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Tuscan Kitchen Decorating Ideas
by Kathy Burns-Millyard
More and more people today find the thought of a sunny cottage kitchen
in the Tuscan countryside as their ideal. If you long to have that
cozy-cottage feel in your own kitchen, the good news is that it's easy
to do-it-yourself!
One of the reasons Tuscan kitchen is such a hot decorating trend is that
it celebrates the simple things in life: Food, friends, and family. A
Tuscan kitchen is functional, not fussy, and decorating in this theme is
as simple as paint and a few touches.
The walls in a Tuscan kitchen have a unique, old-world look. You can
achieve this using a faux painting technique. First, you paint the walls
a bright base color such as butterscotch or butter yellow. Then, sponge
on a deeper shade so that the walls look as though they have faded in
some spots. There are many books and Internet sites that can give you
step-by-step directions on this method of applying paint, as well as
product suggestions. If you want to go the extra mile, you can texturize
your walls using joint compound mixed with paint. "Pouncing" the mixture
onto the walls creates a colored, rustic roughness characteristic of an
authentic country kitchen in Tuscany.
The next places to paint are cabinet doors. Use a strong, contrasting
color to really give your Tuscan county kitchen character. Deep reds and
bright forest greens are especially popular on cupboard doors. While
you're out looking for just the right shade of paint, spend some time in
the hardware section of your home improvement store. This is where
you'll find the pulls and handles to add the finishing touch to your
Tuscan cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Heavy, burnished metal or
ceramic knobs will both look great in your kitchen.
Now that you have the background set, it's time for the focus pieces. A
Tuscan country kitchen harkens thoughts of family and friends. A large
table with simple chairs is a sure invitation to your own family to
spend quality time in the kitchen. Brightly colored seat cushions make
the chairs even more inviting, and a wooden bowl of fruit and nuts
encourages a long visit.
Browse through kitchen supply stores and you'll find a dazzling array of
decanters for oils and spices. In a Tuscan county kitchen, cooking
ingredients are often stored in plain sight. Glass jars filled with
dried beans and pasta should line your counters, along with terra cotta
planters and cooking utensil holders. Pewter and copper vessels are also
a good choice you're your Tuscan kitchen. If you have the floor space,
freestanding metal or wooden racks can be used to hold commonly used
pots and pans, as well as sunflower-print table linens. Pots of herbs on
a windowsill and trailing houseplants on top of the refrigerator add
even more of an Old World feel to your new kitchen look.
About the author
© 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard. Visit The Do It Yourself Home Decorating
Network -
http://www.diyhomedecorating.com - for more Decorating Ideas, Tips
and Resources.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Burns-Millyard
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