One of the most coveted pieces of real estate in your home is your kitchen counters! We want them to be functional and beautiful! Today let’s talk about ideas to decorate your kitchen counters.
This post contains affiliate links. That means when you click on some of the links in this post and you make a purchase I earn a small commission at no cost to you. All my opinions are my own.
Take a good look at your kitchen counters. Go ahead, I’ll wait!
Well, what did you see? Clutter? Dishes not put away? Countertops filled with small kitchen appliances? If you said yes, then this post is for you!
And if you said no, this post is for you too!
Really, this post is for anyone who has a kitchen!
Today I’m sharing lots of great ideas for decorating kitchen countertops. And not just decorating really, but creating countertops, these prime kitchen surfaces, what are useful and attractive!
Here are 7 ideas for decorating your kitchen countertops.
KEEP COUNTERTOPS TIDY
Kitchen countertops are a clutter magnet. And not only clutter but they also collect lots and lots of small appliances and crocks and jars and coffee makers and mugs and plates and dog treats and pencils and catsup bottles and pepper mills and salt pigs and paper and so much more!
Kitchen countertops really serve two main purposes..
- food prep
- help us carry out all other kitchen tasks
But I think there is also room to decorate them and make them not only functional but fabulous too!
No matter how much counter space you have let’s use it as if it were gold!
So my first idea and best advice is to clear and clean them off. Take everything off of them and start decorating them from scratch!
Be ruthless! Any clutter or not absolutely necessary thing does not touch the surface of your counters!
I’ve never been one to leave any of my small kitchen appliances (except my coffee maker) on a kitchen counter.
Unless you use it multiple times a day it is clutter! I have most of my appliances in a pantry closet next to the frig.
I keep my Air Fryer in top of my dryer and my mixer under the counter on the left side of the stove.
We use our toaster often. But it’s not so hard to shake the crumbs out of it every time we use and tuck it in a cabinet? My countertop stays cleaner and so does our toaster!
I keep nothing on my kitchen counters that are not absolutely necessary, and there is A LOT of kitchen stuff that is not absolutely necessary!
Start cleaning off all your countertops and putting unnecessary items away! And always clean them and put them away after every use.
CLEAN YOUR SINK
I know this is a post about countertops but I think countertops and our sinks go hand in hand. A kitchen looks messy when the counters are messy and it also looks messy when dishes are piled up in the sink!
Keep your sink clear of any dishes and your countertops free of drying dishes waiting to be put away!
I know you know all this! It’s just a gentle reminder for you and ME!
CREATE STATIONS
This idea to decorate kitchen countertops is a way to make the essential things we need out in plain sight on our counters work better for us and look pretty too!
Think about creating stations on your counters.
COFFEE STATION
We are huge coffee drinkers so creating a pretty and useful coffee station in our kitchen was a must.
If you drink coffee or tea or some other beverage I bet you have a drink station too!
How useful, right? Yes, it is.
A coffee station is very functional but make sure to…
- keep it contained
- keep it simple
- make it attractive
I’ve seen many coffee stations and some are simple and tidy and wonderfully functional. But as soon as they become overly decorated or complicated they begin to take over that precious countertop space!
Two things to remember when decorating countertops is to keep things corralled and keep everything simple!
COOKING STATION
Most kitchen have an area next to their stove to keep things they use to cook food.
It is so important to keep the most basic things you used every day at your fingertips.
I used to have a crock filled with every spoon and spatula you can imagine, and a variety of oils and different salts and pepper and on my counter.
I kept it in a large galvanized metal tray!
To be honest, it was a mess!
So now my cooking station is in a small wooden tray that holds…
- a crock of my most used wooden spoons
- salt and pepper mill
- olive oil dispenser (see it HERE)
- and a thyme plant in a pot
The longer I decorate and organize the more I believe LESS IS BEST! Especially when it comes to the kitchen.
The drawer below the kitchen station holds a salt pig and butter in a white butter dish as well as potholders and a couple trivets. Out of sight but on hand to use!
For me having something pretty at each station is important! Right now I have a healthy thyme plant, that I use when I cook, in the station too!
