How to Decorate With Fruit in the Kitchen

From the traditional pineapple symbol of welcome to the refreshing colors of citrus, fruit contributes to kitchen decor. You can make it airy or make it cozy. Whether you love apples, cherries or fruit from the tropics, you can find materials to brighten and enliven your kitchen. Follow a few simple steps to decorate with fruit in the kitchen.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh apples
• Artificial apples
• Pottery, glass bowl or basket
• Paint
• Curtains or trim for plain curtains
• Wallpaper (optional)
• Crockery, wall plaques or other collectibles

Instructions

1. Choose what's important. Make one definite choice among the apple-themed decorative elements available to you. (We chose to decorate with apples, but you can choose whatever you like.) For example, maybe your grandmother's apple-shaped red cookie jar is an absolute must. Making this first decision will help you with the rest of your color scheme.

2. Decide how far you want to take your theme. Apples everywhere will be too much. Consider an accent wall, perhaps behind the family table or as a backsplash behind the counter. While the rest of the walls remain neutral or a soft complementary color, an accent wall is the place for a bold color in paint or wallpaper. Test your colors with paint chips or wallpaper swatches. If it makes your kitchen seem too chopped up visually, paint all your walls the same.

3. Repeat your theme on plain walls by using a wallpaper border, or consider curtains or curtain trim with an apple theme. If this creates too many apples, use a simple border with stripes in an accent color (picking up the soft pottery red of the cookie jar) or a simple colored braid in the same shade.

4. Consider decorative materials not automatically used in kitchens. A glass vase filled with apple-scented potpourri, brass or polished wood apples originally designed for a coffee or cocktail table or even framed botanical prints can be expressions of your theme.

5. Add fresh fruit as a final touch. Place the fruit as a centerpiece on your table or counter. Be prepared to add to it often. A fruit-themed kitchen seems to encourage healthy eating. Watch your focal centerpiece draw family snackers.

Tips & Warnings

• Regard your new decor as an ongoing process rather than an all-at-once job. Once you've made basic decisions, such as painting, curtains or an accent wall, slowly accumulate added touches. Leave room for something special from a vacation gift shop or a caring neighbor. These touches will take longer to accumulate, but will add happy memories and family stories to your new kitchen.