French Country Kitchen And Tuscan Kitchen Ideas
A French Country Kitchen embodies warmth, fine art, wonderful wine, delectable food, beautiful beaches, and rustic countryside vistas are all affectionately associated with Tuscany Italy. Why not bring fFrench style charm to your own home? You can make a few changes that will make a big difference in your kitchen decorating theme, but not necessarily your budget.
A true Tuscan kitchen has roughly plastered walls. It's easy enough to add texture to your kitchen walls using joint compound mixed with your choice of paint color. The technique is called pouncing and will create a beautifully rustic appearance on your walls that will remind you of Tuscan country kitchen. Sponge painting can also give you a bit of a textured appearance if the pouncing technique seems like too much for you.
There are several color schemes that come to mind when Old World or Tuscan decorating is mentioned. Earthy brown or tan, rich gold, deep red, burnt orange, deep olive green, sage, or a deep ocean blue are colors commonly seen in Tuscan kitchen decorating palettes.
Flooring in your Tuscan kitchen decorating scheme could be from slate, terracotta, wooden floorboards, marble, granite, or even limestone. More than likely, wooden floorboards would be the most cost-effective, but always keep your eyes open for materials that could be used to mimic a Tuscan floor for less.
The furniture in a French Country kitchens and a Tuscan kitchen is sturdy and simplistic, and sports a weathered appearance. Families like to gather for delicious homemade pasta and wine, so a large wood table with comfortable wood chairs fits perfectly into a Tuscan eat-in kitchen. You know what we're going to say - keep your eyes open at garage sales and flea markets for just the right piece for your home. You can stain it or paint it yourself.
More Tuscan Kitchen and French Style Ideas
- Hang copper pots from wrought iron pot racks suspended from the ceiling, this goes great with a French Country kitchens.
- Insert chicken wire or fabric into your cupboard doors for a truly authentic Tuscan appeal.
- Antique or distress your cupboards or furniture with crackle glaze
- Display and use terracotta and brightly colored pottery on countertops, above the refrigerator, on an open shelf, or above your cupboards.
- Use ceramic knobs on your new kitchen cupboards
- Window treatments should be light and airy. Begin with sheers and add hanging olive branches or bunches of grapes at the top and sides or sew window fashions from fabric with a Mediterranean or Old World theme.
- Add mosaic or painted tiles as decorative accents or in the way of functional backsplashes behind the kitchen sink or the cooking range. Or, break up flea market and thrift store finds to create a unique mosaic on the countertops or breakfast bar stools.
- Make your own flavored oils and display them in beautiful glass decanters.
- Green plants are always welcome in a Tuscan country kitchen.
- Display pasta, beans, and other dried goods in glass or copper containers with lids.
- A Tuscan kitchen wouldn't be complete without a built-in or freestanding wine rack. Consider purchasing one at a flea market or custom build one to fit your particular space.
- Stencils can lend a Tuscan feel when added to plain or painted wooden furniture.
- Wood containers, pottery, and stone containers are all great accents in a French country design.
Just as with any room of your home, personalize your Tuscan style and French Country Kitchen with wall art, photos, or three-dimensional items that make it truly home.
Return to Top of French Country Kitchens
