Guide to Creating an Old World Kitchen

By Jackie Dishner

Natural stone or tile floors work well in an Old World kitchen, but you won’t go wrong if you decide on wood. Planks of walnut, mahogany and dark cherry make good choices here.

Dress the space in ornamental cabinetry, applied molding, heavy-duty cornice molding, freestanding armoires, china cabinets and buffets.

Remove wood panels on the cabinetry and replace them with wrought iron. Add wrought iron as window dressing as well.

Go dark with the cabinetry and furnishings, but lighten up the room and bring in that daylight theme on the ceiling, wall space and floor. If you’re worried the room may seem too dark with all that wood an Old World kitchen requires, you can go light on the granite countertops, too.

Then punch the room up with color by storing big glass bowls, pottery and pictures on thick wooden shelves.