5 things I always add to a kitchen to instantly make it look better as an interior stylist

Kitchens aren't always the easiest of rooms to decorate and if you're struggling for ideas on how to make your hub of the home feel more cosy, then you've come to the right place.

Bedrooms and living rooms have rugs, curtains, cushions and bedding to help add softness and make them feel homely, but kitchens are full of much harder surfaces. The cabinetry, flooring, splashbacks and even the appliances are essential to creating a practical and functional space, but it's important to bring some softness, pattern and texture into your kitchen ideas too. Having decorative pieces, such as cooking utensils, artwork and textiles, will help make your kitchen a more interesting room visually.

Working as an interior stylist means I style kitchens all the time for shoots and events, and am a dab hand at turning even the most sterile of spaces into something warm and welcoming. Whether you have a modern small kitchen, a light, bright Scandi-style scheme or a large open-plan space, these are the five ingredients I always have on hand to add to a kitchen.

1. Patterned tea towels

Adding colour and pattern to your kitchen is ideal if you want to add interest and ensure it's not a bland space, which is where fabric comes in. Aside from your window blinds, tea towels are the next best thing and are great for adding small hits of colour to your room. Hang them from hooks, or fold some over an oven rail – or a rail placed on the side of an island. Alternatively, if you have open shelving, why not stack a folded pile on a shelf, so they're within easy grabbing distance when you need one?

On shoots, I always tie in the tea towels with the kitchen colour scheme we're going for, so take a look at your own kitchen and decide whether you want something that works in harmony with the colours on the walls and cabinetry, or something that contrasts with it instead. I'd suggest getting a mix of patterns, within a similar colour palette, to display. And you could always frame one for an affordable artwork too.

Obviously on a shoot we don't use the tea towels, so they're always steamed and looking their best. Bring those picture-perfect looks into your own home by having some beautifully styled tea towels, and a separate one to actually use.

2. Stylish cookbooks

Cookbooks in a kitchen do so much more than help you create delicious dishes. Placed on a shelf they can add height and colour, and they look good either stacked together or placed singularly like in this image – almost like it's an artwork.

If it's a book you're going to want to use regularly, make sure it's easy to get to. And if you're displaying a few together, look at the spine colours and have them ordered from dark to light, in an ombre fashion.

3. A pan – or three!

Quite often I'll use a pan or casserole dish in a shoot, placed on a hob to make the kitchen look lived in. They're also great if there are wall hooks or shelves, as they can add shape and form to a styled area.

Although in a shoot the pans obviously need to look in good condition, that's not always feasible in a working kitchen. Copper pans, however, will look good whether they're new or used, especially when hung next to each other, or stacked one inside the other on a shelf.

4. Different shaped breadboards

Breadboards are a kitchen shoot must for me and I can't tell you how often I use them on shoots. I like to get ones in different shapes and sizes, and stack them upright, to add height and interest to worktops – and they're also a great tool for hiding any unsightly plug points when we're photographing.

In your own kitchen, you'll obviously want to use your plug points but you can still stack them on a shelf or worktop. If you're short on space, consider hanging a couple from a hook instead and go for designs in darker and lighter shades of wood for contrast.

5. Plants and herbs

When faced with a kitchen that's full of shiny hard surfaces, plants or an indoor herb garden idea are a lifesaver for adding some life and I'll often use them in shots to 'soften' an image.

In your own kitchen, use them to bring colour to worktops and shelves. My advice is to think about where you're placing them – too tall and they can get in the way, too small and they can look 'lost' on a large worktop.

Make sure the pots you choose work with your kitchen too – wood or natural materials are a great way to add some warmth and texture to a kitchen, while colourful pots can add a hit of colour just where you need it.

Will you be adding any of these tricks of the trade to your kitchen?