I’ll be the first to admit – I love marble. Growing up a geologist’s daughter, rocks played a pretty prominent role in my upbringing and marble was always a favorite. It’s safe to say it’s been everyone’s favorite in recent years, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a kitchen in a blog or magazine that doesn’t feature a marble countertop, backsplash or accessory. If you’re anything like me, you’ve even checked out the cost of marble countertops out of curiosity and read reviews on how they hold up. As it turns out, they can be pretty pricey and the reviews are mixed. But that’s ok! There are loads of other ways to upgrade your kitchen that don’t involve this big ticket item! Keep reading for a few quick and easy ways to upgrade your kitchen.
*inspiration photo by Manuel Rodriguez
Clay accents – In the sea of marble and white tiles we’re seeing in kitchens right now, clay is a rustic contrast that I’d love to see more of in 2016. If you’re interested in the huge terra cotta sink, it’s an antique made by Charles Graham Chemical Pottery Works. I did find one on eBay, but in the event that you get outbid you can always add clay accents to your kitchen like this clay vase or a Romertopf clay pot.
Fresh fruit – Trying to Instagram your kitchen? Make sure you have some fruit on your counter first. The queen of styling herself, Emily Henderson, says photos of homes always look better when they look lived in, for example having fruit or bread on the counter. Plus it certainly doesn’t hurt to keep fresh fruit within reach. Any bowl will do the job, but I love this sculptural fruit stand.
Metal mug rack – This open shelving with hooks for mugs was actually a clever DIY using a board, wood brackets and a brass rod from the hardware store. The wall, the board and the brackets were all painted the same gray color with S-hooks to hang coffee cups and art. You could try this DIY, but an even faster way to display your mugs would be to hang a French style bottle rack on a wall. I’ve fallen for these quirky mugs by Martina Thornhill.
Backsplash cover up – Whether you hate your backsplash or are just looking for a quick way to transform the look of your kitchen, a collection of cutting boards leaned against the backsplash is a fail proof upgrade. You may have even received a few cheese boards as gifts over the years, and this is the perfect way to use them. They don’t need to match, in fact it’s better if they don’t. Here I mixed black, walnut and antique cutting boards in different shapes, sizes and finishes.
Sources: inspiration image Megan Pflug, Clay vase CB2, fruit stand Herriott Grace, mugs Martina Thornhill, walnut cutting board Koromiko, black cutting board imogene+willie, antique cheese board imogene+willie, gingham Fog Linen tea towel Father Rabbit, Pavel Feinstein paintings Artfully Walls, bottle rack Glory & Grace
