Ideas for Creating the Perfect Country Kitchen

The classic country kitchen has long been a design trend, but, unlike many kitchen designs, a country kitchen and classic rustic charm have never really gone out of fashion.

It’s true, other styles might have grabbed the headlines and been in the spotlight slightly more than country kitchens in recent years.

However, this doesn’t mean that country kitchen designs are not a serious option if you are thinking of updating, reinventing, or changing up your kitchen.

What Makes a Kitchen a Country Kitchen?

There are certain features that scream out ‘country style kitchen’ more than any other.

Classic hallmarks such as Shaker-style cabinets immediately spring to mind – as do the likes of slate and stone floors and the inimitable Belfast sink.

Traditional country kitchens do not need to be old-fashioned. Country kitchens can be as modern and contemporary as you want them to be.

Let’s look at some great country kitchen ideas.

Consider a Range Cooker For Your Country Kitchen

If there’s one feature that says country kitchen more than any other, it has to be a range cooker.

Range cookers come in all shapes and sizes these days.

You can even find half-sized ovens that will fit neatly into a small kitchen space. Indeed, there’s a style, size, and colour available for country kitchens of all sizes.

Traditional cabinetry and a Belfast sink – the archetypal farmhouse sink – really set the tone and are key elements of the classic look for country kitchen ideas with natural materials and rustic features – but a range cooker is like the icing on the cake.

There is also a wide range of fuel options to choose from – the traditional wood burner version, plus gas, electric, and oil.

Simply choose the option that best suits your budget and lifestyle.

Kitchen appliances are important in any kitchen. The best country kitchen ideas will be the ones that meet your lifestyle needs the most – and that is certainly true with appliances.

Does a Classic Country Kitchen Have Tiled Walls?

Well, although it’s by no means compulsory, most people’s idea of a classic country kitchen is likely to feature tiled walls.

There’s just something about the tiled look that complements the rustic, country farmhouse vibe that has such enduring appeal.

A traditional country kitchen might have a certain ‘classic look’ – but it is always important to remember that with country kitchens, there is no rulebook.

A farmhouse kitchen can have genuine country charm. But the most important thing is that you weave the elements you most need and like to create your very own farmhouse kitchen style.

From Shaker cabinets to hardwood flooring to a farmhouse sink, there is a melting pot of great country kitchen ideas to choose from.

Why Should You Incorporate Wooden Details Into A Country Kitchen?

Because of the natural look it gives, wooden details work particularly well with most country kitchen ideas.

Wood and a farmhouse kitchen are natural bedfellows.

It echoes the countryside and reflects the rural setting and the materials the original country farmhouse kitchen would have had.

This is why wooden elements have become such a central part of many country kitchen ideas.

Of course, you don’t actually have to live in a country farmhouse to create the look – it can be equally effective in a new-build semi-detached house in an urban development.

Other Country Kitchen Ideas With Wood

You’re almost halfway there with the country kitchen look and a traditional wooden farmhouse table. It can become a genuine focal point for the space.

But solid wood cabinets can be the perfect complement too. In fact, the natural aesthetic works well with anything from cabinets to flooring and furniture.

Wall cabinets add to the vibe of rural life. Clever storage solutions and feature lighting can add a contemporary twist.

What About a Wood Surface in Country Kitchens?

Give an interior designer the task of coming up with country kitchen ideas for you, and there’s a very good chance they will incorporate wood into the worktop surfaces.

Mixing things up with materials such as copper and stainless steel gives you the option of putting a classic, traditional, or contemporary slant on things.

And if you are lucky enough to have wooden beams in your kitchen, make these a feature of the overall design.

Work With The Space You Have In Your Country Kitchen

If you have a modern property, the chances are that you will have a fair amount of space to play with.

Many modern homes and contemporary house designs are built with modern living in mind.

Therefore, you will see many properties that are designed for open plan living. This often affords more of a blank canvas to work on.

This makes kitchen upgrades just that little bit easier.

What Do You Do If You Have an Awkward or Unusual House Layout?

However, of course, this certainly isn’t always the case. In older properties, such as Victorian properties or old-style cottages, you will often find quirky, slightly uneven – sometimes even downright awkward – room sizes and original floor plans.

If the latter is the case for you, it will probably mean that you will need a little more thought, more planning, and more creativity to turn your country kitchen ideas into reality.

Essentially, as with all kitchen designs, if you want to go for the classic country kitchen look, you need to work with the space you have, not the space you wish you had!

It’s always a mistake to try and squeeze all your country ideas into a space that is too small or unusually shaped.

Get Creative And Think Outside The Box

The clear message is to make the most of the space you have.

This just means you need to be a little more creative. For example, banquette seating might be a better option than a large country farmhouse table.

There’s nearly always a solution to every problem. Getting your thinking cap on is the answer!

Keep Things Light and Bright

People often think of country kitchen décor as being dark and a bit on the pokey side.

While it’s true that some smaller cottages and older properties can suffer from a lack of natural light, it would be wrong to say that this is a major issue with the country kitchen style as a whole.

Indeed – in general – the main aim should be the same as with any other style of kitchen: try to keep things light, bright, and airy.

The same basic design principles and the usual tips and tricks to make a space look bigger than it really is apply to most country kitchen ideas.

Make The Most Of Natural Light

Windows and natural light are the key. As a general rule, darker colours work best in larger spaces that have plenty of natural light.

Too many dark tones can become overpowering and oppressive – just too much, ultimately – for a smaller sized kitchen.

The same is true of country kitchens.

