Simplified Decorating: How to Decorate Kitchen Countertops

1 simple rule for kitchen counter decor and 10 items to make them pretty but still functional while cutting the clutter.

We’re on Day 3,959,309 of room refreshing over here (or something like that anyway), so it seems like a good day to get the kitchen counter decor clutter in check. 

Organizing and refreshing and styling the little spaces is what saves me in winter until we can bust out the paint and power tools in spring. (It’s 70 degrees outside today though, so we’re already getting the itch for home improvement over here.)

But until then, our kitchen counter decor needed some help. When the clutter starts collecting, I start getting antsy.

Pardon the crappy cell phone pic…

It felt so good to remove every little thing on these countertops and give this place a long overdue deep cleaning.

But the kitchen countertop styling is the fun part, of course. 😉 The tricky thing is to decorate kitchen countertops without annoying clutter. 

UPDATE: We gave this room a massively much-needed kitchen refresh a couple of years ago. You can see the budget-friendly no-demo makeover here. 

While I was at it, I figured this one would make a good addition to the Simplified Decorating series to breakdown how to decorate every nook and cranny in the home. 

So if you’ve ever been stuck on countertop decor, here’s the best solution.

(Some affiliate links are provided below. Full disclosure here.)

1 Simple Rule for Kitchen Counter Decor

The number one rule: The pretty stuff should also be functional. 

Because if you’re not going to actually use the items on your kitchen countertop almost daily, what’s the point of them really being there?

That’s how stuff makes the cut in our kitchen anyway.

I like using all of these things on our countertops…

1. A Pedestal Bowl

It makes fruit pretty, especially ones that you want in easy reach. Olivia has been obsessed with pears lately for some reason, so I keep these in her reach to snack on.

2. A Candle

I like to light a candle while cooking dinner and keep it burning until bedtime to ward off any not-so-nice cooking smells. I love this little pedestal to keep ours on.

3. A Tray

I like having a tray in the corner of our countertop to hold all of our frequently used essentials – salt and pepper grinders, olive oil bottle, butter dish, and utensil holder of wooden spoons. And a plant to help freshen the air.

4. Wooden Cutting Boards

We’re always needing these in easy reach.

5. Pretty Soap Dispensers

I like using these glass soap dispensers instead of the plastic bottles just to keep our sink looking nice. I found this little tray to help corral them. And I used my label maker to make one for “dishes” and one for “hands”.

6. A Live Plant (or Two)

I’m attempting to improve my green thumb over here. Haha! But I do like how they make our kitchen feel clean.

7. Tiered Basket

We use this little brass one for separating our avocados from our bananas and apples.

8. Coffee Mug Rack and Coffee Canister

Just to keep a couple quick to grab. The faster I get my coffee in the morning, the better. 😉

9. Bread Box

I love how big this one is yet it’s still modern and minimal.

10. Knife Block

Ours have served us well since we got it as a wedding gift 9 years ago.

That’s it! We use every single item on our countertops, but they definitely don’t feel like clutter now.

And now maybe this will motivate us to keep them clutter-free. Here’s hoping!

Do you have any other kitchen counter decor essentials? 

Olivia decided ours was missing an Easy Bake Oven, so we currently have that going for us. 😉 And Regan’s dishwasher magnets are back. But it’s all still every bit as beautiful.

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