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The first step in your Tuscan kitchen design is to select a color scheme. One easy way to select colors is to find a Tuscan-inspired accessory like a ceramic tile, piece of pottery, or a painting and select the key colors from that inspiration piece.

If you don’t have a piece to start from, you’ll need to select colors yourself. Focus on colors that can be seen in nature.

Some of the most common colors seen in Tuscan kitchen decor are:

• Browns - Try earthy tones like deep browns or tans.
• Reds - Picture the colors found in fall leaves, like rich golds, burnt oranges, and rich reds.
• Greens - Olive, deep greens, and sages are the best choices.
• Blues - Think deep blue; it works particularly well as an accent color.

Painting Your Tuscan Kitchen

For the walls, try a paint finish that adds texture, such as stucco or sponging, to add to the rustic, aged Tuscan vibe. These techniques have the added benefit of disguising any imperfections on your walls. One word of warning: choose darker colors with care, since colors tend to appear darker when applied to walls.

You can try out your desired colors on a board and put them into the room to see what they look like at various times of the day before you commit to a color selection.

Another suggestion is to combine lighter and darker tones. Try starting with a darker base and sponging a lighter color over it to create depth.

You can also consider painting or staining your cabinets. Cabinets are a good place to use some of the deeper colors in the Tuscan palate. Deep Tuscan red stains are very popular.  Or consider painting the cabinets a strong, contrasting color to the walls.

The other option is to paint the walls in a light color and then give the cabinets a coating in a deeper shade of the same color.

You might also consider painting doors, shutters, or window frames. Be careful, however, not to overwhelm the room with color.

Tuscan Kitchen Furniture and Accessories

Set off your new cabinetry look with some new hardware. Ceramic or burnished metal knobs are good choices for Tuscan kitchen decor, and provide a lot of design bang for the buck. There are many “Tuscan” or “Tuscany” hardware collections available to assist you in your selection, although of course you’re not limited to those options.

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Consider curtains in lighter colors, particularly if you’ve chosen deeper tones for your cabinets or walls. Sheers, Tuscan stripe designs, and simple checked curtains are all good Tuscan kitchen ideas. You can even stencil a Tuscan-inspired design onto your sheers to add visual interest.

For kitchen decoration, consider wall tiles. A few accent tiles applied to the walls adds Tuscan flair. Or decorate the walls with metal urns, platters, and bowls.

Fill glass or copper containers with dried goods and cooking utensils and use them as display items. Or select ceramic containers in an accent color like deep red. Freestanding metal or wood stands can store pots or fruits and vegetables. Add some plants to complete the look.

Tuscan furniture is generally simple. A large wood table with simple chairs is the best option for an eat-in kitchen. If your current table and chairs doesn’t fit with the Tuscan vibe, hunt down a used set at a garage sale, or buy a plain unfinished version and stain it yourself.

You might also consider adding a stencil to the tabletop or chair seats. Think plain wooden stools and simple lines for a breakfast bar. Add some Tuscan touches with bright seat cushions. Decorate tabletops with wooden bowls filled with fruit, pottery, or large stone vessels.