By Jess, Indiana watercolor artist and maker of Art and Home co. · Updated October 2026
The best way to style a tea towel is to use it. Hang it on the oven handle, loop it through a drawer pull, or line a bread basket with it. Lay one over your mixer and it keeps the dust off, too. A towel you reach for every day looks better than one folded for show. Here's how I do it in a real kitchen.
What's the easiest way to style a tea towel?
Pick one spot and use it there. Start with one of these:
The oven handle. The classic. It's where your hands are anyway. The Peony State Tea Towel looks fresh against a white or black oven.
A drawer pull. Loop it through and let it hang. It's out of the way, and it's right there when you need it.
A bread basket liner. Tuck a towel in the bottom of a basket for rolls or muffins. The Pink Cosmos Tea Towel is a pretty one for fall. (Bonus tip: Cover warm bread with a tea towel for a beautiful look that keeps bread warm.)
Over your shoulder at the stove. Yes, really. The towels I paint are meant to be grabbed. The Indiana Wildflowers Tea Towel holds up to it.
On top of your Kitchenaid. Lay one on top of your mixer and bowl to keep dust off of it, while also adding interest to your kitchen.
Can I use a tea towel to cover things in my kitchen?
Yes, and it's one of my favorite uses. A pretty tea towel keeps dust off the things you don't use every day, and it looks nicer than plastic wrap or a foil lid. Try one over:
Your stand mixer and its bowl
A bowl of dough while it rises
A cake stand or a plate of cookies
A fruit bowl on the counter
A basket of warm rolls or bread
It's the easiest way to make something you need look like something you chose.
Where should I hang a tea towel in the kitchen?
Where your hands already go. The oven handle, the sink, the edge of the island. If you have to walk across the room for it, it will end up in a drawer.
Should I fold it or let it hang?
Let it hang. A towel draped over a handle looks relaxed. A towel folded into a perfect square looks like it's waiting for company. Fold it in thirds if you want it neat, then drape.
How many tea towels should I keep out?
One or two. One on the oven, one by the sink. Keep the rest in a drawer and rotate them in when one gets used up. That keeps the kitchen from looking busy.
What colors work in my kitchen?
Start with a color you already have in the room. White kitchen? A floral with soft green or pink looks fresh. Wood tones? Go warmer. If you're stuck, a watercolor floral goes with almost everything.
Is a tea towel a good gift?
It's one of my favorites to give. She'll use it every day, and it feels like a gift each time she does. Tie it with twine and tuck in a handwritten note. You can browse the tea towels here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are tea towels for decoration or for use?
Both, and use comes first. A tea towel looks best when it's hanging where you'll reach for it.
Can I wash a hand-painted tea towel?
Yes. My tea towels are 100% cotton and machine washable.
Can I use a tea towel to cover things in my kitchen?
Yes. A tea towel makes an easy dust cover for a stand mixer, a bowl of rising dough, or a plate of cookies, and it looks better than plastic wrap.
How much do tea towels cost?
Art and Home co. tea towels are $20.
Where can I buy hand-painted tea towels?
My tea towels are here. I paint every design in Indiana, and most orders ship from my studio in 3-5 business days.
Jess is an Indiana watercolor artist, a mom of two boys, and a minister's wife. She paints every design for Art and Home co. by hand. Created to give.