Meghan Markle's farmhouse kitchen celebrates 'traditionalism and tactility' that's designed to last for decades

It's been less than 24 hours, but Meghan Markle's new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, is already one of the most talked-about launches of the year. The Duchess of Sussex returned to Instagram after a four-year hiatus to tease its launch with nine Instagram posts that, combined, show the brand's gilded logo and crest and a video via her Instagram story. It was via the latter that we caught a glimpse inside her muted Montecito kitchen.

The farmhouse kitchen (seen in the trailer, originally posted to Instagram below) is a celebration of raw, rustic materials, including exposed brickwork and a wooden table/ island where the Duchess is filmed cooking. The look pays tribute to the wider residence that's known to exhibit a similar rustic aesthetic throughout, but we can recreate its style far beyond the Golden State. 

'Farmhouse-style kitchens are designed with a focus on comfort, traditionalism, and tactility, making this design an appealing choice for those wanting to create an inviting sanctuary,' comments Tom Howley, the creative design director at his eponymous kitchen company. 

The Sussexes introduced wood through their kitchen island table, but Tom encourages us to continue using this material in abundance. 

'Natural wood is an integral part of farmhouse kitchens, as it adds a sense of warmth and tactility. You can incorporate wood in the form of flooring, stand-alone furniture such as a farmhouse table, shelving, chopping boards, or integrated wooden trays to break up painted cabinetry,' he says. 

Similarly, while their cabinets are out of shot, Howley recommends installing traditional shaker kitchen cabinetry to complete the look. 

'Traditional shaker-style cabinetry is perfect for creating a welcoming, lived-in look. The shaker style has universal appeal, with beautifully balanced proportions that focus on scale, symmetry, and simplicity.'

These cabinets, like all the farmhouse-style features, are designed to last through the centuries, so while they may come as an investment now, they'll continue to impress for life.

Tom Howley

Tom Howley founded the luxury British kitchen brand in 2004. With showrooms across the country, Tom Howley specializes in fitting beautiful, bespoke kitchen designs crafted from the finest materials.

The organic nature of the wood and stone provides a kitchen color palette that feels muted but timeless, but we can tap into this look with the right paint and countertop finishes, too. 

'In a farmhouse-style kitchen, shades of brown, blue, and cream create an inviting feel and pair beautifully with highly tactile, rugged countertops,' explains Mor Krisher, the Head of Design at Caesarstone. For a more contemporary alternative, he also suggests using a 'veined, white marble-inspired countertop' that 'provides a beautiful contrast to the otherwise coarse, raw materials throughout the kitchen.'

Shop the farmhouse kitchen accessory edit

We can also tap into the farmhouse look with accessible accessories that allow s to experiment with the look without a big investment. We've handpicked some of our current favorites below.