What image comes to mind when you hear the term traditional farmhouse kitchen?
The rustic look with exposed natural wood, warm and inviting, unpretentious in feel, range cooker, open shelves and butler sinks? Or maybe the more classic look for easy living, with shaker style doors in soft colour palettes and a kitchen island at the heart?
We are often asked by our clients to create bespoke traditional farmhouse style kitchens for them. The reality is there isn’t one traditional farmhouse style look but rather a combination of factors that all add up to a farmhouse style kitchen.
What many of our clients are looking for is a classic kitchen – one that is built to last, works with the features of their house and is warm and welcoming in feel. Something we specialise in here at Dowers Bespoke Kitchens.
Farmhouse kitchens can be rustic or classic – it’s often the finishing touches that make it farmhouse in feel. And you don’t need to live in a rural country farmhouse to have a farmhouse kitchen. You can find many of our farmhouse style kitchens in town centre houses as well as countryside settings.
When we plan a bespoke farmhouse kitchen with our clients, we agree on each feature of the kitchen to achieve just the look our clients want. Here are some of the main considerations:
Features of a traditional farmhouse kitchen
Bare wood cabinets
Wood is the classic choice of material for the finish; natural, rustic and traditional. Our farmhouse kitchens are usually made out of pine or oak, depending on budget and the finished look our clients want to achieve. The wood tones create a warm feeling and wood finishes can be rubbed back and reoiled when they need it, keeping them in top condition for the long term. We have seen a trend for rustic style wooden kitchens where the wood is untreated and ones that bring out every nuance of the wood, letting the natural grain be the real hero. We’re soon to embark on a kitchen build using an English oak tree from our client’s garden – more on that in a later blog.
Soft tone shaker style cabinets
A classic Shaker kitchen is perfect for an unpretentious farmhouse look. Pale blues, greens and yellows pastels will make the room feel brighter and lighter, while the kitchen cabinetry can be easily repainted when it becomes knocked.
Traditional building methods
Our wooden kitchens are designed and constructed around traditional building methods such as ledge and brace doors with “T” hinges and tongue and groove panelling.
Open shelving
Echoing the style of a classic country dresser, open shelving is the perfect way to showcase collections of china for the nostalgic effect, or it can be a great way to store and display equipment and utensils, including crockery or jars of spices and ingredients. Or you may choose to have a kitchen dresser built instead – something we are happy to accommodate and have done for many clients over the years.
Traditional plate rack
A traditional plate rack not only gives easy access and storage for the plates, but it also really looks the part.
Creative storage
A farmhouse kitchen is designed with socialising in mind, providing the space needed to create fabulous foods whilst entertaining and mingling with friends and family. It should be full of ingredients and equipment to create a wide variety of meals. The best farmhouse designs are all about making the most of what lives in your kitchen, whether that’s storing it away in a cleverly-designed drawer, or putting it on display on the walls. We build creative storage solutions to display and store your favourite kitchenware whilst maintaining an uncluttered workspace. Drawers with integrated knife blocks are a clever and practical way to keep the worktop free from cutlery. Likewise, deep drawers are ideal for storing pans, whilst hooks can be added to the walls near the cooker for frequently used utensils.
Larder
The traditional larder is firmly back in fashion, and while fridges and freezers have modernised food storage, the larder is still a must for any farmhouse design.
Central island
For those with a large, open kitchen, an island is a must. This space can be used to cook, socialise and eat, making it the perfect addition to a farmhouse kitchen. A central workstation is a clever and hardworking alternative to a traditional farmhouse table when you’re planning your country kitchen ideas.
Traditional handles
Cupboard and drawer handles are a must, with knobs, bow handles and cup handles being the designs that best fit with the farmhouse theme.
Appliance and sinks
To complement the furniture, invest in that farmhouse staple, the traditional range cooker. Traditional and hardwearing, a deep ceramic sink such as a Belfast or butler’s sink coupled with a similarly-styled draining board is the perfect addition to the farmhouse theme.
Worktops
Wood or stone worktops work best with traditional farmhouse kitchens. Stone delivers an earthy robustness to a kitchen style. Wood is a cheaper but more traditional option, creating warmth and that lived in look.
Antique finished granite top 
Built in seating
Built-in seating is an informal style of dining that lends itself well to the relaxed nature of traditional farmhouse kitchens. It can also be a good space-saving design feature.
Country style charm that embraces technology
Farmhouse kitchen ideas are evolving to embrace technology while still retaining a rustic look and feel. From boiling water taps and wine fridges to discrete USB sockets and hi-tech lighting – people are investing in their kitchens to make them flow as an interactive space and make their homes future-proof.
Highlighting the original features
When it comes to country kitchens, it’s all about making the most of the characterful details that already exist in your room to make your space unique. Our bespoke designs will cleverly incorporate your room features, whether they are exposed beams, curved walls, chimney breast or windows. Something an off-the-shelf kitchen supplier could only dream of achieving.
A snug fit around the wooden beams 
