Tuscan Kitchen Design Ideas

Tuscan Kitchen Design Ideas - Candi Randolph

If your dream kitchen includes a large gathering table and chairs or benches to seat the entire family, warm sunshine streaming in through the windows with bold, warm, earthy colors throughout the space, natural elements including wood, tile and stone, you'll be thrilled  with Tuscan kitchen design!

Tuscany style kitchens are strong yet welcoming, bold yet serene. How is this balance achieved? First, by selecting Tuscan kitchen colors, which include those found in nature: reds, burgundys, oranges,yellows, olive green, ivory, turquoise, deep purple,brown and black.

How you use these bold colors depends on your own decorating style and comfort. But know that you can comfortably place just about any of the colors (except black) described above on your walls and remain true to Tuscan kitchen colors and design. Suggestion: select shade of deep gold for the walls. It will always present a warm, sunny tone and will provide a beautiful backdrop for your darker wood cabinetry.

The bold colors will be balanced by the natural elements used such as tile, plaster, wood beams, stone and wood furniture, usually oak or pine. Cabinetry should be of a medium to dark wood grain, or a deep, dark wood tone (almost black) for those of you who are more adventurous in their Tuscan Kitchen decor. Your cabinets and furniture will be accented by the warm, beautiful color on the walls of the Tuscany style kitchen. Cabinet pulls should be iron, pewter or wood.

Floors should be tile, stone or wood to most closely follow the Tuscan kitchen design (think of that old Italian kitchen in the country - you know, the one with the chickens strutting around the room and Grandma at the stove preparing the pasta!)

Natural lighting will influence your wall color, although you will want to make sure that you have numerous sources of lighting in your Tuscan kitchen design. Examples include an iron chandelier, undercounter lighting, lighting above the cabinetry, brushed pewter lights,etc.

If your kitchen is large enough for an island, a Tuscan influence in this area may include pots hanging above, and counter tops of tile or stone. If faux stone is in your budget, there are many choices that are realistic in look and will give the same result for your Tuscan style kitchen decor.

Accessories continue the colorful and bold theme of Tuscan design, and many times include pottery, pewter and copper pieces. Whether you have collected, inherited, antiqued or spent some time at the discount store, your Tuscan kitchen design will include these pieces. Themes and patterns will often include fruit, grapes in particular. Beautifully colored tiles, whether used as a back splash or decoratively, are also found in Tuscan style kitchen decor.

Consider bold area rugs, greens (natural or faux), natural finish fixtures in dark brown or black, stainless appliances and touches of fruit, grapevines and/or sunflowers.

Remember as you design and decorate your Tuscan style kitchen to keep to these strategies: bold, earthy colors, natural elements and large scale proportions. Use a healthy dose of accessories keeping a watchful eye out for knowing when enough is enough (you don't want to create a flea market effect!). Above all, create a warm and inviting environment for the entire family to enjoy together, and you will have accomplished your Tuscan style kitchen design goal.

Country Kitchen Design - Tips for Creating Unique Country Kitchens

Country Kitchen Design - Tips for Creating Unique Country Kitchens



Creating a country kitchen design means having a casual, friendly kitchen space with some antiques or reproductions where family and friends can gather to enjoy wonderful dinners and great conversation. No longer just a place to prepare meals, the kitchen may function as the most popular room in your home.

When creating a country kitchen design, you should feature natural materials and colors and have comfortable furnishings that are warm and welcoming. Country kitchen examples are to use open shelves, plate racks and cupboards for storage for items such as stoneware pots, glazed earthenware, baskets and glass jars. Your antique or reproduction plates and dinnerware collections can also be displayed on open shelving. Pots should be made of copper, cast iron or stainless steel without ornamentation.

Cabinets can be made with aged planked surfaces, natural materials with a rough or distressed finish and round or ceramic knobs that will add to the country style. Cabinets or furniture made of a painted, distressed or naturally-finished pine can be a beautiful key element in country kitchen design.

The materials and their colors used for the floor and countertop are important elements to have a country look. For the countertops, use ceramic tiles, hand-painted tiles, slate, stone or marble. If you decide to use laminate countertop materials, select plain colors for coverings. Terracotta tiles, brick, stone and wood are popular flooring materials in country kitchen floors.

Since most home buyers consider kitchen islands an essential part of a desirable kitchen, be sure to include one in your country kitchen design. The island in the kitchen reminds us of the farmhouse kitchen where the work table was used to do most of the food preparation work. If space is very limited, consider choosing a rolling butcher block that can be moved to the most convenient location as needed.

