Right before this craziness hit, we reset our Winter Wheat room (aka the “kitchen room”) with a new look we like to call Charcuterie Chic. Charcuterie is so much more than just meat and cheese on a plate – it is now truly an art form. (if you don’t believe me, follow @grazing–KC on social media.) I find that the magic of charcuterie is in how it is both functional and beautiful. This collection stands out among our usual new traditional maximalism and features an abundance of natural wood tones and textures that are more aligned with a French country or European farmhouse aesthetic.
I have been enjoying the trend of open shelving in kitchens, as I love to display beautiful decor, but I can’t bring myself to choose form over function, or vice versa. When cultivating the look, I chose products of substance that are stunning in their simplicity, where the look of an item doesn’t overshadow its original purpose. I enjoy spending time in the kitchen, so I am always looking for items I love to use, like the lovely white ceramic mixing bowls, and love to display.
To celebrate simple elegance, we have chosen a palette of black and white mixed with natural wood tones to create a refined and relaxed feel to our space. We intentionally left the colors muted and limited to highlight the textures of the wood and wicker elements. This is a perfect look to make your own. For a touch of color, we added hints of spring green through real-touch, fresh-looking lettuce arrangements and bright white tulips. Pairing the fresh touches with the mixture of wood and ceramic creates a clean and organic atmosphere – it makes me want to spend time in the kitchen and outside (perfect for our situation right now, no?). Looking at these photos, I can almost smell the fresh cut grass of the countryside and delicious herbed bread baking in the oven. There is a certain magic to slowing down and enjoying the simplest things in life and finding comfort in everyday tasks.
Much like a traditional charcuterie board, the base of the look itself is muted and natural, and the color and flavor comes from what is added by you from your own life and experience. There is no wrong way to build a grazing board, just as there is no wrong way to customize the look to fit into your own home.
Adapted from nellhills.com. Katie Laughridge is the owner of Kansas City interior design destination Nell Hill’s. For more information, contact Katie at [email protected].