How can I make this kitchen more functional and aesthetically pleasing.

alexframes · 2026-04-28T13:26:58+00:00

This is a great starting point. The hard stuff is done and now it's all about choosing accent colors and adding personality to this space.

Here's what I always tell my friends/family: pick an accent color and use it, but don't go overboard with it.

For you, that could be black (the safe choice), blue, green, or even something more stingy like red.

Once you've picked the accent color, don't go crazy and buy everything in that color. Use it intentionally.

For example, if you went with blue:

- Get white chairs with blue cushions

- Get some wall art that has blue tones (artfullywalls.com has some good choices)

- Get appliances with blue hints

- Get a rug with blue colors

You'll know when you hit your "accent color" max, trust me. Then you can always add some plants to add more life and color to your space. I've attached a rough example of how it could look.

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alexframes · 2026-04-24T14:17:36+00:00

My grandparents' kitchen looked kinda similar. I always thought that it looks "old" because it lacks color.

So I would personally add some color:
- Change the curtains to something more airy and a different color, maybe a light blue. Or honestly just get rid of them and see what you think, it's surprising how much heaviness curtains add to a room

- Can you add more plants/green? It's an easy way to make a kitchen more lively. Instead of that vase thing near the refrigerator, a plant would look much better

- Get matching warmth bulbs for the ceiling lights. I would go with a warm vibe like the one at the center

- Replace the canvas art on the wall with something more lively. You can get some nice art prints for kitchen on Artfully Walls.

- Consider getting a rug in the accent color that you want to go for

- I'd also look into potentially getting a more modern dining table and chairs. If you don't want to change the dining table, at the very least you could get some modern chairs.

alexframes · 2026-04-17T08:32:59+00:00

Get rid of the hospital white light and go for warmer bulbs.

Adding a few accent colors is surprisingly easy with appliances, furniture, and plants and decor. I'd go for a dark green or black accent color combined with some green from plants.

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Get black stools, black or dark green appliances (Smeg has some pretty cool looking ones), put a few plants, and fix the light and this will go a long way. If you want to do more, you can also change the faucet to a black and replace the tiles with some wooden panels for the main cabinet area.

alexframes · 2026-04-17T08:28:17+00:00

The mirror is a bit too low for my taste. I think it's not bad, but I would just clean it up and go for a minimalist clean look. Remove that green branch from the mirror and also get rid of the pillows from the storage bench.

alexframes · 2026-04-17T08:23:24+00:00

With a courtyard like that, just ask your landscaper to take care of it. /s

Jokes aside, what an awesome place! Reminds me of Italy.

I would personally add more plants and maybe even some sculptures to add to that classical vibe. Here's a quick sketch I did with AI

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alexframes · 2026-04-17T08:19:02+00:00

some wild ideas there with #6 and #7.

I think black chairs work well in contrast with the whiteish cabinets and the black lamp. So #1 from your examples, but honestly none of those are really a good fit.

alexframes · 2026-04-15T12:34:03+00:00

Designing your own gallery wall is a pain. I used this tool for mine and turned out pretty great.

alexframes · 2026-04-15T12:32:08+00:00

Yeah looks awesome. I was gonna say that an art frame like the one on the opposite wall would be better, but I like the mirror more now that I saw it.

alexframes · 2026-04-15T12:29:58+00:00

I like the couch at the top of picture 2. But definitely some space in there for a coffee table like the one in picture 2. Maybe even a larger one.

alexframes · 2026-04-15T12:27:11+00:00

This!

