We explore what makes a traditional country kitchen, from antique oak dressers and pine kitchen tables to cherished vintage china and wall décor. You don’t need to live in a sprawling country house to get the look! Traditional country kitchens are full of quality oak furniture or antique pine. Both are durable and versatile woods that withstand years of use. Kernow Furniture are experienced in sourcing antique furniture and vintage homeware that makes your house a home.
Country kitchen furniture
Antique dressers; practical and historical
Without a doubt the piece of furniture most commonly associated with country kitchens is the antique oak kitchen dresser or pine kitchen dresser. A useful mix of display and storage, antique dressers are often the hub of a kitchen as they are such a practical piece of furniture. Historically dressers were used as preparation areas and somewhere to lay out food ready to be served. As time moved on, middle class houses used them more as storage areas for tableware and linens, along displaying their best china. Dressers come in many sizes and styles, with glazed doors or open shelves, plate racks or hooks. Narrow dressers also appear from time to time which work well in a compact and bijou kitchen.
Eating and seating; kitchen tables and vernacular chairs
Kitchens that incorporate dining rooms are common within country kitchens, as the heart of the home and where families spent a large proportion of time. We are great fans of large rustic pine kitchen tables and oak refectory tables for dining. The choice of chairs that work well in a rustic kitchens is endless, but we particularly like simple vernacular chairs. Vernacular furniture was born out of necessity, simply built furniture designed with a single use. There are no airs and graces, little to no decoration and made with materials that were widely available in the region at the time. These antique kitchen chairs can be difficult to find in sets but thankfully they mix and match well. If you find your kitchen table near a wall, rustic pine settles make great seating arrangements.
Space for everything
Modern kitchens from reputable companies such as deVOL are experts at making the best possible use of space in the style you want. But if you don’t want to go down the designed kitchen route, there are other affordable options! If you have the space, using freestanding antique cupboard or original vintage cabinets in the kitchen can add valuable storage space whilst getting the look you want. We would especially recommend aged and worn oak furniture as an essential part of a lived in traditional kitchen. Large cupboards are perfect for use as a kitchen pantry or larder, and smaller cupboards can also provide some extra worktop space. You might be lucky enough to find vintage larder cupboards that would fit well with your plan!
Alternative kitchen islands
Most of us desire extra preparation space within our kitchens, and if you have the floor space creating a kitchen island might also be an option. Antique altar benches are a perfect height to use within a kitchen and add a touch of eclecticism with their ecclesiastical carvings. Find the furniture that you want and make it work for you. It may involve a slight rethink, but it’s a lovely feeling to walk into a room and feel that it’s perfectly you. They can also make amazing breakfast bars dividing up the room.
Choosing colour for your country kitchen
Many classic country kitchens are decorated in neutral, light colours that showcase furniture and accessories. White, grey and beige palettes create an understated foundation that will maximise the light – if stark white isn’t for you explore earthy shades or pastel tones as an alternative, or as accent colours. Kitchen cabinets take up a lot of visual space in every kitchen and painted kitchen cupboards are often a staple part of a farmhouse kitchen. If you are craving colour, this is where you can fulfil that desire! Muted tones work well, or darker colours can also suit larger kitchens. Be mindful of the size of your kitchen area and how the colour may open or close the space.
Country kitchen wall décor
With neutral wall colour you’ll have plenty of choice in what adorns your walls. The classic blue and white crockery is a popular choice and we love seeing customer photos of decorative plates that have been displayed using plate hooks. If you have odd pieces of china that have been passed through the generations, display them and enjoy the memories. Use wooden plate racks in a practical way and have it wall mounted over a Belfast sink for plates to dry after being washed. Wooden wall shelves are a practical way of displaying items if you don’t have the floor space for a dresser and you can often find long strips of wooden wall pegs – perfect for displaying antique copper saucepans.
However you choose to decorate your country kitchen, you are sure to enjoy finding the antique furniture and homeware to suit your needs.
