Turning the Corner

Giving your kitchen counter an artistic refresh

By Melanie Crawford / Styled for photography by Melanie Crawford

Photography by Robert Clark

The drop zone corner needs attention in 2023! Be creative and remember that repetition, similar colors, and odd numbers are worth repeating.

So, here we are in a brand new year. Well, maybe not brand new exactly, but still pretty new, right? Okay, maybe we’re past the absolutely newest part of the year, and maybe we promised to do some things when the holidays were over. Well, I guess they’re really over. Now that the time can officially be labeled as “spring cleaning,” it’s the perfect opportunity to straighten up that section of the kitchen that so easily becomes a cluttered disaster area — the drop zone corner that collects everything from months old receipts to keys to reading glasses, with dust bunnies hovering in the back.

First of all, the poinsettia has to go. I know it still looks good, and I know they come from a hot climate, and I know it will probably love summer in Columbia, but I’m sorry — it’s April and it has to go. Next, the box of candy with only two pieces left — goodbye. It’s the same story with the pile of grocery lists, expired coupons, and odd pieces of paper that could potentially have the best pie recipe ever — it’s all trash. See how easy this is?

Now for the fun part — whatever survived the “big purge” is the starting point for your new gorgeous counter display. If you’re only left with one item, then we need to find a few more things to make a group. Look around your kitchen or in a drawer or a random closet for some likely candidates.

The drop zone corner needs attention in 2023! Be creative and remember that repetition, similar colors, and odd numbers are worth repeating.
The drop zone corner needs attention in 2023! Be creative and remember that repetition, similar colors, and odd numbers are worth repeating.

Some helpful guidelines to keep in mind are that repetition is appealing, so a similar color or shape might work. Odd numbers are also appealing, so try to find three or five of something to arrange together. Differing heights and sizes add interest, so that’s something else to look for. If you really were attached to the poinsettia, maybe move on to a few orchids in a bowl.

Try a few different combinations to find the one that makes you the happiest, and voila! You’ve turned the corner on a new year! Now how are you going to get all the things you didn’t use back in the closet?

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