Something is calming about immersing yourself in nature. So why not introduce natural elements into your kitchen design so you can feel that same calming feeling when indoors as well? Our lives can get hectic with our daily to-do lists feeling as though they’re never-ending. Much of your time is likely spent in your kitchen, which is why it is the perfect space in your home for you to relax and feel calm.
But how can you seamlessly incorporate these natural elements into your kitchen design? From incorporating shelves of flowing greenery and plants, a natural stone backsplash, or rustic wooden elements, there are a variety of ways you can transform your kitchen into a peaceful sanctuary.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a few of our favorite ways to create a natural kitchen design for your home.
While your existing layout may have a few constraints, one of the most effective ways to evoke a calming effect in your kitchen is to take advantage of its natural lighting. Allowing sunlight to flow through the windows and illuminate the space is one of the cheapest and most beautiful natural elements that you and your family will get to enjoy. Even on a gray day where the sun isn’t shining, you’ll still have natural light to liven up your mood and enhance the colors in your space.
When determining the layout for your kitchen, take into account where the sun will rise and set. If possible, strategically place windows in areas of the kitchen so you’ll be able to take advantage of one of these times of the day — or both if the configuration allows. The larger the windows are, the more natural light you’ll be able to take advantage of. Not only will they allow the light to flow into your kitchen but they’ll give you a view out to the beautiful world outside.
One of the best parts of being outside is feeling as though you have no constraints. If your kitchen is enclosed by a few walls, it is going to make the room feel extremely claustrophobic — the exact opposite of the feeling you want to evoke in your kitchen!
To capture the warm and welcoming feeling that you get when enjoying the outdoors, you should design a kitchen with an open layout. This will allow you to create one large space in your home where your entire family can enjoy their time together, even if they’re technically hanging out in a separate section of the room.
Open layouts also allow you to feature natural elements throughout other parts of your home, such as your living room or dining room area. If you have a natural wood dining room table with wishbone seats placed around it, it will help tie into the natural elements of your kitchen such as natural wood cabinets and create a cohesive design.
Whether you have a green thumb or not, adding greenery to your kitchen is a no-brainer! If your kitchen gets ample light, add in live foliage on your open shelves or countertops to add some life into the space. Plants are the perfect way to fill an empty corner of the room that otherwise feels cold.
However, we know that not everyone has the magic touch needed to keep plants alive. If that’s the case, you don’t need to miss out on incorporating foliage. Instead, opt for faux plants that will allow you to showcase natural, green elements that you will never have to worry about watering to keep alive.
We love the use of natural wood finishes in a natural kitchen design. From oak to bamboo, there are a variety of wood types you can choose from to elevate the look and feel of your kitchen. But you don’t need to rely on your kitchen cabinets to display beautiful wood tones in the space. Instead, you should consider installing live-edge wood as a countertop or kitchen table.
A “live” edge means keeping the natural shape of the tree on one or both edges of a wood slab. By maintaining the natural shape of the tree, you’ll be able to showcase a naturalistic look that will perfectly pair with your kitchen’s natural light and greenery accents. You can use live-edge wood for open shelving, countertops, dining room tables, coffee tables, and more.
Although most people associate wood and greenery with a nature-feel kitchen, it’s important not to overlook other elements such as stone. There are a variety of ways you can include natural stone in your kitchen, ranging from your backsplash, flooring, accent wall, range hood, and more. You may even decide to carry the look throughout your open layout design to create a cohesive space, installing the same stone to your fireplace.
Along with stone, adding bricks can be a great way to emphasize the rustic feel as well. Although bricks aren’t found in nature, they’re often paired with rustic designs that work well in natural kitchen designs. If the stark color palette of bricks is a little harsher than you’d like, consider painting them white as the backdrop to your kitchen.
When designing a kitchen that will feature beautiful natural elements, it’s also important to consider how you’re keeping your kitchen clean. Continue the trend of a natural kitchen by getting rid of traditional kitchen cleaning products for dirt, stains, or messes that contain harmful chemicals. There are plenty of eco-friendly cleaning alternatives to the array of chemical cleaners in your kitchen that are healthier options for you and your family.
Think about different materials that you may find outside, such as wood, rocks, plants, greenery, sunlight, water, and more. Once you have a list of your favorite natural elements that bring you serenity, think of different ways to include them in your design such as your cabinets, shelving, counters, and flooring.
Are you considering a kitchen model to increase the value of your home? When deciding which natural elements to include you will also want to consider which types of home renovations will provide the greatest return on investment. According to Remodeling Magazine, a kitchen remodel has a 77.6% return. Consider adjustments like countertops, cabinets, and flooring for the biggest impact on the value.
If your kitchen doesn’t get ample natural light, you may feel the need to add additional lighting. The size of your kitchen will determine how much lighting is needed. It is recommended that a kitchen has 70 – 80 lumens per square foot.
Along with designing a natural feel kitchen, you may want to incorporate a few other eco-friendly considerations as well. Try using more reusable materials to limit the amount of waste you are producing. When you do have waste, set aside areas in your natural kitchen design for recycling and composting. You may even opt to grow your own herbs and vegetables to cut back on the groceries
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