The holiday season brings with it a finer appreciation for the kitchen. It’s a place where loved ones gather, cocktails are mixed, and good meals are made (and hopefully not burned).
But the seasonal spotlight on this space can also draw attention to its flaws—and inspire you to improve your kitchen’s form and function.
For this week’s trending Instagram decor, we thought it would be fun to feast our eyes on impeccably designed kitchens and bookmark the ones that are particularly noteworthy. Here are five such looks we encourage you to emulate to make your kitchen the most beloved—if not most used—room in your home.
1. Light gray cabinetry
One of our favorite kitchen design choices trending right now is ethereal light gray cabinetry, similar to these cabinets from @chelseahargraveinteriors.
“Light gray cabinets are the perfect alternative to white and pair well with wood flooring or other wood accents,” says designer Susan Serra. “A soft gray shade in cabinetry is compatible with an endless array of accent colors for the kitchen.”
Get the look: Add some extra dimension to your space with a can of Worldly Gray by Sherwin-Williams.
2. Branchy bouquets
Simple it may be, a branchy bouquet like this one from @melvanddesign adds just the right amount of natural romance to an otherwise bare space.
“A wonderful way to add texture, a dramatic branch bouquet is an element that evokes the beauty of nature in a simplistic form,” says Serra. “This is a popular design accent since it costs nothing to do a little foraging in the woods and spot an interesting branch to display. It’s easy to change the look to a different type of branch or even a collection of branches.”
Get the look: Find your perfect foraged bouquet with a post-Thanksgiving forest jaunt, then pair it with a rustic ceramic vase.
3. Antique island
In the spirit of blending old with new, this antique island seen on the account @home_decor_daily answers the call perfectly.
“We are seeing a trend toward antiques again,” says designer Jennifer Davis, of Davis Interiors. “I think people are getting tired of the white Instagram kitchen they have seen 1,000 times. Antique pieces allow for originality, and they also have a broken-in look, which feels warm and inviting.”
Get the look: Create a warm and inviting atmosphere in your own kitchen by hitting up your local antiques market or shopping this weathered kitchen island.
4. Hearth oven
Another way to embrace nostalgia in the kitchen is to install some old-fashioned flare in an unused corner. We can’t get over how charming this hearth oven looks in an otherwise modern kitchen featured by @amystormandco.
“Hearth ovens are in demand for their beauty and functionality,” says Serra. “It adds a strong architectural design element to the kitchen, and cooking pizza, baked goods, and other specialty foods in a hearth oven will keep things interesting.”
Speaking of architectural design, these industrial-style bar stools shared by @carriedelanyinteriors (and designed by @nicolegreendesignhouse) are giving us all the nostalgic old-world vibes that we crave this time of year.
“Mixing hard and soft in design is very popular right now,” says Davis. “Industrial stools give an edge to an otherwise classic kitchen, and the mix of elements and styles gives life to your design.”
Get the look: Give your kitchen an edge with these bar stools.
