Taking a Cue on Stylish Storage

Kelly from The Essence of Home did a great post on "Stylish Storage" the other day.   She shared some awesome "stylish storage" ideas for the kitchen.  After reading it, I looked around my kitchen to see where I could tweak things -- and where I was already using the "Stylish Storage Principle."

Let's face it -- the kitchen can be a boring "service-oriented" space.  Some of us have kitchens that are on the small size where every inch counts, and it's hard to make room for things just for the sake of decor.  It's important to keep the things that you need often close at hand, and I also like to make sure that whenever possible I choose useful things that are also beautiful and colorful.  Then, they're fun to display.

Each of us has our own "favorite things" that we like to keep close by in the kitchen.  We each have our own storage issues and needs -- so not every idea works well in every home --but here are some of my ideas:

* files on my desktop in a wooden drawer-style box
* small useful items on my desk in a bowl

* colored silicone and patterned paper cupcake liners in a glass jar

[Notice I've added a few other small items to the jar for interest.]

* dish liquid in a pretty bottle (I totally copied this idea from Sasha!) coupled with a stack of useful bowls in a basket

I love it when the sun streams in the window and makes the soap glisten.  Also, I'm a bit of a bowl fanatic collector, and this basket is perfect for corralling a few of them with the soap and keeping it all handy.

* a bottle-drying rack used as a mug tree

I've bragged on this bottle-drying rack before, and I'm sticking to my story.  I LOVE it.  It's "look" changes every day.  Uh... most days the "Lego guy" mug doesn't make the cut... just ignore that one.

* a small mirror bounces light around in a dim corner

No, this isn't a storage solution -- but you were probably wondering about the mirror...



* teabags in a pretty jar

At Christmas-time, I often put peppermint teabags out in a jar, and include a tag made from the colorful box.  I loved the colors of the "Tangerine" box too, so I made a tag from it --and love the pop of color in the jar!

My kitchen is way different from Kelly's, and probably from yours too.  But, I challenge you to think about stylish storage solutions that will be effective for your life, and in your kitchen.  I've shown you the ideas already in use at my house.  Kelly has inspired me to think of some new ones.

What's your favorite (kitchen) stylish storage solution?