Arts and Crafts Kitchens

The Arts and Crafts (also known as Craftsman) kitchen was originally designed around simple aspects of nature, incorporating natural lighting as well as wood floors and countertops. These days, a kitchen designed in an Arts and Crafts style might not use a wood-burning stove, but the minimalist design principles still apply.

Arts and Crafts kitchens typically feature cabinetry that extends as high as the ceiling, leaving room for plenty of storage and eliminating clutter. Open shelving might give a kitchen an updated Craftsman feel, while polished oak floors can complement an Arts and Crafts kitchen's timeless charm.

Choose earthy tones for the walls, including beige, taupe and mint green. Paint baseboards and other trim with a creamy white color. Kitchen counter choices are often muted colors, but the materials range from tiles to hard wood styles.

Accessories are kept to a minimum in a Craftsman kitchen, but when they are included, they are often deliberately placed to create a specific effect. For example, an otherwise neutral wood island might be accented by an overhead light made from tinted orange glass to give the room a pop of color. It's also not uncommon for shelving units to be added to a Craftsman kitchen and reserved especially for showcasing a collection of cookbooks.

See also: Kitchen Remodeling Ideas, Options and Solutions