7 Ways to Transform Your Tuscan Style Kitchen

Does your Tuscan style kitchen say, “Old World charm?” With wine country motifs, dark hardware, and heavy earth tones, you may feel ready to trade the beige for a bright and airy space. But where do you start? 

Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to update your old-world-style kitchen. Some of these ideas are more involved than others, but they will help you decide whether to go with a complete renovation or make simpler cosmetic changes.

1. Remove Travertine Tiles

On the Emerald Coast, I’ve seen my fair share of travertine floors. This flooring option was popular in the ‘90s because it was an affordable, dependable material that complimented the golden tones in Tuscan homes. However, those golds look jarring against the popular white and grey shades of today. So what can you do? 

Although it is a more involved process, replacing the travertine tiles may be the single most impactful change you can make. 

What should you replace them with? We love Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring for this purpose. It’s also an excellent solution in Florida because it does not absorb moisture, offers easy maintenance, and comes in many tones and colors, like a natural wood look. (Read more about the best replacements for your travertine tiles here.) 

Another benefit to LVP is that you can install it over existing tile, be it travertine or otherwise, which is a good solution that can save your investment. Just make sure the floor you have is sound before investing in a new layer.

We are currently working on a kitchen project with tile, and the adjacent rooms have glue-down engineered wood floors. Unfortunately, the wood floors would not come up — and we tried just about every type of machinery and method possible! Fortunately, the LVP is relatively thin and easily goes down over the old flooring. 

2. The Power of Paint

Changing the paint colors in your home is still one of the easiest ways to update a room. You can dramatically change the atmosphere and mood of your kitchen with a new color that livens things up and works with your existing fixed features. 

I suggest going with one of these winning neutral paint colors to make your space feel open and airy. However, if you want to add bolder pops of color to your space, I suggest leaning toward blues and soft greens to complement the warm colors of Tuscan decor. 

3. Refresh All Hardware 

A Tuscan-style kitchen is sure to have intricate (and dark) hardware, from faucets and knobs to pulls. These detailed features sit in stark contrast to the sleek modern hardware that is currently in style. Although we don’t base our designs on fads, we do need to pay attention to what is current for this decade and what you’re personally attracted to.

Choose classic style pulls or simple knobs that coordinate with the size and scale of your cabinetry. So many builder homes in the ‘90s feature small brass hardware. Hardware may seem like a small change, but you’ll see a huge difference when you replace it. If you get overwhelmed by all the options, read How to Choose Beautiful and Cohesive Hardware for Your Home.   

4. Add Modern Lighting

I think we’ve all seen the wrought iron chandeliers that belong in medieval Italy. If you have any dated fixtures in your home, updating them is an easy and quick win to update your space, especially if you're looking to transform your Tuscan-style home without a renovation. You don’t have to update them all at once either — just add new fixtures in one at a time as your budget allows.  

Trade intricate fixtures with a crisp black or satin nickel finish with soft white bulbs. It is tempting to use Edison-style bulbs because they look nice, but if you want to eliminate the yellow cast that hangs over a Tuscan kitchen, the soft white light bulbs are a huge help. You could also install a dimmer on the chandelier and pendants to give you control over the mood in the room. 

Pro Tip: If you're installing pendants or chandeliers, don't hesitate to go larger, but keep the overall design simpler. Read How to Select the Perfect Pendant for Any Space in Your Home.

5. Refinish Cabinets

Refinishing cabinetry is a significant investment and an invasive process, but it is transformative. Painting over a factory-applied finish is my least preferred method and takes a lot of prep. So if you’re deciding whether to refinish or not, make an honest assessment of your cabinets. 

Are the drawers opening and closing smoothly? Are the doors in good shape? If so, painting them will usually buy you about 5-6 years of additional life before a full-on replacement is needed. (Check out Cabinetry 101 to learn more about custom cabinetry. )

Pro Tip: If you have a skilled painter who can do this for you, then paint those oak cabinets a warm white. You will be amazed how having a light surface reflecting the light into the room will impact how you feel. 

6. Add a New Backsplash 

Travertine isn’t just on your floors. It’s probably on your walls too. Many ‘90s Tuscan style kitchens had tiles with busy decorative inserts and painted tiles in areas like the range backsplash. Or maybe your kitchen has the 4' standard stone backsplash installed.

Depending on the size of your kitchen, if you have a manageable area, remove the old backsplash and replace it with lighter tile without a strong decor theme.  

What do we prefer? Subway tile that leans larger. For example, 2 x 8” or 4 x 10”.  Select a tile with a hand-applied glaze or a slightly distinctive look that will update your kitchen while not adding too much busyness. This is especially true if you have granite with smaller color particles, like San Cecilia.

This backsplash is MUCH better and still works with travertine floors!

7. Update Your Window Treatments

I started my career in design making draperies and custom bedding. That was decades ago, and I admit, like the big hair of the ‘80s, I definitely participated in the heavy window treatment approach. However, those heavy, dark drapes are no longer desirable in the 21st century.

Instead, install unlined drapery that doesn’t block the light from coming in and that will add texture to the room. You can also install natural shades rather than fabric to add exciting color.

Well, that makes 7! So, have you decided to update your kitchen with a complete renovation (flooring, cabinetry, backsplash) or simple improvements (paint, hardware, lighting, window treatments)? There’s no right or wrong. It’s all about what makes you fall in love with your home again.

Need help? We’d love to chat with you about the different options to update your home with our guidance or hands-on help. Reach out here, and let’s see how we can help you.

Warmly,
Sarah