No doubt about it, the kitchen is the heart of my home. It’s where all the action takes place, so of course I want it to be a beautiful space. Surrounding yourself with objects that are functional as well as beautiful will inspire you to cook with love and passion. I’m a firm believer that if you enjoy cooking a meal, the people you are serving it to will taste that love. Making your kitchen look gorgeous and inviting all comes down to the details. Potted herbs next to your preparation area will inspire you to cook with them, while displaying your favourite crockery will inspire you to serve food on it. Don’t let family heirlooms gather dust; use them, and keep them on display for all to see. Create vignettes by grouping cutlery in jars, next to a selection of flavoured salts. If it’s a little dark, bring a lamp to your bench and surround the base with collections of quirky utensils. Most importantly, have fun with it and turn your kitchen into a space you actually want to cook in.

Let’s face it, if you have more than three of something, you are starting a collection. It doesn’t matter what you collect, anything can look creative en masse, particularly in a vase or under a glass dome. Your local hardware store is a great place to find inexpensive bits and bobs to do just this. One of my favourite collections is of small light globes, balls of string and old locks and keys. Serviette rings are something I rarely use, but inside a large glass vase they look so impressive, and it brings them out of hiding. If colour is your thing, reels of coloured cotton and wool look fun, as does a collection of old matchboxes from your favourite bars or restaurants. Once you start playing with ideas like this, you will be inspired every time you’re at the haberdashery or hardware store.

There is something about opening the pantry when it’s just been cleaned and organised that fills you with a sense of calm. Having a well organised, totally functional pantry is a must-have in this busy day and age. All it takes is an hour of your time, some matching containers and a little pantry inspiration. I am a firm believer that if you can see everything, you won’t waste it. Shallow shelving will stop you from stockpiling cans; simple, clear containers will tell you when you are running low on items, and baskets are handy for odd-shaped packets that are a little tricky to decanter. I like to keep everything together – my herbs, spices and baking items, such as flour and sugars, all lined up neatly, a section for tea, and so on. Doing this makes it much easier to find what I am looking for in a hurry.

I can’t be the only one who’s confused plain flour with self-raising flour, or icing sugar with cornflour. Poor labelling can cause some real issues in the kitchen, so there’s no excuse not to label your jars, especially when there are so many free templates on the internet to get you started.

Some tips for creative labelling include hang a simple piece of brown card from the lid and neatly write the contents in thick black marker, paint a square on the outside of your jars with blackboard paint and label them with chalk, write directly on the jar with a marker in neat, cursive writing and match your labels to your kitchen colour scheme to ensure continuity.

When buying containers for your pantry, stick to the same size, style and look. Consistency with your containers will create an inviting sense of order. Label, label, label! Group similar items, especially oils and condiments, together so that you can see everything at once. Never store more than two layers deep. If you can’t see it, you won’t use it. Invest in good lighting for a walk-in pantry. Searching in the dark is no fun. Tidy weekly to avoid your pantry getting disorganised. Having a collection of baskets on the floor of a walk-in pantry is a neat and tidy way to store big packets and odd-shaped containers. A plastic-sleeved folder will solve your recipe mess. Simply slip cut-outs into a plastic sleeve and file away. Do the same with takeaway menus.

This was an edited extract from Chyka Home by Chyka Keebaugh published by Hardie Grant Books ($39.99) and is available in stores nationally and online. Photographer © Lisa Atkinson, Armelle Habib