A country kitchen can be a fantastic place to relax, eat and enjoy spending time with family. With a focus on traditional style and long lasting, natural materials, it's a design concept which will create a cosy, pleasant atmosphere. In this guide, we outline our top country kitchen ideas so you can create your own beautiful space.
Why Create A Country Kitchen?
The country kitchen design philosophy is one that creates a cosy, welcoming environment. Devoid of lots of modern materials and finishes, it should take you back to a simpler time where technology and the newest appliances were less important.
The materials used when creating a country kitchen should also stand the test of time. Rather than a chipboard fitted kitchen, you'll be using real woods and heavy duty worktops which should last a lot longer.
The country style kitchen is also timeless, which should save you money in the long term. While there are many design trends which go in and out of fashion, the farmhouse style has been popular for many years and it's likely it will be for years to come. This should make you feel more comfortable about investing in quality materials and furnishings.
Country Kitchen Materials
When creating your country kitchen, focus on natural materials which won't look too modern including wood, stone and marble. If you really want to create the old farmhouse look, use reclaimed wood and metal items and keep any exposed beams or original flooring intact.
We would always recommend staying away from any finishes that look too modern, such as stainless steel. If you want to use metal, use a duller style that will be in-keeping with the country look such as brass and copper.
Kitchen Sink
The sink is one of the focal points for your kitchen so getting it right is crucial. The obvious choice for a country kitchen is a large Belfast sink. These give off an impression of timeless quality, style and durability, which is perfect for a country kitchen. A white finish is an obvious choice but copper, with it's old fashioned aesthetic, can also be used.
Kitchen Taps
When choosing kitchen taps, we'd opt for more traditional styles. These will look great with a Belfast sink and will help to enhance the farmhouse aesthetic. When thinking about size, try and pick the largest you're able to fit in your kitchen. A sink and tap in a country kitchen should look highly functional and be ready to take on any job from washing vegetables to cleaning muddy boots.
Our kitchen tap range includes an extensive selection of styles for you to choose from. Brass or antique copper is an excellent choice for creating that older style country look. Chrome will also look great when paired with a Belfast sink but we would avoid finishes which look too modern including stainless steel and black.
Open Display Shelving
A country kitchen shouldn't look too clinical and tidy. Instead, it should feel lived in, cosy and inviting. One way to achieve this is through open shelving. Rather than hiding your plates and glasses away in a cupboard, have them on display and close to hand. If you want to enhance this look even further, pick up some traditional, decorative or antique plates to display.
AGA Or Old Fashioned Cooker
When creating your farm style kitchen, you want to be transported back to a simpler time where technology wasn't at the centre of our lives. One of the easiest ways to do this is with the installation of an older style cooker or AGA. An AGA is a heat storage cooker, which burns continually to provide heat for cooking and the rest of your home. If this is a step too far back in time, many modern cookers are available in traditional styles which give you all the ease of a modern stove, without the contemporary looks. We'd recommend avoiding any cookers with modern LED indicators and stainless steel finishes, whilst going for the biggest size your kitchen and budget can accommodate.
Wood Cabinets With Glass Doors
A staple of the country kitchen is wooden cabinets with glass doors. Similar to a display cabinet, these can be used to store plates, glasses and other kitchen essentials. One way to add some colour to your kitchen is choosing coloured cabinets or painting them yourself. We'd opt for a pastel colour such as blue or a light green but whichever you choose, this can be an easy way to make your kitchen space feel unique.
Keep Original Features On Show
If you are lucky enough to live in a older country house, or a house with some character features, we'd always recommend keeping them on show. Original features such as wood beams, fire places and old doors and windows will add lots of character to your kitchen and give you a head start on creating the farmhouse look. If you find these features have been removed or hidden by previous owners, don't be afraid to return them to their former glory.
Worktop
The worktop is a vital part of the styling in any kitchen, so getting the right one for your farmhouse kitchen is crucial. When choosing a worktop, look to use natural materials with some texture. Anything too sleek and modern will likely look out of place. Stone or wood are two natural materials which are ideally suited as they are strong, long lasting and will give your kitchen space an organic feel.
Antique Details
Add a little extra character to your country kitchen with some fun antiques on a shelf or counter-top. This can really be anything and is a chance to add your own personal touch to your kitchen. Metallic items such as old irons or a steel watering can with some flowers inside will look great. You can also add a vintage sign or plaque too, although we'd recommend sticking with something that fits with the rustic theme.
Radiators
When choosing the radiators for your country kitchen, look to an older style column radiator which will give off lots of heat and won't look too modern. When thinking about finish, white is an ideal choice to match the neutral tones in the rest of the kitchen. If you want to choose something a little different, a bare metal lacquer, or cast iron radiator is ideal and won't look too modern.
When choosing radiator valves, opt for a traditional style that complements the finish you've chosen.
Large Table
A country kitchen should be a welcoming space. A space which is at the centre of family life and a great place for entertaining. Therefore your kitchen needs a large, wooden table to accommodate lots of guests. Invest in a real oak table which will really add to the rustic feel, no chipboard or cheap wood substitutes here. If you want to go even further, up-cycling an older piece of wood into your table will look stunning.
When think about seating, we'd go for some older style wooden chairs. Again, cheaper flat pack chairs will look out of place so invest in some real wood which will stand the test of time. Adding some appropriately styled cushions will add a touch of colour and make your guests a little more comfortable.
Paintings
Hanging paintings on your walls is a simple way to add some colour & character to your kitchen space. We'd recommend keeping to the country and farmhouse theme but this is a chance for you to express your own tastes and make your kitchen personal to you.
Lighting
When looking to light your country kitchen, move away from the built in ceiling lights which are becoming increasingly popular in modern homes. To create that farmhouse look, look to large chandelier styles or lamp shades hanging from bare wires. Lighting should also be a warm tone to create a cosy, relaxing atmosphere.
Fabrics
Fabrics are an easy way to add some colour and texture to your country kitchen. As this is a design style which will often have lots of rustic materials in neutral colours, fabrics such as curtains, cushions or a table cloth can help break this up.
This is also a great opportunity to express some of your own tastes and styles by using fun patterns or interesting materials.
Hanging Utensils, Pots & Pans
A design feature we've also spoken about in our industrial kitchens article, hanging pots, utensils and pans in your kitchen can help add to the rustic, farmhouse feel. You don't want your country kitchen to appear too clean and modern and this is an easy way to ensure that won't happen. If you really want to make this work, we recommend investing in some old style utensils and pans, which can often be found cheaply second hand.
That concludes our top country kitchen ideas. If you want to create your own country kitchen, Tap Warehouse have the perfect kitchen taps, sinks and radiators for you.
