Summer and the holiday season is upon us – which typically means entertaining and cooking with loved ones. Read our top tips below on how organising and styling your kitchen will ensure that this time of year is fun and stress-free!
- Clean up in the kitchen.
Now is the perfect time to spring clean your kitchen space! A clean and organised kitchen makes a world of difference when you are entertaining in your home, as it ensures that everything is in its proper place- making prep, cooking and clean up a breeze- meaning you can enjoy spending more time with your friends and family.
If time is scarce, we recommend focusing on key areas of the kitchen when you clean- such as your pantry and cutlery & utensil drawers – as these will make the largest impact.
Arrange your cutlery & utensil drawers ahead of any major events at your home- not only will this ensure that everything is neat and tidy, you might realise that you need to purchase additional cutlery for an upcoming dinner party.
Drop-dead gorgeous drawers!
Step 1: Take everything out of your cutlery and utensil drawers. Keep all like items together. Take stock of what you have and want to keep- you may realise that you need to acquire additional cutlery ahead of any events you are hosting.
Step 2: Put aside any duplicate utensils & cutlery- editing your collection at this stage streamlines your storage.
Step 3: Wipe and clean out empty drawers.
Step 4: Replace all cutlery & utensils that you wish to keep. Donate any duplicate items that you do not wish to keep.
Perfect pantry!
Whether you have a dedicated Butler’s pantry or a smaller pantry space, we recommend spring cleaning it to ensure that it is all ready to go for the summer and holiday season of entertaining.
Step 1: Remove everything from your pantry. Throw out anything that is out of date and group the rest into ‘like’ items (such a tinned items, pasta & rices, herbs & spices etc) as this will allow you to find a given food item within your pantry quickly and easily.
Step 2: Wipe and clean the pantry shelves and internals.
Step 3: Now is the perfect time to take inventory and stock the pantry with all essentials you need for any entertaining you have coming up.
Step 4: Strategically place items back into the pantry. Keep everyday staples at eye level while placing treats, baking or other items that you don’t use all the time up high on top shelves. Consider placing small appliances at lower levels while you are entertaining if you are not likely to use them as this will free up benchspace.
Tip: Plan and organise your pantry around any entertaining you might be doing during the holiday festive – for example, group items together based on what dishes you are serving, whether sweet or savoury – this will help you in terms of time management and takes the stress away when you are cooking and frantically searching for the cloves that you need for that honey-glazed ham!
2. Style your kitchen!
Style your kitchen to match the kitchen style you have chosen for your space. For example, a stunning arrangement of hydrangeas, cakes, gold vessels & fresh farm eggs perfectly match the modern country style of the kitchen shown above.
As the heart of your entertaining space, a beautifully styled kitchen can transform your entire home. Create a balance between function and style and evoke whichever style you are loving this season- from Classic Hamptons, New York Warehouse to Scandi-Chic- by following these two simple steps.
1. Displaying greenery – such as flowers, indoor potted plants or herbs- will instantly add colour and life to your kitchen! They’re also an extremely easy way to evoke a certain style to your room, for example if you want to create a Hamptons-inspired feel you could consider a stunning and feminine display of soft pink and white roses, hydrangeas and peonies.
2. A vignette – a small grouping of objects together that ‘tells a story’- is a wonderful and simple way to create focal points in the kitchen. These pocket-sized table arrangements can be created by grouping kitchen accessories such as chopping boards, water pitchers, grinders and mortar & pestles together with other styling items such a candles and vases- and will add instant colour, texture and personality to your space.
Tip: Not sure how to create a vignette? We recommend starting with taller items such a chopping board against a splashback as this creates height and then style other items in various shapes and heights in front of them.
Want to create a vignette on your island bench? Consider arranging items on a beautiful serving board and then adding items to it to create whatever style you wish.
Add colour and personality to your kitchen space with styled vignettes.
3. Get your appliances ready
In the same way that cleaning out your drawers and pantry helps you get organised for the holiday season, so does cleaning and clearing space in your appliances. Consider what you are offering your loved ones both in terms of food and beverages and plan accordingly. Below are some of our top considerations.
Ensuring your appliances are clean and ready to go will save you time and stress when entertaining.
Clean your oven(s). While not a favourite job, cleaning your oven before the summer and holiday season is something we highly recommend both in terms of allowing your oven to operate at its best as well as from a safety perspective to avoid germs. By frequently tidying your oven the clean-up will not be as labour-intensive moving forward so consider cleaning your oven a few times a year to make the job easier. This is also a job that you can consider outsourcing to save you more time!
Make room in the fridge. Making space for all food and beverages for any entertaining event you’re hosting at your home before the event itself will save you both time and stress.
Tip: Don’t forget your wine fridge. If you have one, a wine fridge can elevate the level of organisation of your kitchen. Arrange and stock up your wine fridge prior to any large events you’re planning, meaning that you’ll never run out of your favourite bottle of champagne, wine or even soft drinks.
Don’t forget to clean and arrange your wine fridge over the summer season.
Inspired to create a stylish and functional kitchen in 2020? Book an expert design appointment HERE.
Wish to see more kitchen inspiration? Download our latest catalogue HERE which is filled with inspiration, images and information.
