10 Organizing Ideas to Steal from These French Airbnbs
Whether it’s a sweet mountainside chateau or a cool urban apartment, the French are less about space than they are about style. And their kitchens reflect that — usually more minimal and on the smaller side, with just the right equipment to execute a simple, delicious meal. So we decided to take a virtual stroll through some French Airbnbs in hopes of finding some smart organizing ideas that’ll make our own kitchens très chic.
Here are the 10 lessons we took away.
1. Hang a few rails in a straight line.
If you have a section of wall that’s empty, consider hanging rails (and shelves!) in one single row for an uncluttered look. Rather than hanging things so that they’re staggered, this looks neater and even sculptural.
See more: Lovely flat*** Ste Catherine street
2. Give (almost) everything a fresh coat of white paint.
Clean white cabinets on white walls visually disappear, giving this small kitchen in Bordeaux an almost-bare look that still offers storage.
Take a tour: Superb duplex apartment in the historical centre
3. Turn a window into a shelf.
Hey, every ledge counts! If you have a terrible view, consider closing up the window to use the space for storage, instead. Bonus points if you use chalkboard paint to make it a spot to write out the day’s menu, too!
See more pics: lumineuxT2 48 m2 + parking privé
4. Use your corners.
Another good spot to eke out a little shelf space: the corners of the kitchen. Those little shelves on the right are noninvasive and we even love how they used the corner of their range hood, too.
Check out the rest of the space: Little house in Paris, Loft, Canal
5. Hang things from the ceiling.
Strung from big old beams in this apartment, pots and pans look earthy and homey — and are super easy to access. Even if you don’t have cool beams, this would still work in your place.
See more: AMAZING HOUSE HIGH MARAIS
6. Try a magnetic backsplash.
A metal backsplash reflects light to make a space look bigger. It can also be a handy spot to stick up small storage fixes, like holsters for cleaning and cooking tools.
See more: Cosy Apartment in Rue des Rosiers
7. Thing beyond the center of the kitchen for an island.
If you don’t have built-in base cabinets, no worries — you can set a couple stand-alone islands next to each other along a wall to give yourself storage without the cost of buying real cabinets.
Go on the tour: Incredibly charming house in a fantastic location
8. Add hooks under shelves.
Use little hooks to hang teacups and mugs from the underside of a shelf for a quaint (and useful) display, like they did in this Paris apartment.
Look around: CENTER OF PARIS, BEAUTIFUL FLAT
9. Stick up your knives.
A magnetic knife rack is an oldie but a goodie. It gets knives out of a drawer and off the counter. And it’s actually our preferred way to store knives because it’s best for the blades and your safety.
See more pics: Luxury Urban Duplex Loft
10. Use as much wall space as you can.
In this quirky Bordeaux kitchen, bonus shelves and rails are key. Not one but two racks on the wall holds utensils. And shelves are just big enough for small appliances. Plus, towels hang from under those shelves. So much added storage!
See the rest of the space: Room, near city, with private bathroom + breakfast