What Is Your Taste and Kitchen Style?

Don't worry about following the latest kitchen style trends. Follow your own or better yet create your own.

No two kitchens are alike...just like no two people are alike. We all have our preferences in tastes and kitchen styles.

If your confused about what yours style may be read on to make the decision easier or it may confuse you more.

Victorian

Usually characterized by steeply pitched roofs, pointed -arch windows, elaborate trim along roof edges, high dormers, lancet windowa and other Gothic details.

Victorian kitchen styles are not as common as they once were but they are known for a level of elegance that has gone missing in recent kitchen designs. Light fixtures range from chandeliers, kerosene and electric lamps to astrals, and sconces.

Graceful handcrafted and highly detailed cabinets and moldings are typical in this group. Cathedral style doors are common but square panels can be used as well.Cabinets are usually weathered looking and made of heavy, real wood with chrome pulls and knobs.

Columns and arches are common architectural elements found in the Victorian kitchen. Heavy, dark woods are good cabinet material choices with wood countertops helping to complete the look. Offset some of the darker finishes by choosing lighter wall finishes

Old World

Old World kitchens have become more popular recently. Typical door styles in this type of kitchen can be either arched or square top.

Distressing gives the Old World kitchen a worn look which usually has a heavier feel. Antiqued finishes and thicker crown molding build-ups are common elements of the Old World kitchen style.

Natural materials are often used for floors and countertops helping to complete the Old World look. Glass door cabinets, hand carvings as well as open shelf cabinets can all be incorporated in the Old World kitchen style.

Tuscan

A close relative to the Old World Style is the Tuscan Style kitchen. The Tuscan aesthetic tends to be more subtle leaning a bit more towards a feminine feel.

Ideal color schemes for the Tuscan Style would be more in the earth tone family of shades such as warm gold, darker yellows and olive green common to Mediterranean architecture.

Typical sink choices for this style would be porcelain or stone and kitchen furniture may be made of wood or wrought iron. The overall look and feel should rustic and warm. Wide plank distressed wood flooring is an excellent compliment to the Tuscan Style along with textured wall plaster and paint applications.

Tradtional

The American Traditional Kitchen Style offers a more formal look. It plays up architectural details such as crown moldings, raised wood paneling and rich, deep colors to enhance the mood and 'traditional' feel. Dark stains, honey tones, semi-opaque paints, wicker baskets and oak cabinets add to the usually more formal feel than the country style.

Typical features include square raised panel doors with larger crown moldings. Materials used in the Traditional cabinet style include cherry, mahogany and walnut. Metal accents can be found usually in brass or gold tones.

The color palette includes a range of intense hues in red, black, green and blue. Wall treatments can include paneling and wall covering with small patterns.

Countertops continue the formal feel and are commonly found in ceramic or stone tile with granite becoming more popular in this style lately.

Country Kitchen

There are many different twists to this kitchen style (i.e. Ameerican, English, French). But the fact remains that this is one of the favorite and comfortable environments for many people. This rustic, weathered look creates a warm cozy feeling in a country style home.

The cabinet doors may even be left off to display colorful dishes, making the inside of the cabinet part of the decor of the overall space. A butcher block or hand-painted tiles are both great pieces. You can add charm to your kitchen by putting potted herbs in the windows of the kitchen.

Common colors range from muted hues to earth tones. Exposed beams, pine paneling, brick and barn boards are elements used to express this style. Fabrics and patterns area sure way to create a country feeling, as is the use of wall paper and baskets.

Wood floors or natural tiles would be a great choice for such an environment, but do not forbet throw rugs for comfort on the cold floor. The key to the country style is to keep adding a few whimsical elements in the like like fruit, vegetable or animal designs.

American Country

The American Country Kitchen Style is a more rugged hand-crafted look. Cabinets in this group are typically of the traditional framed variety. More common wood species used are oak, maple birch or pine.

