Guest Blogger Katie: Kitchen Inspiration!

I am so thankful and excited to have a guest blogger today! Thankful because I am so busy this week, and excited because I know you guys are going to love her!

Meet Katie, aka The Social Secretary. I don't have a photo of her, but just picture the most beautiful freckles you've ever seen. You know that question, "If you could change one thing about yourself...?" Well, my answer is always the same: more freckles! Katie is the best friend of one of my good friends from college. This mutual friend of ours happens to be getting married in a few weeks (so excited, Therese!), and I flew into Chicago last weekend for the bachelorette party. Katie planned the entire party and it was amazing: fresh flowers in jars on every table; laminated cards with trivia on the bride’s life; paper lanterns lighting up the backyard; mini champagne bottles for a group toast; and she even pulled off a video of the groom answering questions about his bride! Everything was coordinated perfectly and guests felt very welcomed and relaxed – the sign of a true hostess! Katie has a blog of her own that I love. She truly is my social secretary! Go HERE to check it out. I also highly recommend following her on Twitter, so you can get updates on the must-read blogs for fashion, design, creativity, and everything else fun and inspirational! She’s the master of rare finds in the blogworld, so I asked her to come up with some kitchen inspiration for PWN readers. Yesterday I talked about the importance of making your kitchen a place you love to work in, and today Katie will help us figure out how to accomplish this!

Thank you, Katie, for taking the time to share these great ideas with us!

When I think of a healthy kitchen, I think of a clean, bright, welcoming place that you'll want to spend your time not only cooking in, but gathering in as well.

Kitchen Photo Sources: Top, Middle Left, Middle Right, Bottom

The first thing to consider for your healthy kitchen is wall color. I love the crisp, sanitary look of a white kitchen with hints of blues and greens tucked in different corners and thrown in unexpected places. If you're more of a color person, choose a palette that makes you happy. Healthy people are happy people, right?

Another thing to consider when putting together your healthy kitchen is to bring life in. Plants and fresh flowers do wonders to spruce up one of the most used rooms in the house.

While you're shopping for plants and flowers, throw some fresh fruits and vegetables in your basket. Fill up clear vases and your favorite bowls and leave these out on your counter or island. Since these fruits and veggies are now out in the open, you'll be more likely to utilize them rather than leave them in the fridge to spoil.

Instead of stacking up boxes and bags of pastas in your cabinets, invest in some glass or plastic canisters and keep them out on your counter. Not only do they make a fitting decoration, they'll keep foods fresh while showing you what you've got to work with while you're deciding on meals.

I think one of the most important things to remember is to stay organized. Keep your counters clear of clutter. Keep your mail, magazines, coupons and clippings out of the way in drawers or unassuming organizers. Consider dedicating the inside of one cabinet to becoming the message center. Cover half of the inside of the door with corkboard and the other half with magnetic chalkboard paint. Chalkboards are the perfect remedy to quick notes or lists. Most importantly, a clean counter won't deter you from using it!

I'm not a big fan of having all of your spices out for viewing - maybe only keep out your salt and pepper and and a bottle of olive oil near the stove. Also, consider forgoing the McCormick bottles stacking up in your cupboard and buy a slew of matching, smaller bottles. Then print out your own labels to get a more uniform and easy to access spice collection.

One other thing I think is a great addition to kitchens is a magnetic knife strip. A block of knives definitely gets the job done, but having all of your knives and blades out for viewing makes them so much more easy to grab and work with. Also, keeping the knives out and away from each other helps keep the blades sharper longer.

No matter how you decide to transform your kitchen into a more healthy one, make sure to be true to yourself and what colors and tones make you happy. It's important to bring in natural light and remember to stay organized. Cooking with a smile won't hurt either!