Nobody wants to cook, clean and eat in an old kitchen, but the old-world style is a coveted one all around the world. New style trends have taught us that combining modern technology with vintage or rustic design can be both beautiful and functional. Reclaiming old pieces of furniture, distressing new pieces and adding vintage touches that remind us of simpler times are very popular trends right now. But go too far into the rustic or craftsman style and you risk ending up with a space that looks like it belongs in the early 1900s. Let us teach you the three most important elements of rustic or craftsman kitchen design, so you can incorporate these styles into your dream kitchen.
First, a note about the difference between rustic and craftsman style kitchens: basically, there is no difference. Craftsman kitchens may have more custom features than a rustic kitchen, but with modern additions like custom storage solutions becoming standard for many kitchens, the differences between the two have become fewer and far between.
Wood Cabinets
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Maintenance-free cabinet doors have surely come a long way since your mother installed laminate cabinet doors in her kitchen. They offer more durability and better color saturation at a more budget-friendly rate than wood doors. But when it comes to the distressed, natural look that’s so important for a rustic design, wood cabinet doors are the way to go. You can keep them natural or add a darker glaze to complete the rustic look. Plus, wood doors are great for cabinet refacing, making your rustic kitchen more easily accomplished.
Darker, Warmer Color Palette
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When it comes to rustic and craftsman styles, natural is always the way to go. Wood-like tones that you could imagine inside a log cabin best achieve this look. Think Harvest Gold on Cherry, Dark Wild Apple and Secret with a dark glaze. To match, pick darker hardware with distressed elements, like oil rubbed bronze. Also, keep the cabinet style simple, like Classic Raised Panel for a look that doesn’t overwhelm the space and lets the natural materials shine through.
Furniture Detailing for Decorative Accessories
While most kitchen styles incorporate all sorts of decorative accessories—wainscotting, corbels and crown molding to name a few—rustic style kitchens should stick to decorative accessories that have a more furniture detailing design than a typical decorative accessory. What this really means is that you should stay away from any accessories that include the term “Roman” or might appear to have Roman or Greek inspired designs, like corbels or pillars.
Rustic and craftsman style kitchens are beautiful for any home and bring the old world feel back into the 21st century. They also fit well with older and country homes and make it easy to incorporate some of your favorite antiques or vintage pieces into the space.
