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3 stylish ways to personalize your kitchen
From cooking to conversing to entertaining,
the kitchen is the heart of the
home. It’s also a space that homeowners
oft en dream of renovating. A growing
trend in kitchen design is personalization,
where thoughtful updates go beyond
stainless-steel appliances and standard
cabinetry to incorporate a host of interesting
design elements.
By adding splashes of personality to
your kitchen, you make the space one of
a kind, and you’ll enjoy it more because
it refl ects your preferences and style.
Consider these key ways to breathe new
life into any kitchen.
1) Switch up your cabinets
Want to give your cabinets a fresh
look and add pizzazz without refacing or
installing new ones? Try replacing existing
hardware. Just as jewelry completes
an outfi t, hardware adds a fi nished look to
cabinets. Th e variety of styles and materials
for drawer and cabinet pulls - metals,
ceramics, crystal, glass, stone - makes
it easy to update your cabinets with little
cost and eff ort. Don’t be afraid to mix and
match hardware styles or experiment with
shapes to add character.
Another idea is to update a few key cabinets.
For instance, you can paint the cabinets
above or directly beside the stove
in black chalk paint, allowing you to add
fun words and phrases - or even a favorite
recipe - with chalk markers. You could
also remove the face of several cabinets
from the frame and add a clear or opaque
glass insert for added visual interest and
an unexpected touch of beauty.
Don’t forget about the oft en-overlooked
toe-kick space - the recessed area
just below the cabinets - which can be
enhanced with subtle styling. Consider
painting this area a statement color or
adding tiles for a clever update you won’t
see elsewhere.
2) Add vintage-style appliances
While stainless-steel appliances are
popular in modern kitchens, distinctive
appliances are a great way to add personality.
Elmira Stove Works off ers several
vintage-inspired appliance lines in
a variety of designs and colors. Whether
you opt to update all your appliances or
choose a single statement piece, your
kitchen will feel inspired.
For those who lean toward a retro or
midcentury modern look, the Northstar
line delivers conversation-worthy style to
any kitchen. Add a fun pop of color with
classic hues like tropical blue, mint green
and candy red, or choose from a broad
selection of custom colors. Learn more at
www.elmirastoveworks.com.
Th e Antique line features intricately
detailed appliances with historic styling.
Th ese appliances are available in a range
of traditional and custom colors, and can
complement any vintage home design,
including a rustic cabin, country cottage
or lake house. For a turn-of-the-century
feel, the Fireview stove has a visible
wood-burning component that can also
be used to heat rooms.
3) Light up the room
Proper lighting is essential for performing
kitchen tasks, but that doesn’t mean
it has to be boring. Lighting provides
an opportunity to get creative and bring
touches of personality to the kitchen. By
blending practical task lighting with decorative
ambient lighting, you can inject
the right balance of function and fashion.
Overhead and under-cabinet lighting
make it easy to chop, cut, cook and more.
Add a bit of fl air with a layered approach
- for example, strategically mix pendant
and wall lights with recessed lighting. Th e
globes that surround light fi xtures are
another great place to sprinkle in some
character. From glass designs in vivid
hues to textured metal looks, these surrounds
come in myriad shapes and sizes.
You can fi nd your favorite kitchen lighting
options at local home improvement
stores or boutique lighting shops. For
something truly one of a kind, visit antique
shops, fl ea markets and home decor reclamation
stores. Whether an amazing art
deco chandelier or an adorable Victorian
decorative table lamp, you’ll discover unexpected
gems for your kitchen.
When you add personal touches, you’ll
enjoy an updated, customized space that
will have you cooking and entertaining
in style.
Courtesy BPT
/www.elmirastoveworks.com
/WWWo.QNS.COm
/www.elmirastoveworks.com
