Natural wood complements any color scheme and brings a natural, timeless feel to your home. While wood can be very expensive to design with, there are ways to keep the cost low. One of these ways is decorating with knotty pine.
Knotty pine costs less than clear pine because manufacturers don't have to sand out the wood's natural knots. In fact, those who decorate with knotty pine do so because they prefer the look of the knots in their surfaces.
If you want to decorate with wood and appreciate its natural look knotty pine might be a good design option for you.
Let us inspire you by showing you some knotty pine kitchens that would look beautiful in your rustic home.
Starting Small
If you are experimenting with knotty pine for the first time, there are many looks that can be created by changing just a few accents in your kitchen. You can always add more if you like the way it looks, or you can enjoy hints on knotty pine in the accents you've already installed.
1. Cabinet Symmetry
If you have upper and lower cabinets, you can incorporate the knotty pine look in both sets to create a look of symmetry. Pair the cabinets with white walls to create a simple but classic look.
2. Knotty Island
This kitchen takes the cabinet makeover idea a step further and outfits the island in knotty pine as well. The resulting look is cohesive but it still allows for other design elements to be incorporated.
For example, the chairs match the knotty pine look while the floors, appliances, and walls were done in a lighter color.
3. Knotty Pine Accents
While the countertop in this kitchen is also knotty pine, this image illustrates how small accents can go a long way.
Consider using knotty pine on shelves and cabinets, or use it to highlight unique architectural elements. This allows you to utilize knotty pine in your design without overhauling your entire kitchen with it.
4. Windows And Doors
Another way to accent your kitchen in knotty pine is to use it to frame your windows and doors. Again, you can enjoy the look of knotty pine in your kitchen without allowing it to take over the entire aesthetic.
Remember that wood is neutral so you don't have to worry about these small areas clashing with your kitchen's style.
5. Light And White
This kitchen only uses knotty pine for part of the kitchen design but it makes a big statement. In this almost entirely white kitchen, the knotty pine countertop and table add an extra dimension to the room. Of course, this white and light wood design can be applied to any kitchen and look gorgeous.
However, the owners of the kitchen in this image took it a step further and furnished the shelves with design in mind. The resulting white, wood, and pink color scheme add to the warmth provided by the knotty pine accents.
6. Holiday Kitchen
While you likely won't keep your kitchen decorated for the holidays all year, your knotty pine kitchen will look even better when decked out for the holidays. The natural feel of pine complements traditional holiday colors, making your kitchen look cozier than ever during the winter months.
Color Combinations
Because wood can be used as a neutral color, it pairs well with other neutral colors as well as brighter colors. Don't be afraid to play with different color combinations until you find the palette that you love!
7. Pine And Brick
While white and pine look great together, pine also pairs well with brick, such as in the image above. Red appliances add to the richness but you can also choose lighter colored appliances to provide balance.
8. Wood, Black, And White
This kitchen uses knotty and white wood and pairs them with black to create even more depth and texture. While these elements all work well together, they are different enough to be interesting to the eye as well. This is another great way to use class knotty pine in a more modern design.
9. Shades Of Wood
If you love the look of wood but still want some variety, you can get that variety from different shades of wood.
The cabinets in this kitchen are rich, dark wood while the lighter floors match well with the lighter walls. The end result is a classic and attractive kitchen with the appliances highlighted against the lighter colors.
Foundation Changes
If you already have knotty pine foundation elements, or you are planning to undergo a major renovation, you can incorporate knotty pine in your walls and floors to pull together your kitchen's look.
These changes can be the only knotty pine elements in your kitchen or they can be paired with cabinets, tabletops, or counters for a full wooden look.
10. Knotted Flooring
While knotted pine gives classic vibes, that doesn't mean that it cannot be incorporated into a modern look.
This modern kitchen uses metal light fixtures and white countertops. The lighter-hued knotty pine flooring adds a natural element but doesn't take away from the kitchen's updated look. This is a good example of how knotty pine acts as a neutral and can be used in multiple styles.
11. Knotted Walls
If the interior of your home already has a log cabin or paneled look, it will be easy for you to continue with a knotty pine kitchen design. If you don't have this element already, though, you can install it to create aesthetic on the walls of your kitchen.
Wood retailer WoodHaven encourages the use of knotty pine paneling because it is high quality and looks great while costing less than other types of wood.
Knotty Pine And Other Styles
If you love knotty pine but you already have a style picked out for your kitchen, all is not lost. Knotty pine works so well with other styles that you can have the best of both worlds. Take a look at these knotty pine kitchens that were paired with other styles.
12. Asymmetrical Beauty
While all the wood in this kitchen is knotted, the placement of the cabinets creates an asymmetrical effect. The cabinets on the left side of the kitchen look much more knotted than the floor or the right side of the kitchen.
However, the overall look is pleasing to the eye. With flat walls on the left and a textured backsplash on the right, no part of this kitchen is unbalanced or overwhelming. This is a great example of how the natural imperfection of the knotted wood can create a perfect space.
13. Retro Rustic
Speaking of asymmetrical and balance, this kitchen uses appliances to create a retro feel while using the counter and shelf to add a rustic vibe. While these styles are an odd combination that shouldn't work together, this image proves that they can actually play very well together.
14. Log Cabin Kitchen
This kitchen is a little bit different than the other ideas because it is situated in a home with knotty pine walls. However, you can imagine how this design would look if only the kitchen was done with knotty pine walls.
Take note of how red and pine play together in this image. It is truly reminiscent of Texas, like the wall art suggests is the inspiration for this design.
15. Vintage
We've discussed many styles that knotty pine can complement, but it would be a disservice not to demonstrate its use in a vintage kitchen. Knotty pine naturally lends itself to vintage style, and this dining room is no exception.
Pair your knotty pine walls with wooden furniture in off-white or cream colors to re-create this vintage look.
Summary
Using knotty pine wood to decorate your kitchen is a cost-effective way to achieve a variety of looks. Knotty pine is available in everything from flooring to tabletops, so you can use as much or as little as you are comfortable with.
As we've outlined, knotty pine works with many styles and can be considered a neutral color so design possibilities are endless.
Knotty pine is especially complementary to the rustic design style. If you want to try your hand at creating a rustic kitchen, take a look at these articles for inspiration:
21 Rustic Kitchen Backsplash Ideas That You’ll Love
17 Rustic Kitchen Cabinets Ideas You Should See
