A Few Simple Kitchen Updates

Refresh your kitchen with these easy updates. 

It’s been a year of refreshing, updating and finishing projects throughout Snowberry.

The kitchen was top on my list.

These are a few simple updates I made recently.

They aren’t monumental.

But they make me happy.

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Looking through galley kitchen to French doors into backyard and little Jack Russell Terrier looking in.

Can you spot Miss Maggie?

 

ROLLING ISLAND

We have a wide, galley-style kitchen. I grew up with a galley kitchen so it feels very comfortable. It’s also very efficient if you love to cook. One of the things I do miss is an island and for several years I’ve been eyeing this rolling cart/island with butcher block top. Last year I finally pulled the trigger and it’s been a great addition. I love that its on wheels so I can move it around. And gives me more prep space and a little extra storage. Oh, and I also  love that it has a towel bar.

Butcher Block rolling island in kitchen with green cabinetry and glass front uppers.

Kitchen Cart w/Butcher Block Top

 

COOKBOOK HOLDER

Pretty basic, right? And I’ve had a cookbook holder in my kitchen forever. But it had a portrait orientation which is great for displaying an unopened cookbook, or a printed recipe or page torn from a magazine. But it’s not ideal to hold an open cookbook. When I saw this walnut cookbook holder, with a landscape orientation, I jumped at it. Not only because it nicely holds my cookbooks open to the recipe I’m making, but because it’s walnut. And we have a walnut countertop at the far end of the kitchen, and other walnut accents, like our under sink drip ledge and large cutting board where I do all our meal prep. Too matchy matchy? Well, it works for me.

Kitchen counter vignette with standing cookbooks and open cookbook on cookbook stand next to lemons and a tea towel.

Cookbook Holder

 

LAZY SUSAN

I ordered a walnut lazy Susan at the same time I ordered my new cookbook stand. It was backordered and didn’t get here in time for Jessica Brydson’s arrival to photograph our kitchen. Sigh.

Kitchen range with kitchen accessories.

The lazy Susan got here last week. When I took it out of the box I thought, uh oh, it’s too small. But nope, it holds 4 bottles of vinegars and olive oils, pepper grinder, salt cellar and timer just perfectly.

Walnut lazy Susan holding oil, vinegar, salt and herbs.

Lazy Susan

 

TEA KETTLE

I bid farewell to our old, beat up tea kettle and replaced it with this one. It was love at first sight.

Left side of galley kitchen with green cabinets and Wolf range.

Tea Kettle

 

LARGE BISCOTTI JAR & GOLD SCOOP

Ok, don’t laugh.  Remember it’s often the little things that provide the greatest satisfaction. And in this case that would be granola. Yes, granola. I’ve had this biscotti jar forever. Since unpacking it at Snowberry it’s held our supply of favorite Ocho candies. They come in bright blue and white wrappers and always stood out like a sore thumb in our muted green kitchen. When our Ocho supply ran out and I forget to reorder we sort of got over our Ocho addiction. I’m not saying we’ll never have them again, but for now a tablespoon of chocolate chips is satisfying my sweet tooth after dinner. But what to put in the jar? Biscotti? No. I’m not a fan. Pasta’s an obvious answer. And I considered packets of instant oatmeal that I keep in the pantry to tide me over between meals now and then. Then Alli Bentz, who’s been helping me with a few of my unfinished projects, suggested granola. Brilliant. Jim loves granola and we’re always running out. Of course, I needed a scoop.

View into green kitchen.

Biscotti Jar | Gold Scoop

By the way, my lemon print is by artist Krista Kim who I met at a retreat in Sonoma several years ago. My print is sold out, but Krista has many wonderful paintings and prints on her Etsy site here. These are a few of my favorites …

 

MARBLE ACCESSORY TRAY

This isn’t new, but I love my little marble tray that holds dish soap and a scrub brush. My older nieces noticed my little set up so I gave them each the three components for Christmas. I found the amber glass, labeled soap dispenser at this Etsy shop. And I have plastic versions for shampoo, conditioner and body wash in our guest bathroom.

Farm sink and brass fixtures in green kitchen.

Marble Tray | Soap Dispenser | Scrub Brush

 

COFFEE & COCOA BAR TRAY

I refreshed our kitchen coffee and cocoa bar area with this pretty hammered brass tray. You can find that post here.

Kitchen coffee bar.

Breville Espresso Machine | Brass Tray

 

I forced myself to winnow down my cookbook collection so the shelves look less cluttered.

Milk frother and white mugs on kitchen buffet.