Growing herbs indoors is easy with just a little know-how. See HOW TO GROW HERBS INDOOR HERE.
OTHER STATION IDEAS
We should all tailor our kitchens to our needs. Create simple stations to help you better utilize your countertops and keep them tidy and pretty!
Bob’s pop-up bar is set up on the countertop of the long cabinets opposite the coffeemaker.
The cabinets above and below have bar glasses, liquor and mixers and the long drawer has all the gadgets he needs to set up a first-class bar!
Pop-up is the operative word here! His bar could get very out of hand so we leave it up when we have company and put it away when they are gone. It only takes a few minutes to put up and put away and then it has no time to get cluttered.
Right now have this part of the countertop decorated with snapdragons and a lemon bundt cake.
I use this area for serving desserts or drinks when I have friends over for coffee or a meal.
The reason to create stations in your kitchen is to clear up lots of countertop space!
ADD SOME WARM WOOD
If you have a surface like granite, stone, quartz, or other stone-like countertops you might want to add a bit of wood to your countertop decor!
Just a little wood or wicker will add a softer, warmer element to a kitchen that is much needed especially if you have painted cabinets.
Think about adding…
- wooden trays
- wicker baskets
- breadboards
- wooden trivets
- rolling pins
GREAT ORGANIC IDEA TO DECORATE KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS
Organic elements make a kitchen come to life and they are one of the best ways to decorate your kitchen countertops!
PLANTS
Potted plants and especially herbs are beautiful additions to a kitchen countertop!
I’ve used a lot of the little spearmint plant on the right and now new shoots are growing to be used again in my kitchen.
Keep plants small. No jungle look in the kitchen!
FLOWERS
Yes, please! If you have room for a pretty bouquet of flowers add them to your kitchen counters!
From spring through fall I cut blooms and herbs from my garden and add them to the kitchen. In the winter I treat myself and my home to a store-bought bouquet.
FRUIT
A bowl of fruit is a a work of art and looks so pretty on a counter!
When my children were growing up I had a saying “fruit is an anytime snack” and left a bowl of fruit out on the counter.
Fruit is a pretty and healthy way to decorate your kitchen!
SHOW OFF YOUR FOOD
If you have the room think about leaving cookies or biscotti standing tall in glass jars on the counter.
Or if you have baked goods display them on a pedestal cake plate under a cloche.
I love these ways of decorating with what you have! LOL!
USE PRETTY DECORATIVE JARS, POTS, AND OTHER CONTAINERS
Containing things on countertops is a great way to save space, have a cohesive kitchen and still have things at your fingertips.
Use pretty jars, pots and container that work with your kitchen decor!
I hope you are inspired to clean and clear off your countertops and use them in a way that helps you be more efficient in your kitchen and enjoy a lovely aesthetic!
You might also like…
HOW TO ORGANIZE SPICES IN YOUR KITCHEN
BEFORE AND AFTER KITCHEN MAKEOVER
I have actually gone so far as taking photos of my kitchen counters to see how they look and then tweeking them to my satisfaction. My husband says I’m anal, but I call it particular! Just a hint about keeping your kitchen sink clean. A relative of mine eats dinner later, sometimes around 7:00 PM, then either gets the dishwasher started later, or doesn’t start the dishwasher at all. Then the next day the kitchen sink gets dumped with dirty dishes all day. This results with a big mess when trying to cook the next night’s dinner or walking into a messy kitchen after working all day as well as not having clean dishes to use!! Why not take 10 minutes to empty that dishwasher at night so you have a clean slate the next day?
So easy! Thanks, Lyn!
I like to get into this habit too! And, I prefer to put away my dishes when they are warm (much like I like to fold my clothes out of the dryer warm – this drives me nuts at my daughter’s house with 10 baskets of clothing waiting to be folded)! However, my dishwasher has the absolute longest normal cycle EVER! It must run 4 hours! I’m nodding off to sleep when it’s in the last quarter! If I don’t put them away after that interminable cycle runs, I put them away first thing in the morning while the coffee is brewing! I’ve been trying to eat earlier…we can do that now that we’re semi-retired!
