Mother Nature has secrets up her sleeves that only good home designers know. Whether you love the great outdoors or not, you cannot deny the calming and relaxing feel of having a kitchen with an outdoor feel. The wide, open spaces of the great outdoors are suitable for a kitchen, the heart and soul of every home. There’s something about incorporating nature into your kitchen that gives the whole home a kind of unique and relaxing atmosphere. So are you ready for a major overhaul of your kitchen design ideas?
You should always strive to get more sunlight into your kitchen. Your food will taste and look better with the light streaming from outside into your kitchen. Count the number of hours you spend in the kitchen. You should be getting enough sun with the hours you spend slaving over meals, cleaning dishes, or simply chatting with the family while munching on chips. If you don’t know where to start, call an interior design company for a complete kitchen design. Otherwise, do your research and be ready to get your hands dirty.
Enlarge the Window Over the Sink
Is there a window over your kitchen sink? None? That’s why your kitchen feels dark and dingy. Windows are a great source of ample light, fresh air, and the feeling of spaciousness. Make sure there is at least one big window in your kitchen, preferably the one above your sink. Since this is where you will most likely do the majority of your kitchen duties, it’s nice if you can throw the windows wide open and let the fresh air inside.
Add an Oversized Glass Door
The thing about bringing the outdoor vibe into your indoor kitchen is to break walls. They are constrictive. They feel like a prison. Instead of walls, go for oversized glass doors instead. If your kitchen faces your backyard or a den or a deck, make sure there’s a wide glass door that you can throw open when the weather permits it. Of course, that’s assuming you live in a bug-free environment, too.
Look Above at Skylights
If large windows and doors are not possible, you can consider adding skylights or light tubes. This will bring so much light into your kitchen. When it’s raining, the splatter of raindrops on the glass will also bring a feeling of being one with nature. Remember, however, that skylights tend to turn into black boxes at night. Your kitchen will be washed in darkness. There should be enough light fixtures that you can turn on to keep the kitchen lit at night.
Bring in Large Houseplants
If you want to create that outdoorsy theme in your kitchen, better start bringing in large houseplants. Put them in a large pot and place them in the corner of your kitchen. Small succulent plants can be placed on top of your kitchen counter and along the windowsill. The great thing about houseplants is that they fit any kind of theme—chic outdoor, manly man outdoor, Mediterranean outdoor, or modern and industrial outdoor. They are great fillers for spaces you don’t know what to do with.
Plants are great additions to your interior design because they also purify the air you breathe. If you are not too keen on large plants, stick with succulents and freshly cut flowers that you can put in a vase. These are the low-maintenance version of large houseplants.
Invest in Live-edge Wood
Live-edge wood keeps its natural shape in one or both ends. This will work perfectly well with the natural vibe you have going on in the kitchen. Wood is the best material for a kitchen that wants an outdoor vibe. You can use it for the dining table, countertop, and shelves. Cherry and walnut have beautiful wood grains on them that reflect light and give your kitchen a nature-inspired look.
Choose Earth-toned Colors
Lastly, as much as you want to splatter your walls with bloody-red paint, don’t. These colors won’t do anything for the outdoor vibe you are trying to achieve. Choose earth-toned colors for your ceiling, walls, cabinets, drawers, shelves, and tables. Natural colors such as beige, taupe, tan, white, gray, and green are magical when you want a nature-inspired kitchen. If you want a pop of color, go for yellow or blue instead.
Turning your kitchen into something akin to an outdoor dining area shouldn’t be hard. While you do have to spend a couple of hundreds of dollars if you’re doing a major renovation, every dime is worth it. You will want to spend so much time in your kitchen that you’re going to turn it into your home office, too.