 

A few more much loved (and used) kitchen accessories ~

 

Recent  cookbook favorites ~

 

Divider graphic.So there you have it.

A few simple updates I made to Snowberry’s kitchen.

You can find all our kitchen finishes and sources here.

A Few Simple Kitchen Updates blog post Pinterest collage.

I’ve surprised myself with how many projects I’ve ticked off the list so far this year.

I plan to keep the momentum going.

Brace yourselves for more to come.

Divider graphic.

As always, I appreciate your visit and welcome your thoughts in the comments below.

I have a question for you …

Do you keep a knife block on your kitchen countertop?

Or do you keep knives in a drawer … or elsewhere?

Let me know.

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  • What a great post. I love the ideas and am thinking about that lazy Susan for our coffee area. I clicked the link for your kitchen sources but got a broken link. I’d love to know the brand of your sink faucet.
    I use a knife drawer. I bought a wooden insert that fit my drawer and love it

  • My knives are in a drawer. Your kitchen is my fave of all time and the one I would look to if we ever do a custom build. Would love a working link to your sources!

  • Juliet,

    It is the little things in life that bring the most joy and all of these little but important additions to your kitchen do just that.
    I love the time, effort and consideration that you put into each piece that you add to your space.
    By the way, the gold scoop is fabulous! I have vintage and colorful scoops in each of my glass canisters for flour, sugar, etc. They make me happy too.
    The house looks beautiful as always and all of your touches are making it more and more cozy.
    Have a great day! See you Saturday.

  • You made your beautiful kitchen even MORE gorgeous!! I love the changes you’ve made. Beautiful and practical. And no, definitely NOT too matchy-matchy! The walnut is the perfect accent! Have a blessed day, Juliet!

  • Juliet
    You are right it is the little finishing details that make us so happy!! You have chosen the perfect accessories for your kitchen!

  • I keep mine in a wooden knife holder in a drawer. I’ve seen too many movies where the killer grabs a knife from the counter top.

  • Broken link, but I found your original kitchen post all by myself! 😉
    I am taking a few ideas for my upcoming kitchen remodel..the walnut drip ledge for sure. Will use walnut on my hood and in the family room built-ins.
    Love your posts, Juliet!

    • Thanks, Jean … sounds like you have a lot of excitement in your future. Walnut on the hood will be lovely. I should have thought of that. Now I’m off to fix that broken link, appreciate you letting me know. xo

  • I love your kitchen…I like additions that are good looking as well as useful…and your colour speaks to me. I had our cabinets painted an off white and chose a duck egg blue
    (a British colour… more of a green ) for the island and doors. The backsplash had to tie in to the scheme …being creams and golden ochre tones. The granite really shines when the sun is on it, as the paint colour mimics the deep greens in the stone and the hints of gold. Part of my cookbook collection is stacked on little 3/4 sized chairs to either side of a pine washstand. A happy place with a Tuscan glow. Your kitchen certainly looks like your happy place too…what a great cookbook holder.

  • Love your kitchen so much! The cabinet color and brass and walnut accents! And all the accessories you share here are perfect too. No to the knife block on the counter. Knives freak me out, so I keep them tucked away where they can’t scare me. I am weird, I know…

    • Oh my gosh, that never occurred to me … but I’m kind of freaked out about exposed knives too. Eek. xo

  • Juliet your kitchen is magazine perfect and so pretty. I have always loved the green you choose and the brass accents. It’s classic and gorgeous. I love Maggie peeking in!! You should frame that.
    I need that little scrubber and tray! I’m going to order one! Now I need to go scrub the kitchen and get out my cookbooks.
    xo

    • Kim! I probably should go scrub my kitchen too … I wasn’t paying close enough attention to my soup pot and it bubbled over. Hate when that happens. xo

  • We keep a knife block on the counter only because we don’t have enough drawers. I really don’t mind having it out.

  • We have the knives on magnetic units attached to the wall under our upper cabinets. Easy access and far away from the reach of young visitors

  • So many cute little things can add to one big happy feeling! Love the tea kettle…it’s now in my cart (along with a gazillion other things – LOL).
    Here is another California cookbook, Rela Gleason’s Living Well. Beautiful photos, many from her home, Casa Kulanu, in Napa that burned in the Glass fire. She’s a remarkable woman with a lifestyle to match.

  • Hi Juliet,
    Your kitchen is lovely and all of your friendly and practical touches make this space even more so. But the best thing about this kitchen has always been your graceful and generous hospitality.
    Xo
    Heidi

  • Hi, I’m Juliet … welcome to Make Mine a Spritzer where we talk about all things home décor, classic style and more! I’m so happy you’re here!

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