As I get older reach gets smaller so arranging the things I use most is more more essential. Like you only the essentials are truly essential.
I noticed no bread box? I have one but our bread never makes it into it. Wondering if you keep yours in your pantry or have another idea on where to keep it? I have chips and crackers in a drawer and thought about putting it in there so I can away with the bread box?
Hi Sheila, I don’t have a bread box. I keep breads and bagels in the freezer. Crackers and chips in the pantry. Hope this helps.
Your kitchen is WONDERFUL. But what about those of us who live in an older kitchen and no renovation in sight. I can see that when you redid your new kitchen you were able to think about the placement of every single thing and how to create storage. Many of us do not have such an option. I have a small 1930 kitchen which was the original part of a cottage that is my Maine home. Storage is completely inadequate. I must have my stand mixer, blender, toaster, coffee machine, compost… on the counter. I don’t know how to make that look nice. Where do you store produce that should not be refrigerated like tomatoes, citrus, bananas, avocados, potatoes, onions… these are also on my counter top in baskets… sigh. It’s nice to look at your photos and dream.
I had a small kitchen at one time too. So small I needed all the countertop space for food prep. I stored my appliances in the basement. And I did not have a toaster. I used my oven to bake toast. My daughter still does this. As you can see citrus is on the counter. Onions are on the floor of my pantry closet as well as potatoes. I don’t like avocados and bananas usually sit next to the coffee station.
There are very few things we disagree on, Yvonne, but this is one of them. I don’t understand the current obsession everyone has with keeping kitchen counters devoid of kitchen tools and then decorating the same counters with all sorts of objects. I could never imagine putting the toaster oven in a cabinet. In a kitchen with limited storage I can see no reason to try and hide the things we use everyday.
In a recent post on Facebook about light fixtures someone had the gall to tell me to clear off my countertops. While we all love beautiful kitchens I enjoy using mine but my kitchen is small and my space very limited. That means that from time to time the counters are covered from one end to the other with food, pans and items drying from being hand washed. The reality is that we all don’t have pantries and laundry rooms to absorb the messiness of daily living.
Margo, please don’t be offended. Of course, kitchens get messy with cooking. They are supposed to! And I remember the comment on THE DECORATING PANNEL, but I don’t think that person meant anything bad. You had asked a question and although a bit off-topic the commenter gave you a suggestion. Sorry, you were offended! This post is meant to help you inspire! My advice may not be your thing but it also may help others.
How do we get to The Decorator Pannel?
Hi LouAnn, search for it on Facebook. We no longer are administrators, but there is a very active community.
I am new to your site and I have to say how much I love your style of decorating. Your kitchen would be my dream kitchen! I have found myself returning to neutral colors in my own home with little pops of color here and there and I really found your living room something to aspire to. Thank you for all of the tips and pictures!!
Welcome to the StoneGable family, Shauna! We are so glad you found us! Thanks for the lovely comment!
I’m with you on the less is more! I do have a large kitchen , but only keep coffee station area, crock with knives and white mixer out. The island always has flowers (right now a white artificial orchid) candle sticks for night time ambience! I can understand those with small kitchens not having places to store small appliances. I just know that even when I lived in a little apartment, smaller homes, I’m still a minimalist at heart! Thank you for your lovely post!!
One of my dear friends has a very small kitchen. You can’t believe how much she cooks and has everything streamlined! She has a table set set up in her garage with her small appliances. It’s amazingly organized!
I’ve lived in 4 homes. Our first home had very limited counter space and I felt it was so important to keep them free of appliances. They took up my prep space. I housed them in the basement. That was when I was young and did not mind running up and down the stairs!
I have nothing on my counters but my Keurig. All other appliances are in the appliance garage. All cooking utensils are in a drawer beside the cook top at easy reach. I like my counters clear and shiny. The view out the wall of windows is my decoration. I do keep a vase or pitcher of fresh flowers on the island. I live in a great room house and the kitchen can be seen from the dining & living room. When looking towards the kitchen, one only sees the lovely garden beyond with no clutter to distract. I really don’t see the sense in “decorating” or “staging” a kitchen. Having trays is a good idea for corralling the pieces that must stay out because of lack of space but if you have a big enough kitchen store it.
