Kitchen decorating can go in a plethora of different directions. From wall hangings to paintings to intricate light fixtures, there are so many different design options for the kitchen, but have you thought about using plants?
When it comes to decorating your kitchen, maybe all you need is just a few plants to liven up the room and give it a pop of colour. Check out these awesome tips for using plants to decorate your kitchen.
Colour and contrast
When matching plants and their pots to your kitchen decor, you can do one of two things: complement or contrast. Both can give you a bold, striking new look, so it’s up to you which style you prefer.
Darker-coloured plants and pots stand out against light colours and make a lovely contrast. If your kitchen has light benchtops and pastel or brightly-coloured walls, a dark green plant and brown pot will really make a statement. Put taller plants in front of plain walls to give the wall some detail. This saves you the trouble of putting a hole in the wall to hang a painting or shelf.
While you can mix dark-coloured pots and plants with other dark colours in your kitchen, a lighter-coloured plant will make the room a bit brighter. Light and bright colours reflect more light around the room so when the sunshine comes through the kitchen window, the light plant will reflect more light around the room, making it appear brighter without having to turn on any lights.
Don’t forget about flowers! There are plenty of Flowering trailing plants that need little sunlight, and they come in plenty of different colours to choose from. You should be able to find a flower to match the other colours in your kitchen, or you can choose a white flower to blend in. Either option will provide a delicate fragrance for your kitchen.
Potting around
While green plants and flowers give you plenty of colour options, you can always opt for a plainer plant and make the pot the central characteristic. Pots come in all shapes, sizes, and colours so you’re sure to find something to fit your kitchen.
Brightly-coloured pots will liven up your kitchen, especially when the plant is especially green. These pots work especially well if your kitchen is done mostly in whites, blacks, beiges and browns. A few choice colours will bring character to an otherwise monotone kitchen.
Not all kitchens need brightly coloured pots. If your kitchen wall is deep red or other colour non-earthy colour, you’ll surely want something that will stand out against the colour so opt for darker coloured pot. Between the deep colour and the green plant, you’ll make a statement in your kitchen.
If you want to tone down the colour, choose a pot with an interesting design or characteristic. This will add a little detail to the kitchen without taking away from other designs, and it will provide your kitchen with more details, especially if the walls are plain.
Decorate with purpose
Having plants in your kitchen can take up quite a bit of space, and if your kitchen is on the small side, you need every inch of space you can get. Rather than keeping plants merely for decoration, you can have small fruit, vegetable and herb plants to bring both colour and good use into your kitchen.
Strawberry and tomato plants can be kept indoors and are reasonably easy to maintain. Though they do need sunlight and water, these plants can be trimmed so they don’t take up too much space and still produce several strawberries and tomatoes for your summer salads. The bright colours of the fruits and vegetables will add more colours to your kitchen and give you something tasty to look forward to every summer.
If you’re running low on space or have a small free space available on your window ledge, a small herb garden may be just the thing your kitchen needs. These small plants take up limited space, and they don’t need a lot of attention, just light and a little water. They’re the perfect plants to introduce gardening to children. These plants also provide you with herbs all year round. You’ll never run out of the staples, such as oregano, basil or thyme again.
For real or fake?
Not everyone has a green thumb. If you fear that you won’t remember to water your plants or your kitchen doesn’t get enough sunlight, you can still decorate your kitchen with plants. You just need to get creative.
For the homeowner who always forgets to water his or her plants, try opting for a small cactus plant. These small plants are used to a harsh environment and require little to no maintenance so you won’t have to worry about depriving the plant of water. Some cacti will even grow flowers, giving you the best of both worlds. Don’t forget that cacti have spines of varying sizes, so if you have small children who like to touch everything, go with a different plant. If you are into cannabis-related plants, and live in a country that has legalized its usage, you can plant those also. In this blog post of Scynce LED, you can learn how to grow cannabis indoors.
Of course, a fake plant is always an option, and it’s a more preferable option if you don’t have a lot of sunlight coming into your kitchen or you don’t want to be bothered with plant care. With no maintenance required, you can choose just the right plant to fit your colour and size preferences and never have to worry about it again.
Remember that plants recycle carbon dioxide in the air and turn it into oxygen, something that a fake plant obviously can’t do. Real plants in your kitchen will help you keep the air fresh and smelling great.
Whatever type of kitchen design or size you have, there’s always room for a small plant here or there to bring colour and light into the room. Whether you chose a plant to match your decor or provide you with delicious fruits and vegetables, you’re sure to find something that will make your kitchen warm and inviting.
About the Author
Phil Watson is the Managing Director of Select Kitchens, a Melbourne based kitchen design & renovation company specialising in French Provincial Kitchens & Bathroom Renovation projects. Phil also passionately writes about kitchen design ideas – feel free to visit Phil Watson’s write-ups in the Select Kitchens blog.
