Kitchen Themes - Design Ideas For Your Kitchen

It has often been said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. This is not as surprising as it is where families have traditionally gathered around the dining table to eat and share their stories of the day. It is where the women gathered to cook and gossip. It’s where the fire was always warm. It’s where recipes were passed down from one generation to another.

Before you decide upon a theme for your kitchen, consider what you see your kitchen as. Is it the place to grab a quick coffee and make a sandwich? Is it where you set your creative juices free and perform wild culinary experiments? Is it a place where the entire family gathers, or is it one person’s domain? Should it be its own domain, or should it open up to the rest of the house/dining room/living room? All these factors are important.

For example if it is a place where everyone gathers, then you have to respect everyone’s taste and wishes (although someone should be in charge of making the final decisions - too many cooks make a bad soup, as they say in Sweden). Likewise, if it’s an open plan kitchen and lounge then you have to take this into account. If it’s your private domain and closed off from the rest of the house, then you can go wild (even if you might want to link it to the overall style of the house). Bear in mind though that if you are using it to do culinary experiments then you need to not just have a kitchen you love, but a kitchen you can be creative in. Some décor is distracting; other décor is not made for functionality. What looks nice in a magazine might not be so nice when cooking up a storm. If, on the other hand, it’s a place where you just grab a coffee in the morning, cork up a bottle of wine at night and grab cutlery for your take-away, then you needn’t be overly concerned about functionality (apart from the best place to put your Espresso machine, naturally).

Before choosing a theme, also consider the atmosphere you want to create. Cosy? Cave like hideaway? Bright, open and freshly aired? Warm and comforting? Cool and casual? Sweet and homey?

You can create the same kind of atmosphere using almost any theme, but how you go about executing the theme will be determined by the atmosphere you want. To create For example you can create a very clean and minimalistic kitchen with Moroccan elements, such as mosaic tiles above the sink and accessories such as candle holders, a vase, teapots and glasses in an otherwise white kitchen. Or you can use Moroccan floor tiles, and choose a Moroccan colour theme which really pops and paint the kitchen cupboards in one of those colours and add thick Moroccan curtains for the windows, pillows for the chairs and so on.

French Countryside

This is not an uncommon theme and inspired by Provencal kitchens for the most parts. It’s perfect if you happen to have sandstone walls, or natural wooden ones. The colour palette for work spaces and cupboards is white, gentle cream, lemon (pale yellow) and apple green. Ceramic tiles in terra-cotta or sand stone tones are common flooring. The worktops are in wood, marble or granite. Decorative items usually include dried flowers and herbs hanging from wooden beams, as well as copper pots and pans. Fresh fruit and veg that is displayed in bowls is also popular and maybe some oils and a mortar. Workspaces tend to be kept clean apart from that.

French Cafe

If you’ve ever sat down in a French cafe you know it has a specific feel. If you like that feel you can use French cafes as inspiration for your décor. Small round tables and wooden chairs, red and white checkered table cloths (if you like), a strong colour for the cupboards such as red, turquoise, dark blue or black and maybe elements of gold. A white and black tiled floor is essential. Old French paintings from the Moulin Rouge era, such as paintings by Toulouse Lautrec will also add to the atmosphere. A wine rack stacked with French wines is a must. And maybe, just maybe, a bottle of absinthe. For decoration purposes only. Naturally.

Rustic Countryside

For country lovers who like traditional foods and wooden furniture, this is the ideal choice. You can make it as “rough” and rustic as you like or add some frills. Plain wood against white is great colour combination when using darker or reddish wood. A wooden beam is a must.

Homestead

If you enjoyed The Little House on the Prairie or Dr. Quinn, you may still dream of owning a homestead. Not to worry, you can still get a very rustic kitchen all made of wood and wood fired stoves and old fashioned pots and pans. Not to mention cute old tea sets. Although arguably back in the day few could afford nice china and used tin cups. Of course, you may still keep some modern luxuries, like running water, fridge and freezer… Even with fridge and freezer an old fashioned walk in pantry on the other hand be something you’d like to add!

The American Beach House

If you live by the ocean a traditional beach style kitchen complete with white washed walls, a typical American breakfast bar with bar stools and an old surfboard on the wall is perfect. White, light blue and elements of natural wood is the palette.

50’s Diner

You know the deal - a booth in one corner of the kitchen, black and white tiled floor, red leather seats and barstools, a massive fifties fridge (maybe a matching red), a jukebox in the corner and 50s memorabilia on the walls. There is, after all, always a good excuse to put a picture of Jimmy Dean on the walls. Even in the kitchen.

Victorian

If you love frills, antique furniture and expensive hand painted china dating back to the 1800’s then this is for you.


Contemporary Luxury

Clean lines, stainless steel, marble and granite, often dark blacks and greys, or extreme whites with elements of bright colours are classics in contemporary kitchen design. Minimalistic clutter - maybe a fruit bowl as the only decoration. A massive round kitchen table or a tiny square table for minimalistic living - with contemporary décor you can go as big or as small as you like.