There’s no shame in a junk drawer. And yet? No bliss like sliding open a drawer to see a Dewey Decimal System-level of organization. As a brand that prides ourselves on simple, high-quality home essentials, we’re always thinking about how our pieces can be an asset when working toward a clutter-free space.
It helps that our co-founder is a lifetime declutterer – Rachel’s organizing habit has been in full force since she was a kid, and that point of view is a driving force as we introduce new pieces. “Our goal in designing every Snowe product is to make it as irresistible as humanly possible,” she explains. “And I love hearing from customers when their new pieces inspire them to keep things a little tidier at home.” After all, you can have the most beautiful pieces in the world, but if your space is a mess, you’ll never get to fully appreciate them. And the opposite is just as true – a perfectly tidy space without simple, classic pieces to behold? A true missed opportunity.
NEAT Method founder Ashley Murphy's Chicago kitchen, every bit as neat and gorgeous as you would guess. Photography throughout by Stoffer Photography.
Enter NEAT Method – we were longtime fans of the luxury home organizing company’s approach to whipping homes across the country into (photogenic) shape, and were glad to count them as a fan as well. So when their co-founder and CEO, Ashley Murphy, recently brought in a host of Snowe favorites into her Chicago kitchen remodel, we took the opportunity to team up on a story series around organizing some of the trickiest spots around the house. Kicking things off in the kitchen, and Ashley’s smart tips, inspired directly by her own lovely space.
1. Consider The Cook
“Planning out your kitchen is essential for efficiency,” Ashley tells us. One of her and her team’s first step in overhauling a kitchen is establishing where the prime real estate is – the areas where the most action is happening for cooking and prep, and making sure that the hardest-working pieces are stocked in those spots. “We suggest keeping cooking utensils right by the cooktop – to the right if you’re right-handed and to the left, if you’re left-handed,” Ashley explains. We also find that it makes for a much calmer cooking experience, knowing your preferred tools are within reach, and you’ll never have to use the back end of a knife to stir a pot. (Been there.)
Open shelving never looked so chic. Ashley's is stocked with our dinner plates, salad plates, and bowls; in the drawers, our brushed gold flatware and hostess set offers a welcome, subtle gleam.
2. Maximize Open Shelving
Ashley’s clearly a fan of open shelving in the kitchen, and advises adding some oomph by layering in greenery or decorative accents. You may have your everyday dinnerware on display, but as long as it’s a stunning set, and presented along with other beautiful pieces, it doubles as decor. Bonus: Open shelving itself is an incentive to keep things clean. We love how Ashley’s stacked the dishes so they’re within reach easily, and how it contributes to a sculptural look. It’s a tactic we use in The Whitespace as well, and have seen Maxwell Ryan make use of in his Hamptons home, too.
Have you ever seen snacks look so chic? All in the magic of proper dividers and containers.
3. Don’t Be Bound By Architecture
Yes, some of NEAT’s lucky clients have homes with a large walk-in pantry. If that’s not you, you still have plenty of opportunities to get the look. Ashley recommends custom or expandable dividers to turn regular drawers into workhorses, baskets to corral different types of snacks, and spring-loaded dividers to maximize every inch of space – essentially disabling you from having a junk drawer in the first place. Essentially, any step you can take to make it easier to line something up rather than toss it in is a winner. We also love how clear or open containers allows you to see exactly what goes where without the extra step of labeling things.
Want more? Shop Ashley's favorite Snowe pieces below, then head over to NEAT Method’s blog for more of her tips, and a closer look at her kitchen.