The term "farmhouse style" has come to mean "classic." Rustic elements such as well-worn antiques, salvaged and reused items, and clean white shiplap walls are popping up in houses all over the country. While you can easily achieve farmhouse design in every part of the house, farmhouse kitchens or cottage kitchens are by far the most sought, with their ruff-hewn open shelves, painted cabinets, apron-front sinks, and a plethora of collections.

Do you need to relocate to a large open space and invest a farm's worth of money to create your own attractive rustic kitchen? Certainly not. The beauty of farmhouse decor is that it's easy to achieve—you can start with a few gallons of paint and a well-loved farmhouse table and gradually progress to more country kitchen ideas, including shiplap backsplashes and exposed beams.

But how do you style a farmhouse kitchen? Our expert kitchen designers will explain a few different options and offer some perfect country décor inspiration to add to your farmhouse kitchen ideas.

Any size kitchen can be transformed into a farmhouse kitchen style. You can add a traditional rustic style to your home and add classic features like warm wood shelving for the perfect cosy cottage aesthetic. With the right style of cupboards and accessories you can create a homely space for you and your family.

The majority of traditional styles, like farmhouse kitchens, typically consist of rustic looking wooden cupboards and refurbished Agas and stoves, open shelving, apron front sinks and collections. But you don't need a large space to create the perfect farmhouse kitchen.

What is a Farmhouse Kitchen?

A farmhouse or cottage kitchen is a warm and cosy country kitchen design that is styled in a traditional way. These kitchen styles feature many rustic and country features, including:

• Exposed Beams
• Open wooded shelving
• Repurposed wood
• Traditional appliances

Some other features include:

Shiplap

If you're familiar with farmhouse designs, you're definitely aware of shiplap, the rough-sawn pine panelling commonly found in barns and older homes. If you don't get lucky and find shiplap behind your walls during a remodelling, planked wood from the hardware store can be installed and left raw or painted, the subtle texture really adds a graceful, aged look.

Apron-front sinks

These stunning sinks are both attractive and practical. They are usually made of ceramic but can also be made of metal. They're a terrific way to dress up bottom cabinets, and they're generally rather deep, allowing you to hide a lot of plates during a dinner party.

Countertops made of butcher block

Thick oak counters are both functional and a lovely way to incorporate natural materials into your home. All types of rustic wood, in addition to butcher block, are suitable in a farmhouse kitchen.

Cabinetry in the Shaker Kitchens style

You are able to identify this design by their basic frame and recessed panel in the centre. For a farmhouse aesthetic, Shaker-style cabinets are frequently painted white, light or dark grey, or even a subtle green.

Sophisticated Shaker Kitchens

Shaker kitchens put a modern spin on a time-honoured design. This classic form, which has a traditional square frame with a recessed centre panel, is both adaptable and attractive. For a more classic layout, a shaker kitchen design is the best way to go. If you are unsure of whether to go more modern or classic, a shaker kitchen is a great way to compromise and have a bit of both!

Shakers benefit from their versatility, this style may be used in either a conventional or contemporary home, with added modern extras for a mixed style.

White and grey-hued door fronts are still the most popular choices for shaker kitchens. Cup door pulls, available in metals like brass, provide a warm rustic feel to the kitchen, while more minimalist door and drawer handles are great for a more contemporary take on this traditional style.

Which kitchen appliances are used to finish the kitchen might depend on whether you choose a more conventional or modern shaker kitchen. Gas hobs and free-standing refrigerators freezers are appropriate for a classic kitchen, whilst an electric or induction cooktop and an integrated fridge will maintain a more contemporary feel in modern farmhouse kitchens.

Cosy Cottage Kitchens

Cottage kitchens really pull together all the best elements of rustic farmhouse kitchen design into a single stunning space. With kitchen cupboard doors that feature a classic recessed arch and wood panel detail reminiscent of shiplap, this design oozes traditional home comfort and classic, cosy vibes.

Cottage kitchens work perfectly if you are aiming for a kitchen that is undisputedly farmhouse style, with rustic country aesthetic in every corner of the room.

Warm and natural woodgrain finishes work beautifully in a cottage kitchen, but another extremely popular option is to go for a cream or white painted finish. Paired with classic knob cupboard handles, solid wood worktops, and flagstone flooring, you can create a picture-perfect farmhouse kitchen.

You could also give your country kitchen a slightly modern twist by swapping the solid wood worktop for a natural stone or high gloss alternative. Just like the shaker kitchen, you could also experiment with different handle options and appliances to go for a more contemporary or more classic kitchen aesthetic.

Colour

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to modern farmhouse colours. A great palette idea, though, is one that incorporates white, black, and natural wood tones.

Neutral tones are another aspect of the Farmhouse design that makes it ageless. In terms of design, a neutral backdrop is usually a smart option. This isn't to say that you can't use bright or dark colours and interesting embellishments like:

• Bright colour backsplashes
• Warm metal handles and accessories
• A black chalkboard feature wall

Storage

A nice traditional idea is to store your kitchen items in woven or Wicker baskets. These baskets can store your items and produce while also being a gorgeous classic display item. Another item that can be used for storage is an antique apothecary cabinet, which can be repurposed as a kitchen island with plenty of seating space, workspace, and storage. You could also salvage old barrels to have gorgeous wine storage section in your kitchen – perfect for when guests are over!

Rustic wooden exposed shelves are a lovely addition to crisp white walls; however any colour would be perfect to make warm wooden shelving stand out as a classic feature of any country style kitchen. If you are into baking and cooking, then a baking cupboard is perfect for storing all your necessary ingredients, tins, and equipment for all of your baking needs.

Keep an eye out for any storage-related items you can find at a sale or in a charity shop that you can repurpose to give a new lease of life. Mason jars are a great option to store grains, flour and other dry foods while adding to the country kitchen décor, and reuse old bar stools or barrels in a fun and exciting DIY project to add to your country kitchen décor ideas.

Antique Appliances and Rustic Décor

While the farmhouse style features (apron sinks, rustic wood, open shelving, and so on) will largely remain the same, designers, bloggers, and homeowners are increasingly fusing classic farmhouse elements with edgier accents like brushed black metal finishes, graphically patterned tiles, bright colours, modern light fixtures, and more.

A wood-burning oven, a larder, and maybe a sink would have been included in the original farmhouse kitchen. But don't worry, you don't have to give up contemporary conveniences to enjoy a traditional-style kitchen.

Modern cookers are frequently tucked away in the backdrop of the kitchen, blending in with the decor. The cooker, on the other hand, should be the focal point of the farmhouse kitchen, with a range cooker being the ideal addition.

These stoves come in a number of sizes, with 6-8 hobs and double or triple doors being the best option for this rustic kitchen.

Fridges and freezers are an important aspect of contemporary food storage and should not be overlooked when designing your farmhouse kitchen. A double-door American-style refrigerator freezer is a common alternative, but some people prefer a built-in refrigerator to help disguise the contemporary equipment from the room's overall design.

In 2021 and beyond, it seems that farmhouse kitchens are here to stay. The flexibility of a farmhouse style kitchen is definitely a perk of the design. You no longer have to choose between contemporary and traditional cottage kitchen style anymore, as the added modern or rustic touch here and there can really adapt your home to your unique style.

Make your farmhouse kitchen dreams come true and make it the cosiest room of your house with a Dream Doors cottage kitchen or shaker kitchen. For more information on our kitchen styles, you can visit our website.