Downton Abbey Kitchen Style

So many people are counting down to Downton Abbey's return to PBS in America in January 2014. I could do a blog post on every room in Downton Abbey! Each one offers such visual delight and tons of inspiration for home decor. But I was fascinated by this article in Antique Trader that says people are clamoring for antique kitchen wares inspired by the Downton Abbey kitchen. It's not surprising that the Downton Abbey kitchen is so popular. You can't deny the visual appeal of all that comforting copper and brass. The sense of authenticity and nostalgia, of a simpler world, is a reassuring contrast to our hustle-bustle high-tech lives. (Although it's maybe not so much fun to be a servant hard at work downstairs in the Downton Abbey kitchen, under the eagle eye of cook Mrs. Patmore!) Fortunately, we can have it all in our homes in the 21st century. Labor-saving gadgets and eye-candy decor! I guess that is why Antique Trader reported that: "Downton Abbey magic continues to seed interest in a broad swath of antique kitchen utensils and artifacts." To capture a taste of Downton Abbey kitchen style for your own home, look for old-fashioned utensils like meat grinders and rustic old pitchers. Fill chunky salt pots or salt cellars with large grain or rock salt. The materials are important too... brass, copper, wood, clay... these all give an authentic flavor to your decor.

Copper creates the perfect accent for a Downton Abbey kitchen. The burnished glow and sturdiness of copper creates a unique sense of warmth. This vintage French copper scuttle in our gallery gives you an idea. It would make a terrific planter too, with the winged dragon detail on the side.

Display a few well-loved pitchers like this vintage copper and brass pitcher on your Downton Abbey kitchen table or shelves to add yet more Old World charm. The simple Country style and warm-hued metal is timeless, and the occasional small ding is part of the authentic allure. It proves that this long-ago crafted pitcher hasn't just dropped off a shelf in a big box store, but has a history of its own. You can't have a Downton Abbey kitchen without a genuine tea kettle. Those Brits are crazy for their tea, and with all that drama going on in the house, they need all the reviving tea they can get! In any case, a kettle always adds a welcoming note to kitchen decor. We found this 1920s enamelware kettle with gold stripes at an antiques market in France. Enamelware is always a good choice for an antique-style kitchen as it is so cozy and homey. The charming antique French Country copper kettle below is more than a century old! It dates to 1900, and I wonder what stories it could tell about who has enjoyed the many cups of tea it has served from that pretty spout. Again, it has the genuine old-fashioned appeal to add a distinctive touch to someone's Downton Abbey kitchen. I can just imagine Mrs. Patmore putting that tea kettle on the hob while she teaches Daisy how to make pie crust (they call it pastry in England) or gives Thomas a piece of her mind! Do you like the Downton Abbey kitchen style? Are you especially inspired by antique kitchen wares? Perhaps you have an heirloom piece from your grandmother handed down that you still use today? Tell us about it in the comments box below.