10 Country Kitchen Decorating Ideas

Nothing says country like the barn look of flat-board paneling. Vary board width, placement (vertical or horizontal) and finish (stain or paint) to give a kitchen an assembled-over-time look. Here, paneling adds texture to the island base and cabinet fronts and backs. Stained paneling puts subtle color on the walls.Another hallmark of farmhouse style? Wood and linoleum floors. Refinish or paint old wood floors. For a new floor, try distressed wood-look laminate or linoleum tiles in a checkerboard pattern.

White kitchens usually need some spicing up. Dashes of barn red in island stools, dishware and vintage game boards, along with a country-blue painted built-in sideboard, enliven this space with their Americana colors.

No country kitchen is complete without plenty of display space to show off collections of canning jars, ironstone, cake plates and other humble farmhouse antiques. Replace solid wood upper cabinet doors with glass-front versions. Install shelving between two cabinets, or simply remove doors on an existing wall cabinet and paint the interior.

Choose faucet and sink styles that replicate vintage looks. Here, a modernized bridge-style polished-chrome faucet and apron-front sink add to the new country feel.

Carrara marble countertops are a splurge, but they instantly update the bygone elements of the room with clean-lined beauty.

Doorless box units constructed above the refrigerator and/or under cabinets are easy, integrated solutions for storage baskets and a microwave.

The owners created a desk by suspending a ledge (a cabinet drawer unit works, too) under a window between cabinets. A farm-style chair fits perfectly.

Under-cabinet brackets (left) are a pretty country detail.

Pastoral simplicity is key. A backsplash of white subway tile adds pretty gloss without undue distraction. Inexpensive white tiles, available at home centers, make this an achievable treatment.