The Key To a Personalized Kitchen

I absolutely love working for a design magazine. Everyday, I get to pick the brains of interior decorators, architects, homeowners and log home providers about their favorite things, from a nifty new window treatment to the best way to make a small home feel spacious.

One of our oft-repeated mantras in the pages of Log Home Design is that the best way to make a house a home is to fill it with things you love. It could be anything—from the perfect pedestal sink to those gleaming hardwood floors. And while it's easy to get bogged down in the details, I've found that the little things you find along the way really add up to the homey feeling that's so appealing about log homes in the first place.

And I practice what I preach. After my husband and I bought a new set of shiny stainless steel appliances last year, something just seemed off in our updated kitchen. So I swapped out the small ivory-colored porcelain knobs on our cabinetry and replaced them with sleek pulls that echoed the handles of our dishwasher and fridge. Though my husband doubted such a small thing would be noticeable, even he admitted the world of difference that inexpensive cabinet face lift made in the overall feel of our galley kitchen.

Need a little inspiration? I came across this new collection from hardware company Soko recently and loved the idea. The antique feel of the pulls would make a great complement to distressed cabinetry. But only if you absolutely love the style—that's key.