Wood is always a sure way to warm up the chilly mood of any room. And one logical, natural, quick, and economical way to introduce wood elements to the kitchen is with the cutting board.
Whether hung on the wall, laid on a center island, clustered in a corner, propped against a backsplash, arranged on a bar cart, or centered on the kitchen counter itself, a cutting board or a group of boards is a no-brainer prop for a home stager to use.
Either new or old boards are fine to use for staging. Best sources for older cutting boards are second-hand stores, garage sales, flea markets, and antique stores. Or you could poke around your grandmother's house.
And if you are worried about using these older boards for cooking and the contamination they carry, don't. Studies show that wood cutting boards -- whether bamboo, maple or other hardwood -- actually self-seal and kill bacteria as long as the surface is wiped clean after use. A plastic cutting board, even when bleached, can still harbor bacteria.
When I talk about cutting boards, I am including thick butcher's chopping blocks, thin and long-handled pizza peels, and everything in between. They can be pieced together from cross-grain wood scraps or sliced from a single log of beautifully grained hardwood. Boards designed especially for serving cheeses are usually marble or granite. Bamboo is eco-friendly and handsome. For staging purposes, plastic, stoneware and glass boards usually don't have the appeal we're looking for.
Check out these photo examples and then consider ways you can add some cutting board charm to your staged kitchen.
Don't assume you need to have a heavy, precious vintage board to add style to your kitchen counter. This grouping of an assortment of ordinary boards gets some heft from a distressed dresser drawer. The plant adds some life and color to the vignette. Photo: GlamShell
Bigger boards don't need any further embellishments to make an impression. These boards have some history, which helps them give a little friendly personality to the room. Photo: SavvySouthernStyle
A couple of oversized cutting boards like these will inject some character into an empty space and introduce a natural element. Whether your boards are new or aged, some kind of detailing or distinctive wood grain will make the display more interesting. Photo: BelleMaison
A pizza peel and a thin cutting board, both with handles, add some height and textural contrast to a display of ceramics holding metal and wood cooking tools. Photo: Homedit
Even boards without a wooden pedigree can be pressed into service to help style a kitchen. This selection of white plastic boards and marble boards look clean and tidy combined with one wood board and nestled in an old box with other kitchen objects. Photo: RustyPelican
If you have some wall space to fill near or in a kitchen, a natural choice is something like this medley of boards artfully arranged above a small dresser, where a basket and lamp tie the color scheme together nicely. Photo: PineAndProspectHome
Get more ideas for staging your home for sale when you download my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast for Top Dollar. Don't wait when you can start your staging today!
Top Photo: LeoDesignsChicago
