I’ve thought a lot about it and applied zero scientific reasoning to my theory, but it seems to me kitchen art falls into 5 categories:
- Food themed because it is a kitchen, DUH!
- Non-food themed because you have a rebellious streak.
- Child-themed because your refrigerator is covered in child masterpieces.
- Just a clock because the clocks on the appliances aren’t enough to get you out of the house on time. Who are we kidding? Nothing gets you out of the house on time.
- No art at all because minimalism is grand. Actually, there could be a bunch of reasons for no art at all, but being a minimalist has a noble flair to it, so I’ll let it take the lead on this list.
My kitchen art has never been #3 because I may have neglected to mention to my children that many refrigerators are magnetic. Oops. I did make a magnetic chalkboard to proudly display their art class creations though, so don’t worry about THAT scarring their childhood.
Here’s a real estate listing photo of the kitchen from one of our houses in Oregon when our kids were little. Not a child masterpiece in sight.
I have had a clock in the kitchen, but its ticking sound annoyed me. I removed the clock’s batteries and just set the clock hands to perpetually declare the time as 5 o’clock. Yes, I have an immature sense of humor, but it was better than setting the clock time to 4:20.
The last time I had food-themed art in a kitchen was back in the early 2000s. I had wine label art from Pier 1 or TJ Maxx. I don’t even drink wine, but it must have felt like a very adult decor choice to me at the time. It’s not that I regret that decision, but my style, unlike my sense of humor, has evolved since then.
Most of the kitchens we’ve had have not had any art. This is mainly because there just wasn’t wall space for art. The kitchens were designed in such a way that all available vertical surfaces were filled with cabinets. It made life so much easier.
In our current house, the Colonial Farmhouse, I have 3 pieces of art. They all came from the thrift store and they are all non-food themed. I didn’t purposefully set out to do that, but when you’re a rebel stuff happens.
Actually, I’m the least rebellious person out there. I don’t even like to speed!
I just buy art that appeals to me and then I have to get it home and find a spot for it before Handy Husband questions why we are accumulating art we aren’t using.
Apparently, “it made me sad to see a painting someone worked so hard on discarded” is not a good reason to hoard art.
That’s how all three pieces of landscape art ended up in the kitchen of our Colonial Farmhouse.
Or perhaps my subconscious just knew when I spotted that art in the thrift store that it would look good in our kitchen even if it wasn’t food themed.
This little landscape (below) that reminded me of Ireland is a good example of that. I know it doesn’t look like it in this picture, but this is a weird little wall in our kitchen connecting to our back staircase. That seashore art looks like it was meant for this space.
Kitchen art, no matter the category, should make you happy.
Even that wine-themed art that I cringe a little thinking about now made me happy at the time. Our style, just like our attitudes, thought processes, opinions, etc., is going to evolve over time. That’s part of being human!
I have less than $20 total (seriously!) invested into the three pieces of art currently hanging in my kitchen. If I change my mind later on this kitchen art, it’s not a big deal.
Tell me: what style of kitchen art do you gravitate toward? Are there any true minimalists out there?
Room Sources
Art – all thrifted
Wainscoting – Behr Khaki Shade
Wall Color – Behr Arcade White
Goose Doorstop – Old, but you can find them on eBay for between $10 – $200
Ninja Coffee Maker – Old, but the newer model has 5 star reviews out of over 9,000 ratings. We love ours!
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