Rustic Home Decor

RUSTIC HOME DECORATION IDEAS

So you want to make your kitchen into something more exciting huh? Well, the best tips that make any kitchen interesting is all in the detail. What’s hot this year? Word has it that rustic kitchens are making a big comeback. Here are some tips that you’ll want to note and what to avoid. There are important rules to stick to, so I’ll cover them as well. Let get started!

Your kitchen décor must look authentic

The very first rule is to stick to a theme. Don’t mix and match found stuff, especially with cabinets! This will make your kitchen look cheesy and unconvincing. Here’s a little story for you to exemplify my point. In the early 1990s, when Las Vegas started to undergo a family-friendly transformation, they hired ex-Disney Imagineers. The result was stunningly impressive but had no clear boundaries in holding a select theme.

This is what made the new Las Vegas overwhelming at sensory perception. In short, too many cooks in the kitchen! With a disgruntled army of ex-Disney artists on-hand with a blank check to do whatever they wanted, it was disastrous. Not only did each hotel have its’ own theme, they each broke that rule several times over. Stick to a theme and embellish the parts that work well. For more inspiration, check this link for an authentic rustic Disney look.

It’s all about color

color ideas for rustic home decoration

Color plays a huge role in rustic design but it’s not supposed to be bright and shiny. Rustic is the gradual aged-down look of cabinets that contain traces of color that have faded over time. It doesn’t mean that your kitchen should look like the Santa Cruz Mystery Spot, nothing like that! Think more along the lines of Pantone colors. If you have no idea, check this link out: https://www.pantone.com/color-finder

  • Natural wood grain

Natural wood is beautiful all by itself but very old wood cabinets have a raised and lowered texture grain. This is because of the different rings you see in the grain all age differently. Every year a new layer is added, thus the wood grain you see all varies in subtle color. You can enhance this by scrubbing-down new wood cabinets with a BBQ grill scrubber. This is a wire brush that helps remove the existing varnish and allows softer layers to be brushed away.

When a texture is satisfactory to you, it can be finished off with a light stain and varnish mixture. This is ¼ wood stain of your choice with wood varnish mixed together. The varnish is supposed to be translucent with a little bit is color showing through. The first layers can be wiped away so deeper layers are progressively darker.

  • Red color and stain

Go to the Pantone color chart and choose two colors of red. The real secret here is to choose any two that are together on a ‘chip’. This is what a Pantone card is called and is either one color higher or lower. Used the darker color mixed into a stain mix that brings-out darker cracks. Then the lighter color can be dry-brushed on top for a refreshing aged look. Your paint must match the stain that’s used, so it should be oil-to-oil-based.

  • Patina green

This is nearly the same as above, but using a patina-green which appeals to you. Once again you need to pick two colors that are side by side to each other.One must be lighter while the other is darker. The closer you get to the color Patina that comes from aged brass or bronze is best. Then finish-off the coloration using the same process as above.

  • Aged blue-grey

This is a classic colonial frontier color that was popular in many country kitchens. It made a crossover into rustic since it fits well into a color scheme like this. The secret is to allow the blue to remain visible in the cracks and darker edges of your cabinets. The grey day brushing is to add the aged down effect. The blue should be soft like a baby blue but grey can be any choice you like.

Wood beams add depth

Wood beams add depth for kitchen

Make a search for any rustic kitchen and you’ll see plenty of wood beams. Don’t make the mistake of using fake polyurethane foam wood beams since they never look real. Here is a great example that you can do better than what these guys did. https://www.myvintageporch.com/diy-faux-wood-beams/

In a nutshell, it’s three pieces of cheap pine wood that are glued together to create a channel shape. These can be aged down by sanding, using a BBQ grill wire scrubber, and anything that gives it a natural one-piece appearance. Fill in any connecting gaps with tinted wood putty. Using various sizes helps create more depth, especially if you have a tall kitchen ceiling. Using the natural wood grain coloring techniques mentioned earlier helps give the beam realism.

The classic stone wall

kitchen classic stone wall ideas

Rustic kitchens need stonework to pull-off the final look of a log cabin-like kitchen feeling. You can buy ready-made ceramic stones that are glued to your wall for this. Natural brick or rounded stones are good they should appear to have a purpose. Here’s why-

  • The arched oven top

Take a look at lots of old-style rustic brick ovens and you’ll see the same kind of pattern. There’s always a supporting beam above the top that’s arched. This is how brickwork can support the weight over an oven or cooking area. Some kitchens also incorporate a tile backsplash behind the back of the arch. But this is optional depending on your taste. These stone slabs or bricks come in a kit that uses a special grout adhesive that helps them stick better.

