5 Simple Ideas to Refresh Your Kitchen

Here are 5 simple ideas to refresh your kitchen for fall. These small changes make a big impact without major renovations or a full kitchen renovation. But even small changes can breathe new life into your kitchen. I’m sharing a few of my favorite kitchen ideas for Sunday Favorites with Mary Ann and Cindy. The most minor changes are sometimes the most fun! 

First, swap out the hardware using Emtek! 

We love our black Emtek hardware, but I thought changing it to polished brass would be interesting. Emtek has so many options and finishes to choose from. We chose the same drawer pulls for the lower cabinets and brass cone-shaped knobs to replace the Cadet knobs for the cabinet doors. I love the look and feel of Emtek Hardware. Using the same size pulls made it easy to make a change. There is no drilling of new holes; we just quickly replaced the black hardware with brass.

An easy way to change and update is with hardware. On the upper cabinets, we used the flat round piece from the Cadet kitchen knobs with the unlacquered brass cone shape knobs. It was an accidental discovery. I love mixing metals, so why not combine the old and new hardware? We love the new look!

The unlacquered brass Trail Pulls on the black lower cabinets stand out and make a big difference from the black hardware on black cabinets. It’s one of those things that takes minimal effort to change out, but wow, a quick refresh!

We have used Emtek hardware for years and also use it for all of our interior and exterior door hardware. Emtek is of excellent quality and reasonably priced. With so many great options, the most challenging part was choosing the new hardware. Switching it out was a breeze! 

Light Fixtures and Kitchen Lamps

A small lamp in the kitchen is a must for coziness. I have one in the corner with an incandescent light bulb on a dimmer. We keep it turned on day and night. 

We use a strand of twinkle lights in the corner. Small, dark spaces always need a strand of mini lights like these. It makes such a difference. 

We have these ceramic pendants from Serena & Lily above the kitchen island. 

Small Appliances

I wouldn’t say I like to keep many small appliances on the counter. I have a Dualit toaster (from 1999) that I keep on the counter, but other than that, they are all stored away. I have a coffee maker on my coffee bar between the kitchen and dining room. If appliances are a focal point, some stunning small appliances would add to the kitchen design rather than add clutter. Depending on the style or look of your kitchen, check out Smeg or All Modern. You may not need or want all new appliances, so store the ones out of site when not in use. 

I have this tall rolling cart in the corner of my kitchen that holds the microwave, glass jars with baking supplies, extra bowls, and a large oval Le Creuset on top. On the bottom, a basket lined with a thin piece of plywood stores bottles, etc. We found the right size basket for the cart and kitchen island at The Container Store. 

Window Treatments

We swapped out our shutters for simple cafe-style curtains. I used a natural-colored linen tablecloth. It filters the light nicely and still provides privacy.

Kitchen Island with Panino Baskets from Uashmama.

Our simple stainless steel kitchen island was meant to be temporary when we first moved into this house. But after a few years of using it, I see no reason to replace it. I keep baskets on the middle shelf lined with linen napkins. I store onions, shallots, potatoes, tomatoes, and avocados in Panino baskets from Uashmama.

I love how the Uashmama Panino baskets and trays can be used for storage and on the table as serving pieces. You can serve bread or crackers in them, as we did here, or use them in the closet as we did here. They are great to use all over the house. They are made of sustainable paper that can be washed and made in Italy!

​Beautiful Linen Dish Towels

I have had these beautiful Libeco Belgian linen dish towels in the shop for over a year, but I only recently started using them as everyday towels in our kitchen. Different materials work for every task, but linen is the best for cleaning dishes and glassware. But that’s not all we use them for; the color and striped pattern ensure they stay clean, even if they have some stains. I use one or two a day and wash them once a week. I hang them to dry folded in thirds. They make a nice, neat stack at the end of every week! 

Add a beautiful runner to your kitchen.

A kitchen refresh is incomplete without a beautiful, luxurious new runner from NuStory Rugs. I’ve talked about this relatively new brand before (in this post), and I cannot talk about my kitchen without mentioning this gorgeous rug. We loved it so much that we ordered one for our bathroom, which we are updating. 

Outfit of the Week

Do you dress like your house? My outfit matched the kitchen and the house, so I thought I would make it my outfit of the week. I wear this white linen skirt from Eileen Fisher every week.

Today, I was wearing it with a cashmere sweater from Quince. They have the best cashmere sweaters for only $50! We all love them; they come in several colors and a few stripes.

I’m wearing it with Bass Weejuns loafers. I heard burgundy is in this fall. What are your thoughts on that? Do you remember the original Bass Weejuns penny loafers?

Small projects, one at a time, or several, all through the house! That’s how we like it around here. Let’s see what Mary Ann and Cindy found this week. Mary Ann has been traveling from LA to West Virginia, and Cindy has been entertaining her darling granddaughter, Summer! I’m sure their favorites will reflect those happenings!

Classic Casual Home

Cindy Hattersley Design