How to decorate kitchen countertops without leaving them feeling cluttered – 8 ideas to add instant personality to your surfaces

One of the most common questions asked when it comes to kitchen decor is how to decorate kitchen counters. You want to bring in personality and character without creating clutter or impeding functional space. So what's the best approach?

It seems a shame to leave your kitchen countertop ideas feeling forgotten as you decorate the rest of your kitchen. By bringing in small pieces of art, decorative kitchenware, or even seasonal blooms, you can instantly elevate your counters.

From small pieces that bring plenty of personalization to elevating the everyday essentials, here's how designers like to decorate kitchen counters that seamlessly blend style and functionality.

How to decorate your kitchen counters, according to designers

Kitchen styling involves curation of the objects you want on display as well as selecting the best placement. Be inspired by advice on how to decorate kitchen counters as well as tips from the experts.

1. Let your kitchenware double as decor

Adding decor to your kitchen countertops is a lovely way to add a more personalized touch to your space, but if surface space is limited, you need to be more considerate about how you do it. Introducing kitchenware that doubles as decor is a great choice.

'Your kitchen countertops should feel beautifully styled but never cluttered – it's all about decorative pieces that earn their place. Think sculptural ceramics or a handcrafted wooden board that doubles as both a serving piece and a focal point. It’s about curating, not crowding,' says Richard Davonport, managing director at Davonport.

'We always recommend choosing decor items with texture and natural materials – stone, clay, wood – as they soften the space and complement the craftsmanship of bespoke cabinetry.'

2. Elevate your countertops with luxury soap bottles

If there's one thing that instantly makes a kitchen countertop look cheap, it's those ugly plastic bottles that hand soap and dish soap come in. They sit on your countertops in plain sight, often jarring with the rest of your scheme.

To eradicate the eyesore and decorate your counters at the same time, simply elevate your everyday essentials by using refillable bottles that match your kitchen aesthetic. This will instantly make your countertops feel more curated and add a functional decor piece.

3. Keep your countertop decor refined and clutter-free

Decorating your countertops is about adding style and personality, but not overwhelming every surface with trinkets and ornaments. Instead, keep your approach to decor clutter-free by only introducing one or two key pieces.

'Clean and decluttered is the name of the game when it comes to styling kitchen countertops. While other spaces in the home benefit from a heavier touch, countertops do not,' says Elizabeth Krueger, founder of Elizabeth Krueger Design.

Leaving enough space on your countertops and kitchen islands to prepare food and have people sit and eat is a top priority, so never overfill the surfaces. In this neutral kitchen scheme, it's been kept simple with a potted plant and a small framed artwork.

4. Accessorize with plants and flowers

On the topic of plants, decorating with plants and flowers is a great way to bring a bit more interest to your countertop decor, especially when they are displayed in a beautiful pot or vase.

Kara Childress of Kara Childress Inc. Interior Design says, 'I love placing small cachepots of planted herbs like rosemary, basil, and thyme next to a window, not only for cooking but for the calming, heady scents they weave throughout a kitchen.'

Whether you have beautiful blooms in a vase on a kitchen island or pots of herbs and plants beside a window or near preparation areas, decorating kitchen counters this way can create an inviting space filled with color and natural beauty.

5. Extend you shelving decor onto your countertops

If you already have your kitchen shelving decorated with your favorite pieces, why not extend it onto the countertop below? Extending a shelving design to include a kitchen countertop creates more space for shelf styling opportunities and makes for a chic, tiered effect.

In this kitchen, the countertop is treated like an additional shelf, decorated with an eclectic mix of items that mirror the styling above. The mixture of kitchenware and decor pieces gives the space an eclectic, lived-in feel.

This shelf and countertop decoration creates an eye-catching focal point in the kitchen, as well as a central, zoned area where decorative items and practical accessories are stored together.

6. Utilize decorative trays for a more refined look

On large expanses of countertops, small amounts of decor can easily feel misplaced or lost. However, adding decorative trays can create an area for you to curate and display favored objects and accessories with a sense of permanence and intention.

Great for placing vases of flowers, coasters, and other small kitchen accessories, a tray gathers items all in one place, leaving more room for cooking and food prep. A tray can also be easily picked up and moved around, depending on when you use different areas of the kitchen.

7. Go for a layered decor look

Layering is the buzzword of 2025, especially when it comes to materials and textures in the kitchen. Bringing this ethos into your kitchen countertop decor can help make the space feel welcoming and cozy.

'Layering art or cutting boards by leaning them against the backsplash – with a few smaller items in front – provides depth, or using a wooden pedestal or tray topped with three items of different heights will draw the eye vertically,' says Elizabeth Krueger.

In this kitchen, the layered, warming wooden chopping boards effortlessly add character to the space, as well as perfectly complement the earthy terracotta paint shade on the walls. Other items, such as the flowers and woven basket, also add texture and depth to the sleek, modern kitchen space.

7. Bring in colorful accents 

Having colorful objects dotted around the kitchen can create beautiful accents and eye-catching elements of contrast in the space.

Accent color ideas, and decorating your kitchen counters with accessories that contrast to the main colors and elements of the room, can effortlessly lift the design scheme.

In this kitchen, simple touches such as the fruit bowl and wooden chopping boards elegantly contrast with the blue paint, adding an enhanced element of contrast and color to the space.

8. Embrace a consistent theme, style, or finish

Thinking of the bigger picture and the style of your kitchen when working out how to decorate kitchen counters will create a cohesive scheme.

Embracing a theme when decorating can make it easier when choosing the types of objects you want on your kitchen counters. Choosing objects of the same color, style, or texture can help to make space feel well thought-out and organized.

In this kitchen, which embodies a sophisticated yet relaxed design rich with texture and material, the decorative ornaments on the counter and shelf are all crafted in the same ceramic style. These pieces perfectly complement the wider kitchen design and continue the use of a calming color palette.

When decorating an empty kitchen counter, always consider your essential items, decorative pieces that spark joy, and objects that can enrich and complement your kitchen design scheme.

Keeping your kitchen counters clutter-free and decorated with a collection of select pieces will ensure that your space remains functional yet characterful. Overall, choose multifunctional designs that have a practical use yet also add a stylish design element to the space.

While there are some things to never put on your kitchen countertops, decor is not one of them. The right pieces – like vases full of flowers or kitchenware that doubles as decor – will fill your kitchen with character and personality.