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Primitive Kitchen Cabinets

As the name suggests, the primitive-style kitchen is not the place to look for formal elegance and fancy embellishments; it hearkens back to the 18th and 19th centuries, where busy farmers and hardworking pioneers, with too many demands on their time and energy already, went for the simple and sturdy, building their own furniture (often from trees felled on the premises) with basic hand tools. But while primitive cabinets were first built with utility and long service in mind, their simple charm has won enduring popularity.

Today, those who prize the well-worn rustic look are fortunate when they can get that instant heirloom quality from actual period pieces. Luckily for the antique-impaired, a number of small cabinet shops specialize in recreating the look and feel of centuries-old farmhouse finds - often from recycled wood, especially old barn wood and floorboards. In historic times, cabinets were usually made from whatever wood was most plentiful locally; today, oak, pine and maple are all popular choices.

While the style has elements in common with Shaker and American Country, and can work well with either, it tends to be more simple and rough-hewn. Doors may have a basic frame or consist of a single slab of wood. Lines are usually straight; when curves come into play, they're rudimentary to the point of being blocky. Surfaces are often a bit uneven and often distressed; rather than showing a machine-perfect precision, edges often show the irregular cuts of old-time hand tools.

Antique primitive pieces were sometimes left unfinished; often they were whitewashed or painted with milk paint in strong reds, blues and yellows. Today's replicas mimic those finishes, frequently with simulated wear that lets the wood show through the paint.

Among the most popular embellishments of primitive cabinets, especially those dedicated to food storage (e.g. pie safes), are tin or copper panels with punched ornamental perforations (which, in the 19th century, echoed similar panels adorning the ceilings). Drawer pulls and door handles may be basic wooden knobs or rustic metal such as wrought iron, again in simple and rough-hewn designs. Hinges are often used as ornamental elements and may be in interesting shapes, e.g. stars, rarely seen elsewhere. (Stars, metal and otherwise, are a common theme in primitive kitchens.)

If you like the country feel and cherish the time-worn quality, the primitive style may be for you - especially if you already have some antique pieces you want to incorporate into your new "old" kitchen. Your design professional can help you get the perfect blend of 21st century convenience and the centuries-old charm of farmhouses past.