How to add English country charm to your kitchen

Adding English country charm to your kitchen allows you to infuse color and create a collected look with pieces that you love and are unique to your home. 

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What is English country style?

I’m often asked to describe my design style. It’s hard to narrow it down, and I think a lot of people would have a similar dilemma. My style is a mix of traditional, old world and English country. But my kitchen is definitely heavy on English country style.

I follow several accounts that feature English country homes, and I find that they are relaxed and inviting. The homes incorporate a lot of natural elements such as wood, copper and marble in the kitchens. The countertops are the opposite of sterile with collections being showcased and fresh produce on display serving as decor. A mix of fabrics in curtains and linens creates a collected, lived-in look.

Since my kitchen seems to be the most-liked space in my home on my Instagram page, I thought I would share some tips that I’ve used to achieve this look. If you’ve been following me here or on my social media pages, you might have noticed that we never did a full reno of our 90s kitchen. Instead, it has evolved in stages, and I’ve tried to create a timeless look on a pretty small budget. While I know that my humble space is not a true English country kitchen, I have incorporated some design and decorative elements to give it that feel. You don’t have to do everything at once. Just make a couple changes and let it evolve over time!

Painted cabinets

Paint is the most budget-friendly way to transform a space. We painted our 90s-era orangey oak cabinets this neutral shade of green (you can read about that process here), and I believe this warm, neutral color was the impetus for the English country style that followed. You can certainly achieve an English country style with a white kitchen, but if you are considering paint, shades of green, blue and even warm yellow can add to the vibe.

Open shelves

There was not a good place for open shelves in our kitchen, but we do have open cubbies above the cabinets. These cubbies replaced a bulkhead in an early kitchen update that you can read about here. Open spaces like this allow you to put personal items and collections on display, which add character that is a hallmark of an English kitchen. The cubbies are the perfect spot for displaying vintage china.

Put your collections on display

If you don’t have open shelves, look for other spaces for displaying collections. In my kitchen, I’ve used a cabinet that was intended for wine bottles or mail to display my collection of white cream pitchers. Some are ironstone, others are inexpensive imitations that I picked up at HomeGoods. I’m not a purest. If I like it and it looks good with the collection, it’s in! I sometimes swap the white pitchers for more colorful versions (I have a thing for cream pitchers). Either way, they’re prettier than the tops of wine bottles or a plethora of envelopes and junk flyers.

Hang a brass pot rail

We had to replace our stove last year when our 20-year-old model decided to give up the ghost the week before we were hosting Thanksgiving. We opted for a classic gas stove that didn’t come with a lot of electronic bells and whistles, which fits in nicely with the English country style.

This update allowed space above the stove for a brass pot rail. This is something I had been dreaming about for ages, but the old stove’s design didn’t allow the room for this element. Once the stove arrived, I found the perfect unlacquered brass rail on Etsy. Then, I hit the thrift stores in search of copper pieces to display above my stove. In a true English country kitchen, the pot rail would hold functional copper pots and pans. I don’t actually use any of the pieces that are displayed, but they add to the homey, lived-in look, and that’s what’s important, right??

If you don’t have the space above your stove, there are other spots to hang a pot rail. They add charm when hung under a cabinet where they can hold measuring cups and tea towels. Another perfect spot is the side of a kitchen island. Tea towels and wooden spoons bring English country style to this space.

Incorporate natural materials

Copper and wood are both natural elements that bring warmth to an English country kitchen. While I’m not a purest with my cream pitchers, I’m a bit snobbier about copper. Solid copper pieces are much warmer than reproductions. Look for pieces that have a patina. They’re usually much heavier than copper-plated or even copper-painted pieces. 

Our most recent kitchen update included a new island and range hood. The wooden island is a classic medium brown tone, and the range hood features a matching wood trim piece. We also added hardwood floors to the kitchen. If my kitchen had high ceilings, we would have added wooden beams. But, since our ceilings are a standard 8 feet, we felt wooden beams would have closed in the space.

If your kitchen doesn’t have any wood elements, you don’t have to conduct a major renovation to bring this element into your space. Wood cutting boards, a collection of wooden-handled spoons and wooden trays and risers can bring the warmth of wood into your kitchen.

Update cabinet hardware

This is a relatively easy and budget-friendly way to change the look of your kitchen. When we updated our island and range hood, I decided it was time to update the cabinet hardware, too. Unlacquered brass that is allowed to patina would be a very English country look. Two things discouraged me from going this route. First, most of the options in this finish were more than I wanted to spend. Second, I know myself. The rustic look of patinated brass is in keeping with the English country style, but I would have been polishing it to a shiny finish all the time. Instead I went with a honeyed brass that, I think, fits in while not looking too rustic. Again, I’m not a purist. You don’t have to adopt every single element of a style in order to get the look.

