Whether you’re planning a new kitchen or improving an existing one, creating a focal point can help make a big difference. You can achieve this in many ways, both through design and decoration.
There are several ways to create a focal point in your kitchen. For example, you might want to display a collection of old plates or antique gadgets, or you might prefer to highlight a space where you and your family will gather to eat or relax.
Creating a focal point through design typically involves establishing a main area of interest, such as a dining table, a central island with a hob or sink, a simple working surface, or even open shelving. Shelving can be used to display neatly packed groceries, homemade jams and pickles (or store-bought jams decanted into glass jars), or attractive herbs and spices. A good-looking hob or a multi-function cooking arrangement along one of the walls can also serve as a striking focal point.
Decorative Ways to Enhance Your Kitchen’s Focus
If you’re planning a new kitchen, consider the layout to create a focal point. There will always be multiple options, and creativity will help you make the most of the space.
If your kitchen is already designed and you’re not planning to remodel, you can still make a big visual impact with decorative touches. Dramatic displays and collections are especially effective. You might also consider adding a hand-painted mural on a wall (if you have artistic skills), placing herbs in pots on a windowsill, hanging dried herbs from a beam, or arranging items on a countertop or table.
The main goal when creating a focal point for your kitchen is to draw attention to a specific area or space. Conversely, it can also help divert attention away from less attractive features, such as sinks or appliances that can’t be hidden away.
Color can be a great tool for highlighting areas of interest. For example, you could paint one wall a different color, or paint cabinet doors to make them stand out against white or pale walls.
Before deciding what to focus on, consider what you already have to work with and what your needs are. There’s no point in taking up space with a table if your family eats in the dining room or living room instead of the kitchen. However, if you spend a lot of time cooking and enjoy having people around while you do so, you might want to create an area that becomes the hub of your home. Many people achieve this by adding a bar-height counter with stools, which can quickly become the focal point of the room.
If you already have a kitchen, assess how you can improve its appearance. What catches your eye when you first walk into the room? Are there views from windows you could enhance? Could you paint or decorate any walls?
While kitchens can be difficult to reorganize without remodeling built-in units, small changes—like a splash of paint or new hardware—can improve the room’s overall focus.
A window can also become a focal point, even if the view isn’t spectacular. Consider enhancing the window coverings with a classy blind or charming café curtains. If privacy isn’t an issue, you might like the idea of installing glass shelves across the window to display easy-to-grow herbs such as parsley, thyme, marjoram, and sweet basil. Not only will you create a focal point, but you’ll also have instant access to fresh flavor for your cooking.
Furniture can also be a great way to create a visual focal point. If you have the space for a Welsh dresser or something similar, you can use it to display items while also providing valuable storage.
If you’re interested in displaying items, take a look at what you already have. For example, if you own three or four versions of a particular item, you’re on your way to creating a collection. Plates, whether hand-painted ceramic, stenciled enamel, or antique, are perfect for this. Look for uniformity in color or style, and group them together, or hang them around the room just below the ceiling cornice. Botanical prints or other pictures can also work well in a group display.
Other collections that can become focal points include old tins, wicker baskets, antique farm or household implements (old carpet beaters are especially great and can be mounted on the wall), cast iron or copper pots, stainless steel utensils, or a mix of old and new wooden utensils. Scales, particularly old metal ones made from cast iron and brass, are also highly collectible.
Even minimalist kitchens can have a focal point; it’s all about deciding what that focal point will be and how to draw attention to it.
To prevent unattractive areas from becoming the focal point, keep them clean and tidy. Avoid drawing attention to them with decorative items.
