Chef Sanjeev Kapoor shares smart tips to prepare your kitchen for summer months

The summer months hit harder in the kitchen. And that is when you feel like welcoming change is important. It all begins with adding cooling colours, plants, and making empty space to let the kitchen breathe. Keeping the same in view, celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor shared seven smart tips to prepare your kichen for summer months. According to his blog post, a well lit kitchen is a source of joy, inspiration and positive energy. A bright kitchen is also pleasant to cook in on bright summer days. So how about sprucing up your kitchen this summer? Take a look at these simple tips to brighten up your kitchen.

He suggests starting by checking all the utensils, plastic bottles and containers, cookware, tableware, dinnerware, etc. and seeing what is usable. Discard those that are lying idle and are of no use. Also discard old, chipped and cracked items and make way for bright and cheerful looking containers and dishes.

Change is always good in life and kitchen too. If you have a spacious kitchen, think about changing the setup a bit to bring in a fresh air of creativity. Make some changes by shifting movable furniture and storage into a 'summer arrangement'. Also, replace the big table with a wicker set or a café-style table with a glass top and add bright flowers to make your kitchen vibrant for boring summer afternoons.

Now is the time to prepare the kitchen window. Start by replacing heavy drapery with sheer curtains in bright colours, as they provide an open feel. At night you can pull down the retractable blinds behind these sheer curtains, Chef Sanjeev recommends. Also, add a windchime to bring in fresh sound of nature during morning and evening hours.

If you have a small kitchen and summer months make you feel claustrophobic, make your small kitchen appear larger by strategically placing mirrors in a manner that optimizes the light reflected inside. Chef Sanjeev also suggests placing the mirror directly across from a window. You can also hang it on a wall that corners against the window wall for optimum light distribution, he suggests. Also, add brightness by painting the walls of your kitchen with bright summer colours.

Chef Sanjeev recommends sprucing up your kitchen with melon-coloured, aqua and light green accessories. He adds to include colourful and fun dishes and crockery. A tropical pitcher placed on a bright summer-themed tray and kept on the dining table or sideboard will also add to the summery feel, he adds in the blog post.

Refurbishing your kitchen furniture is also a wise idea. According to chef Sanjeev, white, light or canvas slipcovers on dining furniture also helps brighten the room. And as they come off easily, you need not worry about the stains. Buy brighter looking napkins, and napkin rings too while you are shopping.

According to Chef Sanjeev, a flower vase with either fresh flowers or artificial flowers will add a bright and welcoming look to your kitchen. One can also add a few potted plants on the window sill to make the kitchen look fresh and green. Make sure not to clutter with too many plants, after all it is your kitchen and not a nursery. And if you live on the top floor or have access to the open sky, you might want to add a skylight to the ceiling to let in natural light in a diffused manner, chef Sanjeev concludes.