A beautiful and inviting Country Kitchen – Photo Courtesy: Susan Serra (Certified Kitchen Designer)
When you’re looking to design a kitchen, you’ll need to consider functionality as well as design. The country kitchen is often called ‘the heart of the home’; it’s where food is lovingly prepared and families gather to cook together. It’s so important to make sure you have a country kitchen design that really fits your lifestyle, and that also look beautiful.
Look to the classic simplicity of kitchens of the past for inspiration – they were built humbly and with very few extras. They worked and were lived in, and looked perhaps slightly hotchpotch but were essentially beautiful. The stove was the centerpiece and the family nestled closely on cold nights to warm up. There weren’t any kitchen “gadgets”, so storage needs were minimal, and each item was made to last and be used.
Keep Accessories to a Minimum
When you’re thinking about your kitchen, consider how many of your things you actually use; a re-design is a great opportunity to de-clutter! Keep accessories to a minimum and get rid of second-rate duplicates that take up valuable space.
Contemporary kitchen design is practical but often monotonous; instead of choosing the latest trend, opt for traditional, well-made fittings and cabinets that will continue to last for many years. Oak or pine is a good option, especially if you have contact with a good carpenter that can help build a bespoke kitchen for your home.
Look to inspiration from caravan living and shepherds chalets in the Swiss mountains – the little details matter. Be selective about each detail, and finish everything off with a cute twist of ribbon or fancy carpentry. Stick to a simple color scheme made up of natural hues that compliments the color of the ingredients you cook with.
English Country Kitchen Ideas
The typical English farmhouse would not be complete without an Aga or classic stove as the central focus of the room. In classic dark red, blue, green or cream, these large multi-fuel stoves are a great centerpiece to design the rest of your space around. Look out for second-hand or restored stoves online or in your local paper.
Pretty tiles as your sink splash back are both practical and pretty if you stick to simple colors and designs. And cute lace curtains or wooden blinds will add a bit of rural Swedish charm to finish the edges of the room.
Cottage Designs and Inspiration
A Cute Cottage Kitchen – Look at the neat row of jars in the corner, the Aga Stove, tiled floor and fresh flowers on the table – Photo by Paul Flint & Company (Carpenters of Distinction)
Quaint cottages deserve cute vintage crockery and antique accessories, as well as a small wooden table with fresh flowers at the center. Tiled floors are also great – with underfloor heating, they are even better – as it’s easy to wipe up mess and brush clean.
When designing a cottage from scratch, think about how you’d like your room laid out – how much work surface space do you really need? How much storage? If you often go to the fridge, does it need to be placed close to a chopping board? Do you need certain items at eye level in order to find them more easily?
Write down a list of things you often do in the kitchen, or just keep in mind how you currently use the space and where your kitchen could be improved in its functionality. Keep notes.
Consider if you’ll be doing any entertaining, and if you have a large family, whether you ought to have a big presentation space for birthday and special occasion buffet style dining. If you have a lot of other people around for coffee or tea, do you require a special place to display your homemade cakes and pastries? Or a well organized drinks cabinet?
Leave a Reply