Kitchen Styling Tips From a Home Stager
Even though staging a kitchen doesn’t require the thought and design that staging a living room or primary bedroom does, it cannot be overlooked. It is after all the hub of the home! This is where we can add decor that brings warmth and a live-ability to the space. We do want the kitchen to be clean and clutter free, but we don’t want it to be sterile. This is not a doctor’s office! Highlighting counter space by adding pretty canisters, trays with wine glasses or coffee mugs and bowls of fruits or vegetables adds so much character to a kitchen. And it makes it inviting! This is our goal. To help potential buyers see themselves LIVING in the home. We like to include cookbooks, cheese boards, fruit bowls and canisters in all of our staged kitchens. We add more accessories depending on the size and layout.
In all white kitchens, we love bringing in woods and color to warm it up. Bowls of apples or lemons, clear canisters with dry goods and cutting boards are our favorite ways to do this. Try styling 2-3 different size cutting boards against the backsplash to add height and color. Small lamps in larger kitchens are also a great way to add warmth and ambiance!
Another great way to style a kitchen counter top is to style a vignette next to the stove. Start with a riser or small lazy susan, then add a pretty olive oil, bowl of salt, candle, butter container, etc. Grounding all of these smaller items on a riser or tray helps keep it contained and styled.
Value is a big part of choosing our kitchen inventory. We want beautiful things that don’t cost so much and when we find things we love, we order in bulk. In my own personal kitchen, of course I have live herbs, plants and fruit. One of our first vacant stagings, we used real artichokes. It was a quick turn around and even then, the artichokes had deteriorated significantly. ;) Now we use all faux items in our vacant stage kitchens. It has taken some shopping to find realistic looking dupes.
These are our favorite green apples
Whether you’re staging a kitchen or want to freshen up your kitchen for the upcoming holidays check out some of our favorite kitchen items below:
Favorite Cookbooks- Both of the Magnolia Table Cookbooks are pretty and have some good recipes! The Half Baked Harvest one is another favorite. Don’t let the name trick you into thinking the recipes are “super simple” though. :) We also love using the cookbook “Sunday Suppers”
Faux Rosemary and Olive Plants
HomeGoods continues to be a great place for us to kind kitchen accessories when we are in a pinch! Tea kettles, utensil pots, cutting boards and beautiful olive oil containers are some of the items we are constantly on the look out for!
Speaking of kitchens, if the cooler fall weather has you in the mood for baking, try our family favorite Giant Ginger Cookies below! Chewy and perfectly spiced, we are sure your family will love them too!
Giant Chewy Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
4 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup shortening
2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup coarse sugar or granulated sugar
Directions
Step 1
Stir together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt, set aside.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl, beat the shortening with an electric mixer for 30 seconds to soften. Gradually add the 2 cups granulated sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of the bowl. Beat in the eggs and molasses. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Use a wooden spoon to stir in any remaining flour.
Step 3
Shape the dough into 2-inch balls using 1/4 cup of dough. Roll the cookie dough balls in the coarse sugar. Place the cookie dough balls 2 1/2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.
Step 4
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are light brown and puffed. Don’t over bake! Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe courtesy of Better Homes and Garden