Finish distressing as well as wood knots are excellent choices to round out the look. Wood planked floors help to complete the rugged pioneer feel in this kitchen. Ceilings that include rough hewn beams complement this style of kitchen perfectly.

English Country

English Country Kitchen Style is quite similar to the French Country Kitchen Style. Similar flooring choices, countertop materials and beamed ceilings can be used with great effect for both styles.

Cabinet design generally employs more square elements with curves being used in the architectural elements of the room. Pine and oak are common material selections with a natural or very light finish. Painted finishes can be used too with most of these showing a glazed finish. Crackled finishes in pastel colors are good choices to accent this kitchen. Add lots of flowers to this kitchen to complete the look.

French Country

The French Country Kitchen Style is a close cousin to the French Provincial Kitchen Style. However French Country is less formal and offers a softer feel.

Oak and cherry materials predominate this group with pickled and distressed finishes quite commonly used. More delicate crown moldings are common in this theme. Most countertop materials work well with this theme but stay away from more contemporary glass and stainless steel. Good flooring choices would be wood, brick or natural stone. Bold colors are not a good choice in this scheme.

Contemporary

Your tastes include the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired. Your sensitivity to materials and a natural setting meets with a contemporary bent in home styles like Mission, Prairie and Arts & Crafts. When making your cabinet selection consider birch as a clean and modern wood species.

Choose details like geometric forms, art glass, contrasting textures and lines, and forges and wrought iron pulls.

Arts & Crafts

The Arts and Crafts movement began in England in the late 1800’s as a reaction to styles that had developed from machine production during the industrial revolution. In the U.S. the movement was furthered in the early 1900’s most notably by Gustav Stickley. The terms "Craftsman", "Mission Style" and "Stickley" are often used interchangeably to describe this design style.

The emphasis of this style is placed more on the quality of the materials used and hand crafting construction methods. It is defined by a clean and more simplistic aesthetic and when done properly will provide dramatic results in your new kitchen.

Shaker

Shaker style cabinetry is similar to Arts and Crafts style with some subtle differences that dramatically affect the overall look and feel. Arts and Crafts tends to be more thickly proportioned than Shaker style. The Shaker style will focus less on joinery techniques and you’ll see fewer exposed dovetails, buttons and plugs. A good way to describe it might be to imagine Shaker style as a more contemporary and delicate version of Arts and Crafts cabinetry.

Modern

Modern and Euro-Style are all terms used to describe kitchens of the Modern Kitchen Style. The main characteristics of the Modern Kitchen Style are clean sleek lines and a minimal amount of cabinet detail.Modern styles change from year to year. Less is more, such as less accessories, visible appliances and details.

Strong emphasis is placed on accenting linear, horizontal lines. The frameless cabinetry construction method is used and commonly features a flat panel or "slab" style door and drawer front.

Common materials include stainless steel, marble, granite, and frosted glass. Basic geometric shapes and bold, bright colors such as reds, blues, yellow, and black & white are prevalent.Or any shade you can imagine.

Hi gloss automotive finishes can be used to provide a very futuristic look. Wood veneer door styles are found in the Modern Kitchen Style as well and can offer a warmer less stark feel. A wide range of countertops work well in this group – granite, stainless steel, glass and manufactured stones all work well here. The most widely used sink in the Contemporary Kitchen Style is stainless steel.

Eclectic

A mix of old and new features combined for a harmonious look. This style is not characterized by a particular color palette, pattrn, style or material but is a mix of extravagant decorations form numerous eras including hand-me-downs, second-hand items and other recyclables. Kitchens and bathrooms range from modern appliances mixed with antique decorations to the complete opposite.

Southwestern

A lot of detail and craftmanship. Natural materials such as stucco and hand-painted fabrics are very common, as are wood, quarry tile, ceramic tile, earth tones and vibrant accessories.

Colors usually reflect the nature of the desert such as warm oranges, greens, tans, and brown. Southwest kitchens usually incorporate ceramic materials and terra cotta elements.