Traditional Kitchen Ideas: 7 Charming, Classic Design Elements
Traditionally, the kitchen has always been the heart of the home. A welcoming place for family and friends to gather in, encompassed in the delicious smell of a home-cooked meal. The traditional kitchen design embraces the warm, charming elements that are often missing from ultra-modern kitchen designs today.
If you’re looking to remodel your kitchen, or are starting on a custom home building journey. Why not draw inspiration from these seven traditional kitchen ideas?
What Makes a Traditional Kitchen?
Traditional kitchen remodeling ideas often start with feelings and associations, rather than concrete objects. You might think of terms like “warm”, “inviting”, and “natural” to describe the space. Identifying how you want your kitchen to feel is a great way to start your kitchen design or remodel.
Traditional kitchens usually incorporate plenty of warm and natural materials. Think of wooden cabinetry, soft, muted colors, and tarnished copper detailing. These kitchens often include period pieces like range ovens or a beautiful ornate faucet.
Perhaps one of the most important features of these kitchens is the unique personality that is integrated into each design. Your kitchen should reflect your way of living, whether that’s by featuring a giant central island for your family to gather around, beautiful detailing that transports you back in time, or a sizable range oven for all of your creative cooking endeavors.
Once you have an idea of what kind of vibe you want your kitchen to give off, you can start getting into the details. Your traditional kitchen remodel is sure to benefit from these seven charming, classic design elements.
Traditional Cooking Space Design Ideas
1. Draw Inspiration from the Past
It’s no surprise that a traditional kitchen is inspired by the aesthetics and style trends of the past. The important twist on these traditional elements is that they are designed to function just as well as their modern counterparts do.
Back in the day, the kitchen was used solely as a food preparation room. It rarely boasted extravagant designs and decorations, in fact, aesthetics were rarely even a factor that went into designing the kitchen. Instead, the traditional kitchen was built to best serve its purpose. That meant functionality was the top priority.
This doesn’t mean you have to ignore aesthetics when it comes to designing a traditional kitchen. It simply gives you the chance to combine functionality with stunning visuals and historic elements to transform your kitchen into a traditional atmosphere featuring modern design solutions.
When clients want to draw inspiration from the past for their kitchen remodel, we recommend practical elements like hanging storage or open shelving. These not only add a lovely charm to the space, but they are also highly functional.
Exposed cookware can also do wonders for bringing back a traditional feel to the kitchen, as long as they are curated with expert care and craftsmanship.
2. Turn Your Attention to the Details
When it comes to traditional kitchens, the small details make or break the entire design. In particular, color schemes, cabinet fronts, and hardware details are important.
Typically, traditional kitchens will feature a light and bright color scheme, including lots of white, beige, and gray. A pop of color in the form of a painted island or patterned backsplash can do wonders to bring the entire space to life.
Not only are backsplashes functional, but they can also be decorative elements in your kitchen. For a traditional kitchen remodel, why not try an exposed brick wall backsplash or a herringbone tile design? You’ll find even more ideas on getting creative with your backsplashes here. Beautifully polished nickel is an excellent choice for hardware and works well with most color schemes. Nickel has a very traditional look, but when paired with modern appliances and design choices, creates a stunning and timeless finish.
3. Go Natural
The appeal of the traditional kitchen lies in its warm and cozy character, making anyone entering the space feel instantly at home. A harmonious combination of functionality, expert craftsmanship, and traditional design choices are what bring these feelings to life.
The use of natural materials and color pallets cannot be overlooked when going for a traditional kitchen look. Traditional kitchen remodels often feature wood countertops, stone flooring, and warm, natural color schemes. Stay away from overbearing or trendy colors, and go for toned-down, classic palettes instead.
4. Add an Island
Islands were originally used to add working space for the cooks and servants working in manors and wealthy households. Today, islands can serve many different purposes, based on the needs of your household.
Traditionally used as a hub to knead large batches of bread dough or chop vegetables for the evening’s soup, kitchen islands today more often serve as a hub for family gatherings and quick snack breaks.
A kitchen island is a perfect spot to gather around with family and friends, do your homework with your kids, or sip wine with your partner while your pot roast cooks.
What’s great about islands is that their functionality is constantly changing based on your given needs. They are not just a great way to add a traditional touch to your kitchen but are a highly functional design element too.
5. Bring in the Rustic Furniture
There’s nothing that screams traditional kitchen more than a collection of well-maintained, rustic furniture pieces. Whether that’s a sturdy oak wood table or a set of woven twig storage baskets, rustic furniture, when done right, can add a charming twist to your kitchen.
Painting your kitchen cabinets can be another great way to add personality to the kitchen space. This could even be a fun DIY project over a weekend. However, we only recommend painting your cabinets if they are in good condition. Otherwise, investing in new ones will likely serve you better down the line.
6. Color Block Your Island
Color blocking involves painting certain sections of cabinetry in different, contrasting colors. It’s a trendy design choice right now, but if done correctly, can add a significant traditional flair to your kitchen. Color blocking is an easy method for adding depth to the kitchen, and making the entire space a little more exciting.
Since your island is a major focal point in your kitchen, painting it in a different color to the rest of your kitchen cabinetry can instantly elevate the space.
We recommend warm, matt hues like berry, mint, or ocean blue. Of course, the color you choose will depend on the color palette of your entire kitchen. We recommend using a color wheel to decide which shades and combinations will look the best.
7. Have Fun with Wallpaper
Instantly make your kitchen feel more traditional with some luxurious wallpaper. Playful prints can add charm to the entire space, while calming shades such as taupe, off-white, or blush create a light atmosphere that won’t overpower the area.
Not only is wallpaper an easy and effective way to change up your kitchen, but it’s the ideal option if you want to try out a new style without the commitment of re-doing the entire space.
Final Thoughts
Traditional kitchen designs never go out of style. On the contrary, these charming and classic elements can elevate your kitchen into a beautiful haven for the entire family to enjoy. Whether you’re choosing to add an island, getting creative with color blocking, or looking to bring in some rustic furniture to take you back in time, draw inspiration from these traditional kitchen ideas for your next home remodel.
If you would like to get started on a kitchen remodel, or get personal advice for your plans, reach out to one of our hom builders at WA Construct. We are here to answer any questions and work with you in building the home of your dreams.
