Meg Ryan upgrades her kitchen countertops with a bold, affordable accessory that makes cooking simple – shop the look to follow her easy trick

Kitchen styling is the easiest way to transform your cooking space from drab to fab. Accouterments like gorgeous salt and pepper mills, carefully chosen vases, or a high-quality utensil dispenser, elevate your countertops and shelves with no remodel required. In Meg Ryan's kitchen, the most functional styling is the most effective.

The actress's black-and-white kitchen is transformed by a black kettle perched on the stovetop. Though a kettle can often be an eyesore to be tucked away in an appliance garage when guests come over or a purely functional item that lives in the bottom cabinets, Ryan harnesses the power of matching this seemingly simple item. The black of its surface is a beautiful contrast against the white and gray marble of her backsplash and seems to extend the cooktop of her iconic La Cornue stove up. Its matte appearance introduces a new texture against the shimmer of the marble.

In addition to the color, Ryan elevates her kitchen by choosing a stovetop kettle with a sculptural shape. The intricate handle and short, curved spout of her kettle differ from the rest of the clean lines throughout the space making it all the more visually appealing. Luckily, there is a gorgeous kettle to elevate your kitchen decor no matter your style.

As a bonus, Ryan's choice of a kitchen appliance as decor also makes cooking easier. Rather than digging through cabinets to find a kettle, hers is right there to simply add water. For those who cook pasta or make tea often, it's a godsend.

Though the kettle is the most noticeable element of Ryan's kitchen styling, it's not the only addition with benefits for the design and functionality of her space. For instance, photos show that she has chosen an all black knife-block for ease of access for chopping equipment. On the left side of the stovetop, a marble canister holds her cooking spatulas and spoons. One can imagine an infinite number of black accessories that would continue to elevate the look.

If you hope to create a similar look on your own kitchen countertops, consider what color and shapes will over the best contrast or continuity with your space. When in doubt, black accessories would compliment almost any environment. Meg Ryan's kitchen is a simple, but always necessary reminder that the little things can make the biggest difference.