If you asked ten people at random what a “hutch” is, they would almost universally answer that it is a large wooden cupboard found in a dining room with dishes. Little or no thought would be given to the possibility that it could be a large wooden cabinet found in a kitchen. The funny thing is that the average kitchen is full of large pieces of furniture. The stove, refrigerator, freezer, kitchen table, and in some cases even the washer and dryer are in the kitchen. The problem is that, apart from the kitchen table and chairs, most people do not imagine a large wooden cabinet in a kitchen.
Utilitarian in purpose, what better place than the kitchen for a cabinet that displays plates and glasses, stores silverware, bedding, special-use utensils, and kitchen utensils? Wood always brings warmth to kitchen décor and nothing could be warmer than a stately log cabin lining a kitchen wall.
There are a variety of sideboard styles that would complement almost any kitchen design. From modern and contemporary to traditional or even antique finishes, the possibilities are endless. Furniture is an expression of you; a kind of signature and should always complement rather than detract from value. Obviously, a huge, swanky wooden cabinet carelessly placed in the middle of the floor would be more of an eyesore than an accent, however a smaller, well-designed cabinet scaled to fit the room can add the perfect touch to a room that otherwise it would be ordinary.
Like bookcases, hutches come in both open and closed styles. Before making your purchase, consider what you will be using it for. If you are a collector of knickknacks or other collectibles, the open style is more suitable as a display location. Collections of cookbooks, small vintage utensils and photographs could find cozy homes in one of the closed models. They can be as ornate or as simple as your lifestyle. An antique one is a great subject for folk tales about its origin and previous owners. It can become a home for a lone plant or a stand for a small TV or kitchen stereo system.
The best thing about them is that they don’t have to match anything. The front does not compete with the aluminum or porcelain veneers of the appliances. Door or drawer handles can be as simple as a round doorknob or as exquisite as an ornate brass ring.
When you really start looking and see the variety out there, you may think that there are too many options to make a decision and stick with it. Do not worry; the furniture will speak to you. Keep looking around you; Keep in mind all the benefits or cons of each piece of each of the cabins you look at and eventually you will know which one should come to your home.
Other than taking location measurements, you don’t need to think hard to decide what to look for in a hutch. Most likely, you will find the right one and make it part of your kitchen decor.