Skip to content

Top Navigation

Better Homes & Gardens
Better Homes & Gardens
  • Gardening
  • Home Improvement Ideas
  • Cleaning and Organizing
  • Recipes and Cooking
  • Decorating
  • Holidays
  • Rooms
  • Shopping
  • News

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • BH&G Books this link opens in a new tab
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • BH&G Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin

Explore Better Homes & Gardens

Better Homes & Gardens
Better Homes & Gardens
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Only Weed Identification Guide You'll Ever Need: 33 Common Weedy Plants to Watch For

      The Only Weed Identification Guide You'll Ever Need: 33 Common Weedy Plants to Watch For

      Don't let these pesky plants crash your garden party! The first step is to know your enemy. Then you'll know the best way to deal with your weed problem. Read More
    • 6 Small Steps You Can Take Today to Get Organized for Good

      6 Small Steps You Can Take Today to Get Organized for Good

      A professional organizer offers advice on how to tidy up your home without feeling overwhelmed. Read More
    • 5 Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients to Add to Your Smoothie for a Healthy Boost

      5 Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients to Add to Your Smoothie for a Healthy Boost

      Anti-inflammatory smoothies do exist! Instead of blending in boatloads of sugar and artificial ingredients, try these smoothies for inflammation that are stoked with ingredients that may help lower your risk for chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, depression, and more. Read More
  • Gardening

    Gardening

    See All Gardening
    4 DIY Seed-Starting Pots You Can Make With Items You Already Have

    4 DIY Seed-Starting Pots You Can Make With Items You Already Have

    Upcycle old newspapers, junk mail, and other waste paper to make these easy, eco-friendly containers you can use to sprout new plants for your garden.
    • Flowers
    • Houseplants
    • Plant Encyclopedia
    • Garden Pests
    • Trees, Shrubs & Vines
    • Caring for Your Yard
    • Edible Gardening
    • Garden Design
    • Gardening By Region
    • Landscaping
  • Home Improvement Ideas

    Home Improvement Ideas

    See All Home Improvement Ideas
    What Style Is Your House? The 10 most popular American house styles explained.

    What Style Is Your House? The 10 most popular American house styles explained.

    In a world full of so many different house styles, it can be a little challenging just to narrow down your own home's architectural style, let alone–if you're buying—to edit the list down to your favorite style. We'll show you the 10 most popular American house styles, including Cape Cod, French Country, Colonial, Victorian, Tudor, Craftsman, Cottage, Mediterranean, ranch-style, and Contemporary.
    • Home Exteriors
    • DIY Home Electrical Tips & Guides
    • Outdoor Structures
    • Home Remodeling
    • Plumbing Installations & Repairs
    • Remodeling Advice & Planning
    • Flooring
    • Lighting
    • Decks
    • Porches
  • Cleaning and Organizing

    Cleaning and Organizing

    See All Cleaning and Organizing
    A Whole-House Cleaning Schedule You'll Actually Stick To

    A Whole-House Cleaning Schedule You'll Actually Stick To

    Cleaning your home doesn't have to be a daunting, time-consuming chore. The key to managing household duties quickly and efficiently is to design an easy-to-follow routine that includes all the most important tasks. Follow these step-by-step instructions for creating a customized whole-home cleaning schedule.
    • House Cleaning
    • Laundry & Linens
    • Cleaning Tips
    • Closet Organization
    • Organization Tips
    • Kitchen Storage Organization
  • Recipes and Cooking

    Recipes and Cooking

    See All Recipes and Cooking
    21 Essential Baking Tools Every Home Cook Needs (Plus 16 That Are Nice to Have)

    21 Essential Baking Tools Every Home Cook Needs (Plus 16 That Are Nice to Have)

    If you're a beginner baker who's just starting out (or a master chef looking to declutter), start with this list of baking tool must-haves. We'll help you set up a baking essentials kit for beginners with 21 pastry tools. For those who already own these handy tools, this list may finally provide the motivation you need to toss that never-been-used soufflé dish. Building your essential baking tools and equipment inventory starts here.
    • How to Cook
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Fish Recipes
    • Beef Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch
    • Dinner Recipes & Meal Ideas
    • Ethnic Food
  • Decorating

    Decorating

    See All Decorating
    7 Interior Design Trends Everyone Will Be Trying in 2021, According to Experts

