20 Kitchen Wall Decor Ideas to Transform Your Space

You may think that your kitchen wall decor is done once the cabinets are installed and the backsplash is tiled, but for a truly finished kitchen design you’ll need to pay attention to the details. Those blank walls will detract from an otherwise stylish space. Luckily, it’s easy to take advantage of those empty surfaces with kitchen wall art that will wow your guests even more than your cooking. We’ve gathered our favorite kitchen wall decor ideas to help you put the finishing touches on your space, whether you’re at the tail end of a renovation or just want it to feel complete after all these years.

1. Create an artistic display

Open shelves can store plates and glasses, but you can also take advantage of the empty ledges by displaying interesting objects or colorful art pieces. Try mixing cookbooks, cutting boards, cookware, and decorative objects for a practical yet stylish arrangement. You could even opt for a small gallery wall as a backsplash for a genius kitchen wall decor idea. You can adapt to a large or small space for a customized kitchen that fits your personality and needs.

2. Customize it

You’ve built up an impressive mug and teacup collection, but what do you do with it? Show it off in a way that captures your personality and is perfect as a focal point in a small kitchen. Opt for your own design or grab this building guide to show off your ceramic finds.

3. Add an accent wall

Have extra wall space you don’t know what to do with? A simple coat of paint on one entire wall can transform an otherwise bland kitchen. Go for bold colors or toy with black and white hues to add impact to the space. You can even try adding small fixtures like a wall clock or pendant to finish off your kitchen walls.

4. Make a statement with marble

Matching your countertops to your kitchen shelves can make all the difference in creating a cohesive space. Magdalena Kwoczka, the founder and lead designer at Finch Studio in Wrocław, Poland, says: “In our projects, we follow our intuition.” She adds that, “In this case, the theme was a wave motif, round shapes, with a twist in the form of pink fronts and strong stone elements.

5. Hang your herbs in style

Looking for a cute space to hang your successes from your herb garden? Ashley Nicole is a blogger based in Huntsville, Alabama who made a lovely wall hanging just for herbs. “I really wanted a way to dry my garden herb harvest in a way that could be beautiful as well as functional,” she says. “I love modern farmhouse design with lots of earthy wood tones and natural elements. I saw the shelf at my local thrift store and the ideas just started flowing!”

According to Nicole, it’s a pretty easy DIY. You only need a wooden shelf, wooden dowel, circular drill bit, shower curtain hooks, stain or paint, and jute cord to hang the herbs. Nicole advises you to make sure to measure exactly where you want to drill your holes on both sides and double-check your markings. Then, drill holes and sand any rough edges. Stain the dowel and shelf, and then assemble. The shower curtain hooks go on the dowel and then the dowel goes through the hole. “You can reinforce the dowel with wood glue, but I like being able to remove it if needed,” she says. “You’ll have the cutest farmhouse kitchen.”

6. Stack colorful dining wares

Go back to the basics for your kitchen wall decor ideas. Stack some of your favorite colorful mugs or bowls—like these gems from Jungalow—on open shelving to show off your collection. Why shouldn’t your shelves be functional and fun?

7. Add some separation

Want to add a focal point to your kitchen walls? Try adding wood paneling to complement your space. Joon Won, a DIY enthusiast based in Toronto, Canada, based their home on Scandinavian and Japanese design. “After renovating our house to be open concept, we were looking for a way to separate the kitchen and living room, and came up with this wooden slat wall to create a subtle visual separation,” she says. Won created this design by sanding, sealing, and cutting 1x2" lumber pieces to fit their ceiling and fridge area. They spaced them out evenly and attached them by using constructive adhesive and nails. “If you wanted to change or remove them in the future, we would recommend using nails only,” she says.

8. Design a gorgeous brick wall

Brick doesn’t have to just be for historical homes. Add it to your modern kitchen for a warm vibe. Valeria Jacobs, based in the Bay Area in California, wanted her kitchen to have a vintage and European feel. “I was very inspired by deVOL for this one, specifically their New York showroom where they have a gorgeous exposed brick wall,” she says. “I wanted this wall to look as realistic as possible.” She says it was one of the easiest projects she’s done—she and her husband finished the wall in one afternoon.

Jacobs recommends beginning by making sure your wall is ready for brick installation. She used Old Mill brick in the color Rushmore from Home Depot. “When it comes to the grout, you need to trust the process because the color dries completely different from what looks wet,” she says. “We used cement color to tint our mortar mix to the desired color.” She has even more details saved on her profile.

9. Go for glass

Love the look of floating shelves but want a little bit more structure? Opt for wall-to-wall glass fixtures. Nicole Green, based in Orange County, California, is the owner and founder of Nicole Green Design House. “This home’s renovation was inspired by its residents—an active family of six, full of personality, light, laughter, and a love for entertaining. We wanted their surroundings to reflect the mood and feeling of the energy in their home,” says Green.

10. Recreate retro vibes

For those who don’t love a minimalist look, go big. Use bold patterns to freshen up your kitchen. Katherine Plumb-Elg, based in Stockholm, Sweden, is a textile designer and business owner. She decided to renovate her summer home’s kitchen and tile the entire wall with a gorgeous checkerboard tile backsplash. “We thought a checkered tile pattern would fit the countryside mood really nicely,” she says. “So we found some bargain tiles online and were really lucky that the colors were actually perfect when they arrived.” Plumb-Elg recommends getting 10% more tiles than you think you need and don’t be afraid to call in a professional for some of the steps—especially with putting up the coving.

