Rustic Kitchen Cabinets
Thomas Oppelt
Rustic kitchen designs embody the country lifestyle with large cabinets, warm colors and lots of wood with interesting character. If you hope to create a country kitchen, start by choosing rustic kitchen cabinets to anchor your look.
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While rustic or country kitchens fall under the traditional kitchen design category, they are unique in that they give off a casual, inviting feel. While many traditional kitchens are made to be admired, rustic kitchens are made to be used. Cabinetry is usually made with durable lasting materials such as wood, with pine and oak often being featured.
Pine is a popular wood choice as it displays the visible knots and wood graining that rustic cabinets are known for. Pine is also readily available and budget friendly. The only con to using pine is that it is a fairly soft wood and can dent and scratch easily. Cherry, oak, maple and hickory are also popular wood choices for rustic kitchen cabinets. They come in a wider range of colors and costs but are more durable than pine, so they may hold up better in a well-used rustic-style kitchen.
Color is an important characteristic of a rustic country kitchen. Rustic kitchen colors tend to be warm and natural, featuring hues that accentuate the wood cabinets chosen for the room. Rather than using glossy stain finishes, rustic cabinets may be left rugged or matte to accentuate the authentic feel of the wood used. Wide-planked wood floors, ceramic sinks and hammered copper are additional features found in rustic kitchens that flow nicely with the natural wood feel of the cabinets. Soapstone, honed granite and butcher block countertops also combine well with rustic wood cabinets to bring that homey feel to a country kitchen.
In order to complete the look of a rustic kitchen, antique metals can be used as hardware to adorn your cabinets. Rather than sleek stainless steel or silver hardware, rubbed brass, wrought iron, distressed gold or bronze pulls and knobs can be used to give the warm and cozy look of your perfect rustic kitchen.
