Vintage Style kitchens concepts are becoming more popular as more and more people choose to return to a more natural way of living. Nostalgic, homely, and warm are some of the terms used to describe rustic kitchens vs Retro kitchens that are modern, slick, and clinical. These are the things that are appealing to people, especially during these times when we are spending a lot more time at home. If you are looking for a new kitchen please see Zen Stone.
How to Go About Converting to a Vintage Style Kitchen
If a Vintage Style kitchen sounds like a good idea to you, you need to know that it is not a simple matter of trying to replicate ideas from photographs in the pages old, pre-1975 magazines. You need to keep in mind that a Vintage Style kitchen still has to fulfil all the requirements of the convenience of modern functionality.
Vintage Style works best when different times are allowed to work comfortably alongside each other to create a balanced design concept. That means combining the look of a rustic kitchen with all the modern appliances and gadgets that make life in the kitchen easier. In general, we find most kitchen designers will either have rustic design concept in their offerings or a retro style kitchen concept.
Rustic Kitchen vs Retro Kitchen
Retro Kitchen
If you love the pop art vibe of the 60’s era and have already incorporated some of these trends into your home style, the clean, clear lines and statement features of a retro kitchen will appeal to you. Another great example of this key style is the art deco glamour of the 20’s era that will be an ideal foundation for the aesthetics in a retro-styled kitchen.
Rustic Kitchen
If a rustic style kitchen is what appeals to you, there are certain key concepts and features that you will have to pay attention to. A Vintage Style design concept covers a wide variety of styles from traditional English country cottage styles to French farmhouse styles. Although the finished aesthetic of each style will be different, they all share certain common features.
Key Features of a Vintage Style Kitchen
An element of visibility is a key feature in all rustic style kitchens. This includes open shelving and natural materials like stone or wood worktops. Details and layers are underlying concepts in this design. Detailing in cabinetry and texture on worktops are just some of the things to look out for. The use of glazed fronts in cabinetry will allow the concept of visibility without collecting dust.
Vintage Style Kitchen Layout
Rustic style kitchens were always open style and large to make room for the traditional farm table. A large kitchen island can replace the farm table with the added convenience of extra storage space underneath. Adding seating around the island worktop will help retain the old-style feel of a farm table.
Smaller space in a kitchen will require a more costly layout to make effective use of available floor space as well as overhead space.
Materials
To soften the feel of the space and make it look more ‘lived in’, soft furnishing are key to achieving a rustic look. Natural materials like granite and wood can be used together to create a look of rustic elegance. By placing wood and granite furnishing alongside each other you can create the contrast of different levels of texture that form the basis of a well-planned Vintage Style kitchen.
Colours
For any rustic concept, the go-to palette is a range of natural, muted colours. Pairing flooring and worktop colours will benefit any rustic style. Neutral tones like cream and earthy hues like pale wood on floorboards are often enhanced with pastels to produce a more whimsical look. Grey or beige marble surfaces will work well in a rustic concept.
Detail
As mentioned in the features section, lots of details are required for rustic aesthetics to work well. Take the time to source genuine vintage pieces for use in your rustic style kitchen. Accessories like old-style jugs, trays, and baskets are not only a great way to display rustic style paraphernalia on countertops, they can also be a perfect storage solution. Open storage for crockery, pots, and pans is a great way to start.
Utilities
Having a Vintage Style kitchen does not mean that you will have to sacrifice modern convenience. Embrace the visible aesthetic of rustic style with confidence by choosing which utilities can be integrated and which need to be hidden. For example, a free-standing cooking range or a large butler-style sink with brass or ceramic taps will give the impression of a rustic style while retaining modern functionality. Vintage Style kitchen designers have great ideas on how to keep your modern amenities like smart speakers, a microwave oven, or fridge freezer under wraps in a rustic style kitchen.