  • An open doorway

Doorways are nice transitional decorations that help complete the illusion from one room to another. If you decide to have a doorway covered with brickwork or stonework, you need to be extra careful around the edges so that the joining areas look natural. This is one task where you may need to strip-down the door frame to the baseboards. If there are gaps you’ll need to add smaller broken pieces to fill them in.

  • Make a stone map

What works best is to draw on the wall or arched support is to have stones or brick-shaped drawn first. This can help you map out where the main bricks or stones are going. If your pieces match-up, you’ll be doing fine. Just know the size you have before you start drawing. You can always break up larger pieces into smaller ones to fill in odd-shaped gaps. The rest is finished off with filler grout and stains.

Kitchen Cabinetry Tips for a Farmhouse Kitchen

Kitchen Cabinetry Tips for a Farmhouse Kitchen

Kitchen cabinets are the first things that visitors will see in your kitchen. You can go with a rustic flair, modern minimalist, vintage, distressed wood style or the classic black or white cabinetry.

talking in kitchen

Options are widely varied. That’s why it is important to get the look and feel you are envisioning into reality. Research and create mood boards that will help you in redesign a lot easier and simpler.

Farmhouse living is very different from city living. That’s why to meet the traditional activities of farmhouse living, this décor style was intended for expansive families. Community engagement with a feeling of inviting neighborliness gives a high measure of comfort. The kitchen cabinet becomes one of the key features of the genuine farmhouse style– straightforward, useful and pragmatic.

Characteristics of the Farmhouse Kitchen cabinet

1. Laid back and cozy feel

Generally, farmhouse kitchen style is characterized as having a feeling of comfort and solace. This feeling takes us back to a time of wholesome family dinners and rural day to day living. Farmhouse style is easygoing and less formal compared to country style.

Image from Shorpy.com

2. Modest design

Farmhouse style kitchen cabinets have a simple and straightforward design. This style is portrayed by a basic and direct outline.

open kitchen area

Not at all like country kitchen cabinets, which are overwhelming with details and ornamentation, farmhouse style kitchen cabinets have simple lines which are complemented with plain trims and framing.

3. Ingenuous materials

The farmhouse style kitchen models itself from nature and targets to adapt the outdoors by using natural or ingenuous materials like hardwood.

4. Homely and rustic appeal

Farmhouse kitchen cabinets gives off a rustic appeal. Rustic vibe reminds us of provincial and rural living. Furthermore, rustic aesthetics give off rough finishes and unpolished materials which richly embodies this style.

rustic sink

5. Reclaimed wood and vintage touches

Reclaimed wood is commonly utilized to accentuate farmhouse style kitchen cabinets.

6. Textured finish

The main identifier common to farmhouse style kitchens are unpolished and textured materials. The aesthetic of unpolished and rough material is common to raw materials.

types of cabinets
Image from Home123.com

The combination of textured and polished materials in farmhouse kitchen gives off that depth and homely vibe. This mix of textures can be achieved by incorporating glass inserts, reclaimed wood accents and trims.

7. White and light hues

The most common colors of farmhouse style kitchen cupboards are breezy and brilliant. This makes white and light tones as the primary choice for farmhouse style kitchen.

8. Popular styles

Many aspects of farmhouse cabinetry will include popular styles that will be appealing to homeowners. There are many styles that you can choose from but the ones that have more impact on farmhouse cabinet style will be specific by design. Here are great styles you might want to check out.

Wood

The principal material for farmhouse style cabinets are natural solid wood. Current kitchen cabinets make use of synthetics such as laminates and thermofoil. Farmhouse style cabinets plentifully utilize  wood throughout its layout. This is in light of the fact that the farmhouse kitchen style is inclined towards a laid back cozy aura mixing in the fresh outdoors through the natural wood.

Quality hardwood, for example, cherry, maple, and oak are the most popular options for farmhouse kitchen cabinets. In general, cherry is for the craftsman kitchen and oak is equivalent to country style kitchen, while pine is most loved for farmhouse kitchen.

Pine is a type of softwood that has characteristic light yellow shading. In contrast with hardwood, pine easily dents. In most cases, to fortify its strength and quality, it is subjected to pressure treatment. Common types of pine utilized for farmhouse kitchen cabinets are Eastern white pine and Western white pine. Its unique knotty aesthetic makes it ideal for that provincial vibe and a popular easy choice for designers. Pine has a natural yellowish tinge to its wood. Some treat it with wood stains to effect a different tone. A great characteristic of Pine is that it takes on finishes quite well.

