Whether you have just purchased a period property or feel like injecting some period charm into your modern bachelor pad apartment, you can’t go wrong with a period kitchen. You can spot a period kitchen a mile off! They were designed with classic elegance and centred around huge appliances. Details like open shelving and hanging hooks for gorgeous crockery completed the look. Here are some ways in which you can inject some classic period design into your modern kitchen without compromising on modern convenience and comfort.
Vintage appliances and fittings
Build your period kitchen around a few carefully chosen vintage appliances and fittings. There is a fantastic range of AGA ovens at www.agaliving.com that will complement any period kitchen. They are designed to last for decades and provide a perfect period focus to any kitchen. They are no longer the dirty appliances of the past and do not have to run on coal or oil. There are now electric versions available which combine modern convenience with a classic period design.
Belfast sinks look great and are highly functional. The belfast sinks at www.tapwarehouse.com bring timeless charm and elegance to your kitchen. At the same time, they are hard-wearing and are available in a variety of sizes and design options to fit all kitchens. Finish off the look with a vintage tap.
You don’t have to do without modern appliances like coffee machines and microwave ovens when you opt for a period kitchen. You do not have to compromise convenience for design. Simply hide these modern appliances away in cupboards or corners so that they do not detract from the overall look.
Hunt out original features
If you have purchased a period property, are there any original features that you could expose? If you already have exposed brickwork, timber beams or flagstones you are very lucky! Make the most of them by researching how to restore them sympathetically to let their original beauty shine through. If not, start digging around to see if you can find some. Peel back carpets and tiles, rip off wallpaper and open up fireplaces. You may be very pleasantly surprised by what you can find.
Arts and crafts to complete the look
Sold craftsmanship is what underpinned many classic pieces so it is time to start hunting around antique stalls and car boot sales to find some classic furniture. Traditional dressers and cabinets can be expensive but you can still pick up some bargains that are in poor repair. Then you get to have the enjoyment and satisfaction of renovating them.
Original furniture was usually made of unpainted, polished wood with brass fittings. The front panels were either solid or glass-fronted for displaying vintage china. You could get a talented carpenter to make a reproduction piece for you in this style.
Smaller items are much easier to come by. Antique auctions are great fun to attend and you can pick up lovely Victorian crockery and even some cook books to complete the look of your period kitchen.