The Cozy Kitchen Design Trend That Embraces Vintage Charm

Nostalgia and vintage trends are taking over interior design, and seem like they are here to stay. Designers and homeowners alike have shifted to comfort and luxury rather than hard lines and sparse rooms, and as a result, decorating your space has become more about finding what makes you happy. While aesthetics like Cluttercore, Grannycore, and Cottagecore are reigning supreme, when it comes to the kitchen, one cozy design is popping up everywhere: English kitchens. English kitchens bring elements of vintage decor and the welcoming ambiance of a rustic cottage together, creating a soft layout filled with buttery color palettes, natural materials, intimate lighting, and creative fabric accents.

When you think about a storybook English kitchen, you may think of a cozy interior with soft materials and copper cookware hanging from the walls. Maybe there are flower patterns, a romantic color palette, and real greenery growing in pots on windowsills. The design for this theme should fill you with warmth and make your cooking area a place people want to relax in.

The color palette for this aesthetic is very important, as you need the right buttery and saturated tones that don't lean towards bright or modern. In an English storybook cottage, much like with a Cottagecore aesthetic, rustic themes come to mind, like warm wood and stone; which is why soft yellows and terracotta or clay reds can work for this theme. If you prefer a more understated design, try using creams to balance out your other elements and create a soft backdrop. To keep things from getting too stark or monochromatic, introduce a color found in nature, such as lavender, sage, or robin's egg blue. 

Use the greens and blues on the cabinets, or go all-out on butter yellow, which is a trending kitchen cabinet color. The golden undertones should pair nicely with natural light, making the space feel sunny and inviting. You can also use these shades in the fabrics around the kitchen, mixing and matching them or using one as your main base with a few complementary pops of color. Don't forget to add layered lighting, too. This could be hanging pendant lamps, small table lamps on surfaces, or even wall sconces to brighten up the room.

Vintage decor is just as important as the color palette, as this is going to help you pull through the English storybook theme and create that quintessential cozy ambience. On your shelves, you want to add everything from brass trinkets to copper cookware, antique or thrifted dishes, and cut glass. Both copper and brass will really elevate the warm tones in your wood so use these as decor as well as cooking supplies. Open shelving is a great option for this trend so you can display all your antique and vintage pieces. Add bars below the shelves to hang tea cups and lean-in to the English vibe.

Use cafe curtains in a floral or gingham print to add some color and softness to the stone and wood accents. You could even DIY a sink skirt for some rustic charm. Don't overlook your hardware, as this is a great place to incorporate tiny details that make a big difference, such as brass handles or even ceramic antique pieces.