Is “Instagram-worthy” still what people say nowadays? Well, regardless, you know what this means, because it’s the whole social media perfect, swoonworthy space, that’s a must-have. It’s picture perfect, it’s gorgeous, it’s giving fantasy vibes. Anyways, these IG worthy kitchens kind of have a dangerous effect on the brain, though. Like one minute someone’s casually scrolling, and the next minute there’s a cart full of ribbed glassware, a little brass rail, linen tea towels, a “must-have” tray, and a ceramic jar that costs far too much for something that’s going to hold tea bags.
Yeah, very normal behavior, okay, not really. But you get the idea, there are the affiliate links, it’s things like that. But it makes total sense that you’re sick of having a builder-grade kitchen and just want something that looks prettier, a total redesign of your kitchen. But it helps to keep in mind that just because you do a big shopping spree and buy all those things that are trending on TikTok and Instagram, it just doesn’t instantly mean that they’ll just work in real life with your kitchen, the setup, your lifestyle, how you cook, and so on.
They Know how to Create Atmosphere
Alright, so for starters here, the kitchens that look amazing online usually have a feeling to them. They’re warm, layered, a little moody, and somehow calm, like it’s a Nancy Meyers style of kitchen, but somehow it’s on par or even better. But the point is, it’s the atmosphere that’s being made, and atmosphere comes from more than cute accessories. Meaning that it’s the lighting, the colors, the materials, the finishes, and how all of those things work together.
While yes, sure, a kitchen can have nice cabinets and still feel flat if the lighting is harsh, the surfaces all look the same, and there’s no contrast anywhere. It can be hard to really match that type of energy and atmosphere that you’re after, so there’s probably something you’re missing, and you just can’t pinpoint it. Which is honestly fine, and it could help to just speak to a kitchen designer who can help you out instead (because they’ll be doing more than just trying to help decorate, they’re going to help transform it and match the atmosphere you want).
It’s All in the Styling
Like, theres lots and lots of style in all of this. And of course, influencers are very good at making one little object look important. It’s not too surprising to see something like a mug becoming a cute little moment. This is a small example, but just check Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, well, anywhere online really. But the item itself usually isn’t doing all the work. It’s the styling around it.
And that’s what a lot of people seem to get wrong about it here. Like a tray works because it gathers things together, and a cutting board looks good because it has space around it. Maybe even a lamp feels intentional because the rest of the counter isn’t fighting for attention.
Yes, their Counters are Edited
Bare counters look nice in photos, yeah, but in real life, they can start feeling a bit too “please don’t breathe near the marble.” Well, don’t cook on the marble, don’t do anything around the marble basically. And it’s a kitchen; those counters need to be used, and that marble can be easily cleaned. But edited counters are much more realistic. That means the things left out have a reason to be there. Like a cute bowl can still be used for real fruit for people to eat, cooking oils stay in a tray, and maybe some editing for pictures and videos, too.
