Six essentials to create a country farmhouse kitchen

How to give your kitchen the rustic cottagecore look

Interior trends may come and go, but the timeless appeal of a country farmhouse kitchen never seems to fade. Whether it’s found in a city dweller’s flat or a modern ‘box’ home in the suburbs, it allows you to dream (at least) of the rural idyll. Kitchen brands know this too as Shaker-style units are perennially popular, with different colour trends giving this old favourite a refresh, such as dusky pink or aubergine. Of course, opting for a traditional look if you’re revamping the whole kitchen has other plus sides too – no one wants their big investment to look dated within a few years.

Here are our must-have essentials if you want to give your kitchen country farmhouse style.

The farmhouse table

Dents, scratches, knocks. These are all good things when it comes to your farmhouse kitchen table. We’re talking old, used and worn here, not elegant antique. It needs to look as if it’s the sturdy workhorse of the home – scrubbed pine with chunky legs is a favourite or maybe go for reclaimed wood. This is the place to peel vegetables, knead dough and pot up preserves, as well as a spot to gather for informal kitchen suppers with friends.

A range oven

The enamelled range oven emerged in the 1920s and 30s popularised by the Swedish Aga company and has remained the brand synonymous with British country kitchens ever since. Today you can keep it traditional with an original oil-powered Aga, have it converted to electric or gas, or even opt for a oven like Everhot which works with solar energy. Capturing rural nostalgia, a range oven suggests hearty fare being cooked inside – a slow roast or fruit pie perhaps – while fresh laundry dries on racks above and a snoozing dog enjoys the radiating warmth.

The butler’s sink

Also known as a Belfast sink, the original design was made from fireclay and built to withstand heavy-duty use in the servants’ pantry. Part of the appeal is the sink’s working pedigree – its deep sides make it ideal for pot washing – but it also creates a classic focal point in the kitchen paired with retro taps and a reclaimed wood worktop. If you want to source a vintage butler’s sink, take a look at our guide first, for buying tips and our pick of reclamation yards to visit.

Butcher’s block

A versatile piece in any kitchen, the addition of castors gives the butcher’s block an almost trolley-like convenience. Crates or baskets can be stashed underneath to store vegetables, crockery or pantry goods, while the worktop provides a large area for kitchen prep, whether chopping veg or rolling out pastry. Butcher’s blocks can be a touch pricey, so finding a second-hand one makes for an ideal upcycling project too. The wooden block on this old unit (above) was sanded and restained, and the frame repainted in Downpipe from Farrow & Ball.

Gingham textiles

Nothing says ‘country kitchen’ quite like gingham. It has a fresh, unfussy simplicity and comes in a range of colours to suit any scheme. Use it for seat covers, cushions (see the gorgeous ruffle-trimmed cushions at Oka and Cox & Cox) or curtains. Or maybe even opt for an old-fashioned sink skirt which is now having a revival thanks to the cottagecore trend (see more ideas here). Remnants can be trimmed using pinking sheers and put to good use for jam pot covers (for that homemade Bonne Maman look) or to create pretty bunting in a mix of colours.

Rustic kitchenware

If you’re not in the market for a big kitchen revamp but love the farmhouse look, it’s easy to give your space a more rustic aesthetic with some carefully chosen kitchenware on display. Look for pieces that suggest your great-granny’s kitchen, such as a chipped enamel breadbin, old copper pans, Kilner jars and a well-worn wooden chopping board. And don’t forget the decorative details too – an earthware jug filled with ammi majus and sweet peas from the garden, or perhaps a market basket hanging from a hook on the back door.