Rustic Kitchen Cabinets
Rustic kitchen cabinets are very classy and stylish. These fit perfectly in traditional and country style homes since they effectively depict that old-fashioned and cozy appearance. There are a few points to consider when choosing and designing rustic cabinets to ensure that they remain clean, functional and long-lasting.
The Models
Alder is great to work with when building rustic kitchen cabinets. It is a soft type of hardwood with straight grain and fine texture. Generally, the color is light brown with hints of red and yellow. You can barely notice the difference between the heartwood and the sapwood but enough exposure to ultraviolet light will reveal a striking contrast. Compared to other kinds of hardwood, alder does not easily change in color when exposed to light. It can sometimes take years for it to change while others with minimal light exposure hardly ever darken. Rustic alder cabinets are very stylish and provide a warm relaxing environment through its soft effect.
Cherry is another great hardwood to work with when building rustic kitchen cabinets. Colors can range from off-white to red to brown depending if you’re using sapwood or heartwood. The heartwood easily darkens over time when exposed to light. Although there are various colors to choose from, the sapwood is generally more prominent creating a fine combination of hues. Cherry is one of the most popular materials when it comes to creating a rustic design.
Hickory is one of the strongest types to work with. It has unique grain patterns that stand out. Rustic kitchen cabinets can easily be obtained without having to polish or finish the wood since hickory’s color palette is very versatile. There are also true knots creating a natural look. Even headers in cabinets may have knots with some light passing through.
Other great hardwoods are red oak and maple. These are very durable and versatile with visible grain and knots that make your cabinets come to life with the right light. You can effectively create that rustic feel by simply leaving them in their natural state without any polish or paint. You may choose to add vintage finishes or stains if you want a very old-fashioned country feel.
Rustic Accessories
The accessories can help add a rustic appearance to your kitchen cabinets. You can choose hand-carved handles, knobs and pulls. There are miniature hand-carved panels with old country designs which you can mount on doors or stick over existing panels. Hardware like hinges and screws can be replaced by old ones that you may find in your garage or attic. The unpolished effect of metals is great in providing the look you’ve always wanted. Tray dividers, spice drawers and wooden or metal wine racks are great accessories to add as well. You may have these custom-made to perfectly fit the dimensions of your cabinets.
Glass is acceptable although not very popular. You may choose to custom-cut doors and install glass French-style. You can conveniently store cutlery and silverware which make fine decoration pieces on their own. If you’re not investing in hardwood, you can pick plywood instead and have it sanded and painted. Invest in light homey colors like light green, light blue or white. These are favorite hues when preparing rustic kitchen cabinets. Make sure you pick colors that match the main color scheme of the room.