When they hear “country,” some people think “basic,” “backwards,” or “out of touch”; and those are the kinder terms. But in the context of kitchen cabinets, “country” refers to a warm and inviting kitchen style that is gaining popularity.
While the exact definition of a country kitchen will vary from region to region and even among designers, it is generally characterized by plenty of natural light and ample counter space, resulting in a beautiful and functional room. And just as kitchen cabinets play a key role in shaping your environment, they are also an important component when it comes to putting the “country” in country kitchens. However, exactly how they do it is up to you and your talented custom designer.
Everything is relative
Country kitchens are far from simple. At the same time, they can be the perfect way to remember a simpler time. If you have fond memories of great family meals in Grandma’s kitchen, including when she grew up and started cooking vegetables until they were mush, you can go back and recreate the moments, minus the mush, with a few simple ingredients.
Start by staining the base of the island for a frosted look, add a butcher block counter balanced with white kitchen cabinets, and ta-da! You have a virtual time machine that will honor those memories while leaving the mush where it belongs: in the past.
“Moo-ers” and Shakers
If you like the traditional approach to country kitchens, consider combining Farmhouse and Shaker elements. Imagine furniture-style kitchen cabinets and a large farmhouse sink topped by two large windows to maximize natural light and create an airy feeling. You can almost hear your grandmother calling you to dinner while she’s standing at the sink, except THIS time, it’s safe to ignore her.
Show it, don’t keep it
These days, we view cookware the same way teens view their parents: good for certain purposes, but better hidden when your friends come over. However, instead of running away from clutter, country kitchens embrace it. Hanging pots and pans in plain sight instead of hiding them in kitchen cabinets gives a room a more personal feel and evokes a different era when people and their places were much more open.
take it personally
To enhance the nostalgic feel of a country-style kitchen, try furnishing it with vintage items, either from your own collection or from antique stores. Reclaimed kitchen cabinets or a vintage farmhouse chair are perfect additions to a traditional decor. Just make sure you try out that chair before you sit in it or you’ll have to save your ego while you do it.
make it white the first time
As our grandparents have shown time and time again, the best approach is often the simplest. The same principle applies to country kitchens, where the “less is more” philosophy can be very effective, and there’s not much “less” than all white. Especially in a small space, white kitchen cabinets, walls and drawers really open things up and give off a friendly and welcoming feeling. Add hardwood floors and details like beadboard to your kitchen cabinets to balance out the look. When you’re done, take a step back and give yourself credit for taking the white approach.
Once you sort through the misinformation about the country kitchen, you come to appreciate it as a warm and inviting design scheme flooded with natural light. And if someone dares to call it “upside down”, don’t worry. You will be too immersed in those memories of simpler times and dear loved ones to listen to them.