The laidback Mediterranean lifestyle filled with vibrant colors, fresh flavors, and relaxed vibes has inspired home cooks worldwide. Infusing your kitchen with Mediterranean style allows you to bring a breezy, coastal feel to your home cooking. From bold paint colors to natural materials, you can easily incorporate Mediterranean elements into your culinary space. Read on for 7 ways to embrace Mediterranean flair and give your kitchen a fresh new look.
1. Paint Your Walls in Vibrant Mediterranean Hues
Painting your kitchen walls in cheerful Mediterranean colors is a simple way to evoke sunny coastal vibes. Opt for shades like cobalt blue, bright yellow, or terra cotta red to add Mediterranean character. For a subtle pop of color, just paint one wall as an accent. You can also add a Mediterranean-inspired stenciled design, colorful tile backsplash, or floor-to-ceiling murals depicting coastal scenes. Whitewashed walls and ceiling beams also help capture the essence of Mediterranean style. Painting your cabinets, pantry doors, or island in an eye-catching Mediterranean color provides another creative touch.
2. Use Natural Materials Like Terra Cotta and Wicker
Incorporating natural materials into your kitchen creates an earthy, organic look reflective of Mediterranean design. Terra cotta is a quintessential Mediterranean material, ideal for everything from floor and wall tiles to planters, utensils, and cookware. Introduce terra cotta elements through Spanish chimenea jars, tagines, serving platters, or a decorative wall hanging. Unfinished terracotta pots filled with fresh herbs add Mediterranean flair to your countertops or windowsill. For cabinetry, opt for rattan or wicker doors to emulate the woven textures found around the Mediterranean. Natural fiber rugs, hemp curtains, or a jute pendant light also help achieve the Mediterranean look.
3. Display Vibrant Majolica Serveware
Majolica, the ornately hand-painted ceramicware originating in Spain and Italy, epitomizes the vivid style of the Mediterranean. Hanging majolica plates or platters on your walls makes a bold Mediterranean statement. Keeping majolica bowls and pitchers filled with fruits and vegetables on your countertops or dining table adds a pop of color and coastal charm. For a unified look, opt for majolica pieces in coordinating hues like cobalt blue and lemon yellow. Mixing and matching majolica items featuring floral, fish, or landscape motifs also channels the eclectic spirit of Mediterranean pottery. Even just one showstopping majolica piece captures the essence of Mediterranean artistry.
4. Add Wrought Iron Elements
Wrought iron accents are hallmarks of Mediterranean décor, from spiral staircases to candle holders. Incorporate a touch of wrought iron into your kitchen with hooks for hanging pots and pans or utensils. A sturdy wrought iron baker’s rack provides both storage and style. For open shelving, swap out standard brackets for decorative wrought iron rails and corbels. A classic wrought iron chandelier fitted with Edison bulbs handsomely illuminates your kitchen. Iron window boxes overflowing with herbs or flowers make a lovely Mediterranean statement. For the patio or balcony, wrought iron café chairs and tables transport you to a seaside bistro. The intricate metalwork and timeworn patina of wrought iron infuses your kitchen with old-world Mediterranean allure.
5. Display Vintage Olive Jars
Olive jars with their characteristic green-tinged glass instantly evoke the Mediterranean region’s iconic olive groves. Seek out vintage Italian or Greek olive jars to display around your kitchen. Cluster a trio of olive jars in different sizes as a centerpiece for your dining table. Use olive jars to hold cooking utensils near the stove or to store pasta, grains, or dried herbs. Arrange olive jars filled with olive branches or dried lavender for a Mediterranean still life. Float candles inside olive jars for romantic ambiance during dinner parties. Line your windowsill or countertop with olive jars filled with lemons, fresh herbs, or wildflowers. However you incorporate them, olive jars lend Mediterranean authenticity.
6. Infuse Your Tabletop with Mediterranean Textures
From handwoven linens to artisanal pottery, Mediterranean décor is all about natural textures. Choose table runners, placemats, or napkins made from nubby linen, striped canvas, or Flemish lace. Opt for hand-thrown ceramic dinnerware with uneven glazed edges and color variations. Hammered copper or tin pitchers and bowls feel pleasantly imperfect. Serve family-style dishes on hand-hewn acacia or olivewood cutting boards. Choose textured glassware like bubble glasses or patterned goblets. Distressed wood chairs with woven seats also complement the Mediterranean emphasis on artisanal textures. Layering various natural materials creates a casual, collected look reflective of laidback Mediterranean gatherings.
7. Cultivate an Indoor Herb Garden
Fresh herbs are a vital ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine. Growing your own makes it easy to add herbaceous flavor to meals. Having an indoor herb garden also allows you to snip herbs right before adding them to recipes. Choose a sunny window and use attractive terracotta or olive jars to hold your herb plants. Opt for classic Mediterranean herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, marjoram, and mint. You can also add Mediterranean flavor by growing ingredients like lemon verbena, fennel, bay leaves, and tarragon. Cleaning and preparing herbs in your kitchen links to ancient Mediterranean customs. Best of all, the vibrant greens and fragrant scents of your indoor herb garden will make your kitchen feel like an authentic Mediterranean kitchen.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mediterranean Style Kitchens
Here are some common questions about incorporating Mediterranean style into your kitchen:
What are the defining features of Mediterranean style?
Some key characteristics include vibrant colors like cobalt blue and terra cotta, natural materials like wood and wicker, handcrafted ceramics, wrought iron accents, and indoor herb gardens. Whitewashed walls, arches, exposed beams, and tilework are also Mediterranean inspired.
What colors work well in a Mediterranean kitchen?
Mediterranean palettes typically include shades of blue, yellow, red, green, and terra cotta. Painting one wall blue or green while leaving others neutral is an easy way to add Mediterranean color.Yellow accents also bring lightness and vibrancy.
What kind of flooring suits a Mediterranean kitchen?
Terracotta tile, stone tile, brick, or wide-plank wood floors complement Mediterranean décor. Handmade cement tiles in geometric patterns are another authentically Mediterranean flooring option.
Should cabinetry be painted or stained?
The relaxed Mediterranean aesthetic suits both painted and stained cabinets. Shades of blue, green, and yellow work for painted cabinetry, while wood stains in warm natural tones also look Mediterranean inspired.
What plants help create a Mediterranean look?
Herbs like rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, and mint thrive indoors and make an authentic Mediterranean statement. Lemons, lemon verbena, olives, and succulents also feel Mediterranean inspired.
What type of lighting works well?
Wrought iron fixtures, lanterns, and Edison bulbs all emit the warm, welcoming glow associated with Mediterranean spaces. Skylights and large windows allow plentiful natural light.
How do I achieve the overall relaxed vibe?
Keep surfaces free from clutter and aim for an overall casual, collected look. Mediterranean spaces have an inviting lived-in feel, so don’t worry about perfection. Focus on pieces that reflect artistry, nature, and comfort.
Conclusion
Infusing Mediterranean flair into your culinary space allows you to channel breezy coastal vibes and enjoy the charm of this design style. Vibrant colors, natural textures, vine-ripened fruits, fragrant herbs, and casual gatherings around the table all connect back to the relaxed sensibility of the Mediterranean. Whether you make a bold Mediterranean color statement or take a more subtle approach, implementing touches like wrought iron accents, terra cotta cookware, and indoor herb gardens can bring Mediterranean personality to your kitchen. Embracing this lush, welcoming aesthetic helps create a space for savoring, celebrating, and savoring the pleasures of home cooking.