Another excellent post Yvonne!
There are a lot of people who don’t have the beautiful view you do Joanna. So a little bit of beauty in the kitchen is necessary for the senses!
Your kitchen is so beautiful! I have a large family and currently use two (non-matching) stainless steel bread boxes. On holds a couple loaves of bread and the other has buns wraps, etc. I’ve searched all of Pinterestdom and no one has bread boxes on their counter. What’s a girl with no pantry to do?
Do you have a drawer or cupboard shelf? You could put the breads in a basket on the self. However, if you like your bread boxes, use them!
Your kitchen is so beautiful!! Each piece compliments the other. I would be interested if you have any good air fryer recipes – I seem to be at a loss right now. Thank you.
Oh, I LOVE my Air Fryer, Barbara! I’ve had two. The first one I gave away. But my Instant Pot Vortex Plus is AMAZING!!!! I use it all the time. You can see it here:https://amzn.to/3pzavtM
Lovely ideas, Yvonne, a fresh departure from your style at Stonegable, but equally creative.
Yes, Tanglewood is a very different home.
It all looks very nice. Good ideas. I would very much like to see a picture of the drawer with the salt pig and butter dish as well as the pop-up bar and cabinets or whatever with all the glasses and gadgets needed.!
I’m finishing some organizing in my kitchen and I’ll make sure to include these elle.
I am.with you. No cluttering counter unless I am cooking. only appliance is.coffee pot! Always something seasonal and have a long stainless shelf in front of sink with large windows…perfect for herbs. orchids..etc..my mom was the same about clutter and now my daughter is too…I have a lot of counter top and think I will copy your wooden bread boards..I have some old ones of.my moms..keep posting
You are so blessed to have breadboards from your Mom!
Ah, the battle of the toaster on the countertop! I am the only one in the family that feels it needs to be put away. Seriously, I’ve considered converting my formal dining room into a huge walk-in pantry!
LOL! I know what you mean! My daughter does not have a toaster but uses her oven! The toast is delicious and crispy!
My smallish kitchen has an appliance garage to house the toaster, can opener, bread and crackers. I love it and it takes up very little space. The other thing I do is keep a large soup terrine close to the back door so hubby can drop off keys, change and all the other various items (golf tees) than accumulate in his pockets. It’s going somewhere, I might as well make it pretty. As I have view all the beautiful kitchen this week, I’m surprised at the amount of unnecessary clutter. It’s made me reevaluate what I leave out even before I read your post today. I’m going to edit a few other areas on this bitter cold day in Tulsa. It will help me stay warm.
Good for you Patty! Clutter blind is a real thing! The best way to see what our home really looks like is to take pictures and then look at them closely!
Would love to have more storage for my toaster etc.. By the way , what is a salt pig?
A salt pig is a container to keep salt for cooking in.
Hi! I just did my spice cabinet too. Like you I used all glass jars and new labels. In stead of the “stepped” organizer, I bought turntable from The Container Store (I’m short, so getting thing up front is important for me). I feel like this is a work in progress. I still need a few more jars and there are spices I just don’t use. You are so right — time and money!
Don’t you feel accomplished! Good for you!
Just beautiful. You always give me such great ideas! How tall are your ceilings and how wide is the counter where the kitchen sink is located? We may be building a retirement patio home and the builder grade kitchen will be the best I can do…..
Just wondering the difference in dimensions. Thanks!
The ceilings are 9.5 feet tall in the kitchen. I think the countertops are pretty standard. Hope this helps.
While I like the idea of moving small appliances off the counter into cabinets to reduce clutter, two of my roller drawers (in solid maple from a high end kitchen specialist) have fallen down after three years–one from canned goods (for only two of us!) and one from my crockpot. Never again. For those contemplating renovations, stationery shelving measured for height for your appliances is the way to go.
I think there are different drawer systems for heavier things you want to put on a shelf. You might want to check them out.
