How to Decorate Kitchens With Dressers

Color

• If you want your kitchen dresser to serve as a focal point of the room, choose a bold color that complements your existing color scheme. Vintage blues, bright yellows and cherry reds are popular choices, but pink and green are more interesting options. Select a black-and-white dresser for a modern look. Alternatively, make your dresser blend in with the rest of your space by selecting a natural wood tone or painting it a neutral color.

Shape and Style

• A dresser's shape makes a big impact on the design of the kitchen. A nondescript standard rectangular dresser fits into almost any space. For something bolder, look at dressers with a lot of curves such as those from the Art Nouveau era. Think vertical for kitchens with high ceilings. Consider the period of your kitchen decor; re-vamp the space in Mid-Century Modern style using an elongated dresser that sits low to the ground, for example.

Sizing

• You have two choices for sizing your kitchen dresser. Go bold with a large dresser that dominates the space, serving as the emphasis of the entire room's design. Options include a bulky dresser or a leaner silhouette that is very tall or very wide. Alternatively, select a dresser that fits neatly into a side space; in this case, aim for dressers the same height as kitchen counters.

  If your dressers is shorter than counter height, you can easily "boost" it to the correct height. Casters add a few inches and also make your dresser a convenient rolling table. Alternatively, switch out the legs of the dresser or remove the legs and build a wooden platform for the dresser to sit on.

Placement and Arrangement

• Work kitchen dressers seamlessly into the design of the space by placing them along sideboards, next to counters and adjacent to stoves. More often, though, they serve as the central feature of the room. If you have a large, open kitchen, let your dresser serve as a kitchen island. Or, place it in the center of a main wall. When determining placement, think about function; what will you need to get out of the dresser, and how convenient will that arrangement be?

Finishing Touches

• The final decorative touches on your kitchen dresser make it the talking point of the space. Creative hardware and drawer knobs add some fun, and interesting accessories on top of the dresser bring personality into the space. Intriguing display items include a sparkling vase filled with peacock feathers, a stack of vintage cookbooks and a display of antique salt shakers. For functionality, add hooks to the side of the dresser to hang ladles, and place pretty bowls atop the dresser for fruit storage.

Inside the Drawers

• Finally, fill your dresser drawers with the items you need in your kitchen. Use the dresser drawers to hold silverware, kitchen towels, sponges and other small items. Large dressers can double as pantries and serve as storage for boxed and canned goods. If the drawers are large enough, they can hold plates and mugs, freeing up your kitchen cabinets to serve as better display cases. Reserve a "junk" drawer for family keys, mail and other small items.