Techniques

1. Re-purposing

This technique gives life to otherwise old and worn materials. The time worn look of the material boosts the rugged appeal of the farmhouse kitchen. Re-purposing makes use of reclaimed wood or distressed wood which are salvaged pieces of lumber. These are used to create new pieces of furniture, cabinets and embellishments. Reclaimed wood can be used in a farmhouse style kitchen setting in so many ways. Whether for cabinet doors or for open shelving units, distressed wood provides for a more rustic appeal. It can also be used

2. Paint

For farmhouse style kitchen, paint is basic, plain and smooth. The goal is for a more straightforward, easygoing and casual aesthetic. This works complementary to rural styles and rough textures. Farmhouse kitchen style does not associate itself with fancy and ornate designs and finish of the country style. A more desired effect is the distressed vibe which creates a weathered, authentic look that goes well with vintage decor.

3. Unfinished or Raw texture

A popular finish for the farmhouse kitchen fixtures is the raw, unpolished look. This is often used to effect a rugged vibe inherent in most farmhouse kitchen styles. MOst woods used for farmhouse projects look wonderful and tasteful in unpolished finish with clear coating that highlights its natural wood grains.

4. Staining

A technique called staining enhances the beautiful natural grains of wood. It is a great finishing option to use for farmhouse style cabinets. Medium to Dim stains are perfect to give wood a whole new feel and texture.

Most common styles of farmhouse kitchen cabinets

1. Shaker cabinet doors

best Shaker cabinet doors

Shaker-style doors are unique since they are often 5 pieces of wood that are immediately iconic looking. Four pieces form a frame with an inset piece that creates the center. The centerpiece is often recessed and is set back further so just the frame immediately stands-out. The wooden surfaces can be natural or painted with handles that are added for an antique look.

2. Beadboard cabinet doors

best Beadboard cabinet doors

Beadboard is a distinct type of wood that has grooved lines that are cut into the surface. They run vertically along with each piece with 1-inch or 2-inch spacing between each groove. It’s a classic look that farmhouse kitchens are known for. The frame of this cabinet door is also four pieces with the beadboard set into each frame. Cabinets of this style look better with knobs handles rather than looped handles.

3. Chicken wire cabinet doors

best Chicken wire cabinet doors

What kitchen doesn’t have more of a farmhouse look than to add chicken wire inset into the cabinet door frames? This is an addition that does need to be added if you are having your kitchen cabinets redone or refurbished. Real chicken wire is then cut to size and added to the center of each cabinet frame. It can be sandwiched between two layers of glass or attached to a backboard frame.

4. Glass cabinet doors

best Glass cabinet doors

Glass cabinet frame doors are classy but old-fashioned since they are also related to French-colonial kitchen designs. These frames often include decorative glass, etched glass, frosted glass, or individual framed glass sections within a frame. More often than not, glass frames are clear so they offer a view into the cabinet itself. Classier cabinets will include etched glass or beveled edges.

5. Rustic

rustic sink

6. Vintage

best vintage cabinet doors

7. Modern

best modern cabinet doors

8. Grayscale and White Cabinets with Black Accents

best Grayscale and White Cabinets with Black Accents

Trending farmhouse cabinetry

Some people might say that farmhouse kitchens are on their way out. But the good news is that some new trends are making this style a bit more exciting. Here are three hot trends that are making country kitchens a bit modern while sticking with farmhouse-style tradition.

1. Contemporary shaker cabinets

The new example of shaker cabinets will include a lovely satin-gloss or high gloss to their smooth surfaces. These not only make your kitchen hold onto the farmhouse feel but it gives a direct contemporary feel. Even the knobs and handles can be updated for something a bit more modern. This is a great refreshing update if you want to give your kitchen a fresh new look, without losing the farmhouse feel.

2. Black and white cabinets

Farmhouse cabinets that are boring-looking can get a fresh updated look with a combination of black and white. This works especially well if you use a high gloss finish that is long-lasting Items in your kitchen that may include islands, hanging kitchen cabinets, and countertop cabinets that can have a combination of black and white spaced throughout. It’s better to choose a paint that is enamel or oil paint.

3. Rustic is still hot

While overhead wood beams are always an iconic visual touch used for country-style farmhouse kitchens, cabinet doors are included too. They can be just as gnarly for texture but should be sealed to prevent splinters or slivers. Wood cabinet frames can be refinished by stripping paint and then using s wire brush along the wood grain. The best wire brush to use is often a BBQ grill cleaning brush. It will scratch away at the wood revealing wood grain.

After this, you brush the wood until you have the right texture. These cabinets should be blown-off and then sealed using a matt lacquer that will soak into the wood. The wood can be stained further to bring out the wood grain detail by adding stain into the deeper parts of the grain. After two coats these cabinet doors will be sealed enough to last for several years. Handles and knobs can be returned to the original spot where they were drilled.