    7 Interior Design Trends Everyone Will Be Trying in 2021, According to Experts

    Designers weigh in on the most popular decorating styles, colors, and materials you can look forward to in the coming year.
    • Choosing Color
    • Expert Decorating Advice
    • Fireplace Design Ideas
    • Do It Yourself Magazine
    • Window Treatments
    • Styles & Decor
    • Interior Painting
    • Home Makeovers
    • Small-Space Decorating
    • Traditional Home
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    International Women's Day: The Powerful Story Behind This 111-Year-Old Tradition

    International Women's Day: The Powerful Story Behind This 111-Year-Old Tradition

    What began as a small movement, has grown into a global holiday dedicated to celebrating the strong women in our communities.
    • Valentine's Day
    • Mother's Day
    • Easter
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July/Memorial Day
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • New Year's
    • Juneteenth
    • Hanukkah
  • Rooms

    Rooms

    See All Rooms
    Living Room Furniture Arrangement Ideas

    Living Room Furniture Arrangement Ideas

    Get tips for arranging living room furniture in a way that creates a comfortable and welcoming environment and makes the most of your space.
    • Bedroom Decorating and Design Ideas
    • Bathroom Decorating and Design Ideas
    • Kitchen Decorating and Design Ideas
    • Living Room Decorating and Design
    • Dining Room
    • Home Office
    • Kid's Rooms
    • Baby Nursery
  • Shopping
  • News

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • BH&G Books this link opens in a new tab
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • BH&G Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. BHG.com
  2. Kitchen Decor & Design
  3. Kitchen Decorating Styles
  4. Rustic Kitchen Ideas

Rustic Kitchen Ideas

Caitlin Sole headshot
By Caitlin Sole May 20, 2016
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin FB
kitchen
Century-old details, rough-hewn surfaces, and faded finishes stack up to create welcoming rustic kitchens that let families efficiently host modern gatherings amid patinas of the past.
Start Slideshow

1 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Rethinking Rustic

kitchen
What's Your Decorating Style?

Lighter wood finishes, shiny surfaces, and sculptural accents update traditional rustic kitchen designs. Opt for plank floors and wood ceilings that have been limed or whitewashed to brighten the view. Glossy colored tiles and open shelves refresh walls and show off dishware, while the rich tone of bronze pendant lights perfectly complements rustic schemes. 

1 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Age-Old Charm

101746893

Check salvage yards and reclamation centers for architectural elements you can use to establish rustic appeal. Reclaimed beams, floorboards, and mantels contribute century-old style and striking structures that instantly age a kitchen's look.

2 of 17

3 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Northwoods Spirit

kitchen

Knotty pine boards bring rustic cabin appeal to new and old kitchens. Whitewashed or naturally finished, the wood adds warmth underfoot and fashions good-looking walls. Pair pine with exposed beams, a worn utility cart, and galvanized containers for a rich and rugged work space.

3 of 17

Advertisement

4 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Magical Medley

Cottage Cabinets

Fuse sleek and rough surfaces to create a high-impact kitchen that spans the past and present. In this space, rustic beams and reclaimed floors stylishly sandwich fittings rendered in fun colors. Horizontal wall boards create a streamlined backdrop that allows both manufactured and natural features to stand out.

  • Popular Kitchen Cabinet Colors

4 of 17

5 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Historic Revival

Mini Farmhouse Makeovers

Materials salvaged from razed warehouses, barns, and residences build kitchens that overflow with rustic style. Reclaimed lumber topped with salvaged marble boasting irregular edges creates this rustic workstation. White paint highlights the splintery surfaces of unsanded boards installed on the walls and ceiling.

5 of 17

6 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Top White Cabinet Colors

Enhance the rustic style of your kitchen with our best white paint colors for cabinetry.

6 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Distinctive Features

kitchen

Geometry and ingenuity unite in a plush kitchen that artistically fuses elegance and rusticity. Ceiling beams take on chic shine thanks to coats of stain and sealer; large floor tiles laid in a seemingly random fashion generate a pillowed effect; and smaller, light-tone tiles that run from countertop to ceiling set the perimeter aglow. Outfitted with dramatic sweeps of marble, the range and island become focal points.

7 of 17

8 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Subtle Shades

Cottage Cabinets

Do you enjoy just a hint of rustic style with your morning cup of coffee? Paint cabinets a cheery hue and balance the lighter tone with a woodsy detail. Use pine boards to create a fetching (and inexpensive) backsplash for shelves. Stain and seal the boards to protect them from grease and water splatters.

