Have you ever walked into a kitchen and felt that warm and cocooning feeling that seems to embrace you from the moment you enter it?
My grandma’s kitchen was always the most inviting place in the house. It was small and really quaint, but when you walked in it, you could immediately feel that sense of warmth that made you want to sit down at the table and just talk. There was an understated sense of delight being in that kitchen.
For me, that’s what a kitchen should be.
So many kitchens, today, focus more on showy beauty that kitchens have become cold and isolated. There’ s no longer a sense of warmth that comes from walking into the heart of the home.
What’s happened over the years?
I believe that kitchens have lost their warmth because people have forgotten what actually creates it. The business of life has given us a new perspective. We’re so busy that we’ve forgotten that it’s not just aesthetics that make home feel welcoming.
I wanted to sit in the kitchen with my grandmother. If it was only to simply watch her mix something in a bowl, wipe down the counters or wash the dishes, being there made me feel as if I were in a special place. It’s special places that we remember, right?
So the question is…
How do you bring that warm and cozy vibe into your kitchen with your super busy life or minimalistic style?
Here are a few easy tips to put the cozy into your kitchen.
- Add a splash of paint. According to Web MD, using colors that bring back fond memories of the kitchen you spent time in as a child will give your own kitchen a more warm and inviting aura. If you’re not one of those who spent time in the kitchen, a splash of red may stimulate the appetite and stimulate conversation.
- Let there be light! Natural light not only brings beauty to a room, it also has the ability to create more welcoming spaces and elevate moods according to Decorating Without Fear by Interior Designer, Sharon Hanby-Robie.
- Pass the Pie. Old fashioned, freshly baked pie has been the single most inviting element of a kitchen since the 19th Add a freshly faked pie wrapped in white linen, some cozy homespun or even among a fresh bouquet and you have an instant conversation piece and an invitation to the kitchen table without the work or the expansion of your waist line.
- Get a life. Live plants and flowers boost concentration and also reduce stress. You can read more about that at Psychology Today and here.
- Create a view. Creating a beautiful view from the kitchen window, creating kitchen space where you can see people entering through a doorway or even having view into the kitchen from a fireplace can stimulate the oxytocin and serotonin hormones. These hormones give a feeling of bonding as well as relaxation and enjoyment. Don’t believe me? Ask Oprah.
So whether you’re busy with life or you’re the serious minimalist, these are easy ways to give your kitchen a warm and inviting vibe without huge time or effort.