You might live within the bustling Atlanta metropolis, but that doesn’t mean you can’t let some rustic charm into your home. Nor does that, in turn, mean you’ll have to overhaul your property to look like a traditional colonnaded Southern house if it isn’t already like one.
A simple kitchen remodel that incorporates qualities associated with a Southern home like sunlight, space for a lot of family and friends, and a lived-in feel can add all the charm you need.
Let there be large windows
As glimpses at older houses can tell you, Southern homes have traditionally featured windows upon windows, which help with ventilation as much as with light. Take this feature into your kitchen, however modern, and open the room with large iron-grilled windows or casements with clapboard shutters. These will both evoke a rustic farmhouse and ground your room in historical architecture.
Don’t forget that humongous windows can make any room seem bigger. They will do your kitchen a world of good if you’re inviting all your loved ones over for a good old family gathering.
Stay cozy with shiplap panels
Nothing evokes country living like shiplap panels. Though they often served as sidings for farmhouses and cottages, they work just as well lining modern interiors. Lending rooms a clean, cozy look, their whiteness can be an especially good complement to the next element of the rustic aesthetic on this list: exposed wood.
Weave in the wood
Exposed wood, of course, is essential to creating that down-to-earth, rustic feel. But how can you incorporate it in your kitchen remodel? Should you put reclaimed wood beams across the ceiling? Install butcher-block countertops? Have islands made of planks? Any of these ideas can highlight your kitchen. Wooden shelving can also be used as an accent piece. Left as unpainted, varnished wood, their brown hues can create a striking contrast with the white walls and china that otherwise line the room.
Salvage and repurpose antiques
One more way to enjoy a rustic kitchen is to fill it with antiques. See what antique stores around Atlanta have to offer, and you might just find a farmhouse sink or a vintage stove as the focal point of your kitchen remodel. Just work with your contractor to be sure these appliances fit and work well with the rest of the room!
Ultimately, you must remember that you don’t need a complete renovation to achieve a rustic aesthetic. Even installing backsplashes and countertops made of faux-aged materials can do this. The team at Sterling Works can help you get the elements you need for the effect you want.
Sources:
Shiplap & Farmhouse Sinks: 21 Southern Kitchens We Love, WideOpenEats.com
Our Best Cottage Kitchens, SouthernLiving.com
18 Rustic Farmhouse Kitchen Ideas, CountryLiving.com
