One of the biggest trends to move through kitchen design recently is the furniture look. Through the use of curved kitchen cabinet legs, antique hutches, and grandma's old farm table, the kitchen has become a warm and cozy retreat. Here's what to consider when incorporating this look into your kitchen design.

Start With Your Kitchen Cabinets

During a kitchen remodeling, the kitchen cabinets are the perfect place to start. Many kitchen cabinet manufacturers now make standard cabinets with the curves and shapes needed to replicate fine furniture. Among the options are:

• Ball and claw legs on an island base cabinet; this can work well with a country kitchen design.
• Tall molding for the top and bottom of the wall cabinets.
• Vertical molding to add furniture detailing between cabinets.
• Shelves with curvy corbels underneath to complement nearby kitchen cabinets.

Focus on the Island Cabinets

The kitchen island is a perfect place to showcase this furniture styling. The island often is the hub of the kitchen and can be the focus of your kitchen design. As such, consider adding:

• Curved cabinet legs
• A butcher-block countertop
• Decorative glass doors
• Open shelving with curtains to add an antique look

Add Your Own Furniture to the Kitchen Design

Nothing says warm and cozy quite like an old hutch or ice chest. By incorporating a few true furniture elements into your kitchen design, you can:

• Add furniture pieces with unique sizes to break up the cabinet design.
• Move away from a boxy kitchen design that has the same size cabinets lined on each wall.
• Blend the kitchen with furniture from an adjacent family room.
• Add conversation pieces to your kitchen design.

Seek Guidance from Your Remodeling Contractor

Many remodeling contractors have worked with the furniture look in kitchen design. In addition to buying kitchen cabinets with furniture detailing, you can ask the remodeling contractor to:

• Make arched toe kick panels for the base of your kitchen cabinets.
• Make cabinet molding that replicates trim found in the rest of your house.
• Create a custom wood mantel with furniture detailing for your adjacent family room fireplace.
• Build a wood range hood that blends with your kitchen design.

The furniture kitchen design could just be the right design to make your kitchen a little bit more a part of your home.

About the Author

Allison E. Beatty is a syndicated real estate writer and founder of www.renovatorsplace.com. She has been a writer of home improvement columns for 15 years. Her articles have appeared in numerous national newspapers and magazines, and on home improvement Web sites.