If there is space for kitchen furniture, consider using some antiques or reproductions in your kitchen. And the antiques do not have to be perfect. If chips and scratches exist, all the better since these imperfections only will add to the charm and unrestored look of the furniture. Having some wear and tear to maintain the country kitchen design flavor is fun and it works!

The country look is always rustic, old and warm and colors used in this style of home decor must be selected carefully. Neutral colors such as white or bone can work well as can earth tones, red barn, blues and greens. All are appropriate colors for country-style home decor.

Country home decorating frequently uses stenciling and wallpaper. Stenciling can be used around windows, in the areas where the walls and ceiling meet or even on the floors. Stenciling also can be used effectively on furniture to add charm to a country-style home decor.

To really create a great look, you can even add a fireplace to your kitchen for a charming country-style home decor look. You will find you have many to choose from including free-standing ventless fireplaces that can be simply positioned where you want.

Planning is an important part of country kitchen design before you actually do the work. Organize your ideas in a notebook as you accumulate them. Have fun as you go through books and magazines, visit local showrooms and search online for country kitchen examples and ideas that you like.

Well-designed unique country kitchens add value to homes. Even if you do not intend to sell your home anytime soon, having a country kitchen design that reflects your personal style means you will have a very special place to enjoy for many years to come.


Tips on Tuscan Kitchen Ideas

Tips on Tuscan Kitchen Ideas

By Melissa Roy

Most people would like to settle down at the Tuscan country side to get the cosy feeling especially while being in the kitchen. But why go to Tuscan when you can create such an atmosphere right in your very own home. The main reason why people opt for Tuscan kitchen is its bright decorations and the festive mood that it always creates. The speciality Tuscan kitchen is that they look as though they are from an old world and is a something unique. Faux painting technique can be used to attain this old world look. Colours like Butterscotch, preferably Butter yellow can be applied to the walls. When it comes to painting, many books and websites will be able to help and guide you well through the process.

Another important part of the Tuscan kitchen is the kitchen cabinets. The most important thing about the cabinets is that you will have to paint them with strong, contrasting colours to attain the Tuscan kitchen style.

Deep shades of red and forest green are the most preferred choices for the colour of the kitchen cabins in Tuscan kitchen. A very large table is a sure necessity for a Tuscan kitchen and when it comes to chairs, you can use simple ones. This will add a lot of Tuscan style to your kitchen. To make things even better you can rummage through websites that offer you a supply of excellent stylish containers that will store your spices and other things of your kitchen. You can use racks to help you hold your pots and pans. Keeping herbs close to the window sill also does add to a Tuscan kitchen.

TUSCAN KITCHEN STYLE IS IN VOGUE

TUSCAN KITCHEN STYLE IS IN VOGUE

By Melissa Roy

More people nowadays find the idea of a sunny cottage with a Tuscan kitchen as their most perfect. If you wish to have a comfortable cottage ambience in your kitchen, the great news is that it's simple and do-it-yourself!

One of the causes Tuscan kitchen is such a great decorating style is that it marks the simple ideas of life: Friends, food and family. A Tuscan kitchen is easy to use, fuss free and decorating in this manner is as easy as paint and a few retouches here and there. That is why most of the household at Chicago and Dallas has got this kind of kitchen,

The walls in this have an exclusive and old-world charm. You can acquire this using a fake painting method. At first, you paint the ramparts a base colour that is bright such as butter yellow or butterscotch. Then, sponge on a darker shade so walls look as if they have faded in some areas. There are several books and Internet websites that can give us step-by-step instructions on this process of using paint, as well as product directions. If you want to you can use textures on your walls using combined compound blended with paint. Spraying the combination onto the walls makes a colour of a genuine country kitchen.

The next areas to paint are doors of a cabinet. One must use a robust, contrasting colour to truly give your kitchen a Tuscan character. Dark reds and forest green colours are especially well known on doors of closets. While you're out searching for the perfect shade of colour, spend few minutes in the hardware area of your house perfecting store. This is a place where you'll find the handles and knobs to put in the concluding touch to the Tuscan doors and drawer areas. Glossy metal or true terracotta knobs will both look great.

Tuscan Kitchen Decor 2

Tuscan Kitchen Decor 2



Tuscan Kitchen Ideas

Tuscan Kitchen Ideas

Tuscan Kitchens

Tuscan Kitchens

Tuscan kitchens are known for their fine kitchen cabinets, italian country style and the rustic Tuscan charm that authentic Tuscan kitchens have.