Old World Kitchens – Step back in time with custom cabinets
What is an Old World Kitchen? The answer is not cut and dry – because Old World by definition actually encompasses a variety of designs and time periods, including but not limited to Tuscan, Mediterranean, medieval, castle, French Chateau, Italian Villa and Normandy or Dutch cottage.
Therefore, if you want to take your kitchen “Old World”, this look can be accomplished by combining any of the above themes in a way that appeals to you.
Start with custom cabinets, the focal point of any kitchen, and carry your theme out with the following tips:
- Old World kitchens are often identified by a key ingredient – a large wood burning hearth, stove or a cooking grotto. If customs cabinets are the backbone, think of the hearth as the heart of the kitchen. Begin with rustic cabinets and a unique cooking area and build out a strong theme from there with your decor.
- Cabinets that are paint distressed for a well-used, aged look or timeless cherry or maple cabinets with dark finishes and physical distressing will give instant heritage to your Old World Kitchen. Strong Craftsmanship is signature Old World, so invest in quality materials and artisanship.
- Emphasize flooring and accent areas with natural materials for a European feel - stone floors, mosaic tiles, brick backsplashes or plaster walls and pewter or copper accents.
- Unusual angles and little niches give kitchens a quirky Old World charm – brick arches above the cooking area or entry way, columns, capitals, pediments, raised panels, beaded edges, prominent moldings and recessed panels are a few examples for giving Old World depth to your space.
- If you don’t already have one, and have the room for it, consider an island – it has the practical, modern convenience of giving you more counter and storage space but also evokes the look of an Old World worktable where bakers once crafted homemade breads and pastries.
- Natural light is characteristic of an Old World Kitchen – it’s what family cooks relied upon to light their way and for added warmth, but it’s also what would have given the kitchen the aged look so intrinsic to what we now think of as Old World style– i.e., faded paint, brick and cabinets. Wide windows framed with stone, wood and natural colors will serve a dual purpose of allowing natural light to stream in while lending powerful authenticity to your kitchen. (Note, oval windows or many clusters of small, rectangular windows will lend a medieval look.)
- Go dark with the cabinetry and furnishings but lighten up the room on the ceiling, walls and floor. Paint applied with textured techniques will add character and depth without blending out the bold face of your cabinets or other dark focal points. Don’t be afraid of light organic colors on the walls, especially those that create an aging effect or look like natural elements, such as a soft pewter-color paint to call to mind stone or a light rust or brown to hearken the look of brick.
- You can achieve Old World structurally (picture thick wooden beams exposed from high ceilings) or through your décor with finishing touches (picture and iron forged brackets, cabinet handles and baker’s racks and wrought iron chandeliers or other metal fixtures).
The main take away you should have with all of the above recommendations is that you can do all or any of these things and still achieve an Old World look. This design is a mishmash of style and theme – and it’s not necessary to get it perfect.
You don’t need to substitute style for modern convenience either by eliminating countertop appliances or cooking over a wood burning stove. Simply take the theme forward with a few main elements, like custom cabinets and maybe a fireplace or stone feature and build out from there with fixtures and accessories that give you just the right measure of “Rustic Old World” feel!
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