Modern Basement Kitchen Reveal + 4 tips to decorate a kitchen

Sharing this basement kitchen reveal plus 4 tips to decorate a kitchen… of any size or style.

Today I’m back with a little kitchen reveal! No, no… we didn’t renovate another kitchen. We’re not completely nuts- we are still working on my office… and our exterior… and a couple other projects in our home. This kitchen is our friends new basement kitchen… but it’s so darn pretty, I would never guess it’s in a basement! Instead of just sharing the kitchen with you guys, I wanted to take this post and share 4 things that you can do to add style to any kitchen that you’re making over. Because it doesn’t matter how big or small the space… these four things can be worked in to almost any kitchen to add some style that suits you!

This post is part of the Modern Handmade Home series and this time around, we’ve partnered with Schaub and Company to bring you the posts (you can find my policies here)! Schaub and Company is a hardware company that has totally stunning pulls and knobs. I’m in love with their pieces, you guys. I could swap out every single knob and pull in my house on cabinets, closet drawers and furniture with pieces from their new releases and be so darn happy. Like, I’m head over heels for these ones in particular.

But I didn’t need to and this kitchen was waiting for the perfect hardware, so lucky us… we get to share a whole room reveal with you! And can I tell you one of the most exciting parts about this room reveal? I didn’t have to swing a hammer or lift a paint brush to bring it to you. And that feels pretty nice, right about now ;)

I made a video for this space and these tips! You can check it out right here before I dig into the details in the post! Before the video though… are you following me over on YouTube? If you’re over there, I’d so love if you subscribed!

Let’s chat a bit about this kitchen before we get to the tips, shall we?! This is a basement kitchen. In our city, basement suites are super common- they’re in really high demand. We lived in one when we first got married and we put one in our last house to help with the mortgage but neither of them were nearly as beautiful as this one. They designed it just like their main floor kitchen- white shakers, soft grey walls, grey toned wood floors (actually vinyl, but so so nice looking!), and darker countertops. The cabinets are IKEA (SO similar to our last kitchen!) and ready to be given some personality. They had put black hardware on doors throughout and wanted to match their cabinet hardware finishes to that. You know I’m such a sucker for black hardware, so that was an obvious choice from me too. 

The hardware they chose is called San Marco from Schaub and Company and it has an amazing geometric shape to it. It totally changes it’s look as you change your angles. They look totally classic from a distance but up close, they’re so beautifully modern. They work really well with those classic white shaker cabinets! 

Alright… let’s talk tips! These tips can be used for any kitchen makeover. They work beautifully in this basement kitchen, but are pretty much the exact same strategies I used in my kitchen. And will use in any other kitchen I decorate or design. 

1. Hardware is Style

Your hardware isn’t just functional, but can change the entire feel of a space. I have friends and family who have moved into brand new homes or kitchens and swapped out the hardware. Why? Because it plays such a big part in the style of your kitchen! Want modern? Matte black is always a good pick- maybe with geometric shapes (like these!). Farmhouse or classic? Bring out the satin nickel cup pulls or rubbed oil bronze. Want to warm it up and bring some sophistication? Brass or gold will do the trick!

It’s also such a great upgrade without upgrading any fixtures that involve a renovation. All you need is a screwdriver. The homeowners selected these matte black pulls (San Marco from Schaub and Company) and they really work so well in this space! I love how modern they feel and really add a bit of bold style to a classic kitchen.

2. Backsplash Finishes the Space

Okay… so this one’s not done. Yet ;)

Backsplash totally finishes the space. Both in the kitchen we have now and our last one, we went without backsplash for a bit of time after the kitchen was ‘complete’. When that backsplash goes up, it totally transforms the space. You can tile the whole backsplash, or if you have a smaller budget and tile already installed, you can paint your tile. You could even get non-traditional and do a shiplap backsplash or plaster. 

3. Open Shelving

If you’ve been reading Lemon Thistle for a while, you probably know how much I love open shelving. We have it in our current kitchen and our last one and so when our friends mentioned they were considering it for above the sink in their basement kitchen, I went to Home Depot and brought back shelves. Because open shelving is my favourite. Why? Because it can add so much personality to a space while still giving you storage.

I wrote a whole post (and video!) about styling open shelving in the kitchen if that’s something you’re into!

4. Lots of thoughts on kitchen decor!

In hindsight, I could have broken this one tip down into a few more. But for the video… it was all in one, so in the blog post I thought I should do the same! The biggest thing I find with decor, especially in the kitchen, is that it easily becomes too much. Add too much decor and you won’t have room to cook your dinner but you also will feel cramped and it can make a small kitchen seem smaller. I like to limit decor on countertops to a couple vignettes. That’s why it’s awesome to have open shelving for some decor and personality! 

For decor on the countertops, I always try to keep it functional and beautiful. I don’t think I would ever put a family photo on my countertop. I would put a pitcher, some cookbooks, or some pretty cutting boards, though! Is your olive oil pretty? Why not store that stove-side? A candle? Perfect for when you cut onions!

I also love to use practical things as decor… not on the counters. Like tea towels. I love tea towels for more texture, colour (in this case black… my fave, ha!) and decor. I also love to have a beautiful textured scatter rug in front of the sink. 

Alright… I’m going to leave it at that! Four things to consider when you’re ready for a refresh in your kitchen! All things that don’t require you ripping any cabinets out so maybe you too can have the satisfaction of not lifting a paint brush or swinging a hammer for a little kitchen reveal ;) 

Make sure to check out the other ladies from the Modern Handmade Home series awesome posts using Schaub and Company hardware! They all turned out so beautifully!

Left to Right / Top to Bottom

Updating a kitchen using hardware – The Learner Observer

Modern DIY Coffee Station – Love Create Celebrate

My post!

Deciding Knobs or Pulls in a Kitchen – Harlow and Thistle