Shaker doors, real wood, and decadent decor are staples of the classic country kitchen. Having waned in popularity over recent years in favour of sleek modernism, we’ve noticed a real comeback in traditional styling, with clients looking for the practicality and aesthetics of a country kitchen.

It’s worth noting, however, that there have been some contemporary updates to the original classic. Coming in the form of colour and design decisions, there are plenty of ways to update a pre-existing country kitchen, or bring that rustic feel to your modern kitchen.

1. Kitchen Islands

While islands themselves haven’t made much of a disappearance, the styling and functionality of them has certainly changed. Often, in a modern kitchen, the goal of an island is to provide further storage space, hiding things away behind slab handleless doors. In a country kitchen, the island is a statement – the ‘lived-in’ look can be achieved with well-placed open shelving and bold colours make a feature of a functional space. As can be seen in the kitchen below, our Cotswold range is the perfect country kitchen door style, modernised by the use of Lava as the overriding colour. Breakfast bars are another way to update your classic island, shown here in a unique circular design – from a design side, this mixing up of shapes creates a break in the straight clean lines that are typically associated with a modern kitchen, and from a practical viewpoint the breakfast bar enables the ‘heart of the home’ feeling that’s so desirable in a classic kitchen.

Our Cotswold collection in Lava, with open shelving in the island.

2. Pantry Cupboards

The traditional larder isn’t a viable option for every kitchen; sometimes the space simply isn’t there, or it doesn’t meet the needs of the client – after all, everyone’s different! A much more versatile take on the larder is the pantry cupboard. Once, it was the place to hide any unsightly items, but in recent years has become a much more design based, functional space. As can be seen in the image below, larder storage facilities don’t have to be bland shelving, and can be a feature all of their own. Shown here in our Belgravia range, we can even hide away a secret coffee bar! Who needs Starbucks?

Pantry cupboard in our Belgravia range

Hidden coffee bar in Belgravia

3. Colour

We’ve already touched on colour, but it’s important not to underestimate just how vital it can be. For too long, white and off-whites have ruled the kitchen! The complete rejection of darker colours greatly limits the opportunities within a kitchen, and contrary to popular opinion, can open the room up just as much as a light colour can. Two tone cabinetry is a great way to mix up your classic kitchen – just make sure the darker shades are below, with lighter shades above. If two tone isn’t your thing, and you’d rather a block colour kitchen, there’s just as many colour opportunities. For example, we’ve talked before about how you can add colour to an all white kitchen and much of this advice stands for country kitchens just as much as modern kitchens. Appliances can be found in bolder colours, and cookware that matches can be sourced from many nationwide retailers. There’s more to your colour choices than just the cabinets – for a pro look, make sure shades go well together, and match your accessories well. We can offer expert advice on the colours you choose, making sure you get your dream combo, without any unexpected colour clashes!

Belgravia in Parisian Blue and Stone

Country kitchens will likely never go out of style completely – due to their endless adaptability and functionality, they’re easy to update and very hard wearing. If you’re thinking about giving your modern kitchen a rustic makeover, make sure to visit our website, Rigid Kitchens, where you can book an appointment for our studio, or just order what you know you want. We’re always on hand to help!