I place a small rimmed cookie sheet under my 4 slice toaster, and slide it in an under counter cabinet. The tray collects the crumbs and it makes it so easy to slide in and out.
Great tip, Joelle!
Yvonne — LOVE this post! Your kitchen looks immaculate! There are several items I would love to buy: the small white milk container (holding the snapdragons in front of the bread boards, the bread boards themselves 🙂 and the pitcher and small cake pedestal. Can you please share your sources? I absolutely LOVE, LOVE that small white milk container and have not been able to find one yet!!
Stay warm!
Julie
Hi Julie, I found the little milk jug vases locally. The breadboards can be seen here:https://rstyle.me/+M3-an9-xLLGsHNZfJhcZnQ, and the pitcher and cake pedestal I found at HomeGoods. Hope this helps.
In the picture of the coffee station, where did you find the two round containers?
Hi Emily, I found them locally. Sorry, I don’t have a source for you!
Love the containers so much! I just order the tray, so perfect! Would you be able to share where you got the cutting boards from?! Love your kitchen so much! Thanks for your time and sharing it with me!
I’m so glad you are enjoying StoneGable and my kitchen! Here’s the breadboards:https://rstyle.me/+u4Q-lCaf4eOWB_55G1WQ6g
Yvonne,
Even with a large kitchen I find there are times I question myself about having to many things on my counters I like to use large glass jars for my baking staples and on another counter keep dried fruit and cereals in other glass jars. We have a coffee station and coffee.and train canisters next to pot. On a large buffet I keep the cookie jar,dog biscuit canister and a jar of snack crackers. Everything is well balanced and neat and my appliances are in cabinets when not in use. Anyone who comes into my kitchen knows it is the kitchen of a cook and my grandchildren would be very disappointed if no cookie and snack jars. A seasonal vignette is created in another area on tray as you taught me and the magic of three utilized throughout the kitchen. Kitchens should be unique to their users and variety is what keeps the world interesting.
You are so right Kathy! Your kitchen sounds warm and welcoming!
This has inspired me to take another look at my countertops, and remove a few things! We use are toaster often as well. It’s functional, but not pretty. Do you have a source for the canisters, and tray that corrals them? Thanks so much Yvonne!
Hi Penny, see the white platter here:https://rstyle.me/+SA8kfotAIpdW0A1maAjgaQ. I found the containers locally.
In an open floor plan I feel it imperative to keep a clean and neat kitchen. Albeit, life does happen and the kitchen counter is the first place an armload of stuff ends up! I appreciate your suggestions and love your new kitchen. After Christmas I like to strip my counters and change what I have on them. My sweet brother installed a lift that allows me to hide my KitchenAid mixer and still have it at an easy reach. I wipe my countertops down every night so that helps me from collecting a lot of stuff.
I would love to a mixer lift! Maybe I’ll ask Bobby to install one. Thanks for the great idea!
I love the backsplash in your kitchen. What is it called iris squares of tile?
I luv your backsplash, I finally saved enough money to do mine. I’m struggling with what color would work in my kitchen. Where did you get yours?
Hi Sally, we worked with a kitchen company and we found this Calacutta Marble tile locally.
Wish i had all your cabinets to store stuff but i dont. Beautiful pull outs. I have about 1/4 of your counter top space. Maybe i just hang on to too much stuff in cupboards. Junk it!!
I agree with decluttering your countertops.My kitchen is not overly big so I’m always trying to keep it free of unnecessary items.I have a cabinet with pullout drawers and the toaster goes there !I also like a little pretty on the counter, makes me happy !
We are like-minded when it comes to our kitchens, Doreen!
Just wondering since you said the color paint for your walls is BM’s “Simply White,” and that it blends perfectly with your cabinets, what color were your cabinets painted? Beautiful kitchen. So tastefully done.
All our walls, trim and cabinetry are all Simply White. The walls are flat and don’t refect much light and the rest is semi-gloss which is light reflecting! So the colors look a bit different and always look nice together.
These are wonderful ideas, thank you so much. I always love everything you post. Totally fabulous
Please send me your post. I keep not getting them. Thanks!
