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How to Design an Idyllic English Country Kitchen
The eternally charming English countryside is the inspiration for a warm, cozy kitchen done in English country style. Imagine an English stonewall cottage with flower gardens outside the backdoor while reveling in the warmth of a cup of tea by the kitchen hearth, or imagine a more formal kitchen of a traditional English country estate full of natural materials like cherry wood, marble and stainless steel. Either way, comfort, warmth and a welcoming ambiance are the order of the day.
Start by Choosing Soft, Warm Colors
Base your color palette on hues found in a quintessential English country garden. Buttery yellow, lavender and rose, pale greens and blues are colors that can accent a creamy neutral wall color or warmer wall tones with undertones of red or yellow. Or use faux painting techniques to create the illusion of stone or old plaster.
Add Cabinetry in Wood Finishes
Wood is the mainstay of English country kitchens featured in plain, flat paneled cabinet doors with simple, sturdy designs. Wood may be white washed or pickled to create a well-loved, well-worn appearance and hardware may be made of hammered metal or ceramic. Gleaming cherry wood is a traditional choice for countertops that offers a warm appealing radiance to the kitchen Intermixed in a wooden counter-top, you may find a section of cooled marble for rolling out pastry dough and in a large English country kitchen that serves an estate or country house, stainless steel countertops may dominate the prep and cleanup areas with a deep stainless steel sink. A cottage country kitchen is more likely to feature a porcelain apron style farm sink.
Weathered, Rustic and Comfortable
Cozy, homey appointments are standard in every English country kitchen, whether tucked into a hillside cottage or a grand estate. Even in a formal English country home, the kitchen will feature a large table and rush seat chairs with comfortable cushions for the kitchen staff or children of the home. A rustic beamed ceiling or stone fireplace is an authentic touch, and if your kitchen does not have these features, add features to complement the romantic cottage ambiance. An old mantel from an antique store can be mounted against a wall and a small electric fireplace designed to mimic an antique iron stove can be set beneath it; top the stove with a brass tea kettle and cheery checkered tea towels. An old china hutch can be set in a corner to give the illusion of built-in display. Use area rugs, curtains, patchwork or woolen throws, pillows and cushions, earthenware pitchers and old tea sets for realistic detail. Take care to keep things eclectic and not too matchy-matchy or pristine: comingle big floral prints with chintz, chenille, plaids and tweeds. A pot rack above the stove or sink can display an array of copper pots, iron skillets, brass pitchers and baskets.
Layer other accents for interest on every wall. Open plate racks with blue and white English china are apropos, as are bunches of herbs hung in the windows and fresh flowers gathered in an old vase or sugar bowl. Add wall art with antique appeal, such as old dishes and plates, silver trays, and old paintings with English country motifs. Accent the counter-tops with ceramic jars or clear glass apothecary jars stocked with treats and pantry staples, and of course, tea pots, tea cups, lemons, sugar bowls and creamers must be part of the mix.
About the Author
Decorating specialist Aja Klenna offers many more free and easy decorating ideas at Metal-Wall-Art.com - the place to go for unique tree metal wall sculpture and jazz metal wall art.
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