Italian Kitchen Decorating Ideas

Interested in Italian kitchen decorating ideas? Then check out our tips below...

The beauty of an Italian kitchen is in the warm, inviting décor. Rich colors and woods along with wall art, lighting and furniture can give a kitchen the old world atmosphere of Italy.

Italian kitchen decorating incorporates natural features, masonry, and earth tones that enhance its warm and cozy feeling.

Choosing the perfect decorating scheme can result in a kitchen bursting with Italian character. It must, above all else, be an inviting haven of warmth, safety and love.

Italian kitchens are like magnets, they draw family members, friends and guests into them with such a welcome feeling, rarely are other communal rooms used. The only exception may be the use of the dining room for evening meals and special holidays.

It is the Italian kitchen that is meeting place central for the entire family at the start and end of every day. This is probably one of the reasons that many Italian restaurant chains have exposed kitchens, viewable from the dining area.

They know that part of their Italian kitchen decorating is to invite guests into where the food is actually prepared.

Warming up Your Color Palette

One great Italian kitchen decorating idea is the use of Italian kitchen colors such as yellow, deep red and orange. They will give your kitchen warmth while touches of purple or lavender add additional color to the medley.

Gold, greens and blues also give an Italian countryside effect to the room. The trick is not to overdo and cause visual confusion. Select two or three colors for your palette and stick to them.

Another Italian kitchen decorating idea you should keep in mind is to use the lighter of the shades chosen as your background or wall color.

Save your brightest and boldest selection as the accent color for your Italian kitchen decorating.

Use the medium tones for bases such as flooring, countertops and furnishings. The most important item to remember about Italian kitchen colors is to keep them warm, inviting and homey.

Another Italian kitchen decorating idea you should know is that natural features will accent your choice of colors in your kitchen. Although in the old country ceiling beams are only made of fine solid woods, you may choose to cut costs by installing rustic style decorative faux beams.

They will look as beautiful as solid wood and are light weight which makes for easy installment. A weathered look and decorative straps is another great Italian kitchen decorating idea. It also enhances the beams beauty.

Your Italian kitchen decorating theme should include lighting that creates atmosphere and compliments your Italian kitchen color palette. Wrought iron lighting fixtures creates the old world ambiance you are looking for.

Furniture that Speaks Italian

Timeless furniture and pieces that reflect history are also great Italian kitchen decorating ideas. Italian kitchen furniture is best expressed with large wooden pieces.

Consider choosing a distressed wood kitchen tables that appears as if it has been passed down for generations. Nothing accents an Italian kitchen decorating more than a wooden block carving island.

Kitchen islands are both complimenting to the kitchen and wonderfully useful for prepping and storage space. Island tops come in several designs and colors.

Another great Italian kitchen decorating ideas is terra cotta tile finish. A terra cotta tile finish will lend the greatest depth to your Italian theme, as well as your Italian kitchen colors.

Whether you use a wooden or granite top or marble, the island in itself is a touch of Italian elegance and speaks world class.

Other furniture pieces that will enhance your Italian theme would be pieces such as a baker's rack in antiqued wrought iron. Perhaps an old solid wood chest of drawers, refinished and used for storing potatoes, linens or even as a silver service storage space would add depth to your Italian kitchen decorating.

Whatever furniture selections you make, the key is to stick with sturdy wooden pieces or wrought iron racking. Stainless steel and acrylics are totally out of place and do not coordinate well with your Italian kitchen color palette.

Accessorize with Italian Style

Italian kitchens are used often and are not sterile, cold showplaces. For most decor schemes, clutter can be an absolute error. However, when it comes to Italian kitchen decorating, a little bit of clutter screams a lived in, loved space for the entire family.

There is nothing wrong with having ceramic pasta bowls stacked on the countertop. Open shelves and tops of racks and cabinets are great places for traditional Italian items like bottles of various herbs infusing olive oils or varied types of wine and balsamic vinegars.

Another wonderful Italian kitchen decorating ideas is glass containers. Glass containers holding a variety of pastas make a great accent in an Italian kitchen. Hanging wire baskets of tomatoes, zucchini and eggplants can only add to your Italian kitchen decorating.