Update your faucet

Along those lines, I struggled with my choices of faucet and sink. I absolutely love the look of a bridge kitchen faucet with a farmhouse sink. But, sometimes modern conveniences are too appealing to ignore. I had lived with a white porcelain sink for many years, and it was difficult to keep clean and scratch free. Further, our old kitchen faucet had separate hot and cold handles—I found that so inconvenient. So, no white farmhouse sink and bridge two-handle faucet. Instead, we chose a stainless work station sink and a single-handle faucet with a pull-down spray nozzle. The faucet is a somewhat vintage style in a honeyed brass finish to match the cabinet hardware. The sink is an undermount, so it doesn’t detract from the English country vibe of the kitchen. That said, if you can put form over function in this area, go for the bridge faucet and farmhouse sink!

Add a rustic backsplash

Before we updated our countertops, we installed a backsplash that changed the whole look of our kitchen. Without changing anything else, the backsplash made a big difference. In our most recent update, we installed new countertops and a new backsplash that is more in keeping with the English country style. I chose zellige tiles in a handmade look that adds to the English country aesthetic. Brick, stone or terrracotta tiles would also be the perfect backdrop for this style.

Put fresh produce on display

We keep a large wooden bowl on the counter that houses produce that is best left out of the fridge—tomatoes, onions, bananas, avacados and garlic. This feels very European to me. The produce itself adds to the decor.

Update light fixtures

Our kitchen originally had a single can light above the island. We replaced this boring fixture with two pendant lights, and it made a huge difference in the feel of the kitchen. Our lights are from Etsy, and have an artisan look. The milk glass is classic, and I love the rustic feel of the hardware.

Display artwork

Landscapes, florals and botanicals are prevalent in English country style. If you don’t have wall space in your kitchen (I have very little), add artowork to your backsplash. I rotate small prints in vintage frames with the seasons. 

Bring in freestanding furniture

A stand-alone table that serves as an island is a common feature of an English country-style kitchen. I love this look, but to maximize storage space, we opted for a more traditional island cabinet. You can read about our island design here. The wood tone that contrasts the perimeter cabinet color is a nod to this feature.

Until recently, my kitchen housed a vintage cabinet that had belonged to my grandmother. It stored copper, china and sometimes dry goods that didn’t have a home in the kitchen cabinets. It lost its spot when we added a cased opening between the kitchen and family room, and I miss it. If you have space to incorporate stand-alone pieces in your kitchen, they meet this style and add so much charm.

Add something quirky

I read in a book that at least one of your decorative accents in an English kitchen should be something quirky. This is an opportunity to include pieces that you love and tell a story. My favorite quirky piece is a small plaque that features a floral design made from painted nail heads. It belonged to my mother-in-law and hung in her kitchen for as long as I can remember. It’s very quirky, but I always loved it, and it happens to match our kitchen. Also seen in the photo, below, is an artichoke-shaped tea pot. This was a fun thrifted find that also qualifies as a little bit quirky.

Make room for plants and fresh flowers

As you can see throughout this post, I keep vases of fresh flowers on the island whenever I can. I use vessels that are vintage and usually thrifted. Nothing is more warm and welcoming than nature.

Use cookbooks as decor

I know, I know, most people look up recipes online, but I love cookbooks. Truth be told, I just love books and use them as decor in every room of my house. Cookbooks add beautiful layers to a kitchen counter. I stack them to act as a base for a bowl of fruit or seasonal decor. They also stand on end in a corner of my long kitchen counter.

Use patterned fabrics

My kitchen window is topped with a valance made from fabric that features leafy vines. While more colorful floral fabrics can be featured in English kitchens, I prefer to keep the backdrop a bit more neutral. My kitchen chair seats are covered in a green and brown floral fabric, and I rotate a variety of tea towels in colorful patterns. 

Make future plans

I have been on the hunt for a vintage wooden door for my pantry but haven’t found the perfect one. It would be the finishing touch to my kitchen. I’ll be sure to share when the door comes along!

Work with what you have

If I were designing a kitchen from scratch, I’m sure I would choose different cabinet doors, lots of open shelving and a vintage piece of furniture to serve as an island to create a classic English country kitchen. But, my cabinets were in good shape, and my kitchen layout didn’t lend itself to open shelving or a less functional, but beautiful, kitchen island. By making a few design updates and incorporating decorative elements, I think I’ve created a collected, inviting atmosphere typical of English country style.

You can start small by choosing two or three of these ideas and building from there. After all, a classic English countryside kitchen appears to be collected and added to over time. 

Links

Some items that might help to get you started are linked, below.

Links to exact products used in my kitchen are below.