Explore the many elements that give a traditional kitchen personality and timeless style.

Werner Straube

There’s much more to traditional design than meets the eye.

This style spans decades, though its typically rooted inVictorian-era style, around the turn of the 20th century.

traditional kitchen with blue cabinets and wood island

Credit:Werner Straube

To design a traditional kitchen, think about quality craftsmanship, effective use of space, and natural materials.

Without them, the kitchen would feel more modern.

The large hood tops a brass-accented stove and coordinates with surrounding white cabinetry and a marble kitchen island.

traditional blue kitchen with patterned tile backsplash and blue island

Credit:EDMUND BARR

Make Traditional Glamorous

Traditional kitchens can be glam, too.

These sophisticated elements create a polished, upscale look in this traditionalblue kitchen.

Simple globe lighting suits the style without stealing the show.

small traditional kitchen with gold hardware and blue stripe runner

Credit:Annie Schlechter

A marble backsplash behind the range features decorative corners, which makes it look elegant and intentional.

Here, a coffered ceiling and period-appropriate lighting add to the traditional look.

Small Traditional Kitchen

Helen Norman

A small galley kitchen is ideal for traditional design.

a black pendant light that looks like upside down black bowls over a kitchen and a wooden island

Credit:John Granen

This style of kitchen dates to the early 1900s, when it was designed to maximize efficiency.

Play up the vertical storage inherent in these spaces with glass-paned cabinets or hanging pot racks.

Choose Traditional Accessories

Be sure to consider your accessories when designing a traditional kitchen.

traditional white kitchen with wood floors

Credit:Jason Donnelly

Ornate cabinet details, including mirrored glass panels and round molding, create a focal point around the sink.

This kitchen incorporates Shaker cabinets, beadboard, corbels, and a ceiling-height backsplash.

With primarily white elements, the open kitchen doesnt look too busy.

white traditional kitchen with marble countertops and backsplash

Credit:Jean Allsopp

For a timeless kitchen, marble never disappoints.

Traditional Kitchen Decor

Jim Franco

Decor has a lot to do with making a kitchen look traditional.

Any antique collection, displayed with care, will add character and authenticity to your kitchen.

kitchen with sage green cabinets 102745640

Credit: Tria Giovan

Glass-Panel Cabinetry

ED GOHLICH

you could findcabinets with glass panelsin many traditional kitchens.

Traditional Lighting

Nicole LaMotte

Lighting is an important consideration in any room, including your traditional kitchen.

Look for simple styles as well as task lighting, like the brushed nickel globe lights used here.

traditional kitchen with wood details

Credit:Emily Minton-Redfield

A coffered ceiling elevates the style with architectural details.

Glass-Front Kitchen Cabinets

Displaying collections and personal treasures is an important characteristic of traditional kitchens.

Glass-front kitchen cabinets let you showcase favorite dishes or sentimental heirlooms and add personality with color.

Gray and white kitchen backsplash

Credit:Helen Norman

Windows behind theseglass-door cabinetsadd an unusual twist, opening the kitchen to natural light and outdoor views.

In the kitchen, cabinetry, countertops, and backsplashes provide perfect opportunities for incorporating special stylized touches.

This sophisticated kitchen features a showy, two-tier mahogany island with walnut veneers and carved brackets.

traditional kitchen with gray cabinets and wood island

Credit:Emily Followill

Traditional Kitchen with Blue Accents

Blue is a timeless choice when adding color to traditional style.

The elaborate tin ceiling adds one more thoughtful detail for the finishing touch.

Wood flooring laid in a classic parquet pattern further enhances the ambience.

white kitchen with cottage and traditional style and white tile backsplash

Credit:Werner Straube

Bring the Outside In

Andreas Trauttmansdorff

Mother Nature plays a comfortable roll in traditional design.

Plenty of materials within the traditional kitchen itself incorporate materials inspired by nature.

A rustic stone-and-wooden-beam arch gives eye-catching attention to thekitchen’s cooking niche.

black and white traditional kitchen with black island and marble countertops

Credit:WERNER SEGARRA

And black Marinace granite spread across the island features a fossilized look reminiscent of a riverbed.

Look for fixtures with classic styling, such as these lantern-style lights and old-fashioned drawer pulls.

Use materials with vintage charm, such as oak plank flooring.

herringbone backsplash

Credit:Jim Franco

Crossing Style Lines

Anthony Masterson

Fans of traditional style can still have an appreciation for contemporary influence.

Rich Wood Cabinets

Beth Singer

All dark wood cabinetry can make a traditional kitchen overwhelmingly heavy.

The cooking area resembles a cozy family room hearth with its bricklike tile backsplash and chimney-inspired range hood.

traditional kitchen with beige cabinets and blue island seating

Credit:ED GOHLICH

The long kitchen island is reminiscent of a rambling farmhouse table.

kitchen with black tile backsplash and wood island

Credit:Anthony-Masterson

French country kitchen

Credit:Design byMarie Flanigan Interiors/ Photo byJulie Soefer

kitchen with gray island and marble countertops and blue-green backsplash tile

Credit:Nicole LaMotte

Traditional kitchen with coffered ceiling

Credit:Anthony-Masterson

Kitchen w/ blue cabinets

Credit:The Profile Company

Kitchen glass cabinet

Credit:Werner Straube

Custom kitchen

Credit:Stacey Brandford

Kitchen cabinets

Credit:Gordon Beall

Traditional kitchen

Credit:Emily Followill

Blue and white traditional kitchen

Credit:Werner Straube

Black and white kitchen

Credit:Edmund Barr

Custom kitchen island

Credit:Richard Leo Johnson

Rustic stone kitchen

Credit:Andreas Trauttmansdorff

Modern traditional kitchen

Credit:Tria Giovan

Black and white traditional kitchen

Credit:Ed Gohlich

Traditional contemporary kitchen

Credit:Anthony Masterson

Kitchen wood cabinets

Credit:Beth Singer

Farmhouse kitchen

Credit:Michael Partenio