  • Tips for Painting Cabinetry

8 of 17

9 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Calm and Composed

Country French Kitchen

The earliest kitchens came together slowly, with cupboards, workstations, and fixtures added at different times. These homeowners achieved a similar built-over-time look in their new kitchen by opting for different weathered cabinetry finishes, a mix of cabinet styles, and two types of countertops. Rustic ceiling beams, foot-worn stone floors, and antiqued plaster walls complete the old-world composition.

9 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Period-Spanning Panache

rustic kitchen

Vintage and modern combine with coarse and lustrous finishes in this nifty kitchen. Rough-hewn shelves support glossy vases and contemporary dishware. Limed cabinetry, a weighty wood range hood, and scraped floorboards showcase various wood grains, enhancing the rustic feel. Lucite barstools highlight the island base's beat-up boards.

10 of 17

11 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Fine-Tuned Furnishings

kitchen

Rustic kitchen decor should look as if it has been around for centuries. Likely once employed in a factory, this weathered worktable sports casters that allow it to be moved as needed. Unpolished heirloom silver displayed in a far corner supplies tarnished patinas that perfectly suit the rustic scheme.

11 of 17

12 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Striking Silhouettes

Donohoe Residence

Change a classic kitchen's outlook by adding unexpected rugged touches. Here, a pair of weathered window frames fashion whimsical pass-throughs that allow natural light to move between adjacent spaces. The window frames contribute profiles that capture attention and ease the formality of more refined fittings.

12 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Breezy Blend

Trends
White Kitchen Design Ideas

This primarily white kitchen could have easily taken a frosty turn. But thanks to just a few organic additions, the work space feels warm and welcoming. Stone floors and backsplashes combine with wood-seat stools and a primitive island to boost interest without disturbing the room's bright spirit.

13 of 17

14 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Bygone Beauty

rustic kitchen

Rustic kitchens should appear as if they were furnished over time. This kitchen does so with a rough-texture tiled backsplash that pulls together the room's red, green, and brown tones. Ceiling beams, wood floors, and antiqued cabinet finishes play happily with shiny copper pans and dangling baskets that contribute at-hand utility.

14 of 17

15 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Set in Stone

kitchen

Rustic workstations equipped with modern appliances beautifully accommodate today's needs. Stonework walls and a carved-stone sink complement upper cabinets that sport exposed nailheads and hardware. Although visible, the dishwasher recedes into its distinctive surroundings. Base cabinets wear dark iron pulls that pick up on the tones of a bronze faucet.

15 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Finely Finished

102019183

Create a pleasing balance between wood and painted finishes to ensure your kitchen operates as an inviting hub for gathering family and friends. Accentuate wood expanses with white trim, cabinets, and marble countertops to bring rustic designs out of the shadows and into a cheerfully updated light.

16 of 17

17 of 17

Save Pin FB
Tweet Email Send Text Message

Natural Beauty

rustic kitchen

Calming colors, fashionable finishes, and vintage forms encourage lingering in this soothing kitchen design. Rustic elements, such as brick walls, hardwood floors, and exposed ceiling beams, add layers of warmth that complement natural wood cabinetry and green glazed finishes.

17 of 17

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Caitlin Sole

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 17 Rethinking Rustic
    2 of 17 Age-Old Charm
    3 of 17 Northwoods Spirit
    4 of 17 Magical Medley
    5 of 17 Historic Revival
    6 of 17 Top White Cabinet Colors
    7 of 17 Distinctive Features
    8 of 17 Subtle Shades
    9 of 17 Calm and Composed
    10 of 17 Period-Spanning Panache
    11 of 17 Fine-Tuned Furnishings
    12 of 17 Striking Silhouettes
    13 of 17 Breezy Blend
    14 of 17 Bygone Beauty
    15 of 17 Set in Stone
    16 of 17 Finely Finished
    17 of 17 Natural Beauty

    Share & More

    Tweet Email Send Text Message
    • Better Homes & Gardens BHG Logo Products at Walmart
    • Better Homes & Gardens BHG Real Estate Real Estate Services
    Better Homes & Gardens

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Better Homes & Gardens
    • Help
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithBH&G is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Better Homes & Gardens. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.bhg.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Rustic Kitchen Ideas
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.