Interior designer Minnie Bhatt says that the kitchen is the epicentre of activity in a home. "Amid the flurry of activities, we keep using salt, sugar, tea/coffee and spices through the day. Keep these close to the hob in a drawer or stack them up in one of those Diwali gift trays." To keep the counter grease-free, place the oil or ghee in containers that have spouts; re-use an old milk spout if you don't have one. Move the rack holding utensils that you use daily above the sink so that the water drains into it, Bhatt adds. Our kitchens need breathing space; so get rid of things you don't use or move the pretty ceramics to other corners of the house, suggests Latika Khosla, co-founder and director of home decor store Freedom Tree. "Cutlery and ladles can fit into large mugs so that you don't have to rummage through drawers when you need them," says Odisha-based Sarabjit Kaur, a home decor enthusiast on Instagram.

Bring out the colours

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"Think of still-life fruit bowl paintings. Display fruits or vegetables in baskets or serving dishes. You can paint old broken or bent utensils, too," says Khosla, adding that colour-coding makes the kitchen look more organised. "We save every glass bottle that enters the house. Fill them up with grains or pasta for a visual montage. We also instinctively buy matching jars, dinnerware and napkins, and sort them out based on colours."

Get artsy

Sarabjit Kaur, Latika Khosla and Minnie Bhatt

Since the kitchen is now the art room, it's time to innovate. "If you have an old strainer, embroider flowers onto it," says Khosla. "Fill up glass jars that don't have lids with pebbles and turn repurpose them as candle holders. If you have alcohol bottles, clean them with soap and lime and stick in a money plant. Line up the green and brown bottles on your window," she adds.

Add some accessories to make the space more personal, says Kaur. Since she loves plants, she has used small dry fruit containers to hang planters with the help of chains. "Nail some hooks to hang old ladles or spoons. Chalk boards with quirky quotes or hand-written notes always bring a smile on our faces. Bring out the fairy lights for some good vibes," she adds.

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