Modern Rustic Kitchen: Design Ideas for Modern Rustic Interiors

It’s a common misconception that “rustic” is synonymous with “old-looking.” As you’ll see with the modern rustic kitchen design ideas we’re about to explore, that doesn’t have to be the case. A rustic yet modern kitchen can be very aesthetically-pleasing and even sleek.

Let’s start by exploring what modern rustic is in the first place.

What Is Modern Rustic?

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Modern rustic mixes the refined conveniences of today with raw, natural materials. This differs from the more conventional concept of rustic interiors, which is centered around transporting inhabitants back to simpler times, often at the expense of modern amenities.

Countertops are a prime example. A ‘traditional’ rustic kitchen might use butcher’s block countertops in disregard of the material’s unsuitability for most modern households. A modern rustic kitchen design, on the other hand, would use quartz countertops, the material of choice for designers of all kitchen styles today.

We’ll explore this and other design tips for rustic modern kitchens in the next section.

Rustic Kitchen Design Ideas

Modern Rustic Decor

While you’d be wise to shy away from wood countertops, modern rustic decor presents the perfect opportunity to use this material. Great examples of modern rustic accents include:

• woven storage baskets
• wooden bar carts
• decorative logs
• wooden pendant lamps

Wood isn’t the only rustic material, though. Anything organic looks great, including warm metals like copper, patterned canvas, and stone.

If you do choose wood, it doesn’t necessarily have to be of the reclaimed variety. Fresher wood makes modern rustic interiors feel sleeker, which helps with the overall theme.

Rustic Lighting

Choosing the right rustic lighting in Canada (where you’ll be using lights a lot throughout the year) is key. Rustic lighting fixtures come in many different styles ranging from whimsical designs like mini barrel pendants to more ornate fixtures.

For a rustic yet modern kitchen, we recommend keeping things simple. You can use a copper lighting fixture to accent the room even when the lights are off. As for the bulbs themselves, the warmer look of incandescent light bulbs will enhance your kitchen’s rustic appearance. Remember, though, practicality matters. CFLs are more energy-efficient and still look great.

White Rustic Kitchen

A white rustic kitchen can be very refreshing, which helps avoid the gloominess that can plague more traditional rustic designs. When creating a modern rustic design, the liberal use of white can also bring some chic appeal into the room.

White quartz countertops are a popular pick. Go with a veined surface like 5151 Empira White to keep things looking classic. Other white surfaces to consider include your walls, curtains, and your cabinets.

You can even go with an all-white rustic kitchen accented by natural wood-coloured elements such as flooring, decor, and cabinetry.

Rustic Industrial Kitchen

A rustic industrial kitchen presents a great opportunity to mix and match more materials than might otherwise seem practical. Stainless steel stools, cabinets, and lighting fixtures are all popular choices for this style, as are matte black accents.

Rustic Contemporary Kitchen

A rustic contemporary kitchen differs slightly from a modern one in that it tends to be focused on the trendy design features of today while also being forward-looking. Modern design, on the other hand, refers to elements dating back as far as the early 20th century.

More contemporary design elements like waterfall countertops are worth considering when you design a rustic contemporary kitchen,

Modern Rustic Kitchen Cabinets

Lastly, we have modern rustic kitchen cabinets. These are almost always made of wood (as opposed to more contemporary materials) and can be either painted a solid colour or left looking natural.

Whichever you choose, keep things on the simpler and sleeker side. A lack of ornateness is what separates modern design from more traditional stylings. Shaker-style cabinets are a good option.

Read more about kitchen cabinet design ideas here.

Caesarstone: The Perfect Surface for a Modern Rustic Kitchen

As mentioned earlier, when you’re designing a modern space, you want to make use of the best technology and materials of the day. When it comes to countertops, that means using quartz by Caesarstone.

At Caesarstone, we’ve consistently been on the cutting edge of countertop manufacturing. Our surfaces come in a variety of styles that look great in modern rustic spaces. Check out our full range on our Collections page.

We also invite you to check out our kitchen visualizer tool, which allows you to experiment with our surfaces until you find one that you like.

At that point, visit one of our many Caesarstone locations in Canada to learn more and start bringing your design to life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a rustic country style?

A rustic country style is best described as feeling “lived-in.” There are many different sub-styles of country design, though. There are cottage-style kitchens, French country, etc. What they all have in common is a relaxed and welcoming feel that showcases weathered materials like reclaimed wood. Colours also tend to be neutral, whereas an outright country style (as opposed to one mixed with rustic elements) exhibits a wider colour palette.

What is a rustic farmhouse style?

As you can probably tell, there’s plenty of overlap between rustic farmhouse, rustic country, and modern rustic. In the case of a modern farmhouse, the kitchen is intended to serve as a large gathering place for big meals. Pine is one of the favorite wood choices for this style of kitchen due to its very natural appearance and attractive knotting.

A farmhouse (or “apron”) kitchen sink is also a popular option among people interested in this style.

How do you make an old kitchen look good?

Modern rustic design cues are a great choice for updating your old kitchen. The style lends itself well to maintaining some of the more charming aspects of your kitchen while replacing the outdated ones with better versions.

How do you build a rustic kitchen table?

A rustic kitchen table is almost always made from a plank of wood. Details like finishing and edge profiles can dictate whether the table exhibits a rustic contemporary or rustic traditional styling.