The kitchen is the heart of the home—and one of the most important areas to a potential buyer. Here’s how Vesta Home's designers artfully style kitchens to make them stand out in our luxury staging properties, and how you can apply these concepts in your own space.
1. Draw Inspiration from the Island
A striking kitchen island brings an air of sophistication; we enhance its allure by carefully selecting complementary accents, such as counter stools and decorative pieces that reflect its colors or veining. The art of home styling is about creating harmony, where every detail contributes to the overall ambiance. While staging the kitchen at 24105 Hidden Ridge, Vesta home designer Lisa Vail chose our Corset counter stools to highlight the marble island’s gold veining. The brushed brass and fabric seat are eye-catching and effortlessly refined—achieving understated glamour in the blink of an eye, while adding warmth and a sense of balance to the space.
2. Celebrate Kitchen Accessories
Everyday essentials like cutting boards, salt cellars, and fresh produce can be both practical and visually appealing when approached with considered home styling. Vesta’s Senior Creative Director in L.A., Kiel Wuellner, demonstrated this concept at a beautiful beach house in Malibu: Open shelves hold a curated selection of kitchen necessities with minimalist, high-quality items on display, giving the space a gallery yet approachable feel.
3. Harness The Power of Lighting
One of the most transformative elements in a kitchen, lighting can shift the entire atmosphere. A thoughtful combination of pendant lighting, under-cabinet fixtures, and accent lighting can instantly elevate a kitchen. At 263 Churchill in San Francisco, Vesta designer Morgan Gamecho maximized the potential of under-cabinet lighting, pairing it with the sleek Camden counter stool. The stool’s minimalist design allowed the gentle glow of the lights to become the room’s focal point, creating an inviting ambiance. This approach to lighting is an essential aspect of interior design, proving that the right illumination can completely redefine a space.
4. Behold the End of the All-White Kitchen
As kitchen design continues to evolve, we’re embracing a shift toward deeper, richer hues—marking the end of the all-white kitchen. No longer just a backdrop, color is now an essential part of creating a space that feels both inviting and unique. Dark green, in particular, has emerged as one of the most sought-after colors of this season, adding a jewel-like quality to both traditional and contemporary spaces. It evokes a sense of depth and luxury, making it a perfect backdrop for copper and gold accents that shine against the matte surface. Whether it’s in cabinetry, backsplash tiles, or even kitchen accessories, dark green enriches your home’s design.
5. Add Personal Touches
In designing kitchens for expansive homes like 73 Beverly Park in L.A., our Senior Creative Director Kiel brings a more lived-in, intimate atmosphere to the space, balancing the large scale with personal details. In such a grand property, it’s easy for a kitchen to feel impersonal or overly polished. However, by introducing a ceramic vessel with tree branches and bowls filled with artichokes and pears for a natural pop of color, Kiel established an intentional connection between the sleek design and daily life. The combination of these elements alongside our Cozumel counter stool shows how an interior designer can create warmth and personality within even the most luxurious kitchens.
6. Embrace a Kitchen of Contrasts
The kitchen at Goya Road, with home staging by Abbie Antonowicz at Vesta, captures the essence of contrast, a technique often utilized by celebrity interior designers to make a space feel alive. The dark charcoal cabinetry serves as a strong backdrop to the light, natural wooden Trias counter stools, bringing a refreshing texture and lightness to the space. A statement lighting fixture further enhances the contrast, creating a focal point that illuminates the interplay between dark and light materials. This deliberate combination results in a kitchen that feels modern, sophisticated and welcoming, where every element works in harmony.
7. Mix your Materials
In the kitchen at 1104 Tigertail Road, Kiel mixed the raw beauty of Mediterranean-inspired design elements with contemporary furniture silhouettes in modern materials. The home's natural finishes and curated ceramics on the open shelving set the stage, while the Marais bar stool—featuring a brushed brass-plated frame and ivory boucle seat—offers a chic contrast, tying together the organic materials with a refined flair that heightens the overall design. This careful mix of materials is a prime example of luxury staging, where textures and fabrics come together to craft a one-of-a-kind space that feels both grounded and elevated.
A well-chosen counter stool can really bring your kitchen to life, adding a touch of style and comfort. If you’re drawn to the pieces we’ve shared, take a look at our full collection—each one designed to blend beautifully into a variety of spaces.
If you’re thinking about a larger design project, we’d love to guide you through the process. Reach out for a complimentary consultation and let’s talk about how we can bring your vision to life, one detail at a time.
Discover Vesta Home
A luxury interior design, staging, and furniture studio. A full-service design studio with a portfolio of celebrated residential and commercial projects. From interior decorating to professional home staging, furniture rental and custom-made pieces, we are experts at every stage of the design process.
