The kitchen has always been the heart of the home and its main purpose was for preparing food. As the years have gone on, the kitchen has become a place for guests to gather, and in turn a show piece of the home. Decorative accessories, shelving and lighting to accommodate kitchen decor, and bookshelves in kitchen islands are commonplace. If you’re looking for a way to expand your kitchen into a decorative show place for your creative style, here are a few tips for displaying all you hold dear.

• Make your kitchen all about the display: If you have a great collection of books, or an unbelievable collection of wines, why not make your kitchen the perfect place to show them off? Creative wood cabinetry and display can utilize bookshelves, custom shelving and unique storage areas to display your most prized collectibles. If your kitchen is adjacent to your living room, bar, or dining room, consider using display to serve both areas. Glasses, spices, and home collectibles can find a home in creative display in your kitchen.
• Glass cabinets make for great display: Remember when cabinets used to be closed off and dinnerware and glasses would hide behind closed doors? Glass front cabinets enable you to use your dishes as display. Creative glass applications can range from frosted glass, etched or pebbled glass, or completely transparent to allow personal collections to shine through. Ensure lighting is installed inside your cabinets for highlighting displays at night.

• Casual meets function: If you prefer a more laid back style in your kitchen display, consider open shelving made from rustic wood, metal or natural surfaces. Open shelving is ideal for casual decorative styles, and allows your dishes and display to be visually showcased easier. Consider using empty wall space around kitchen windows or vacant space between upper kitchen cabinets to truly maximize on space and display your artisan artifacts beautifully.

• Keep the family organized: Creative display can also mean a place for organization and updating the family quickly and easily. Bulletin, chalk, and creative wall paint solutions are a great place to display to-do lists, grocery lists, and notes to the kids. Consider installing simple organizing shelves adjacent to your kitchen and dining room area for quick access to dinner table items, or kitchen gadgets that are close at hand. Another great place for organization is the refrigerator. Instead of using dozens of magnets and papers, opt for open shelving or custom memo boards around the refrigerator area. It will look organized and keep your family connected.

Kitchen display can be creative and unique with the help of these suggestions. If you have a kitchen island, use cabinet area for display too. Storage area that once served as cabinetry can be removed and replaced with shelves, wine storage, dish racks, or creative collectible display. Custom millwork designers can customize your kitchen to suit your needs, or visit an organization store for do it yourself options. Regardless of your style, display areas in your kitchen make the room become a livable space, and an expression of your family, not just a place to boil some water!

Freshome readers do you have creative display areas in your kitchen? Tell us about them in the comment section below.

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