Tuscany emotes visions of the Italian countryside replete with gently rolling hills of a splendid and unspoiled countryside - including cypress, oak and olive trees. Stone houses with clay tile roofs - and inside those homes, an inviting, comfortable and cozy place to be and live.
This is why so many North Americans are looking for some Tuscan styling in their own homes. Who wouldnt want to look out a kitchen window and see rolling hills of countryside? Well, maybe we cant get those rolling hills but, we can achieve some of the Tuscan look inside our homes. Today, I will be focusing on Tuscan Kitchens.
Tuscan style is Italys version of country - Italian Country. I suppose we have our own country style in North America but, it is more likely to include ducks, flowered wallpaper or borders, wreaths and pine furniture which are usually new and they all match. Tuscan style or Italian country is an adlib, au naturel style - a style you must be able to accept if you want to adopt this style in your home.
Furniture does not need to match and it should be old or worn. Elements of the kitchen should be very natural - stone floors, wood furniture, brick or marble fireplaces, clay tile countertops and backsplash, plaster walls and solid wood beamed ceilings - just a few of the elements you might find in a Tuscan kitchen. It all makes for a natural and comfortable environment - as if everything was meant to be there - and the materials were taken straight from the countryside.
Now if you are lucky enough to have stone walls, GREAT! However, this is something most of us will not be able to achieve naturally. There are ways to achieve this look. You can buy faux stone products, which install similar to half brick walls (which are a lesser expensive alternative to full brick walls). An even less expensive method, not to mention easily changeable (something I always like to implement in my designs), is painting faux stone or marble walls.
A faux stone block wall can be done in different configurations, shapes and colours for a personalized stone look. In my previous house, I faux painted stone blocks in my front hallway and around the archways. There wasnt a person who came into my house who didnt say, 'WOW, look at the walls' and of course, they had to touch them to see if they were real.
Plaster walls are also found extensively in Tuscan homes - usually in a creamy/grayish white colour. Venetian plaster can be purchased just about anywhere these days and is easy to apply.
In a Tuscan kitchen, there is a lot of wood - stained on the darker side. Not only is there a lot of wood but, none of it needs to match. An armoire can be different than the shutters, which can be different than the wood cabinets, which again can be different than the table. I love it!
Heres a time when you can take advantage of your mismatched pieces. Maybe you have an armoire in your bedroom that you could use? Maybe you have some old chairs in your attic or barn? Maybe your mother has an old farmhouse wooden table that is now too big for her and is looking for a new home? If you have always loved the Tuscan theme, I am betting that you have some pieces tucked away that would work well.
A wooden farmhouse table is a must. By the way, a farmhouse table is an old solid wood rectangular table with legs on the outer corners. Chairs are also wood with rush seats - a great choice for this au naturel Tuscan kitchen.
In order to get a true Tuscan kitchen look, cabinets will be unfitted. Unfitted means not wall-to-wall cabinets of the same sort. Think of your kitchen cabinets/storage as clothing separates - you can buy furniture pieces to mix and match, and perhaps even move them around when you feel like it.
Tuscan kitchens work well when they include a wrought iron chandelier or light fixture.
Flooring is also au naturel as well - being either stone or tile. Choose a natural flooring material such as marble, clay tile, slate or stone.
A more luxurious Tuscan kitchen might include a copper range hood - hammered copper would be wonderful.
Other accessories to add are glass jars filled with pasta, decorative containers of olives and olive oil. And last but not least, to finish the look, a bowl of grapes on the table - fresh from the vineyard.
Sit back, relax, invite a few friends over and enjoy your new Tuscan kitchen!
Copyrighted 2006 - Inspired Interiors by Shelly Whitney
By: Shelly Whitney
Shelly Whitney is an Interior Designer and Decorator with 'funked-up flare' and a penchant for decorating on a budget. She employs 'I can afford it' tips and tricks in all of her articles and projects. Visit her website, www.InspiredInteriors.ca for more Tuscan themed home decorating tips, tricks, product reviews and unique projects.
