As a busy brand founder, actress, chef, and mother of four, Ayesha Curry's kitchen needs to fulfill a variety of needs: it needs to be functional enough to cook meals for her family of six, beautiful as a gathering space, and relaxing enough to serve as a calm oasis where Ayesha can rest. These are tall but not uncommon demands; most people would love their kitchen to fulfill all of these roles.
We were lucky enough to interview Aisha and learn the techniques she uses to balance efficiency and beauty in her kitchen—technically simple and easy to recreate in any space. “With four kids, there's not much to find peace these days, but I feel like the kitchen is my happy place in the house and where we all come together (and I love that),” says the Sweet July founder. Homes and Gardens“Over the years, I've found a few tricks that help me keep my kitchen a functional, beautiful, and relaxing space.”
1. Good quality plates and bowls
Her first tip is to choose the right dinnerware. It might seem secondary to choosing your cabinet color and countertop material, but these accessories play a big role in the look of your design, especially with glass cabinets. More importantly, dinnerware has a huge impact on how you use your space. The right dinnerware can make meals more enjoyable and encourage you to cook more often.
“Previously for me, a good plate or bowl was either practical or beautiful (not both), but I've found that well-made ceramic can be both, such as the handmade Telegraph collection from Sweet July that I use at home in a beautiful nutmeg colour that I'm obsessed with,” says Curry. Her simple designs embody a pared-back, ergonomic style in three beautiful colours. Our editors are particularly fond of her rounded pasta bowl.
Telegraph Collection Dinner Plates
Telegraph Collection Pasta Bowl
Telegraph Carafe + Cup Set
2. Place frequently used items on the counter
Digressing from the contents of your cabinets, Curry says that what you put on your kitchen counters plays a big role in the functionality and style of the space. She says, “Another thing I highly recommend is not to be afraid to display your most used kitchen items on your counters. To me, a calm kitchen means not having to hunt around for what I need. I like to display my most used spices on a tiered rack and keep my olive oil and salt cellars on trays that I can easily move from the stove to the kitchen island.”
The trick to replicating this trick is that everyone does it differently, so think about the condiments, spices, and oils you commonly use when cooking and how you would display them best.
3. Organize your spices effectively
Minimizing clutter is essential to making your kitchen a relaxing place, which is why Curry believes in keeping her spices evenly organized. H&G“Years ago I had someone come in and organize my pantry. They transformed my cluttered spice cabinet into a tiered rack of spices in labeled jars. It was such a game changer that we created a version of it for Sweet July. I use a lot of spices when I cook, and it makes everything easy to find. When I'm not sure what to cook, I sometimes start with my spice cabinet for inspiration.”
We love the clever spice rack she designed, which is like a staircase for your spices, and can be used functionally in your pantry or placed on your countertop for an instant stylish look.
Wooden Spice Rack & Glass Spice Jar Set
This spice rack is highly functional and beautiful enough to proudly display on your countertop.
Decorating and organizing your kitchen effectively is crucial to making it a space you can live in. With tips from Ayesha Curry and beautiful homewares from Sweet July, organizing your kitchen has never been easier.
