A little while ago the kitchen pages of every glossy interiors magazine were dominated by sleek white modern kitchens. Handleless cabinets, gloss surfaces and stark white rooms portraying the ease of living in a seamless minimal space. Now I’m pleased to say that humble country kitchen style is back. If you’re thinking of installing a new kitchen here’s 5 essential country kitchen features that will make your kitchen the heart of your home.
Wooden cabinets for a Country Kitchen
Wooden cabinets are at the heart of the design aesthetic of a country kitchen. Either painted or sealed to let the natural beauty of wood echo the rustic surroundings of rural life. For a high-end finish choose a solid wood in-frame design.
The most traditional and classically enduring of styles is the Shaker kitchen cabinet. The religious Shakers of the 18th Century were skilled craftsmen and their guiding principles of living a pure, honest and simple life inspired them to create simply beautiful minimal furniture.
Although primarily associated with a country kitchen, wooden shaker cabinets look good anywhere. Modern shaker kitchens take wooden cabinets as a starting point and combine them with the bold dark colours - navy blues, forest greens and charcoal greys - or rustic industrial elements such as bare brickwork and industrial lighting to give a new look to this traditional style.
Another style change coming through is the addition of brass hardware in handles and taps. This is a simple change to make to an existing kitchen.
Alongside built-in cabinets freestanding furniture such as dressers, sideboards or consoles and pantry cupboards provide storage options with country kitchen style.
Natural Surfaces
Kitchen floors and work tops should always be practical and hardwearing. Wood and stone are two obvious choices. For floors both wood and stone will age beautifully if looked after correctly. These materials bring the beauty of nature into the home. There is such a wide variety to choose from to suit any colour scheme. From dark wood floors to limestone tiles or flagstones which add texture with naturally irregular form. In addition to these choices the red brick tones of terracotta are currently making a comeback. For worktops granite and marble are beautiful choices for a country kitchen.
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For a more rustic touch, the beauty of wood is a timeless classic. Wood does take a little more looking after. Avoid spills and keep it dry. It is also easier to chip or scratch than stone or composite worktops. In this recent Create Perfect kitchen project wood features only on the kitchen island. A more hardwearing material covers the areas where most of the food prep happens.
Butler Sink
The Butler sink or Belfast sink is an essential in a country kitchen design. It is possible to pick up original antique models however there are plenty of modern reproductions available.
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The sinks now also come in a variety of different sizes to suit your kitchen design. The large size of these sinks makes them extremely practical.
A Range Cooker
Traditionally this would have been the old farmhouse Aga providing round the clock heat as well as hotplates and oven space to cook food. I could write a whole extra blog post on these as there is so much to consider.
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In the old days traditional range cookers took some getting used to. Temperature control was not as variable as a modern oven and savvy cooks would have to know their ovens to get results. Nowadays a variety of fuel options provide control and precision giving you looks as well as performance.
A Pantry
The pantry is a tradition of rural life. A place to store food and goods for all seasons. Making the most of nature’s harvest by picking and preserving fruit and vegetables, curing meats and storing grains to last through the harsh winter months.
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Nowadays we can get most of the foods we want through out the year but if you are lucky enough to have space for a pantry room it is handy place to organise store cupboard ingredients so you can whip up a meal in no time. If you don’t have space for a separate room consider adding a pantry cupboard.
These can be built-in or separate freestanding units. Designed to keep everything you need organised and easily accessible with shelves racks and drawers and a place for all those essential items.
Need help with your kitchen design? Contact Gina to find out more about Create Perfect Kitchen Design Services.
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