Advice on how to style my kitchen for the contest photos?

[315]

Any things you suggest to make my kitchen look spiffy for the photos? Any styling tips? I don't want it to be too fakey fake, but also would like it to look like someone lives in it and uses it.

OP here: pandce.proboards.com/thread/202002/entering-small-cool-kitchens-contest

[mrs.jacinthe]

Everything off the counters except for staging stuff.

Personally, I'd accent with towels and things in the cobalt blue from your girl print. You could also do a cobalt bowl full of citrus. Pitcher of sangria? (BONUS: drinking the prop!)

[thiswillbe]

I only stop by here every now and then, so I never saw the OP, and wanted to say it looks awesome!! So beautiful!

For the pics, I would consider putting some sort of window treatment up just so people don't fixate on the brick wall you can see from the window. I don't really know anything about design, but to my untrained eye I'd think something sheer but not gathered would look nice (like a sheer roman shade or a single sheer curtain panel that is the exact width and height of the window, mounted on the inside of the window frame). I'd also do something that looks a little more intentional above the fridge (baskets? boxes? fill all the cubbies of the wine rack or take it out? more or no cookbooks?). And (random), I'd take the stepstool out for the pics.

Anyway, awesome kitchen! You did such a great job!!

[munkii]

Everything everyone else said. I am so unoriginal today.

[kitty]

I'd hide all the small appliances and the dish rack. Flowers, Pellgrino, and pears always seem like the go-tos on Houzz.

[BeagleMama]

In addition to getting all the stuff off of the counters, I'd do a little contrived (but it's pretty for pictures!) catalog staging like the examples here.

[315]

We definitely want something on the windows. Unfortunately, as we've learned from replacing all of them in the apartment, none of our windows are a standard size and getting window coverings is $$$ and requires special order. So that will have to wait for another time.

BeagleMama, thanks for the link.