11. Get creative

You don’t have to stick to adding patterns only to your tile and walls—why not add it to your cabinets too? Ellen Van Dusen, based in Brooklyn, New York, is the designer and owner of Dusen Dusen. “I worked with a very skilled cabinet maker, Barry Wells, to route one of my favorite patterns on plywood across the whole spread of the cabinets,” she says. “The continuous curve pattern is a design of mine that I keep coming back to.”

12. Play with plate placement

Decorative plates can make any room feel more elegant, and they’re a great idea for decorating kitchen walls. Aryanna Morgan, the director of campus and influencer marketing at Her Campus Media (and an influencer herself), says: “Ever since I first saw Dolores Umbridge’s pink plate-wall-lined office in Harry Potter, I wanted one.” she says. “I made the decision earlier this year that I was going to do a plate wall and started scoping out pretty plates on my antiquing trips (IRL and digital). Once I had a healthy collection of around ten plates, I started building my plate wall.”

Morgan’s secret to an easy plate wall is: invisible plate hanger discs. Add water to the discs, attach them to the back of your plate, let it dry, and then hang it up. You can hang your plates on picture hooks, so you will need a hammer too. “Have fun with it and let your plate gallery be a reflection of your personality. You don’t need a ton of plates to get started either, focus on quality over quantity and remember that it’s a collection, so it can grow over time.“

13. Spice it up

With all the delicious recipes out there, you’re bound to have accumulated an impressive number of spices in your kitchen. But instead of having them take up valuable space in your kitchen cabinets, show them off like the gems they are.

Elisha Kelly, based in Rock Hill, South Carolina, always wanted a pretty spice rack. As the owner and designer of Our Aesthetic Abode LLC, she figured out how to make it happen for her space! “I must say, having all our spices displayed at eye level has been an absolute game changer for cooking,” Kelly says. “Not to mention all the cabinet space we freed up!” She warns that wood stains won’t adhere to wood glue, so make sure to wipe up all of the excess. She has an in-depth tutorial up on her blog on how to create this DIY and add more storage space to your kitchen.

14. Mix in more metals

Your design ideas can be as big as you can fathom. Go for a bold color scheme to add to your kitchen space. Louisa Smith, a partner of Grapevine Interiors, based in Duxbury, Massachusetts and Steamboat, Colorado, says, “For the kitchen, we like to have just a few big statements instead of lots and lots of flourishes.” She adds, “The rest of the appliances (two dishwashers and fridge) are hidden in cabinetry so the copper brass stove is the only break from the clean white look.

15. Sneak in storage

Homeowners know that every inch of space is valuable—especially when accounting for living with loved ones. This budget-friendly DIY will help keep all your kitchen accessories organized and out of sight. Jasmine Gurney, a DIY expert and founder of Oh Abode, based in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, says, “I’d always wanted a pull-out pantry, and I just didn’t see why so much of my kitchen was dead space,” she says. Don’t worry if you make some mistakes along the way, Gurney emphasizes that there are always hiccups during DIY projects—even for professionals. She used plywood, scrap MDF, dowels, wood glue, and nails. You can also finish off the project with some paint and a fun handle.

16. Refresh what you have

You don’t have to start from scratch. You can give your existing fixtures a makeover. Chapple Chandler, based in Birmingham, Alabama, is an interiors blogger and style influencer who worked closely with interior designer Caylee Stefanek and owner of Elex Builders, Jesse Ray, to make her kitchen renovation come to life. She took her butler pantry from storage-focused to attention-getter—even adding a sink and ice maker. “If you're a new DIYer, then I would say start small and work your way up to a larger project,” she says. “Maybe even have a professional review your plans before you begin.”

17. Bring out the baskets

Woven fixtures are incredible decor pieces that can double as kitchen wall art. Arthty Ragupathy, an interior designer and content creator based in Hampshire, England, says: “We love to cook and especially love to host, so the kitchen was a space we desperately wanted to makeover, without breaking the bank. These woven baskets are the perfect example of beauty meets function. Not only do they add texture and warmth to our white kitchen, but they also hold onions and garlic, making them the perfect storage solution.” It’s as simple as grabbing your favorite woven baskets with your choice of hooks.

18. Garner attention with greenery

Treat your kitchen as you do the rest of your home decor and bring in bold and lovely plants. They can serve as decorative items while also contributing to your overall mood and wellness. Bring life to the space with hanging plants or wall-mounted planters filled with herbs, as seen with the design by John Lewis Of Hungerford. You’ll bring the outdoors in and have fresh herbs at hand. Plus, you don’t have to worry about making a permanent change.

19. Create a command center

It’s time to break out the chalkboard paint. From grocery lists to weekend plans, keep yourself organized with an eye-catching display. Catherine Elaine, a content creator based in Boston, Massachusetts, had a blank wall she didn’t know what to do with. She loves practical organization—spaces that look nice and serve a function. So she created a family command center.

“This wall is now a useful space for us as a family to keep track of what we have going on, store bills or important paperwork, and look like decor at the same time,” she says. Elaine suggests budgeting and measuring so you don’t have to face any delays. “I created a whole video on my YouTube channel walking through step by step on how to create this wall and all the items used. In my case, I needed an acrylic frame, my Cricut cutting machine, a cheap planter from Amazon, and a leather envelope for storage. And of course some paint.”

20. Paint a mural

Any blank surface can become an inspiring spot for kitchen wall art with the addition of a mural. Stencil or hand-paint a design on a wall or on the kitchen island, or choose a scenic wallpaper to give the look of a mural without the painstaking painting. This is a great DIY that doesn’t sacrifice any of your precious cooking space.