Accessorising Your Kitchen

Whether your kitchen is large or small it can be easily enhanced by adding accessories as accents. If you really want to make accessories work for you then you need to be able to judge and use your space wisely-so you don't become overwhelmed by your accessories. You also need to decide on a theme.

Here are some creative ideas to brighten up your kitchen.

• A collection of old coffee, and tea tins make an eye catching addition to a kitchen nook.
• Herb vinegars or flavoured oils glass bottles placed where they can reflect the light.
• Antique candlesticks along with a candle snuffer and wick trimmer.
• Fill a wire basket with decorative wood, glass, or ceramic eggs.
• Fill clear glass containers with pasta, beans, and nuts.
• Strings of garlic, onions, and chili peppers always look good hanging from shelves or cabinets.
• Almost any kitchen item can be used as a plant pot, from an enamel pitcher to a copper kettle, if you have terra cotta pots, they can be faux painted, stenciled, covered with contact paper, or decoupaged to match your kitchen scheme.

Creating a continental feel

If you want to give your kitchen the romantic feel of a French café, try these simple steps to bring out the continental flavour:

• Use plants, particularly trailing ivy, geraniums in terracotta pots, and a small topiary.
• Add a trendy bistro table and chairs. They will look great either in black wrought iron or distressed white wood.
• Decorate a blackboard with menu items written in French. Either hang it on the wall or have it standing on a small easel.
• Use coloured glass bottles to accent the room.
• Candle Holders will add the ambience of romance; candles are a must for your table or the counter tops.
• Food posters on the walls can be coordinated with your colour scheme.

Accessorise with baskets

Baskets are another great kitchen accessory. These days they come in all shapes, sizes and colours and materials including straw, ceramic, wire and fabric. Some of them are big enough to stand on the floor, while others are small enough to place in a windowsill or to hang on a wall. They can be used for holding and displaying a wide range of thin including:

• Napkins and cutlery
• Coloured dish towels
• Plants and dried flowers
• Fruit and vegetables
• Utensils

And remember to put baskets to good use for serving bread and cheeses with meals.

Wall Hangings

If you have wall space, don't leave it bare. There are a number of ways you can accessorise your walls:

• Hang copper pots and pans
• Hang up a collection of decorative moulds
• A quilt or textile wall hanging adds colour and texture
• Han a collection of food themed prints

Display your china

A great tradition for accessorising the kitchen is to display china tableware. An antique wooden dresser is the perfect way to put your crocks on display, but if you don't have room for one you can put up shelves or even hang the plates on the walls.