The Surprising Thing About Classic Style Kitchens
Classic style kitchens don’t have surprises – that is the point! …or is it?
Before we get to the surprises, let’s look deeper into classic style kitchens to make sure we are on the same page.
Classic kitchens are designed to never go out of style. Classic colours, profiles, decoration and materials are combined to give a look that is timeless.
Island benches are a wonderful way to do this because they provide a partition between workspace and communal space without creating a barrier to conversation. Kitchen work can happen safely without tripping on your company or your children and they won’t feel like they are in your way or stopping you from getting dinner ready.
Drawers or Cupboards?
Two-tone colour provides depth and interest. Flat panel doors offer a simple profile that is not as squared off as the shaker profile.
In the last ten years or so, drawers have become highly desirable in kitchens. They allow more ergonomic access to items that might otherwise be lost at the back of cupboards. A greater amount of storage space is accessed with drawers compared to shelving in the same cabinet. Everyone’s a winner!
Although drawers are a relatively new trend, they have found a firm position in the classic style kitchen because of the accessibility they provide.
Door Profiles and Display Cabinets
Two-tone colour provides depth and interest. Flat panel doors offer a simple profile that is not as squared off as the shaker profile.
Colour
There is one kitchen colour that has never gone out of style. That is white. It may be seen as a boring choice, but the reason it is so popular is due to the clean, fresh feeling and splashes of colour that may be easily added with vases of cheery flowers, large bench-top appliances or other functional ornaments.
Just because white is the most popular choice, doesn’t mean it must be your choice. Colour can work well in a classic style kitchen. It adds warmth and depth where white can seem stark and clinical.
A captivating timber screen takes this kitchen into the modern realm. Drawers provide better, more easily accessible storage space than cupboards. An overhead display cabinet shows of elegant glassware.
Kitchen Plan or Layout
Island benches are a must. Whether your kitchen is L shaped or galley style, including an island allows for greater interaction between people working in the kitchen and the people who are there just for the conversation. The kitchen is the heart of the home and it is important to take into account the fact that it is a congregational point.
A captivating timber screen takes this kitchen into the modern realm. Drawers provide better, more easily accessible storage space than cupboards. An overhead display cabinet shows of elegant glassware.
Shaker style doors offer a low-key profile without being completely flat and minimalist. This door profile has become popular in other styles of kitchens more recently with some country kitchens taking a less decorative road (for instance the pared-back Hamptons style) and industrial kitchens tipping their hat to the simple built-to-work-built-to-last philosophy of the movement.
Other door profiles that are popular in classic style kitchens are a flat panel, which features slightly more decoration to the frame and the country style V groove which adds the V groove decoration to the centre panel.
Shaker door profiles and a black and white colour scheme keep this kitchen classic with industrial elements.
Display cabinets have found their way into the classic style kitchen. The selected door profile may be produced with a glass insert instead of the solid insert. Consider tucking display cabinets in a portion of the ‘non-working’ side of an island bench or dispersing them in your series of overhead cabinets.
Benches
Natural or engineered stone are popular choices for classic and classy kitchen benches. What colour, you ask? YouShaker door profiles and a black and white colour scheme keep this kitchen classic with industrial elements.
guessed it, white…or very very light grey.
Flooring
Timber floors are always on trend, always easy to clean and care for. Dark, light and medium tones all work well against white cabinetry and each offers a unique look. Continue the current timber flooring in your home through to your classic style kitchen for a unified effect.
The Surprise
The surprise is that classic style kitchens can be styled with accessories and colour pops to fit with other popular kitchen styles! So whether you are looking for a kitchen that’s more of a chameleon or you are looking for a safe style to help your house sell, it is hard to go wrong with a classic kitchen.
Tips for getting that styling right:
A truly inspiring transformation of a classic kitchen into an industrial showpiece. Black windows, a barn door themed pantry door, metallic overhead lighting and industrial style stools make this classic kitchen exude industrial weight.
For an industrial style kitchen, add:
Raw concrete accessories such as light fittings, pots and storage jars
Industrial style chairs or stools
Cast iron accessories such as an old set of scales or antique coffee grinder
Distressed metallic elements such as light fittings, pots or vases
A black board
Some distressed timber elements such as stools, storage box or chopping board
Click here for more industrial style kitchen ideas
For a country style kitchen, add:
Rustic elements such as enamelled bake ware or ornaments to display
Livestock themed ornaments
Rustic turned timber or pottery items such as candlesticks or serving ware
Timber chopping boards
A large, rustic clock
Cheery tea-towels
Hammered metal elements such as light fittings, vases or serving ware
A clay pot full of rustic looking utensils
Ready to begin the design coversation? Call one of our helpful showroom consultants now on (03) 9755-4888 or fill in our online enquiry form.
This classic kitchen gets a country twist with minimalist corbels and a false chimney breast. Dark timber flooring gives warmth and adds contrast to spice it up a little.
