Style Secrets for Eat-In Kitchens

Five Kitchen Essentials

Give your kitchen a clean, crisp look with these top picks from designer Jill Boothby.

• Shaker-Style Cabinets
• Tile Backsplash
• Granite Countertops
• Chrome Hardware
• Stainless Appliances

Cabinets and Hardware

• Shaker-Style Cabinets: Simple, white cabinetry keeps the room light and bright. (AKURUM cabinets, from $33 each, with LIDINGÖ doors, from $37 each, from IKEA).
• Chrome Hardware: This classic finish will be in style for decades (Cup Handle Pull, $11.02, and Round Knob, $5.51, both in Polished Chrome from the Somerset Collection by Top Knobs, available through www.designerhardware.com).

Backsplash and Countertops

• Tile Backsplash: White tile creates the illusion of more space between counters and cabinets (White subway tile, about $4/square foot, from Daltile Corporation).
• Granite Countertops: When using all-white cabinets and tile, dark counters ground the space (Black Onyx, about $75/square foot, from Design Tile & Stone, Inc.).

Stainless Appliances

Choosing a stainless steel finish for all of your appliances provides a cohesive look.

• GE Profile collection, from $299.

Glass Front Cabinets

Decorating Tip: Use glass-front cabinets sparingly. “Place them at the end of the kitchen or in the corners as accents,” says Jill. “Then put your very favorite pieces inside.” For added interest, paint the interior of the cabinets. It’s a great way to add a little more color to your room, and “your objects will just pop!” says Jill.

Breakfast Nook

Decorating Tip: Keep your color palette simple. Too many colors can be distracting and make your room feel smaller. “Here, it’s just black, white, and green,” says Jill. Uncomplicated and effective.

Let in the sunlight. Jill says the more natural light the better and suggests using Roman shades instead of curtains. They offer privacy when you need it but don’t detract from your outside surroundings.

Lighting

A breakfast nook is a great place to add pattern and personality to your kitchen. Jill suggests items such as this playful drum pendant light, as well as a round pedestal table and a single, large piece of artwork for the small space.

Revive Old Chairs

Change the look of secondhand dining chairs in minutes with new cushions in a graphic fabric. Here’s how: For each chair, unscrew the seat from the bottom of the chair, and remove the old fabric. Place the new fabric, wrong side up, on a flat surface, and lay the seat on top. Fold down the fabric on one side, and staple it from the middle out. Pull the fabric taut, smoothing out any wrinkles. Then staple the fabric on the opposite side. Repeat until the fabric is attached all the way around. Reattach the seat to the chair.

• Chair fabric (similar look): Garden Lattice in Onyx, $23.99/yard, from Calico Corners.