Pine Furniture Is Perfect For A Country Kitchen

The country kitchen decorating scheme has been around for several years and shows no signs of going away any time soon. There are several reasons for this – the main one being that it creates a casual, relaxed atmosphere that reminds people of being in their grandparents’ kitchen long ago. Creating a “country kitchen” is not complicated or terribly expensive. In fact, if you have access to a good used furniture store, that is probably the best place to start. Thrift stores will occasionally have curtains that are in good shape and they can always be counted on for old platters & serving dishes that can either be used as they were originally intended, or hung on the wall as decorative pieces.

The curtains mentioned above are a staple in a country kitchen. You’ll want ruffles, for sure, and the most popular style is the cafe style where there are two panels on the bottom that cover about half of the window, and a full valance on the top that covers about the top quarter or so of the glass. The fabrics used for country kitchen curtains can vary widely. Plaids and ginghams are very popular and available in such a wide range of colors that it would be almost impossible for you to not be able to find something that you like. Solid colors with either eyelet or lace trim are also staples in the country kitchen fabric selection, again, available in a rainbow of color selections. If you are handy with a sewing machine, you can make enough curtains for an entire kitchen in just day. If you go that route, be sure to buy enough extra fabric to make matching placemats and napkins.

Floor rugs will help add to the cozy atmosphere of your country kitchen. Braided rag rugs or those with typical country motifs, like apples & grapes or flowers, will add both color and character to the room. Many discount and department stores now offer kitchen ensembles with rugs, towels and dishcloths to match.

Whether you are designing a brand new kitchen, or remodeling an existing one, the walls are an important part of the overall décor. There are several options for country kitchen walls. They can be painted a neutral or pastel color, or covered with wallpaper in a country pattern. If the idea of an all-over pattern is too much, you can paint the walls & put up a border for extra color. Another option that is quite popular is to have bead board on the bottom, painted in a neutral color, with a chair rail and wallpaper above it. The beauty of using wallpaper is that it gives you literally thousands of choices. You can have a solid color, a small pattern, or a flamboyant one to show off one wall of a room.

For decorative pieces to hang on the walls themselves, you can use country-themed art in painted wood frames or turn old kitchen wares into works of art. You can hang enameled spatter-ware dishes or groups of old utensils on the walls to carry out the country kitchen them.

A butcher block kitchen cart is also a staple in a country kitchen. It should be solidly built so that you can use it for all of the heavy duty cutting, chopping and pounding prep work needed for big hearty meals. Even thought the name “Kitchen Cart” implies something mobile, it can also serve as a stationary work surface. However, if you do choose a mobile version, you can move it around to wherever it is needed at the moment. It can be used for rolling out pie dough, then cleaned up and pushed into the dining room to use as a drink or dessert cart.
The dining table and chairs are typically the centerpiece of any kitchen area, and even more so in a country kitchen. Nothing defines a “country kitchen” décor quite like a large wooden farmhouse table and chairs. A country dining table is traditionally made from pine because it is strong, but also readily available and inexpensive. Rectangular is probably the most popular shape, with four solid, heavy duty legs to support it. The reason for this is that, more often than not, it was a handcrafted table and this style was the easiest for the homeowner to build. Not many people build their own tables today, but because this style was what was used in the original farmhouses, it is what everyone thinks of when they want to recreate the country kitchen from their grandparents’ house.

Seating around a farmhouse table can be either benches or chairs. Ladderback chairs are a popular choice, with either solid or woven cane seats. You can add cushions in a matching or contrasting fabric for even more color. Another trend in country kitchens is mismatched chairs. Years ago, people did this out of necessity, but you can have the same look by shopping in several second hand stores, buying a chair or two in each. If your family is large, benches may be a better option, as you can seat more people in the same amount of space. If you have a corner available, put the benches against each wall and create a breakfast nook to save space.

Whether you follow one or all of these suggestions, remember that the country kitchen design is more about comfort and functionality than cost or designer labels. You can recreate what your grandparents had for less than half of the price of a more modern looking kitchen. Shopping at second hand and thrift stores can save you a bundle of money, plus you are more likely to come up with authentic pieces than you will be able to find in a department store.

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Tags: butcher block, country kitchen, dining room, dining table, dining table and chairs, kitchen cart, kitchen furniture, pine furniture, table and chairs