Easy Kitchen Styling Upgrades That Make a Designer Difference
Transforming your kitchen doesn’t have to mean a full remodel. Sometimes, it’s the smallest, most replaceable items that make the biggest impact. Whether you're hosting guests or just want to fall in love with your kitchen again, swapping out a few affordable essentials can go a long way in making your space feel more polished, intentional, and even designer.
Here are a few go-to kitchen styling swaps that are inexpensive, easy to implement, and totally worth the upgrade.
1. Dish Soap Bottles → Refillable Glass Dispensers
Plastic soap bottles are often loud in color and design. Swap them out for amber or clear glass pump dispensers with minimalist labels. They instantly make your sink area look high-end, and you can refill them with your favorite dish soap.
2. Paper Towel Roll → Wooden or Marble Paper Towel Holder
Ditch the basic plastic roll and place your paper towels on a wooden, black metal, or marble holder. It turns an everyday item into a decor piece that looks intentional.
3. Mismatched Dish Towels → Coordinated Linen or Waffle Weave Towels
Upgrade your drawer full of old dish towels with a set of coordinating neutral or patterned linen towels.
4. Plastic Utensil Crock → Stoneware or Matte Ceramic Utensil Holder
Upgrade your countertop with a heavy ceramic or stoneware crock in a matte or glazed finish.
It keeps utensils close while acting as a functional statement piece.
5. Clashing Food Packaging → Labeled Pantry Jars & Canisters
Decant pasta, snacks, or coffee into clear or frosted glass jars with wood lids or label-ready containers.6. Fruit Bowl → Footed or Sculptural Bowl
Replace the basic fruit bowl with a footed ceramic bowl or woven basket. This creates a natural, lived-in focal point on your island or countertop.
These small kitchen upgrades are inexpensive, widely available, and easy to swap in over a weekend. The key is to create a consistent color palette, embrace texture, and treat practical items as part of your decor.
And remember: Just because it’s functional doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful.
Thanks to Redesign for some of the the ideas in this article.