Home decorating: the cool, clean whites of summer

(ARA) - There's nothing like white to add a cool, clean look to your home. From linens and pillows to china and cabinetry, a splash of white not only adds light to your interiors, but can lighten your mood as well. The kitchen is one of the best spaces to go wild with white.

White is the perfect backdrop for a kitchen no matter its style. Whether your home is a classic colonial, modern contemporary or Cape Cod, white creates a sense of simplicity, cleanliness and calm. Summer is the perfect time to free up your mind and your living style with these simple home improvements that incorporate the beauty of white in your kitchen's design.

White: a breath of fresh air

We are living in a freer time in terms of design and style, according to a report by Iconoculture, a leading global consumer research company. Homeowners are continuing to seek new ways to personalize their homes, blending different design elements and incorporating home accessories that are as individual as they are.

"As the economy softened, status turned from consumption to personal identity," says Cathy Hitz, brand manager for Diamond Cabinets. "People realized that it wasn't such a bad thing and this sense of embracing individualism has transpired into all aspects of life, including decor."

Start with a blank canvas in your kitchen with white cabinets. This provides you with space to add pops of color and personality by showcasing your own favorite treasures, such as a bold tapestry, glass vase or your child's finger painting. For example, Benson PureStyle Laminate doors from Diamond Cabinets are a crisp white that cleans up quickly and plays nicely with a wide range of other home decor elements, from creative wallpapers to unique lighting fixtures. The doors feature a non-beaded panel that has a traditional appeal yet requires minimal effort, displaying the precision styling of paint and the durability of laminate.

Personalize it further with glass cabinet door inserts which allow you to show off your favorite dishes, glassware and collectibles. Decorative glass brings the added benefit of creating more reflective light in your home, helping you make the most of summer's sunshine coming through the windows by day, or the flickering of candles on the dinner table by night.

Choose something visually interesting - either with texture or color - for the floors or countertops. This will keep the kitchen from looking too stark. And whether you choose stainless steel, black or white appliances, any option will look good with white.

Simple, clean and uncluttered

Maintaining the clean look of white in the kitchen is simple - the key is avoiding clutter. One literally out-of-sight solution is a Base Recycling Unit, which lets you hide four 27-quart removable bins for recyclable papers, jars, glass and plastic items discreetly behind a cabinet door. This smart addition not only helps to de-clutter your kitchen, but it also allows you to live a littler greener and a little simpler.

As you update your home's design this summer, keep it looking cleaner with solutions that will simplify your home and life. After all, that's what summer's all about.

Courtesy of ARAcontent