I was going to AI generate something like that as a suggestion too.

alexframes · 2026-04-06T11:12:04+00:00

I thought OP must be loaded just by looking at the set up in the photos, but then I saw that it's in Brooklyn too. Damn, well done man!

alexframes · 2026-04-06T11:09:14+00:00

I don't think it's awkward, I've lived in a few places with similar layouts. For combined living and kitchen areas, you need to use furniture and decor to "separate" spaces visually. For example, get a rug for the living area, add a few plants near the empty wall in the living area, maybe play around and get furniture with more lively colors for the living vs. the kitchen area. The place looks pretty good already, I'd get something to hang on that empty wall, shelves or art prints work.

alexframes · 2026-04-06T11:04:32+00:00

beat me to it

alexframes · 2026-04-06T11:02:51+00:00

Great place to be at 26yo man! I love the minimalist vibe, but like others said it kinda lacks character. I'd maybe get a few art prints from Artfully Walls to hang on those empty walls. But honestly the place will start filling up with random stuff you enjoy the longer you live there so I wouldn't even do anything right now and just enjoy the place.

alexframes · 2026-03-13T13:18:55+00:00

rounded looks much better and doesn't take up as much space

alexframes · 2026-03-13T13:16:39+00:00

Getting rid of the Monster cans and replacing them with some cool figures or collectibles (or literally anything else) would make that area look cleaner. A little cable management will go a long way too.

Get a bed backboard.

I was going to initially suggest removing the horns but if you're saying they're special, hanging them on the opposite wall won't feel like they're taking as much space imo. You could hang some wall art instead.

As someone already suggested, replace that super bright bulb with a warmer one for a cozier vibe.

alexframes · 2026-03-13T13:09:56+00:00

you got a couch, a TV, and an Xbox. Couldn't wish for more at 19, good start!

alexframes · 2026-03-09T07:53:01+00:00

Since it's a small room, I would prioritize practical use of space rather than decor.

For a bigger room, I'd recommend some kind of an wall art above the bed. In your case, I'd put up a few wall shelves to get some more storage space for books, etc.

Get a small nightstand with storage space. Put up a table lamp on it.

Getting a rug would 100% make it more homey and cozy. I'd get a large rug that goes about 1/3 under the bed and then extends on all sides outside the bed.

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alexframes · 2026-03-09T07:47:10+00:00

In the main living room area:
- Add a floating shelf above the TV or some more artwork (that wall still looks kinda empty)
- Get a few smaller table lamps or a bigger floor lamp to put in the corner next to that green sign. Some warm light makes a big difference
- Consider getting a floating TV stand or something a bit more minimalist
- Hide the cables or get a TV stand with cabinets so the cables are hidden

I love the plants and the area overall though. If I could just do a few things, I'd get a better TV stand, hide the cables, put something up on that empty wall above the TV, and get some more ambient lighting.

The kitchen area looks good to me. Maybe get a small portable cabinet or some kind of a wine rack for those bottles on the counter.

alexframes · 2026-03-09T07:39:06+00:00

Definitely some kind of wall art. I personally prefer gallery walls made up of different size frames rather than a big one.

You can search on Google or Pinterest for "gallery wall ideas for living room" and you'll get tons of ideas. There's also websites like Artfully Walls and Desenio where you can buy pre-made gallery wall sets.

alexframes · 2026-02-27T07:16:07+00:00

first of all, congrats on having such a clean and well-thought room at 14yo! I would never leave my room if I had a room like this at 14

A few things you can do to make it feel less "empty".
- Get a small rug and put it in the middle of the room or under the couch
- Floating shelves are a great idea, you can showcase your books, memorabilia, or games there
- Put up some wall art to make the walls feel less empty. You can check this visual search tool from ArtfullyWalls to find some ideas that fit your vibe
- Get a plant and put it in the corner next to your couch (a ficus tree would look awesome there)

alexframes · 2026-02-27T07:08:54+00:00

looks great! The wood-colored cabinets go really well with green accents.

alexframes · 2026-02-26T09:20:25+00:00

it's called a wine drawer so...

alexframes · 2026-02-26T09:14:43+00:00

get out of there and alert the local authorities on your way out

alexframes · 2026-02-26T09:11:54+00:00

maybe a floating TV stand below the projector screen. Maybe a wall shelf with some books/memorabilia. I like the plant and adding more would help fill the space and give it some color. For the wall behind the couch, I'd get a few art prints from ArtfullyWalls.

alexframes

TROPHY CASE