The kitchen is the most redecorated area of the home, which is understandable. After all, people spend a great deal of time in their kitchens. Redecorating the kitchen can be a simple or complex task, but the easiest way to go about it is to choose a theme. One theme that has become fairly popular in recent years is the “café" or “coffee house" style.
This decorative theme has caught on for a couple reasons. One is the popularity of coffee, and the other is because this design brings warmth and lightness to the kitchen. The colors can be any combination of tans, browns and whites. Expert decorators recommend that the larger elements of the kitchen, such as the walls and floor tiles, be lighter colors. Then darker colors can be used to accent smaller items. This approach keeps the room looking bright and airy. One approach is to pick a wall color by seeing what looks good against the cabinet finish. Of course, the cabinet finish can always be changed as well to suit the look.
When decorating a kitchen with the any theme, it is very important to find the appropriate accessories. Furniture is a great place to start. For the café theme, it may help to think about what a café looks like. One idea is to look at a picture of one, and then base your design off of it. Many people choose to place bar stools or chairs around a relatively small table. Round tables are often the table of choice, as they fit perfectly within the overall theme. Glass or solid topped tables can be used, depending on how fancy the kitchen will be. Purchasing a set of stools and a table together is often the easiest way to go.
Creativity is the key to making each kitchen’s theme unique. Some decorators like to randomly install tiles with vintage coffee labels into the backsplash. Another possibility is to incorporate a French street scene into the wall as a focal point. Something else to try is to bring an accent color from a nearby room into the kitchen. For example, if there are dark brown pillows on the couch, dark brown accents could be added in spots. This will help to make the café kitchen theme congruous with the rest of the home.
Many stores and online companies carry sets of café style pictures. While they really help set the mood, it is important not to overdo it with too many pictures. This will make the walls look too busy and detract from the overall elegance of the kitchen. It is always essential to keep in mind: the decorative theme should be lighthearted, not overbearing like many restaurants.
Another idea for the backdrop is to paint or stencil an appropriate border on the walls, close to the ceiling and around the doorways. This can really add a personal touch to the theme; of course, professional artists can be hired to perform this job, as it can be rather difficult.
Something else to try is placing decorative, oversized coffee mugs on top of the kitchen cabinets. Floor mats, oven mitts, placemats, ceramic platters, kitchen towels and coasters are other accessories that come in café styles. There are also numerous coffeehouse-style wall plaques and clocks offered to give the room that genuine café feel. For the counter, appropriately-themed cutting boards and canister sets are available as well.
Finally, no café style kitchen is complete without an actual coffee machine. Whether it pumps out espressos, lattes or mochas, the coffee machine adds authenticity to the theme. Models can range from basic and inexpensive to deluxe and quite costly.
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information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
