Of all the beautiful kitchen design styles, it’s the country kitchen that continues to be the most aspirational. With their oversized kitchen islands, antique Agas, butler’s pantries and landscape views, the country kitchen tugs on our more romantic visions of what a kitchen could be — somewhere warm and comforting, where a pot of chicken soup bubbles on the stove and a dog dozes across our feet. It seems to hold the key to a version of ourselves — a fantasy life where we keep a fully-stocked larder from a productive kitchen garden and not at the whims of our busy schedules.
Whether it provides you with the fantasy life or not, a country kitchen is still worth considering for both its practical and stylistic benefits. Favouring natural materials like timber, classic furnishings and simple decor, the popular kitchen design style can offer more character than its modern counterparts, while the country kitchen’s large butler’s sinks, cooktops and kitchen islands are often more practical for large families.
Covering cottage, farmhouse and classic design styles, this kitchen aesthetic can be adapted to suit your own style and taste. If you’re thinking about designing your own traditional kitchen (or simply enjoy dreaming about having one), these are some of the best country kitchens to feature within the pages of Home Beautiful magazine.
This sweet country kitchen belongs to a modern farmhouse-style property in Melbourne. The kitchen’s traditional timber beams, warm wall panelling, sweet sink skirt, and carefully curated vintage household items make it the perfect example of a classic rural-style kitchen. We particularly love the choice of blue cabinetry, which gives the space a delightful pop of colour while setting it apart from other kitchens of the same style.
Modern farmhouse kitchens are known for their oversized nature and this kitchen certainly meets that criteria. With two kitchen islands, two ovens, an abundance of storage and those soaring high ceilings, this kitchen is a space to gather with family and friends, and cook up a true farmhouse feast.
This kitchen’s stained-glass windows, traditional Aga cooker, copper kettle and old wooden butcher’s block-style workbench make it feel like something from another era. However, a few modern updates, including a Quantum Quartz benchtop, undermounted Chambord sink and a lick of fresh paint, have modernised the cottage kitchen without taking away its character.
Rural-style kitchens may have a reputation for open storage, but this cleverly designed cooking space proves that you can enjoy the comfort of open storage without the visual clutter. An antique Chippendale-style corner cabinet, vintage oil painting and terracotta flower pot add a little country charm into the stylish space.
This small and ever-so-sweet country kitchen doesn’t feel so tiny thanks to the high sloping ceilings, functional furnishings and abundance of natural light. The blend of cream, white and timber gives the space its classic country charm, while the original wood stove offers a practical heating solution.
Adriana and Casey Stoner’s modern country kitchen enjoys the classic country features of a big kitchen island, butler’s pantry and gas cooktop with a more polished edge. Opting for bright whites and antique pops of gold, this traditional kitchen shows that you don’t need a rustic finish to enjoy those classic country comforts in a contemporary way.
Antique copper pots, jars of wooden spoons and potted herbs line the benchtops of this Vancouver country kitchen in Canada. Taking its inspiration from the kitchens of elegant French estates, the kitchen completely heralds its antique finds with exposed shelving, while other items are hidden away within an oversized kitchen island, floor-to-ceiling cabinetry and a practical butler’s pantry.
This contemporary farmhouse kitchen in Queensland is built around a showstopping kitchen island, complete with industrial-style bar stools for each member of this family of six. The raked ceiling, rustic Blackbutt floorboards and pendant lights complete the modern farmhouse look.
This country kitchen embraces colour with its deep blue joinery, emereld hand-glazed tiles and a vintage patterned rug. The Ikea Havsen sink bowl, stained glass windows, and cottage style furnishings, including the blue patterned jug and green lampshade, add to the country character.
The owner of this modern country kitchen was drawn to a more earthy palette and opted for dusty green Polytec cabinets in Snowgum, which resemble the silvery green of the trees outside. Blackbutt timber floors, a tandem island and table, as well as shaker-style cabinetry elevate the stylish space.
This country kitchen carefully blends coastal elements into its traditional farmhouse design. Rather than timber or tiles on the floor, matt white polished concrete speckled with aggregate is the foundation for the open-plan space. The informal dining nook is also a relaxed addition to the room.
Leaning into more English elements design, gives this this Hamptons kitchen a more country feel than coastal.
“I steered away from blue – often the Hamptons go-to – and chose an earthy look, with black and warm grey accents,” says the home owner. “I also opted for dark oak floors to ground the space and complement the traditional feel of the house.”
A country kitchen that blends tradition with modernity
With its cathedral ceilings and solid French oak flooring from Enoak, this cottage’s kitchen is a drawcard for gatherings with family and friends. Interior design studio Birch & Moss worked with Class Kitchens and Joinery to create a space that hinted at traditional style but still felt modern with the inclusion of integrated appliances.
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