How Meticulously Placed Clutter Can Actually Make A Kitchen Feel Cozier

Everyone wants a beautiful kitchen. After all, most families spend a lot of time there — not just because that's where the snacks are, but also because it has the right balance of practical necessities and coziness. Comfortable, durable seating at a spacious island is the perfect place to do homework or sort mail while a pot of creamy roasted tomato soup bubbles away on the stove, emitting warmth and the promise of a full tummy. This push for softer, more inviting spaces may be why people are embracing vintage design elements that make mornings cozier, such as breakfast nooks and mid-century bar carts turned into coffee stations.

Ironically enough, part of adopting a "soft kitchen" aesthetic is embracing clutter. Though there are 1,001 tips out there for decluttering your pantry with uniform food containers or keeping your kitchen 100% mess-free, little areas of strategically placed clutter make the space feel cozy without triggering a sudden need to deep clean everything. The key is to ensure the clutter you allow is both practical and carefully managed.

For instance, instead of buying a free-standing closet to hide your family's coats and shoes, install a floating shelf with hooks and place a mat beneath them. Having a dedicated space for these essentials keeps the clutter under control, while the clearly visible outerwear makes your kitchen feel safe and warm. Things like woven baskets full of fruit and snacks also invite family members to casually curb their hunger whenever they like, making the space feel both more comfortable and more functional.

Strategic clutter is an easy way to make your kitchen feel lived-in and cozy that may also help you embrace more practical ways of existing in that space. If you love cookbooks and frequently peruse your collection for new dinner ideas, there's no reason not to display them. Use mismatched cookie jars or ceramic statues as bookends and line them up on your counter, perhaps accompanied by a small lamp and notepad to create a corner where you can dream up new dishes to add to your weekly rotation.

Creating a cheap and stylish linen board command center for your kitchen gives you a place to hang important notes and display meaningful items like kids' artwork and holiday greeting cards. The mess is up off of the counter or table, but the linen board doesn't have to be neat or tidy — the items just have to be visible enough for you to remember to RSVP to your aunt's Christmas party or sign your daughter's field trip permission slip. In this case, the linen board is a practical and stylish item that also displays evidence that your family lives in and enjoys your home.

If you'd like to embrace cozy clutter but aren't sure where to start, try making your kitchen's general aesthetic softer by swapping out metal or plastic containers for wooden bowls and wicker baskets, framing tea towels and other textiles as beautiful and inexpensive art, and adding soft cushions and table runners to your dining set.