Accent With Color

Many kitchens are dominated by the colors white, black, and silver. Take inspiration from the colorful cooking spaces of the 1920s and 1930s, and add in some bright focal points. The pops of color will draw your eye around the room.

For example, the red fruit bowl on the counter throws focus to the red knobs on the range and the mixer. The avocado vase with sunflowers does the same with the yellow pantry door and turquoise cookie jar.

Add Natural Textures

Woodsy texture can lend warmth to a stark white kitchen. Heidi Caillier Design placed tall branches in a glass vase on the peninsula for a simple striking look that brings nature inside.

Mirror What's on Open Shelving

Never be afraid to go bold in small spaces. Decorate open shelving with your collections, dishware, found objects, and table decor, then keep it going on the counter space below. Stephanie Watkins of Casa Watkins Living has a coffee maker and grinder on her counter, but they blend right in when surrounded by decorative pieces.

Organize With Trays

Use decor to set up individual workstations and zones in your kitchen, from the main countertops to the kitchen island or a coffee station niche. Tina Ramchandani Creative corralled coffee-making items on a wooden tray that can be moved around as needed. Glass containers with wood accents keep the functional decor looking harmonious while reducing visual clutter.

Create a Farmhouse Vignette

Nothing says farmhouse style like vintage kitchen accessories on this kitchen counter from Old Salt Farm. The wooden spoon holder is a repurposed lantern, the food scale is a score from a local flea market, and the fresh-baked pie sign was a DIY project. All three elements together create a cozy and rustic aesthetic.

Choose Old Objects

Kitchens are often full of new and contemporary items—stainless steel appliances, shiny air fryers, sleek knives, an automatic coffee machine. Balance out some of that newness by adding antique and vintage objects to the countertops. Head to thrift stores and flea markets to find artwork, ceramics, and wooden objects.

Style Everyday Items

Studio McGee dressed up this countertop with a nice mix of aesthetically pleasing kitchen staples. One of their tricks is to make everyday items like the bottled soap and lotion set, and scrub brush look more presentable by placing in small white caddies.

Use Round Shapes

Break up the linear feel of countertops and built-ins by decorating your kitchen sink countertop with round accents. Kate Coughlin Interiors decorated this uncluttered white kitchen counter with a glass vase filled with green apples and a trio of topiaries on the other side of the sink.

Choose Attractive Essentials

Choose attractive appliances and storage, and your kitchen essentials can become your decor. Above, a minimalist scrub brush holder, blue Smeg toaster, patterned utensil crock, French press, and slim wooden tray decorate the counters. The effect is a kitchen counter that looks decorated but remains largely clear for cooking.

Curate Everyday Items

A classic herringbone-tiled backsplash is the perfect backdrop to incorporate lots of wood elements like cutting boards, bowls, and utensils according to the decorating experts at Elegantsi. All-white canisters create storage for everyday necessities. Fresh flowers and a bowl of lemons add a bright note.

Add Sculptural Accents

Keri Feeney of Alicia Weaver Design says her staples for decorating kitchen countertops are large bowls of produce and fresh flowers in decorative vases. In this kitchen, she added sculptural items to her display. The result is a sophisticated cooking space that beautifully blends with the main living area in this open concept home.

Outsource to Open Shelves

In a small kitchen with limited countertop space, add open shelving on the wall above, say the experts at Park and Oak Interior Design.

24 Ideas for Kitchens With Open Shelving

Use Decorative Dispensers

Interior designer Keri Feeney of Alicia Weaver Design suggests keeping kitchen counters as clutter-free as possible. She suggests focusing on a few well-chosen decorative items to complement your kitchen counters, such as fresh flowers, greenery, or a decorative soap dispenser.

Show Off Your Collection

Investing in a set of copper pots, natural wood cutting boards, and other kitchen tools that will add beauty and functionality to your kitchen counters, like this space from Park & Oak Interior Design.

Organize With a Lazy Susan

Place a lazy Susan on the countertop near the range to store olive oil, salt-and-pepper, and other frequently used items. NEAT Method added a simple wooden turntable to keep essentials within easy reach and the counters of this immaculate white kitchen organized and clutter-free.

Stick to Black and White

To create a harmonious feel, stick to black and white decor accents in a black-and-white kitchen. Desiree Burns Interiors decorated the countertops of this renovated modern rustic kitchen with a simple vignette consisting of a leaning framed print of a bunch of flowers, a vase of eucalyptus branches, and a small bowl of limes that make the space feel warm and inviting.

Tip

When styling a kitchen counter vignette, group items in groups of three for a harmonious feel. Mix shapes, heights, and finishes to create interest.

Play With Height

Add accessories in varying heights around the kitchen to keep the eye moving and create a dynamic feel. Interior design firm Park and Oak plays with texture, height, and color in this cooking space by strategically placing a variety of plants and green branches on the kitchen counters and central island.

Read Next: 24 DIY Makeover Ideas for Redoing Kitchen Cabinets

Read the original article on The Spruce.