5 statement pieces that’ll give your country kitchen a handmade feel

Paint your own cupboards

Creating a handcrafted look doesn’t always have to be expensive. British Standard kitchens have the hallmarks of bespoke design, but as they are handpainted and fitted by the customer, prices are lower. The cupboards are made from birch ply with beech for the drawers as it is a strong wood and good for cutting dovetail joints.

Add hand-carved shelves

Add individuality by using natural materials. Pairing Italian basalt shelves with Pietra Laro beige limestone hand-carved brackets from Stone Age, delivers a country-style kitchen that celebrates handcrafted techniques and enhances the beauty of the materials used.

Put kitchen items on display

This Elmbrae island from Barnes of Ashburton has a distressed finish with a potboard in the same rich wood as the worktop. The island is large and the open end prevents it from dominating the room. It also provides a handy area for displaying baskets, bowls and decorative items.

Choose a hardworking worksurface

The worksurface can be the most dramatic element in a freestanding arrangement and helps to define the boundaries of the piece of furniture. The marble upstands in this design from 1909 hark back to traditional deli counters, while also offering a very practical workstation.

Use all those nooks and crannies

Turn a simple alcove beside a range into a place to keep herbs and condiments. A handmade kitchen, like this one from Martin Moore, can make the most of every bit of space. Tuck useful shelves into the side of the chimney breast, keeping ingredients such as salt and pepper off the worktop but still immediately to hand.

See Country Homes & Interiors for more country kitchen inspiration.

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