K I TC H E N Clearing off the surfaces and the floor was the cure for this cook space. Cutting boards and the most frequently used cookware and appliances stayed put, but the rest of the counter was preserved for prepping. We even extended the work area on the 24-by-36-inch island by securing a larger butcher block (about $200 at Lumber Liquidators) on top with brackets.
LIGHTEN UP
A dark, bulky ceiling fixture weighs down a space. Give it a few coats of white paint and the room is instantly airier.
P L AC E E V E RY DAY TO O L S WITHIN R E AC H
No more having to hunt for a dish towel or an oven mitt if you stick a few adhesive hooks in a central spot, like on the kitchen island.
BEFORE Kitchen tools, rogue food, and knickknacks crowded the counters and the tops of the cabinets.
STO C K A TA B L E SET TING STAT I O N
Keep your most-used plates, utensils, and napkins on a rolling cart to make dinner service a cinch (and let the kids pitch in).
TO BUY Clockwise from left: Traditional Classics weathered-nickel cabinet knobs, $4.30 each, homedepot.com. Cuisinart metal classic four-slice toaster, $55; Denmark 10-piece ceramic nonstick aluminum cookware set, $100: bedbathandbeyond.com. Wallies removable chalk panels, $20 for four; classic bistro chalk markers, $14 for four: papersource.com. Stenstorp kitchen cart, $199, ikea.com/us. Real Simple Round dinnerware in white, $25 for a four-piece place setting, bedbathandbeyond.com. Large bronze York open-stack baskets, $25 each; utility hooks (on underside of butcher block), $3 for four: containerstore.com. Aster striped dish towels, $6 each, crateandbarrel. com. Edge-y cutting board in charcoal, $118; Dipper ceramic dog bowls, $22 (medium): waggo.com.
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