#How to Buy Country Kitchen Furniture

How to Buy Country Kitchen Furniture

The country look is an excellent way to provide a homey, distinctive decorative aspect to the home. The kitchen is usually the place where most families congregate, and using country kitchen furniture as the kitchen decor can make the room even more welcoming and friendly. By learning about the different styles of country kitchen furniture. buyers can make an informed decision on the decorative pieces needed to fit their personal space.

The Many Faces of Country Furniture

A country kitchen can be as simple or as ornate as desired, depending on the style chosen. The options provided by the different country styles offer the decorator plenty of flexibility and imagination in their design scheme. For those who are decorating novices, information on how best to find great country pieces for the kitchen is available in books or magazines.

American Colonial

This is undoubtedly the best known of country kitchen decorating styles. Drawing strongly from the colonial past, cabinets, tables, and chairs display a spare, clean look. The Shaker influence is present in American colonial furnishings, and there are few frills or embellishments. The finishes or patinas on the furniture display either real or acquired age, with worn spots and distressing adding to the look. American colonial country furniture also includes the American primitive look.

English Country

The English country style definitely makes a cozier and more intimate kitchen than the American colonial. The buyer can expect to find well-padded chairs and a carryover from the garden as a decorating theme. An English country kitchen is friendly, welcoming, and informal. Lighter colors are found here than in the American colonial kitchen. English country is also slightly more feminine in approach than is American colonial.

French Provincial

This style has its roots in the decorating that the agricultural and artisan classes developed during the 17th and 18thcenturies in France. French provincial is a slightly more formal country style, but still relaxed and comfortable. The use of bright colors and white for contrast give French country kitchens a cheerful and welcoming look. Cane chairs are often a feature of this style and augment the appearance of the kitchen table.

Cottage

The colors of the garden are a predominant feature of the cottage style. Unlike French provincial, however, the surfaces of the furniture, cabinets, and even counters are distressed to simulate an appearance of age. Cottage country furniture for the kitchen utilizes iron and wicker to add its distinctive appearance.

Creating an Authentic Country Look

After the buyer decides on a particular style, it is necessary to decide whether the pieces chosen will be antiques, vintage, reproductions, or a combination of the three. In general, antiques cost more than vintage pieces or reproductions simply because of their scarcity and age.