I get asked quite often how to make a house a home, how to soften the edges so a room doesn't look to formulaic and sterile. The room that people seem to have most difficulty with is the kitchen as often times many of us have open plan kitchens that lead into dining/living rooms. My trick is to treat the kitchen like any other cool space in the house. Soften it with shelves containing unkitcheny stuff, put supersized table lamps on central islands and heap and stack books cookery or otherwise. Two images below showcase two entirely different styles - first up hollywood glamour.
Super sexy bar stools coupled with some fabulous shots of colour make this space feel ultra sophisticated. Shelves display cool objects rather than storage jars of full of pasta and it shouts Hollywood glamour.
The second image is also in California but alot more laid back in feel. Pots and pans are displayed ad hoc and the chair and rug add lovely touches to soften the space from being entirely practical. Whatever your style the kitchen is really the heart of the home so its important to get it right.