Best of all, your accessories that are food products will change and rotate as used, giving guests and friends a new and unique vision every time they come to visit.

Use accessories to amplify your Italian kitchen color palette. If your accent color is deep plum, bunches of grapes in a basket, pictures of deep dark fruit still on the vine or stenciled around the top of the wall will help add character.

If darker green is your accent color, consider this Italian kitchen decorating idea: how about trying basil and oregano wall plaques, or maybe even an herb border or chair rail print?

Use your accessories to show off the Italian spices or wines or vegetables that are so important in the native cuisine. There is a limitless list of possible items that you could choose to highlight your Italian kitchen decorating scheme.

From wall art to your linen selections and stoneware and glassware, you can use any number of accessorizing items to bolster both you color scheme and Italian décor.

Stay within your color palette and pick the design you love the most, whether fruit, vegetables, wine or herbs, the overall effect is the same. Create a coziness that welcomes friends to the center of an Italian home.

Fantastic Italian Flooring

You will never find a kitchen in Italy that is carpeted. This is not a good selection for the busiest room in an Italian household. Could you imagine trying to clean tomato sauce out of carpeting?

The best selections in flooring for Italian kitchen decorating are terra cotta tile, flagstone, bricks or ceramic tile. Unfinished hardwood flooring is also acceptable.

You can even utilize less expensive vinyl and linoleum, provided the appearance is that of tiles or brick, wood or flagstone. In a kitchen of Italy, the flooring must stand up to heavy traffic, lots of cooking and be serviceable for years to come.

Any of the above selections in brick and terra cotta tones or natural woods and brown tones will work with your Italian kitchen decorating scheme.

Placing a small area rug by the kitchen sink or in front of the back door in colors from your Italian kitchen color palette will only enhance the feel. Another great Italian kitchen decorating ideas is to use hand woven or braided matting to keep that flavor of Italy.

Never Forget the Ceiling

In an Italian kitchen, there is no wasted space. This includes the ceiling, or lovingly, the fifth wall in the kitchen. Hanging a wrought iron rack from the ceiling to store and display cookware is a common site in Italy. So are hanging baskets that hold everything from herbs to fruits and vegetables.

Another Italian kitchen decorating idea that you should keep in mind is that hanging strings of banded garlic are not only handy for cooking, but believed in the old country to ward off evils spirits.

Wrought iron suspended wine racks are also common, especially when floor space is limited. In your Italian kitchen decorating, a hanging wine rack allows for storage while providing a nice accessorizing piece.

Another item that is frequently seen is a wooden drying rack for herbs and homemade pastas. Oregano, basil and parsley must be suspended upside down to ensure proper drying and longevity. What a lovely aromatic way this can be to enhance your Italian kitchen decorating.

When the herbs are dry, rub them to small pieces and then store them in labeled jars for display. If you're growing your own herbs in your garden, this can be a lovely way to bring a part of your garden indoors.

Speaking of growing, another wonderful Italian kitchen decorating idea you'll want to consider is hanging planters for an indoor kitchen herb garden. They will also enhance that warm, Italian kitchen mood.

The added bonus is fresh herbs to cook amazing Italian cuisine with. Just snip off what you need when you need it from your living accessory in your Italian kitchen. Friends will be impressed when offered fresh mint for their tea or fresh basil on their salad.

Warm, Functional and Inviting

The key to being successful with your Italian kitchen decorating scheme is to remember to keep it warm, make it functional and let it become an inviting space in your home.

Do not be afraid to let your personality shine through in touches here and there. Let warm, deep brick tones transport you to another place where food is at the heart of every conversation.

Make interesting focal points that attract the eye of guests and friends. Better yet, use food products as part of your décor and the interest points will continually change, bringing something new to every visit.

You'll know if you've been successful with your Italian kitchen decorating when every continually congregates there. Even if you have a formal event arranged in another room, a true Italian kitchen is too hard for guests and family members alike to ignore.

Your warm kitchen will eventually lure them from all other points of your home. You'll beam with the satisfaction that you have truly brought a piece of Italy into your existence for all to share and enjoy.

The kitchen is the heart and soul of every Italian household and with a modicum of effort and creativity, that same ambiance can be the center of your home, as well.

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Italian Kitchen Decorating Ideas