Love love your backsplash in kitchen
Thank you Sandy
Keeping kitchen counters decluttered is a 24/7 job for me! It just never ends! In fact, The only time I feel truly gratified is after spending an entire day cleaning and organizing and then insisting on take-out for dinner! I just cannot keep up! My next DIY in there is creating a cabinet space for the trashcan and recycle bin.
I see you found the blue print cups for the canisters. Ha! Ha!
The white is beautiful!
You always give me such great ideas. We’re in the beginning stages of planning to remodel our kitchen and I wondered about your sink and faucet. What is the sink made of? It looks like the faucet is one that has a sensor to turn on the water. If that’s the case, how do you like it? Thanks!
Hi Sandy, the sink is a composite sink from Blanco. A composite sink is a joy! It’s made of ground granite and other materials. It does not stain and is antibacterial. The faucet does have a sensor. I love it! When I am cooking and have messy hands I just wave a hand in front of it or on the top and get water. Hope this helps.
Hi Yvonne,
Thank you for your lovely posts. I always find them helpful and inspirational! Your kitchen countertops are beautiful! Can you send me a link for them or tell me where you purchased? How do you like them? My husband & I are starting a kitchen remodel soon out here in California.
Thank you so much!
Treva Del Bene
Hi Treva, our contractor got them from a local company. They are quartz and called “Ultra White”. Hope this helps.
Thanks for sharing this, Yvonne.
These are some amazing ideas you shared here. It will be very helpful.
You are so welcome!
Your clutter-free counters have inspired me. I’m was intrigued by your storing butter in a drawer. Could you provide some more information about what you use fir storage and the lack of refrigeration?
Thank you
I have never put my butter in the frig. We go through it pretty fast and I don’t like spreading hard butter from the frig. I have a drawer next to my stove and the butter dish with its lid fit perfectly in there. Hope this helps.
Where did you get the lovely wooden tray?
The white wooden tray can be found here:https://rstyle.me/+qHB_kinypIchzmQUo-l_1w
Do have recommendations for organizing a kids station? Snacks homework etc. ?
Keep all kiddo’s things together in a basket or bin and bring them out when needed. And refrigerated items kids can eat on a low shelf.
Where do you put your bread? It seams like it’s out everyday, sandwiches, cheeses, toast, etc
Great question, Diana. I have a drawer just under the area I prepare food. Breads, cookies, and other perishables like that are convenient when we need them.
Love your kitchen! You always have many great ideas! Where did you get the pots for your plants that you have in your kitchen?
Hi Linda. Thank you for your lovely comment. Sorry, I don’t have a source for the pots. I found them locally!
Thanks so much this was great. I am a clutterer but I’m getting a new kitchen, this post was just in time!
Enjoy your new kitchen, Susan! How exciting!
I’m new to your site and loving it! Thank you
Wondering where your trays on counters are from Thank you
Welcome to StoneGable Christine!
Here is the lacquered tray:https://rstyle.me/+lEJVWVxNdCanpF7_uAmGyw and the tray holding the coffee is a platter from West Elm but I don’t see it on their site right now. The wooden tray came from a local shop.
Good morning Yvonne!
I would love to see your husbands pop up bar at work!
What a great idea! Next time we have family or guests over I’ll do a little post about his pop-up bar!
Could you please tell me where you purchased the kitchen canister set? Its beautiful.
Hi Caroline, you can see the canister set here:https://rstyle.me/+OIj2A0La_1TaDoUuhpnzYw
Thank you for these tips! With these updates, I’ve been trying to find a way to decorate my kitchen and counters without it looking too cluttered. I just ordered a wood tray and a breadboard, and I can’t wait to get them and decorate with some spring flowers as well!
Yvonne,
I’m laying in bed on a very early Sunday morning reading every single word about your kitchen remodel, and inspired by the photos. I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed an article as much as yours. Thank you for sharing every detail. It’s perfection! You’ve become my favorite designer to read daily. Love your inspirational words, as I too am a Christian. Keep up the amazing work. Blessings,
Bev