French Country Kitchens

French Country Kitchens - Color Choices

Color plays the largest role in creating your French Country kitchen design. Color schemes are typically naturally hued, due to the materials that were used at the time the style developed. Walls and ceilings are usually white stucco, and are occasionally painted with neutral colors such as butter or mustard yellow. Any exposed posts or beams are finished with a dark stain or oil that enhances the natural color of the wood.

Building Materials

Material choices for French Country kitchens should look natural and “lived in” as well.

Wood

Exposed beams and posts were used to frame the kitchen space. These wood pieces should look well weathered and worn. Use axes or knives to create gouge marks, lightly burn the wood, or scratch it with sandpaper to create this ‘distressed’ look. Apply a dark stain to these blemishes and use a contrasting stain on the remaining surfaces of the wood to achieve the ‘lived in’ effect.

Walls

Wall and ceilings are typically made with stucco. You can create a patterned or a flat application to these surfaces, depending on your personal preferences.

Floors

Use terra cotta tiles, brick, or stone for the flooring of your French Country kitchen to create a contrasting color scheme between your floors and walls.

Hearths

The hearth of a French Country kitchen were usually located on one of the walls and used for a storage space as well as a functional fireplace stove and oven. You can employ this element by using brick or stone materials. A hearth will add to the character of your kitchen

Furniture and Fabrics

The most commonly found furniture in a French Country kitchen were unadorned, farmhouse-style tables. They were usually surrounded by an assortment of rush-bottomed, ladderback chairs, which did not necessarily match one another. This assortment of styles gives your kitchen a unique and comfortable feel. The kitchen table acts as an area to gather for meals, but also as a space to socialize with family and friends.

Lighting

Typically French Country kitchen were constructed to provide an abundance of natural light in the morning and evening. Plain, striped, or simple patterns were used in the window dressing prints.

Wrought iron chandeliers or candleholders provided nighttime lighting. When deciding on the lighting for your French Country kitchen, you should focus on creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Dimmers and soft lighting effects can achieve this look.

Storage

French Country kitchens were typically small, making storage a creative and essential task. Wrought iron shelves were used, either as freestanding or hanging storage space. You can use wrought iron shelves to store pots, pans, and utensils in your kitchen.

Any wooden cupboards or cabinets that you plan to use in your kitchen should reflect the same distressed look as any exposed posts or beams. You can use the same techniques to create this effect.

Accents and Accessories

You can achieve an age-old elegance and practicality of a French Country kitchen through the use of accessories. A few examples are listed below:

Terra Cotta storage containers

Copper pots and pans

Hardwood or iron cooking utensils

Wrought iron holders for plants, placemats, napkins and utensils

Ceramic decorative pieces

In summary, you can achieve the look and feel of a French Country kitchen through the use of natural color schemes, natural materials, and rustic and simple furniture and accessory choices. Add your own personal touch to get the exact look that you desire in your new kitchen space, and most importantly, invite family and friends to enjoy it with you.