Spice Up Your Cooking Space with These Creative Kitchen Wall Decor Ideas
When it comes to kitchens, there are a bevy of things to consider, not just from a design perspective, but from a technical one as well. Everything from which refrigerator will best fit your space, to how to lay out an island, to induction versus gas ovens can create a real challenge. What often gets lost in this shuffle is your kitchen decor, which can transform this space into a room where family and friends gather, not just for cooking, but for drinks, conversation, and more. Of course, since the kitchen is such an essential space in your home, the decor will require a slightly different strategy. Here, we've scoured our archives for some of our favorite kitchen wall decor ideas (some that are a snap to DIY) to stir up some inspiration. From flying fish to vintage plates, consider this your go-to guide for taking your cooking space to the next level.
Bring in Other Rooms
Decorate the walls in your kitchen, yes, but in lieu of that, make sure the fabulous decor from nearby rooms is in eyeshot as well. In a midcentury modern home designed by Garrett Hunter, the kitchen looks into the dining room, where a dynamic pendant light by Jeffrey Chung pairs with a serene artwork by Nadine Schemmann.
Mix Old With New
Interior designer Sam Sacks had already created a dream apartment for her Toronto client, so when they worked together on a new home, it had to be just as perfect. The solution? A chic kitchen with blue cabinetry that blends new fixtures, like an Officine Gullo sink, with treasured heirlooms, like a charcoal drawing and Mixmaster from the client's grandmother.
Let Your Curios Shine
The best design is often that which feels most personal. That's a brief that interior designer and architect Crina Arghirescu Rogard ran with in her Brooklyn home, which is rife with furniture and decor from her many travels. In the kitchen, glassware from trips to Portugal and antique plates create an elegant open shelving scheme.
Dive Into Pattern
Don't let your artwork hang in the kitchen without any synergy with the other decor elements. Here, in a Polish home designed by Paradowski Studio, pattern pairs with pattern via an Ettore Sottsass veneer on the countertops, a custom marble backsplash, and a monumental piece by artist Marta Wojtuszsek.
Pair Playful Plates
Sometimes, the best wall decor is whatever dishes you've already got on deck. In this Ibiza townhouse designed by Casa Muñoz, plates featuring under-the-sea motifs from Rastro Madrid pair with a similarly oceanic lava stone tiles.
Add a Playful Pendant
We love an open shelving scheme and an artwork or two--as seen here in the Brooklyn apartment of designer Ciaran McGuigan—but it's often the lighting that can make these wall decor ideas really shine. Here, McGuigan, the creative director of Northern Irish furniture brand Orior, smartly brought together a series of pendant lights by South Korean designer Seungjin Yang.
Flaunt Your Cookbooks
In this Los Angeles home designed by Studio Mellone, built-in bookshelves are not only the perfect place to store your treasured recipes, but also lend a cozy bookshelf wealth aesthetic to an otherwise minimal space. The best part of this scheme, though? The dreamy, sunny courtyard views.
Add a Pop of Color
We love a chromed-out kitchen as much as anyone, but what really sets off that silvery look is an expressive pop of color. In a Miami apartment, Charlap Hyman & Herrero achieved this by incorporating an artwork by Jean J. Datondant into a kitchen area with cabinets by Boffi and wall paneling by Donghia.
Hang Your Treasures High
In order to create visual interest from top to bottom, it's often a good idea to add a high-up shelf and load it with personal treasures. That's the case in the Paris home of fashionista Marc Valeanu, which showcases a series of objects as wall decor, flanked by gorgeous tiles by Maurizio Scianna.
Add Playful Neon Signage
Looking to lighten the mood a bit? We suggest mixing playful, graphic artworks with more vintage objects, like in this kitchen by architecture firm Lake | Flato in San Antonio. Here, a neon "Make Tacos Not War" sign juxtaposes an otherwise warm, modern scheme.
Lean Into Marble
When it comes to kitchens, you can't go wrong with white marble. In the New York City home of Simon Huck and Phil Riportella, interior designer Michelle Smith deftly paired veined stone with similarly black-and-white tabletop accessories for a breezy, timeless shelving system.
Keep It Neutral
There's enough chaos in the kitchen as it is, so maintaining a pared-back, neutral color scheme often pays dividends. Eva Bradley, interior designer and principal of Studio Heimat, incorporated a handful of different wall decor options in the kitchen of her San Francisco home, all while maintaining a serene palette. The three small portraits on the middle shelf are made by her husband, artist Cory Bradley.
Let the Decor Breathe
We love a maximalist scheme, but sometimes it pays to arrange the objects artfully and let them speak for themselves. In the New York apartment of jewelry designer Matthew Harris, a Portuguese Rosa marble shelf cradles a subtle artwork by Jean Cocteau and an amber vase by Vista Alegre. Here, less really is more.
Bring in a Graphic Tile
Custom tiles and vintage sconces? Sign us up. In Toronto, interior designer Montana Labelle incorporated a Brutalist-inspired backsplash with work by Black Rock Tile Studio into her moody, atmospheric kitchen area. The cherry on top is the floating shelf, illuminated by a series of Charlotte Perriand sconces.
Maximize Your Space
Not every kitchen comes with abundant square footage, but lack of space doesn't mean you have to skimp on style. In Provincetown, Massachusetts, interior designer David Cafiero elevated this cozy kitchen space with floating shelves, colorful backsplash, artworks, and more.
Go Blue on Blue on Blue
Blue is quickly emerging as the new color du jour—case in point, this kitchen from the Lisbon home of L'Objet founder and creative director Elad Yifrach. Cerulean marble stretches from the floor to the walls, which are also adorned with floating shelves and decorative plates.
Stack Dishes on Dishes
Sometimes the best wall decor is what's right in front of us--often, if it's the kitchen, that means dishes, and lots of them. In this Maine project by interior designer Angie Hranowsky, floating shelves and stacked bowls add a dash of color the wood-paneled walls.
Hang Your Pots and Pans
Yes, pots and pans are used first and foremost for cooking, but they can also make for stylish wall decor. In the Sydney home of interior designer Tamsin Johnson, a vintage pendant by Gio Ponti pairs with copper pots and pans, plus artwork, for a timeless yet playful effect.
Incorporate the Animal Kingdom
Fish and chickens and beetles, oh my! You can find all this and more on the kitchen walls of this home in Portugal designed by Jacques Grange. Pops of color on the countertops and stools and antique plates above the doorway further set off the delightful scheme.
Keep It Open
An open floor plan isn't for everyone, but it certainly allows for more kitchen wall space. Designer Athena Calderone opted for this look in her family's Amagansett beach house, using the extra square footage to incorporate a subtle bookshelf above the refrigerator, as well as a wood sculpture from Bali.
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