The Countertop Move That Instantly Makes Your Kitchen Look More Put Together

Though carefully placed clutter can make a kitchen feel cozier, most people also want their kitchens to feel tidy and put-together. This can be difficult to achieve, as most kitchens are hubs of activity that are almost always at least mildly in a state of disarray. While embracing this to a certain degree can help your space feel comfortable, specific decor choices can simultaneously keep your counters from looking cluttered, such as making sure your countertop appliances match.

According to design experts, when your coffee maker, toaster, microwave, and slow cooker are all the same color, it exempts them from things you should avoid keeping on your kitchen counter. Not only is this more restful for the eye, it also enables practical gadgets to do double-duty as decor. Instead of standing out and clashing with each other, monochrome appliances gently fade into the background, making your countertops look intentional and organized. Even when your kitchen is less than picture perfect, this tip will help your space look relaxed rather than messy.

Color-matching your appliances is also much easier than choosing mismatched appliances that look cohesive. Instead of wondering whether that bright red toaster looks out of place with your white coffee maker, you can simply buy a white toaster and know they'll go together. Of course, you'll want to choose your appliances' color carefully, as some are more common than others. Choosing a rare or trendy color could make it hard to find high-quality gadgets, or to replace broken ones.

As mentioned, some appliance colors are only available for a limited time or made by certain brands, while others are much more common. If you're working with a budget or want a wider pool of brands to choose from, black and white are both good choices, as most brands produce appliances in these colors, regardless of the latest decorating trends. White appliances work well with light, airy color schemes full of pastels or saturated tones like French blue and butter yellow, while black blends nicely with earth tones and more industrial spaces. It's also worth keeping in mind that white appliances are harder to keep clean, as they show every spot and stain, while black looks clean for longer.

If you're set on choosing a distinct color for your countertop gadgets, have a look at your local retailers and online stores first to identify which colors are currently popular, which will help narrow down your choices. Next, pick a color that works well with your existing decor, such as seafoam appliances to go with light gray cabinets, or bubblegum pink that looks great with your brushed gold sink faucet and cabinet hardware. If you're currently redecorating, this could also be an opportunity to match the accent colors in your space to your new appliances. Once you've decided on a color, try to purchase your appliances all at once, if possible, as this may be cheaper than purchasing them one at a time.