Mediterranean kitchens are a veritable wonder when it comes to the feel they create.

Why? Well, it’s simple really: a Mediterranean-style kitchen has the rare ability to feel cooling and invigorating – making the Mediterranean style perfect for the summer months.

However, Mediterranean style also exudes charm and warmth in abundance. This makes a Mediterranean style kitchen equally suitable for the winter months when the weather turns chilly.

What is a Mediterranean Style Kitchen?

The classic Mediterranean kitchen style is the stuff of your past summer holiday memories.

Think Spanish or Greek villa or traditional holiday accommodation and you’ll be on the right lines.

Mediterranean style

A Rustic and Natural Look

The archetypal Mediterranean-style kitchen features a rustic look, a welcoming colour palette and makes use of natural materials, mosaic tiles and terracotta floor tiles

The result is both cooling and calming. Although we can’t guarantee the stunning balcony view of the Mediterranean Sea to add to the effect, what a Mediterranean style kitchen is guaranteed to deliver is to add character and a genuinely homely feel.

The Versatility of a Mediterranean Style Kitchen

Mediterranean style is definitely versatile. A Mediterranean style kitchen immediately conjures up an image of traditional charm.

Equally, if you are looking for a more contemporary interpretation of the classic look, a modern Mediterranean style kitchen will work brilliantly too.

Mediterranean Kitchen Ideas

But the question remains: How do you create the perfect Mediterranean style in your own kitchen ay home?

And where do you start with natural materials, mosaic tiles and an earthy colour palette?

Here’s the lowdown…

Mediterranean kitchen style

Choosing the Correct Colours

Think of Spain or the Mediterranean in general and sunny shades of orange, red and yellow spring to mind.

If you feel orange or yellow is just that bit too bright for you to have as an all-over kitchen colour, then just have one feature wall in a bright colour and the rest plain.

Then again, you could always paint the walls in cream and have a vibrant red or yellow backsplash either in the form of ceramic tiles or glass.

The ideal colour palette for a Mediterranean kitchen can be as bright and bold or as subtle and subdued as you want it to be.

Wow with Wooden Cabinets

An obvious choice for the cabinetry for a Mediterranean kitchen would be medium to dark wood. This is partly because the warming tones of medium and darker woods look terrific when set against the earthy shades of orange and yellow on the walls.

Orange and yellow are also good choices for the accessories you place around your Mediterranean kitchen, such as vases, bowls or picture frames.

There is no doubt about it; wooden cabinets in rich shades add a touch of rustic charm to a room. And isn’t that what a Spanish-style kitchen is all about?

Natural Textures and Warm Tones

Our advice about cabinetry does come with a caveat, however.

Bear in mind that whenever a colour palette or design scheme incorporates medium tones and darker colour choices, the amount of natural light in the space is all-important.

Mediterranean-style kitchens are no different. Patterned tiles and mosaic tiles can be a great way to bring a touch of old-world charm to a space, but if the earthy tones you choose are too dark for the space, then the effect could be overpowering and claustrophobic. Stainless steel appliances can create a useful point of contrast.

But, all in all, Mediterranean style kitchens are the same as any other style of kitchen in this regard. Choosing colours and cabinetry is also a balancing act. The size and shape of a space and the natural light you have in the room are always important considerations.

Rustic and Wooden elements of Mediterranean kitchen

Mediterranean kitchen: Keep those curves in

When you look at images of both past and current Mediterranean kitchens, it’s all about curves rather than stark lines.

Curved furniture allows people to mix more and is considered more ‘sociable’ (just think of rounded sofas).

There are many curved kitchen cabinet units and kitchen islands to choose from today. You can even buy curved replacement doors from us, if you so fancy.

Kitchen cabinets and replacement kitchen cabinet doors come in a range of different finishes. This includes the likes of gloss, matt and acrylic, as well as textured painted and even handleless cabinets.

In other words, pretty much whatever you’re after, there’s bound to be a kitchen cabinet to tick that particular box.

Blend in Burnished Copper

Copper pots, in different sizes, and in a sieve to match – preferably hanging from the ceiling on a pully – are perfect for a Mediterranean kitchen.

So too is copper in the form of lighting. And what about a big old-fashioned stove-top copper kettle?

Copper can also be introduced into your kitchen as a fruit bowl, oversized clock or even as shelving brackets.

Wrought iron is also a great addition to bring more old world charm to the space.

Mediterranean Kitchen: Use Stone to Step On

When you think of a traditional Spanish, Greek or Italian kitchen, you imagine a flagstone floor. Of course, that would be too cold here in the UK, but you could use grey or sand-coloured tiles with a bright, colourful rug laid over them.

What’s more, you can find some amazing luxury vinyl tiles for flooring today that actually look like the real thing.

Get Granite Worktops

On the subject of stone, granite is excellent for worktops. It’s tough, it looks fantastic and it’s not difficult to care for.

Patterned granite also covers a multitude of cooking sins (or rather, cuts, dents and burns from absent-mindedly laying pots on the worktops).

Marble countertops are another perfect pick for a modern Mediterranean kitchen.

Mediterranean kitchen: Consider terracotta tiles

Certainly, a staple of a Spanish and Greek rustic kitchen, terracotta tiles can be used for the floor or as splashbacks.

You could even just have the odd tile lying around to lay pots on. Hand-painted tiles as splashbacks are particularly popular in many Mediterranean kitchens and can be used in an ornamental sense too.

Well, have we persuaded you of the aesthetic benefits of a Mediterranean kitchen yet?

If so, why not take a look through our selection of wood cabinets and replacement kitchen cabinet doors today?

Complete the Mediterranean Look

We have covered the key elements of the Mediterranean look for you here.

This should give you a head start in your quest to make your kitchen space feel Mediterranean.

Mediterranean kitchens are all about vibe and the feel of the space, but, as we have shown, there are so many ways you can create the look.

From choice of colour of kitchen units to the use of natural elements, inviting colour palettes and earthy hues, everything comes together in a harmonious blend with Mediterranean inspiration.

If you have any questions, just contact the Kitchen Warehouse team.