Even if you don’t live on a farm, you can enjoy the charm of farmhouse design. Even some of the most urban of dwellers are drawn to this timeless style, which can be traced all the way back to the early settlers. While the farmhouse kitchen’s design has evolved considerably in the past 200 years or so, the modern take still clings to some of its original design inspirations.
The first step in farmhouse kitchen remodel is to determine which parts of your existing kitchen already work with this style and which ones need to change. To find out, let’s look at the key elements of farmhouse kitchen design.
What Defines Farmhouse Style?
Every design style is identified by certain distinctive elements. For farmhouse style, that means lots of wood features and white tones. Don’t expect to see bright, sassy colors or bold patterns. Traditional farmhouse design gives a nod to historic rooms that relied on simplicity, practicality and functionality.
While white is always a good choice for a farmhouse kitchen, there’s no hard and fast rule that says you can’t add other tones. However, to maintain the farmhouse theme, it’s best to lean toward colors that feel more vintage and timeworn. Consider muted shades of blue, green or yellow. Even shades of white are typically toned down and muted compared to the high-gloss whites seen in more contemporary styles.
Unlike sleek modern kitchens where everything matches, farmhouse kitchens get part of their charm from elements that do not match perfectly. A vintage chair, your favorite knickknacks, interesting antiques and rummage sale finds co-exist comfortably with newer elements. The room looks casual and unplanned but is also comfortable and welcoming.
Despite being firmly rooted in the past, the modern version of the farmhouse kitchen can welcome stainless-steel appliances, nickel faucets and other contemporary touches without straying too far from its design theme. When paired with wooden countertops and shaker-style cabinet doors bearing plain wooden knobs, modern components can enhance the farmhouse design aesthetic to create a room that feels like it was assembled over time.
Farmhouse Kitchen Ideas
Since wood plays such an integral role in the farmhouse kitchen, it’s common to see wooden elements including shelves, walls and even the occasional painted wooden floor. One way to immediately tap into the farmhouse feel is to add faux wood beams to the ceiling. Often referred to as “the fifth wall,” ceilings shouldn’t be overlooked when creating your space. Ceiling beams can dress up the room, provide visual interest and give the kitchen a whole new look.
Beams that have an aged, imperfect feel to them will add warmth to the space and contribute to its charm. Whether you’re doing a full kitchen remodel or a partial update to get more of a farmhouse feel, beams are an affordable and attractive addition.
A wide selection of styles, textures and finishes means you can create a rustic look that pairs perfectly with the rest of your farmhouse kitchen design. Wood beams can be particularly impressive on a white ceiling, which many designers say is a key feature of the farmhouse look. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see white or whitewashed wood ceiling panels in a farmhouse kitchen; both of these work nicely with wood ceiling beams.
Whether you want to go with the rustic look of a rough hewn beam, the smooth finish and beautiful grain of a heavy sandblasted faux wood beam, or the more weathered appearance of a rough sawn faux wood beam, you can find one that fits your home’s style and gives your ceiling the farmhouse charm you want.
Complementing Your Ceiling
In addition to creating a great look for your ceiling, faux wood beams can dress up your walls, too. Consider installing a fireplace faux mantel that has the same finish as your beams to create floating shelves for lightweight items in your kitchen.
If you’re interested in extending the wood theme throughout the room, adding wood planks to one wall, or even part of one wall, can help tie the room together. As with faux wood beams, faux wood planks come in a variety of shades and textures to help create the look you want. And when used as an accent wall, they create the ideal farmhouse kitchen component.
Reclaimed faux wood planks can create a vintage, weathered look for your walls, while traditional hewn wood planks with a whitewashed finish can offer a lighter, brighter look that fits perfectly within the farmhouse aesthetic. Although you can choose wood planks that coordinate with the beams you’ve chosen, remember that farmhouse design doesn’t rely on perfect matches, so feel free to combine styles and hues to create your own unique look.
Create the Farmhouse Kitchen That’s Right for You
With so many choices, you might be wondering how to narrow down your options. Our design team can help answer questions, provide input and walk you through the process, and we’re just a phone call away at 800-651-4223. Before committing to your ceiling beams, we recommend that you order samples of your top choices so you can see how they look in your home. (You’ll recoup the cost of your samples when you place an order.)
Even if you’ve never installed faux wood ceiling beams, you’ll be able to get the job done with the right tools and the help of our Beam Installation Page You might be surprised by how easy it is — and how much it transforms the look of your kitchen.