15 Ways To Add Personality To A Family Kitchen

When designing your kitchen, it's common to think more about creating a practical space than a fun, colourful space full of personality for your family to enjoy. The kitchen is the heart of the home, and you don't have to choose between practicality and personality. The easiest way to add some character is to bring in some colour and some personal touches. 

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1. Choose a striking worktop to immediately inject some colour or pattern in an unexpected way. Quartz can add subtle colour and makes a really pretty accent. With new counter materials coming out, there are more and more options for colour, so why not go wild and choose something bright and beautiful. 
2. Replacing all your cabinets can be very expensive, but if they're in good condition, why not just repaint them? Prime the doors and paint them in a shade that complements the rest of the kitchen. You could even use wallpaper to add pretty pattern to recesses in the doors. 
3. Replace the door and drawer handles. Remove boring, plain handles and swap them for pretty, colourful ones to easily upgrade your cabinets. 
4. Put up wall decals. Wall decals or stickers are a really fun way to add some character to a room. You can stick them up, and peel them off without damaging your paintwork. Choose some fun food stickers, or create a cosy feel with family wall quote stickers. 
5. Display a collection to add some personality. What do you collect that could be shown off in your kitchen? Many families buy fridge magnets when they travel, which make great memories and can be displayed on the fridge. Do you have beautiful china you inherited from a relative or a collection of attractive barware? Invest in a glass fronted cabinet or some shelving to show off your collection and a note of your family's personality. This kind of display will make you happy to look at, and can be a great talking point when you have guests to visit. 
6. Add some colourful curtains. Curtains are the easiest way to add a pop of colour. Choose curtains in a fabric that is easily washable so it will last well in a room with a lot of cooking smells and potential splases. Pick a favourite colour or a pretty pattern that goes with the rest of the kitchen. 
7. Buy bright appliances. Who says your kitchen appliances have to be plain and boring. Forget traditional stainless steel and pick something more fun. Many people now cover their fridges with large decals or removable wallpaper to make them more interesting. Small appliances are easy to find in interesting designs too. Buy your microwave, toaster or kettle in an interesting shade to enhance your kitchen theme. A pretty stand mixer or sleek coffee machine can add to a style too, whether you're a country kitchen type or more of a chic city kitchen type. 
8. Let go of the idea that everything has to match. If you have a kitchen table, mix up the chairs, or if you have a bar stool, use a mixture of different bar stools. Mix and match seating can add lots of colour and gives your kitchen a more eclectic feel. Pick up interesting chairs and stools second hand at car boot sales, charity shops or online marketplaces. Thrifted chairs have far more personality and each piece will be different and interesting. Add pieces you love as you find them for a style that is all yours. 
9. The most obvious way to make your kitchen more interesting to spend time in is to paint the walls. Choose a bright, fresh colour that will reflect light well for a kitchen that feels cheerful and airy. 
10. Forget boring tiles and go for a funkier splashback. You could use a mix of colours to create a mosaic effect, or use actual mosaic tiles to create a border or trim on the splashback. You could also create a dramatic effect with a more unusual material, like glass or acrylic. These are becoming more popular for kitchen splashbacks, as they are modern to look at, come in a much wider range of colours and are easy to wipe clean. 
11. Use wallpaper to create a feature wall in a breakfast nook, or go all out and cover an empty wall in cork to create a giant family notice board. You can pin up postcards, event tickets and pictures drawn by the kids to bring some real family fun into the room. You could even paint one wall in chalkboard paint, and let the kids go wild with the art, write notes for the family or write up the weekly meal plan in a more fun way than a sticky note on the fridge. 
12. A cheap way to add some personality is by buying funky tea and coffee mugs. Display them on open shelves or on a mug tree so you can see them. Collect mugs at events, on holiday or give fun mugs to other family members as cheap and cheerful gifts for any occasion. The bonus of doing this is that you get to drink your tea out of a personal mug that makes you smile. If you have a smart coffee machine, you could also invest in a range of cups for different coffee drinks to display near the machine. Buy attractive espresso cups or tall latte mugs or a mix of styles for your favourite hot drink. 
13. Replace your dishware for something more interesting. Many of us end up with a real mix of dishes, as we replace broken pieces and hold onto old dishes for far too long. Start again with a brand new set which you'll be proud to show off at any dinner party. 
14. Dress up your kitchen table with a cheerful table cloth and add colourful placemats and coasters. Add a vase of flowers to the middle, and your table is well dressed and looking great. 
15. Add some small details to bring in more character. Lay down a colourful rug and hang a couple of fun aprons on the kitchen door. You could choose pretty ones, or go for something humorous. Choose colourful light shades, and add comfy cushions to the kitchen chairs. Stock the fruit bowl with tasty fruit that smells delicious and put it somewhere where you can see it, for added colour.