New This Week: 4 Classic Farmhouse-Style Kitchens
Designers combine old-world details to create kitchen looks that feel collected over time
Farmhouse style is hard to pin down. It means different things to different people. And within the style is a range of looks, from classic-leaning to looser and more modern. We’ll cover the latter in a future article. Here we’ll look at kitchens that feel at home in the classic category.
Because farmhouses traditionally were built over time, with many rooms, features and furniture added on over the years, kitchens that reflect this style have a collected look that combines various materials, textures, colors and cabinet styles. Here, designers share the features and approaches they used to create their classic farmhouse-style kitchens.
Because farmhouses traditionally were built over time, with many rooms, features and furniture added on over the years, kitchens that reflect this style have a collected look that combines various materials, textures, colors and cabinet styles. Here, designers share the features and approaches they used to create their classic farmhouse-style kitchens.
Other special features. “The freestanding wood hood, quartz countertops and top-of-the-line appliances are certainly an upgrade from what is typically shown in an old-fashioned farmhouse kitchen, but they marry into the design all the same,” Barski says. “Similarly, the glass pendants are more modern than the other design elements in the space, though their seeded texture and dark hardware firmly ground them in the transitional style camp.
“One of my favorite features in this kitchen is the sink center. This area was designed so that the raised-panel oak sink base and adjacent three-drawer bases stood proud from the surrounding yellow cabinets, creating a focal point in a space that already has so much visual interest.”
Designer tip. “I am a huge fan of visual balance,” Barski says. “I like to introduce symmetry wherever possible, but without having the design feel too matchy-matchy. The shape of the space we were working with made this an easy task, in addition to the homeowner’s desire to have wooden cabinetry accents. By using stained wood in the sink center as well as the range hood, plate rack wall cabinet and hutch, I was able to harmonize the contrasting colors and materials throughout the kitchen.
“Even the hutch visually mirrors the fridge, which similarly has a darker color than the surrounding painted cabinetry. You can create this balance through a variation in color, texture or style — all achieve the same cohesion.”
Cabinet paint: Hawthorne Yellow, Benjamin Moore
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“One of my favorite features in this kitchen is the sink center. This area was designed so that the raised-panel oak sink base and adjacent three-drawer bases stood proud from the surrounding yellow cabinets, creating a focal point in a space that already has so much visual interest.”
Designer tip. “I am a huge fan of visual balance,” Barski says. “I like to introduce symmetry wherever possible, but without having the design feel too matchy-matchy. The shape of the space we were working with made this an easy task, in addition to the homeowner’s desire to have wooden cabinetry accents. By using stained wood in the sink center as well as the range hood, plate rack wall cabinet and hutch, I was able to harmonize the contrasting colors and materials throughout the kitchen.
“Even the hutch visually mirrors the fridge, which similarly has a darker color than the surrounding painted cabinetry. You can create this balance through a variation in color, texture or style — all achieve the same cohesion.”
Cabinet paint: Hawthorne Yellow, Benjamin Moore
Shop for farmhouse-style kitchen sinks
2. Fresh and Functional
Designer: Jamie Ocken of Bearded Builders
Location: Outside Blair, Nebraska
Size: 182 square feet (17 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “Functionality,” designer Jamie Ocken says. “The space was cramped and closed off from the rest of the home. There was only a small window over the sink looking into the living room. This particular home is located on a farm just outside of Blair, Nebraska, so we wanted to pay homage to the style of the home. They host a lot during the holidays, so opening up the kitchen to the rest of the home really gave them plenty of space for entertaining.”
Farmhouse details. “Vertical shiplap is a simple way to add farmhouse charm without going overboard,” Ocken says. “If you were to look closely at the painted oak cabinetry, you could see an added detail. Painting oak cabinetry allows for you to see the wood grain through the paint. It’s subtle but a strong design element.”
Designer: Jamie Ocken of Bearded Builders
Location: Outside Blair, Nebraska
Size: 182 square feet (17 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “Functionality,” designer Jamie Ocken says. “The space was cramped and closed off from the rest of the home. There was only a small window over the sink looking into the living room. This particular home is located on a farm just outside of Blair, Nebraska, so we wanted to pay homage to the style of the home. They host a lot during the holidays, so opening up the kitchen to the rest of the home really gave them plenty of space for entertaining.”
Farmhouse details. “Vertical shiplap is a simple way to add farmhouse charm without going overboard,” Ocken says. “If you were to look closely at the painted oak cabinetry, you could see an added detail. Painting oak cabinetry allows for you to see the wood grain through the paint. It’s subtle but a strong design element.”
Other special features. Quartzite countertops. American walnut range hood.
Designer tip. “When we enlarged this space, it became a wide space with 8-foot ceilings,” Ocken says. “The vertical installation of the shiplap added additional height and some modernity to the kitchen.”
Sconces: English Pub in antique brass and tarnished graphite, Elk Home; cabinet hardware: Belcastel pull by Jeffrey Alexander, Hardware Resources; faucet: Paterson in matte black, Moen; shiplap paint: Amazing Gray, Sherwin-Williams
Designer tip. “When we enlarged this space, it became a wide space with 8-foot ceilings,” Ocken says. “The vertical installation of the shiplap added additional height and some modernity to the kitchen.”
