Since you're spending a lot of time in there, here are some DIY tips to make your kitchen Insta-friendly.
Add plants to your kitchen in old wine bottles, gravy boats or dry fruit containers. Pic/Sarabjit Kaur
Scroll through your social media feed, and you'll find that the one nook in the house that people just can't seem to get enough of is the kitchen. Almost every third post is of a newly-turned chef dishing out treats into a Julie and Julia-esque kitchen. In a city like Mumbai where houses tend to be small, and kitchens smaller, organisation is key for all your stove experiments. We spoke to some experts on how you can organise, upcycle and jazz up the space to make it more Instagram-friendly.
ADVERTISEMENT
Keep essentials handy
Fruits and vegetables add colour to the kitchen. Pic/Latika Khosla
Interior designer Minnie Bhatt says that the kitchen is the epicentre of activity in a home. "Amid the flurry of activities, we keep using salt, sugar, tea/coffee and spices through the day. Keep these close to the hob in a drawer or stack them up in one of those Diwali gift trays." To keep the counter grease-free, place the oil or ghee in containers that have spouts; re-use an old milk spout if you don't have one. Move the rack holding utensils that you use daily above the sink so that the water drains into it, Bhatt adds. Our kitchens need breathing space; so get rid of things you don't use or move the pretty ceramics to other corners of the house, suggests Latika Khosla, co-founder and director of home decor store Freedom Tree. "Cutlery and ladles can fit into large mugs so that you don't have to rummage through drawers when you need them," says Odisha-based Sarabjit Kaur, a home decor enthusiast on Instagram.
Bring out the colours
"Think of still-life fruit bowl paintings. Display fruits or vegetables in baskets or serving dishes. You can paint old broken or bent utensils, too," says Khosla, adding that colour-coding makes the kitchen look more organised. "We save every glass bottle that enters the house. Fill them up with grains or pasta for a visual montage. We also instinctively buy matching jars, dinnerware and napkins, and sort them out based on colours."
Get artsy
Sarabjit Kaur, Latika Khosla and Minnie Bhatt
Since the kitchen is now the art room, it's time to innovate. "If you have an old strainer, embroider flowers onto it," says Khosla. "Fill up glass jars that don't have lids with pebbles and turn repurpose them as candle holders. If you have alcohol bottles, clean them with soap and lime and stick in a money plant. Line up the green and brown bottles on your window," she adds.
Add some accessories to make the space more personal, says Kaur. Since she loves plants, she has used small dry fruit containers to hang planters with the help of chains. "Nail some hooks to hang old ladles or spoons. Chalk boards with quirky quotes or hand-written notes always bring a smile on our faces. Bring out the fairy lights for some good vibes," she adds.
Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.
Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
