European Kitchen Design

European kitchen design reflects the lifestyle, tastes and personality of the people in each country's region.

European kitchen design is a bit eclectic, mixing cabinetry styles and decor.

This beauty is a nice mixture of French Country and American traditional styles.

How to capture European kitchen style? First, choose from:

EURO-COUNTRY - the country kitchen: comfy "cottagey" warm, food, family, friends.

Most Americans are drawn to the country styles - French, English, Italian.

Euro-Country is an appealing mix of the old and new, and it's more relaxed and sociable - like us!

Add some of the details below to capture the European kitchen design style you like best.

Tuscan Kitchen Design Basics:

Tuscany is warm most of the year - let in lots of light and use sunny colors to the point of intense!
Italian families love to cook together, so you'll need room enough for more than one cook. An island is a must-have.
Wooden ceiling beams and other rustic touches like butcher block or a farmhouse-style table.
Cabinets are often medium to dark wood (although you can go lighter) with a simple panel door style.
Rough stucco walls or walls treated with "French plastering" - a heavy coat of plaster hand-troweled in semi-circle swirls. Or try faux finish painting to get the effect.
Decorative borders of olives, tomatoes, grapes and more grapes.
Granite or marble countertops, with backsplash in brightly patterned ceramic tile.

French Country Kitchen Design Basics:

Like the Italians, French families like cooking together, so include an island in your plan.
Earthy and natural look with walls in white or pale yellow to soft gold.
More intricate and sophisticated cabinetry than the other Euro-country styles, with raised panel doors, crown molding.
Cabinets need a rich finish in light natural wood or painted and glazed in pale neutral shades.
Add to the farmhouse feel with old tools on the wall or a piece of antique furniture with distressed wood finish.
Granite or ceramic tile countertops.
French country needs at least one or two wrought iron accessories, and fruit and flowers or a rooster motif in some of the decor.

English Country Kitchen Design Basics:

Clean and simple style with beautiful ornate details.
Cabinets painted white or ivory, with crown or dentil molding and furniture feet or toe kicks that give the raised look of furniture.
Glass front wall cabinets, open shelving areas and plate racks to show off china and collectibles with the look of family heirlooms.
Marble or subtle-colored granite countertops.
Colors of the English rose garden - pink, yellow and green, with gingham or floral fabrics on curtains and cushions.
Regal touches like a white painted coffered ceiling and curvy Queen Anne table legs.