Try using lighter and paler shades for cabinetry; don’t be afraid to fall back on the classic kitchen white – and be clever and creative with lighting.

Colour Choices For Country Style Kitchens

Traditionally, country kitchens would pull their colour scheme from the earthy wooden designs of the countertops, flooring, and cabinets, mixed with the copper styling of the sink basin and hanging pans.

Country kitchen design is defined by the use of nature-inspired colours – often with wooden worktops – with greens and autumn reds and oranges spread throughout. Paired with natural materials, these are the colour country kitchen ideas that work the best.

Colour Country Kitchen Ideas From Kitchen Warehouse

Our range of Roma ShakerClassic can bring a number of these nature-inspired colours to your space, from Duck Egg Blue to Sage Green.

The use of natural materials and shaker style cabinetry is a major part of any country aesthetic.

You need to get your colour choices right to get your dream country style kitchen.

But that’s no different from any other style of kitchen.

Do You Need a Classic Colour Palette with a Country Kitchen?

The simple answer is an emphatic, ‘No!’

A smart country kitchen is timeless. But that doesn’t mean that you have to adopt the classic colour palette and traditional colour choices that are often associated with country décor.

Greens can work brilliantly when blended with wooden floors or marble countertops.

What about combining pinks and pastels with a deep mahogany?

Deep blues are a perfect match for Shaker cabinets – and Shaker cabinets are perhaps the quintessential country kitchen style choice.

Country Kitchens And Colour

With a country kitchen, the colour palette you employ is crucial.

Country kitchens require warmth, charm, and a particular ambience. Colour choices go a long way in achieving these lofty aims.

Traditionally, country kitchen ideas around colour lean naturally towards warm and earthy tones. Think soft yellows, warm beiges, and subtle tones of white.

These are the colours that effortlessly evoke comfort and a sense of nostalgia.

Country kitchens that connect with the natural landscape provide a winning combination.

To that end, bringing in the colours of the sky and the field are great country kitchen ideas.

Stone Flooring And Country Kitchen Ideas

Although not always the most practical flooring, due to its hard surface and cold feel, stone flooring is a staple of the classic country kitchen.

And with underfloor heating, you can remove at least one of those drawbacks.

Stone flooring again provides that rooting in nature and the earth that all country kitchens require, be it tumbled limestone or sleeker slate with crisp cut edges. The result is a grounded, rustic feel to your kitchen.

Add Little Touches And The Small Details

With a country kitchen, décor is usually focused on print and pattern. Often, the style can appear a little ‘thrown together’ – but in a good way.

It just comes across as a nice contrast to the straight lines, ultra-clean, streamlined style that often dominate contemporary kitchen ideas and design.

But with country style designs, you have carte blanche to mix and match to your heart’s content!

Country Kitchens Should Have a Homely Feel

The overall effect can appear a little haphazard. However, that’s part of the appeal – it gives the space a comforting, homely, and lived-in feel.

From wooden beams to antique details or traditional butler sinks, it can be the little details, such as copper pans and hanging pots, that really give a country kitchen its cosy charm.

Blend with traditional cabinetry or contrast with exposed brick walls or a farmhouse sink to complete the look.

Create An Antique Feel In True Country Style

The perfect antidote to contemporary kitchen styling, feel free to add antique pieces, mismatched furniture, and decorative ornaments.

True country style isn’t about being pristine and spotless. You don’t want too much clutter, for sure – but in a way, it’s a true facet of country style to have a tiny bit of disorder and disarray.

Of course, glass fronted display units work well in any kitchen design.

The Kitchen Island

The kitchen island has long been associated with the country kitchen, and the traditional image of the family sat around it, eating freshly collected eggs laid that morning, or eating cereal with fresh milk from the cows on the farm.

Now you won’t have a farm at your city centre apartment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create that perfect country kitchen feeling.

And the kitchen island is the ideal way to add that statement and feel to your home while giving you a practical addition that inspires the family to gather together and sit down to have breakfast.

A kitchen island can play a vital role on the country kitchen stage.

Hanging Storage

Often, finding storage for all your kitchen accessories can be difficult, and you never feel like there’s enough space in your cupboards and cabinets.

But that’s where a brilliant country kitchen storage solution can help.

Hanging storage allows you to easily make the most of the above-the-head space that otherwise goes unused.

From hanging your sophisticated copper-bottomed pots and pans to creating a place for all your tea towels to go, hanging storage is a touch of genius.

Adding Antique Style Detail

To create a classic country kitchen for your home, you need to ensure you have a range of antique and traditional stylings.

But you don’t have to head to the auction house or market, as you can get that traditional feel from brand new appliances and features.

Creating The Classic Country Kitchen Feel

There are a wide range of ways you can display things in your country kitchen. Open or glass-fronted display units are the perfect place to house store pans and crockery – and pretty much everything in between.

Hanging rails and hooks work brilliantly in a country style setting.

But, of course, you need more than a few quirky storage solutions to create that classic country style homey vibe.

If you have the space, consider placing an armchair in a corner, a sofa under a window – or bar stools at a counter. These are the perfect complement to any country kitchen design choice.

So, there you have a whole host of creative ideas that will help you design and craft the perfect country kitchen for your home.

Get In Touch To Find Out More

Here at Kitchen Warehouse, our experienced team is always on hand to offer advice and support on your kitchen designs.

With over 15 years of experience in manufacturing and supplying complete kitchen units, we know exactly what makes a fantastic kitchen and are always happy to help you create the perfect country kitchen design for your home.

So, why not get in touch with our team today? Browse our full range of kitchen cabinets now!