Sconces: English Pub in antique brass and tarnished graphite, Elk Home; cabinet hardware: Belcastel pull by Jeffrey Alexander, Hardware Resources; faucet: Paterson in matte black, Moen; shiplap paint: Amazing Gray, Sherwin-Williams
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3. Eclectic and Energetic
Designer: Tom Stumpff of Stumpff HomeWorks
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Size: 160 square feet (15 square meters); 10 by 16 feet
Homeowners’ request. “As an artist who paints with acrylics, the homeowner is not afraid of color,” designer Tom Stumpff says. “She wanted to mix her classic English cottage taste with bold color choices. She also wanted to use every inch of space available in her small kitchen.”
Farmhouse details. Repurposed antique buffet with custom iron pot rack. Large window with soapstone ledge for plants. Custom alder shelf for displaying items. Red brick backsplash. V-groove car siding on walls. Alcove shelves near the range for storing spices. Soapstone countertops. White oak flooring with clear finish.
Designer: Tom Stumpff of Stumpff HomeWorks
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Size: 160 square feet (15 square meters); 10 by 16 feet
Homeowners’ request. “As an artist who paints with acrylics, the homeowner is not afraid of color,” designer Tom Stumpff says. “She wanted to mix her classic English cottage taste with bold color choices. She also wanted to use every inch of space available in her small kitchen.”
Farmhouse details. Repurposed antique buffet with custom iron pot rack. Large window with soapstone ledge for plants. Custom alder shelf for displaying items. Red brick backsplash. V-groove car siding on walls. Alcove shelves near the range for storing spices. Soapstone countertops. White oak flooring with clear finish.
Other special features. Cobalt blue range. Tray ceiling. “Built in 1965, the kitchen originally had a 7-foot-6-inch ceiling, with soffits and a small window over the sink,” Stumpff says. “By removing the soffits and adding a tray ceiling, we lifted it an additional 12 inches.”
Designer tip. “Look at every inch of space as an opportunity for use,” Stumpff says. “A couple of inches here and there in a wall or a ceiling can make a huge difference for functional storage and expanding your space.”
Paint: Soft Chamois in satin finish (upper cabinets and walls), Glimmer in satin finish (lower cabinets), Black 2132-10 in flat finish (buffet), all by Benjamin Moore
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Designer tip. “Look at every inch of space as an opportunity for use,” Stumpff says. “A couple of inches here and there in a wall or a ceiling can make a huge difference for functional storage and expanding your space.”
Paint: Soft Chamois in satin finish (upper cabinets and walls), Glimmer in satin finish (lower cabinets), Black 2132-10 in flat finish (buffet), all by Benjamin Moore
See more of this kitchen
4. Historic and Heavenly
Designer: Eric Baker Architects
Location: Millbrook, New York
Size: 500 square feet (46 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Renovate a 1720 house while honoring its roots.
Farmhouse style. Antique beams. Brick floor and arch over range. Inset cabinets with custom hinges. Soapstone countertops. Butler’s pantry. Original icebox converted into a refrigerator. Single-pane windows. Unlacquered brass fixtures.
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Designer: Eric Baker Architects
Location: Millbrook, New York
Size: 500 square feet (46 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Renovate a 1720 house while honoring its roots.
Farmhouse style. Antique beams. Brick floor and arch over range. Inset cabinets with custom hinges. Soapstone countertops. Butler’s pantry. Original icebox converted into a refrigerator. Single-pane windows. Unlacquered brass fixtures.
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Other special feature. Red range.
Designer tip. “To maintain an aesthetic that complements an existing dwelling, keep it simple and smart,” architect Eric Baker says.
Cabinets: Eric Baker Architects
More on Houzz
Your Guide to a Farmhouse-Style Kitchen
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Designer tip. “To maintain an aesthetic that complements an existing dwelling, keep it simple and smart,” architect Eric Baker says.
Cabinets: Eric Baker Architects
More on Houzz
Your Guide to a Farmhouse-Style Kitchen
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
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Designer: Beka Barski of Heartwood Kitchen & Bath Center
Location: Buxton, Maine
Size: 130 square feet (12 square meters); 6½ by 20 feet
Homeowner’s request. “The homeowner was committed to paying homage to their well-loved farmhouse while incorporating the yellow cabinetry they have dreamed about for years,” designer Beka Barski says. “Our intention was to create a clean-lined farmhouse-style kitchen that could have been original to the home — with a little sprucing up, of course.”
Farmhouse details. “The wood beams are surprisingly not original to the kitchen, but they introduce a rustic charm that sings the praises of farmhouse design,” Barski says. “The Shaker cabinets are a classic element of this style as well, maintaining the simplicity that is often predicated by farm life.
“Of course the apron sink is something you often see in a farmhouse kitchen, in addition to the beadboard-wrapped island, open plate rack and the apothecary drawers we incorporated into the hutch area on the left side of the space.
“The homeowner selected subway tile and oil-rubbed-bronze hardware that pair wonderfully with the aesthetic of the design as well. It isn’t visible in the photos, but the island also has an open cabinet with wicker produce baskets, which is attributable to more traditional farmhouse kitchens.”
The island countertop is walnut.
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