The Materials Ree Drummond Uses To Achieve That Charming Rustic-Yet-Upscale Kitchen Aesthetic

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Recent kitchen design trends have seen a growing embrace of warmth and personality. We spend so much time in that part of the home, why shouldn't it feel as cozy as our living rooms? While we have to balance necessities like storage space and clean, clutter-free work surfaces, there are plenty of ways to personalize our kitchens. One of our biggest inspirations in this endeavor is the Pioneer Woman herself. Ree Drummond has taught us many incredible lessons over the years, from cooking to shopping to entertaining — her approach to a charming, elegantly rustic kitchen is the latest.

Per The Pioneer Woman blog, there are a few key essentials in Drummond's kitchen design: natural elements such as lots of rich wood, ranch-inspired details like exposed beams and archways, hints of vibrant color in places like her marble countertops, and golden, vintage-inspired hardware and decor. She demonstrates how to design a country kitchen with an elevated sophistication by grounding the room with farmhouse staples like a grand, heavy wooden kitchen island topped with marble. She accents that with antique-style Spanish flair via the beams, arches, and gilded pendant lights. Finally, she warms the space without overwhelming it choosing those golden trims and striking decor like statement platters, framed mirrors, sculptural fruit bowls, and flower arrangements on counters and open shelves. Proving the secret to a chic, expensive-looking kitchen is sticking to a color scheme, Drummond weaves in warm tones in a brown, gold, and rust motif, then pops it with blue cookware.

With rich, natural hues, Ree Drummond's kitchen is a lesson in how to design a kitchen that won't look dated down the line. If you're starting a kitchen renovation from scratch, you've got plenty of opportunities to craft your own elegant farmhouse-inspired space. Depending on how handy you are, you or your contractor can even shape your doorways with arches. When selecting cabinets, opt for deep, welcoming wood tones. Once you see how those look in your kitchen with the natural light it gets, pick the perfect countertop material by following Drummond's lead and opting for a marbled design with streaks of color like gold, coral, amber, rust, and so on.

But even without a total overhaul, you can Drummond up your kitchen for timeless warmth and style. Swap out modern pendant lights for a golden, antique-inspired style like this Jonathan Y dimmable pagoda lantern. Learn to mix modern and vintage elements in your kitchen — enjoy hunting through flea markets and thrift shops for ornate, gilded hardware for drawer pulls and cabinet knobs, and pick up statement pieces like a gorgeous antique vase, frames for a family photos, and mirrors. Take notes from another kitchen design expert, too: Joanna Gaines recommends displaying rustic wooden bread boards; they're an essential tool that doubles as decor. In short, land on a warm color scheme and carry it out through lighting, hardware, cookware, serveware, and decor.