The Internet has fallen in love with Drew Barrymore's tiny kitchen, but it's her wall decor that has convinced me to part with my paycheck

These kitchen wall ideas will give your space a lift and provide the necessary inspiration for a fresh new look that is easily replicable

Beautiful by Drew Barrymore
(Image credit: Beautiful by Drew Barrymore)

Drew Barrymore is a force of nature, and not just on the silver screen. The actress, producer, TV host, entrepreneur, and author is turning out to be a bit of an interior design extraordinaire. And it just so happens that Drew has one of the most down-to-earth kitchens I've seen from any celebrity.

Despite the liveable design, Drew still manages to inspire. Her kitchen wall decor ideas have made me rethink the bare walls in my home. The kitchen is the veritable heart of the home; this room sees a lot of action day in, day out, but the wall is oft-neglected. There's no denying that kitchens need to be practical, but that doesn't mean they can't be stylish.

The three elements in Drew's kitchen that have stolen my heart, and inevitably, my hard-earned cash, are her striking kitchen lighting, food-themed kitchen art ideas, and her love for the pot hanger trend. Yes, these easy-to-replicate kitchen ideas have taken my four walls from dull to delightful in an instant. They are a great way to make a kitchen look expensive without much expense at all.

Shop the look

Let's start with the picture light. This traditional lighting idea is a staple in my living room, but it wasn't until seeing it in Drew's kitchen that I realised the kitchen is an ideal place to showcase art using one.

‘Lighting a picture has the double advantage of showing off the work and reflecting light into the room,’ says interior decorator Nicola Harding. 'That reflected light is more atmospheric than something that lights the whole room.'

'With contemporary art, it’s best not to direct light at them since, as they tend to be behind glass, it can be reflective,' says interior designer Guy Goodfellow. 'However, traditional art, such as oil paintings, will massively benefit from being lit and bring the pictures to life. My favorite way to light art is by using LED picture lights, which are clever enough to contain the light purely on the canvas, rather than lighting the wall around it.' This wireless option from Amazon is a great way to light a picture without the fuss of cables.

Of course, if you have a picture light, you'll need something to light up. Food-themed colors are everywhere for 2025, and soon to follow is food-themed artwork. I recently purchased some lemon-themed art, and I've been keeping my eye on the Speckled Egg II Wall Art by Helen Parker, available at Lulu and Georgia.

In my humble opinion, the kitchen is not often high on the list of rooms when decorating with art in the home, but choosing artistic designs for this space can be a fun and creative way to transform the look of this practical room.

A kitchen is so much more than just pots, pans, and cooking – it’s a space for creation, so our interiors need to encourage confidence and fun when cooking, hosting, or relaxing.

A red and yellow kitchen with shelves decorated with art

Similar kitchen with artwork on display

(Image credit: deVOL Kitchens)

Finally, pot hangers – either hung from he ceiling or wall – have re-entered the zeitgeist.

Practically, pot hangers and racks have several advantages. Making clever use of the height of a room, they provide ample kitchen storage for large pans, pots, and cookware without encroaching on valuable drawer and cabinet space.

Hanging large pots and pans not only saves space, it also makes them far easier to access rather than having to bend down and rifle through low cabinets or drawers.

Another wonderful idea is to use your pot rail to display dried herbs, such as rosemary, lavender, and thyme bunches, for a fresh smelling space, and to banish bad smells in the kitchen for good.

Drew Barrymore is proof that having a kitchen that is small in stature doesn't mean it should be short on style.

Jennifer Ebert
Editor

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for several years in both the US and UK, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing and occasionally dabbles in the social media, commercial, and the e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling houses designed by some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances, and even writing a few news stories or two.

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