The country-style kitchen look remains very desirable, creating a warm, nurturing space where good old-fashioned food unites friends and family alike.
The country kitchen theme is open to individual interpretation, giving you the opportunity to add comfort with personal touches. Whether you splash out on a handmade bespoke design, or buy to DIY, clever use of materials, colours and accessories will help to conjure a classic, cosy look.
Dream Theme
Given its importance in the home, designing a new kitchen can be a daunting task. If you have made the decision to create a country feel, the chances are you’ll already have an idea in your mind of how you would like it to look.
If, on the other hand, you need a little inspiration, why not build up a mood board, made from pictures, materials, memories, colours and just about anything else that captures your idea of a country-style kitchen. Follow your own rules!
Material Matters
When most of us imagine a country kitchen design we see wood, and lots of it. Cabinets, tables and work surfaces made from wood make a kitchen feel snug and welcoming, evoking thoughts of freshly laid eggs and bread hot from the oven.
Finding country style kitchen furniture is simple, and if you need to work to a tight budget, it need not break the bank. While handmade pieces are undeniably stunning, many furniture retailers sell beautiful copycat ranges.
Country Glow
Country kitchen colours are warm and comforting. Think yellows and rich creams for a gorgeous sunny glow. Existing cupboard fronts can be easily painted in creamy shades to complement honey-coloured work surfaces, or why not reveal the wood beneath in all its natural glory by stripping off paint and applying stain.
On the floor think earthy colours, utilising ceramic, laminate or wood for a gorgeous, rich, farmhouse look.
Movable Feast
Freestanding wooden kitchen units, such as a butcher’s trolley will look fantastic, with their open shelves inviting you to display rustic cookware and vegetables fresh from the kitchen garden. If you have room, a dresser makes a great traditional feature, complete with pretty crockery and homely accessories.
If you prefer a slightly more modern feel, swap the dresser for a homely wooden table and chairs, the perfect place to prepare food, relax and admire your design!
Dressed for Success
Adding those all important finishing touches to a country kitchen makes for great fun and flexibility. This is a good chance to display any old, pretty pieces of crockery to achieve that rural look. Grow herbs in old tins, and store foodstuffs in attractive glass or earthenware jars – the more aged these look, the better.
Teamed with the wood theme in your room, stoneware will add interest and unite floor and fittings perfectly. Fresh fruit displayed in a wooden bowl will bring a splash of natural colour to the kitchen, joined by cut flowers haphazardly arranged in a jug or jar.
Your new kitchen is sure to become the hub of your home, a perfect place to spread out with homework, listen to that Sunday radio play, or put the world to rights over a cup of coffee. Just don’t be surprised if you don’t get much time to enjoy your country kitchen alone!
