Antique kitchen: design rules and beautiful examples

Living life in the bustle of a metropolis, nostalgically, I want to get into a calm and cozy atmosphere, as our ancestors used to, surrounded by simple and attractive things made of natural material. The kitchen, decorated in antique style, rests well after a hard day, it plunges into an atmosphere of peace and positiveness.

When creating a semi-antique kitchen, for complete reliability, you should take into account the entire environment from the headset to the smallest details of the decor. You cannot expose aged furniture in a room with a stretch ceiling and plastic panels, this will create disharmony in the interior. Wall, ceiling and floor decoration should not contain elements of the era of technical progress. The decor, textiles, plumbing and furniture in a well-thought-out kitchen look like they have descended from old paintings, but the elusive touch of modernity will still be intuitively guessed in the interior.

Antique kitchens are characterized by the following features:

• simplicity and unpretentiousness;
• functionality and comfort;
• the use of natural material (wood, stone, clay, tiles) or its high-quality imitation;
• rough furniture, aged facades;
• open shelves with baskets for utensils;
• the apparent lack of modern technology;
• a palette of natural shades, regardless of color saturation;
• retro plumbing using copper, bronze, brass;
• textiles made of cotton or linen with handmade embroidery;
• decor with characteristic antique elements;
• the presence of a hearth or its imitation;
• the presence of live greenery.

The listed features mostly apply to all types of rustic style.But semi-antique kitchens can also contain a historical orientation, which means they have expensive decoration, special chic, antiques.

The construction market today is replete with great novelties that are easy to install, easy to clean and look great, but they are not suitable for a semi-antique kitchen. We need real natural materials - wood, stone, porcelain and clay products, non-ferrous metals. They are expensive and less practical, but thanks to them, the kitchen acquires that special comfort and nature that cannot give the fruits of a technical civilization.

The appearance of the ceiling depends on the specific style and can be the usual whitewash or paint, suitable for country styles, or fanciful stucco with gold frames, cornices and rosettes. Rustic or country-style kitchen ceilings with wood beams (if the height allows).

The kitchen area has its own specifics. Walls, especially in the work area, must be moisture resistant. Ceramic tiles, porcelain stoneware, agglomerate with imitation of any stone are suitable. Brickwork and natural stone look good, but their maintenance is complicated by the high porosity of the material, due to which spilled coffee and greasy splashes are easily absorbed into the surface and are difficult to remove. One or two walls, or parts of them, are usually decorated with stone and ceramics. For facing an apron or fireplace, patchwork tiles, gzhel are suitable. In the Provence style, travertine stone is used, as well as materials with imitation of sandstone.

Rustic styles often use wood paneling, decorative plaster, whitewash, or paint. Discreet light wallpaper can be used in a classic style, provence or shabby chic. In the last two, they often refer to small floral prints, painting walls in pastel shades.

A semi-antique kitchen needs natural material, this also applies to the floor. To cover it, they choose wood, stone, ceramic tiles, repeating products of ancient samples. High-quality modern materials can imitate natural ones and can also be used in creating a kitchen. Do not forget about the specifics of the room, which needs a durable and moisture-resistant coating.

The material chosen for the floor is being artificially aged. The goal is achieved through the use of special techniques for wood and stone. You can also purchase ready-made materials, for example, laminate with a color of whitewashed wood, or tiles with signs of cracking. The industry, responding to the demand of buyers, has launched the production of similar products.

In a small Provence style kitchen, furniture can be selected in parts, but for the correct combination of all elements, you need to have a designer's flair. It is easier to install a set where all pieces of furniture will be made in the same style, color scheme and texture.

If the preference is given to disconnected furniture, the furnishings usually include items characteristic of the life of our ancestors - sideboards, shelving units, bookcases, cabinets, open shelves. The racks are hung with curtains made of coarse linen. They can be equipped with modern technology (microwave oven, food processor, coffee machine), hidden behind textiles, it will not bring disharmony to the stylized environment.

Modern built-in kitchen sets can indicate their involvement in past eras with aged facades, the presence of stained glass inserts, carvings, inlays, paneled doors. They decorate furniture with wrought iron elements that are combined with country and gothic trends. For the facades of headsets, Provence and shabby chic use the decoupage technique. To emphasize the aging of surfaces, bleaching, patination, brushing are used, craquelure varnishes are used that imitate cracking.

For a country-style dining group, choose a solid, rough solid wood table and the same type of stools. There are benches in rustic style. In the interior, Provence or shabby chic sets high-backed chairs covered with cotton covers around the table.

For the kitchen to have a touch of antiquity, it is better to use a stone sink, and the retro-style faucets are made of brass and bronze. As a decor, kitchen utensils are hung on the rails - copper pans, ladles, Turks. Continuing the theme of tableware, earthenware, porcelain, ceramic plates and cups are placed on open shelves. A massive table is decorated with a samovar and a vase with bagels. Curtains, tablecloths, napkins, towels are embroidered with floral patterns and folk ornaments.

Antique kitchen designs can be completely different from simple and rude to lush imperial - it all depends on the chosen style.

• The rustic decoration of the room contains rough wood, the set is simple and practical, expressive antique lamps are hung over the island area.

• The white shabby chic kitchen contains display shelves and lots of characteristic décor.

• The interior is semi-antique (country), which is dominated by different types of stone in decoration and furniture. In its abundance, the presence of even rough wood becomes subtle.

• Provence style headsets are characterized by a delicate palette of colors - mint, olive, cream, blue, sand, ivory. Wicker baskets, pillows on chairs, a cute lampshade over the table, live greens and hot cakes make the kitchen as comfortable as possible, in which you want to stay for an infinitely long time.

• In the direction of the chalet, an open fire is often used - a fireplace or stove. Animal skins and horns are used in the decor; they bring the setting as close as possible to the natural one.

• Italian classic cuisine takes you to the 19th century. The rich interior is made in strict symmetry.

• The kitchen in the Empire style (imperial) also cannot be called modern.

• Baroque interiors are distinguished by their special splendor and pomp. It is characterized by columns, showcases with expensive dishes, a lot of gilding in decoration and furniture, an expensive chandelier and beautiful window decoration.

• The retro kitchen is a warm example of the interiors of our great-grandmothers.

• White Scandinavian kitchen, spacious and bright, with laconic and functional furnishings.

The antique kitchen is a place where it is pleasant to relax and work. Pies and borscht that grandmother cooked deliciously, in such a kitchen they turn out by themselves. And gatherings at dinner in an atmosphere of warmth and comfort bring the family closer and dispose to harmony.

For semi-antique kitchens, see the video below.