Martha Stewart's Cute DIY Will Add A Pop Of Color To Kitchen Tools

You don't have to renovate your kitchen to give it a pop of color. You can transform simple kitchen tools into works of art with Martha Stewart's clever, budget-friendly DIY technique. Stewart loves to be crafty, and when it comes to her wooden spoons — an old-school kitchen tool Giada De Laurentiis is also a fan of — she suggests painting the handles to make them stand out in your utensil holder. In an Instagram post, the queen of homemakers shared a photo of these colorful wooden spoons. The handles had been painted with an ombre effect using different shades of fuchsia. This is such an easy and unexpected application, and your friends and family will be asking you where you purchased them. 

To get started, gather your spoons and painting supplies. You will want to start by gently sanding the handles so the paint adheres. Speaking of paint, choose one that is considered nontoxic and food safe. Color selections are endless, but pick one that vibes with your kitchen decor, or that has a seasonal look and feel to it. Pink, red, and white are the perfect palette for Valentine's Day, and pastels scream spring. Meanwhile, reds, greens, silver, and gold are the festive go-tos for the winter holidays. If you prefer to take your inspiration from nature, sage green, chocolate brown, sunflower yellow, and sunset orange may be in your wooden spoon's future.

To recreate the type of stripes Martha Stewart painted on the handle of her wooden spoons (or any design for that matter) grab some painters or masking tape, since you can craft it to fit your needs, creating straight or zigzag lines. Polka dots, hearts, a vine of flowers serpentining around the handle, lines that crisscross, black and white checkerboard, or multicolor chevron patterns can make this essential kitchen tool stand out. Once you have decided on your pattern and placed your tape accordingly, apply the first coat and allow it to dry for half an hour before adding another. 

It will take about an hour before it is truly dry, and only then should you remove the tape. Remember, regardless of whether the paint is food-safe or not, you only want to paint the handles. Wooden spoons should not ever go into the dishwasher, but if you tend to buck this rule, be aware that handwashing will give your paint job better odds of lasting past a few cleanings. Remember, if you see visible cracks on your wooden cooking tools, it's time to throw them away.