Today's swan-neck faucets
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12 Design Essentials for the Perfect Country Kitchen
Country kitchens are one of the most cherished decorating styles in American homes—exuding a laid-back charm that gives guests the idea to pull up a chair and stay a while.
More than any single design element, country kitchens are a sum of many parts. There are several flavors of the country kitchen style to pull ideas from when you’re designing your country kitchen: traditional, farmhouse, cottage, modern, English and French. They’re all punctuated by a sense of warmth and comfort - creating the kind of space where people want to gather and be together. Wood, textiles, and traditional metals are common elements in each. It’s the stains, patterns, and patinas of those elements that will define the character and level of formalness of the space.
Here, a few of the characteristic ideas that define the country kitchen look, from paint colors to fabric patterns to faucet styles. Which ideas you choose to incorporate, and how you combine them, is what will personalize your country kitchen and make it your own.
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Old-Fashioned Faucet
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Pale Colors
Whitewashed surfaces, warm wood tones, and walls coated in soft pastel hues like pale straw and sage green are common in country kitchens. Here these two popular paint colors—specifically Benjamin Moore's Moonlight (2020-60) and Lapland (AF-410)—are combined in a single eye-catching scheme.
Related: Kitchen Paint Colors—10 Handsome Hues for Hardworking Spaces
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Country Prints
Whether used at the windows, on the table, or elsewhere in the room, cheerful fabric patterns are a must in country kitchens. Delicate plaids and checks are classic choices as are small-scale botanical prints. This pretty gingham swag from Country Curtains is available in ten color variations.
Related: 13 DIY Window Treatments to Dress Up Your Space
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Apron-Front Sink
Beloved for the practicality of their deep, wide basins, apron-front sinks have made a comeback in contemporary kitchens. Although these sinks are still available in their most iconic style, pure white porcelain, you might choose one of several updates, including embossed patterns on the front or sleek, stainless steel.
Related: Sink Style—10 New Forms and Functions for 21st Century Kitchens
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Glass-Front Cabinets
Homeowners who love the look of a country kitchen often have collections they love to display, whether it's glassware, ceramics, or salt-and-pepper shakers. What better place to show them off than behind glass-front cabinet doors? Some homeowners choose glass-front designs for all upper cabinets, while others install one for dinnerware and opt for solid doors for pantry items.
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Farmhouse Table
One of the most welcoming sights in a country kitchen is a long, wooden farm table that beckons guests to share a meal. This design from West Elm has matching benches that slide underneath when not in use, a sensible option especially in small spaces.
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Beaded-Board Paneling
Beadboard is a remarkably versatile element in country kitchens. It might be used as wainscoting on the walls, to cover the lower part of a work island, or to line the inside of open shelves or glass-front cabinets. Although it is most often painted white, beadboard also looks wonderful when coated in a pale hue like green, yellow, or blue.
Related: How to Install Beadboard
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Classic Chairs
Spindle-back chairs exude true country spirit when placed around a kitchen table. You might choose a classic icon like this Windsor design from Windsor Chairmakers, in Lincolnville, Maine, a ladderback style with woven cane seats, or a selection of mismatched flea market finds, united with a single color of paint.
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Kitchen Island
What home wouldn't benefit from the added workspace and storage of a kitchen island? Crate & Barrel's Belmont Mint Kitchen Island has a drop-leaf butcher-block top, vintage style hardware, and a pale green finish that is so evocative of country style.
Related: 5 "Make Your Own" Kitchen Islands
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Vintage Hardware
Replacing existing hardware with new pieces inspired by vintage designs is an easy and inexpensive way to bring country charm to your kitchen. Consider half moon drawer pulls
Related: Trending Now—Emerald Green
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Pendant Lights
Hanging lights
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White Tiles
Whether rectangular subway tile
Related: I'm Dreaming of a White…Kitchen—10 Bright Beauties to Behold
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For more on kitchen design and planning, consider:
Small Kitchen, Big Style: 11 Inspiring Rooms That Defy Their Style
New and Notable: 10 "Must Haves" for the Luxury Kitchen
7 "Delicious" Renovation Tips from HGTV's Kitchen Cousins
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