How to Build a Farmhouse Kitchen with Modern Appliances

It’s not difficult to see the appeal of a farmhouse-style kitchen. Warm, inviting, and unpretentious in design, farmhouse kitchens offer the perfect combination of function and style. This kitchen style effortlessly provides a comfortable and meaningful place for families to gather, relax, and share a meal.

When designing a farmhouse kitchen, you’ll need to think carefully before choosing kitchen appliances for your home. To keep with the comfortable and cozy vibe of your kitchen, your appliances need to be fully functional and high-tech without throwing off its country-like character.

If you’re currently in the process of remodeling your kitchen, now is the perfect time to consider which kitchen appliances will work best for your space. Below, we’ll discuss the elements of a farmhouse kitchen before discussing how to choose the perfect kitchen appliances to match your farmhouse style.

Photo by Delpino Custom Homes

Hallmark Elements of a Modern Farmhouse Kitchen

Although many people will instantly recognize the unmistakable look of a modern farmhouse kitchen, it’s not always clear which elements come together to create the farmhouse style. To help you choose appliances for your space, here are a few hallmark elements that generally define a farmhouse kitchen:

• Warm, Neutral Color Palette. Warm color palettes consisting of beige, cream, off-white, and even a few warm grays are a must for farmhouse-style décor.
• Natural Materials. Whether it’s wooden beams installed on the ceiling or butcher block countertops, it’s rare to see a farmhouse kitchen without a few wood elements. Other natural elements might include a backsplash consisting of stone-look tiles and windows that let in ample amounts of natural light.
• Open Concept. The kitchen is the hub of activity in most households, and farmhouse-style kitchens are no different. Farmhouse kitchens often have an open concept to make their space more inviting for guests.
• Clutter-Free, Tidy Spaces. Although farmhouse kitchens are far from minimalist, they are notable for their clean and tidy conditions. Keeping modern kitchen appliances tucked away or discreet-looking is key to achieving an authentic farmhouse style.
• Industrial/Antique Accents. It’s not uncommon to find industrial and antique elements in a farmhouse kitchen. Hanging wrought iron pans from the wall and complementing the space with vintage accessories can give your kitchen a “lived-in” appearance that is undeniably cozy and inviting.

Photo by J.Holderby

How to Get the Look with Kitchen Appliances

Now that you know which elements make up a farmhouse kitchen, you can begin searching for kitchen appliances that will help you pull off the look. To achieve a dreamy, farmhouse aesthetic, here is our best advice for choosing kitchen appliances that strike the perfect balance between traditional and modern:

1. Pick the Right Colors and Finishes

You don’t typically see many farmhouse kitchens with black appliances, and there’s a good reason for that. They simply don’t blend in well with the warm, neutral color palette, although there are a few exceptions to this rule.

Photo by Design Shop Interiors

A far better choice for a farmhouse kitchen is stainless steel. There is just something about stainless steel kitchen appliances that make them work beautifully within any kitchen, whether it’s modern farmhouse or contemporary-chic. To top it off, stainless steel is easy to clean and has long-term value, making it a popular choice among homeowners.

2. Choose a Built-In Refrigerator

If there is one kitchen appliance you should attempt to disguise in a farmhouse kitchen, it’s your refrigerator. As the biggest kitchen appliance in your home, your refrigerator has the unfortunate potential to be a distracting hunk of metal that can take away from your quaint, farmhouse-style décor.

Photo by Hill Farm Furniture Ltd

To create an elegant and seamless kitchen, consider choosing a built-in counter-depth refrigerator that sits flush with your cabinetry. You can also disguise your built-in fridge with custom paneling that matches your cabinetry and gives your farmhouse kitchen an authentic feel.

3. Opt for a Cooktop—Preferably, Gas

If the ultimate goal for your farmhouse kitchen is to reduce the appearance of high-tech appliances without sacrificing functionality, a gas cooktop is arguably the best way to go. Gas cooktops are more traditional than their electric siblings and offer greater cooking control, to boot.

Photo by BKC of Westfield

Plus, there is something about seeing an open flame on your cooktop that gives it an authentic, farmhouse kitchen vibe. If you’re wondering where your oven will go, that leads us to our next suggestion of a double-wall oven.

4. Consider a Double-Wall Oven

Farmhouse kitchens are designed to accommodate large gatherings. What better way to serve all your guests than by making smart use of a double-wall oven?

Photo by Harry Braswell Inc.

Double-wall ovens have one oven stacked on top of another, giving you double the room to cook massive roasts and savory casseroles for large families and guests. For this reason, you’ll find many farmhouse kitchens with sleek, high-end double wall ovens integrated into their cabinetry.

5. Hide the Microwave in Your Kitchen Island

Most people can’t imagine the possibility of going without a microwave in their home. Unfortunately, microwaves just aren’t aesthetically pleasing—especially in a farmhouse kitchen that embraces a rustic, old-fashioned look.

Photo by REFINED LLC

If you’re planning to create a kitchen island for your space, you can easily design a spot for a built-in microwave. This will effectively hide your microwave and keep it out of sight without compromising its functionality.

6. Find a Home for Small Appliances

Keeping your kitchen clutter-free is essential to achieving a true, farmhouse kitchen style. Small kitchen appliances (such as your KitchenAid mixer, coffee maker, toaster oven, etc.) can clutter up countertops, making your space less inviting.

Photo by Dura Supreme Cabinetry

So, where should you put your small appliances? If your kitchen is like many farmhouse kitchens which have open wall shelving in lieu of cabinets, you’ll need to put your small appliances in your bottom cabinets instead.

Photo by Morgan McMurphy Renovation & Design

No room down below for your small kitchen appliances? Lean on smart kitchen storage configurations to help free up space in your bottom cabinets and maintain a clean look.

7. Keep the Range Hood Simple

Although modern range hoods are now a far cry from their clunkier predecessors, they can still be unnecessarily distracting in your kitchen. If you have the remodeling budget for it, consider choosing an integrated hood that matches your cabinets or backsplash.

Photo by Harry Braswell Inc.

Can’t afford a custom range hood? Focus on keeping your range hood design simple and uniform by matching it to either your cabinets or kitchen appliances.

Modern Appliances to Complement Your Farmhouse Kitchen

Relaxing, warm, and inviting, farmhouse kitchens have a lot going for them. The last thing you want to do is choose appliances that throw off your country-like aesthetic and ruin its cozy charm. With these tips, you can choose modern appliances that blend in seamlessly with your farmhouse kitchen design and elevate your cooking experience at the same time.