Inspired spaces with Alice Lines: Get creative with kitchen styling

For many of us, the kitchen is the heart of our home, a space in which we spend time and pass through from dawn to dusk. As part of our home-styling series, homestyle editor Alice Lines shares her advice for adding personality to an otherwise fairly functional room.

Why not take the opportunity to inject some character into what’s typically a work zone but is also where we spend a significant amount of downtime? I like kitchens that include something a little unexpected—objects of interest that you might not typically find, art and decorative curiosities buddying up with everyday necessities.

The hero here is a pair of paintings by Selina Foote from Two Rooms gallery (from left: Woman with a pearl necklace and Enfants II) that form a thought-provoking talking point. A supporting cast of smaller finds completes the arrangement; when combining these in larger areas, find balance by grouping them together.

Loosely developing a zigzag of ‘moments’ across a couple of shelves is one way to figure out where to add and subtract pieces, leaving space for the eye to travel between them. It always takes a bit of experimentation to get it right, so enjoy taking the time to review until you’ve arranged an edit of objects that’s both useful and beautiful.

Natural elements such as flowers, foliage and food help soften a kitchen’s hard lines and bring life to the space. Keep it simple by using scale to create impact. Stand a large vessel on the end of the island to fill with an oversized floral arrangement, then change it out for foliage for a fresh shot of green on green.

Sculptural produce is a stylist’s go-to for something extra on the bench. Celebrate what’s in abundance each season, placing it in matte-glazed ceramics, such as this Halo serveware, which is a refined, elegant option for use from kitchen to table.

As life happens in and around the kitchen, surfaces can naturally become cluttered. Styling goes hand in hand with tidying, so when things start to feel a bit cramped, moving pieces into and out of rotation can help you regain a sense of order and renew the mood.

 

That wraps up our five-part journal series with Alice Lines. It’s been a pleasure working with Alice and seeing her creative flair expressed throughout the home. To explore the series, click here.

Art credit: Woman with a pearl necklace (left) and Enfants II by Selina Foote from Two Rooms. Discover more from Selina on Instagram, and view Two Rooms online and on Instagram.