Is it all about design and décor, or is it something more?

It's a term often touted by people in the home design and real estate industries. Practically every house ad has one listed, it seems. It's deemed desirable… but it has a sketchy description at best.

Country kitchens. So what makes a kitchen qualify as "country-style?" Does the home it belongs to, as its name suggests, have to be located in the country? And what does a country kitchen add to a home?

 "There isn't an exact definition of what a country kitchen should be," says Glenn Sullivan, kitchen manager for Central Home Improvement Warehouse in Sydney, Cape Breton. However, he says there are certain characteristics many country kitchens have.

Many people base their definition of a country kitchen on its décor, which is typically rural, charming, and sometimes inspired by historical fashions. There may be pastoral paintings on the wall of farmers working the fields. Some feature cow and pig salt and pepper shakers, a decorative wooden rooster sitting on the counter and little goose napkin holders.

But it isn't only about simple esthetics-it's also about capturing a feeling. The country-style character harkens back to a simpler time when the kitchen was the core of the home.

Modern country kitchens haven't changed from their predecessors in that they are often wood-inspired. Some homeowners go for bake centres and solid wood butcher block cutting centres. A lot of country kitchens also have wood panelling or wainscotting on the walls-usually pine in a natural finish, says Glenn. Exposed wood ceiling beams are also popular. For a really authentic look, some homeowners place older-style trims and mouldings in the room, as well as install wide window casings and baseboards. Flooring is typically either hardwood or tile.

Cabinets are often made of pine or maple, with natural finishes. Designs often incorporate open-shelves with beaded back panels. The shelves are used to display antique place settings, vintage kitchen tools, pottery and other country collectibles. For those who don't like the open-shelf idea, wood and painted cabinets have both worked beautifully in country kitchens. Painted cabinet doors can also be tastefully decorated with faux finishes or stenciling.

The centrepiece in many country kitchens is a wood burning device, says Glenn, whether it be a standard wood stove, an antique stove or in some cases, a masonry heater complete with bread oven. Although at one time a kitchen stove would have been used for heating the immediate area and drying clothes as well as cooking, it now serves more as a comfort piece with visual appeal.

A large, heavy wooden harvest table also figures prominently, inviting people to sit and catch up. Though proper dining rooms have their place in modern homes, people who love traditional country kitchens often thumb their nose at these, seeing them as a kind of old-style Victorian-inspired excess and snobbery.

The country-style character is also one of open space, good working areas and most of all, convenience. "It is one that lends itself to actually living and working out of this room," says Glenn. "It should be very functional and practical along with following the country style."

Margaret Ouellette would agree. When she and her family decided to renovate their kitchen 10 years ago, their family and friends were surprised. Their kitchen, which featured handcrafted pine and maple cabinets, was already beautiful, they said. But Margaret says it lacked convenience and functionality. "A kitchen is about more than looking good," she says. "Especially when you plan on cooking there!" And because she enjoys spending time in the kitchen, she says making those changes was definitely worth it. Their new beautiful Italian-style Cellini kitchen has a much-improved practical working triangle space with an island. It doesn't compromise on beauty, however, incorporating old-world elegance (a brick wall, wood stove and hearth) with modern style and technology. In fact, most modern appliances have a place in a country kitchen. Though antiques look good, there's no reason to sacrifice practicality.

Whether dealing with appliances or decorative items, Glenn says the most creative people often mix traditional, country and even European design ideas in the same kitchen. French country style is simple and ?practical, yet quite elegant. It often incorporates stone floors, terra cotta pots and tiles. Woods are often stained in natural colours. Allowing for the use of natural light is characteristic of the style, as is incorporating special touches like fruit baskets and fresh flowers.

No doubt about it, country kitchens are as unique as the individuals who design and decorate them. But what about the individuals? Do the people who spend time in the kitchens also play a role in a kitchen's style by simply being there? Some people might say the cook's personality makes or breaks a country kitchen. The traditional country cook, for example, bakes bread and prepares hearty meals from scratch. We can all picture the farmhouse cook loudly ringing a cow's bell to invite his or her guests to the table. Though that may seem a bit extreme with today's busy, fractured lifestyles, a friendly atmosphere is definitely de rigueur.

Perhaps that's the one thing common to all country kitchens, and something that isn't itemized on a designer's worksheet: a friendly, rurally-inspired atmosphere. A country kitchen, whether in a period or a contemporary home, whether the home is in the country or the city, should be a cosy place that people are drawn to and like spending time in, and not just to raid the refrigerator and run. You can imagine a kitchen party taking place there. A place where people dance and jam and eat. Parties are held there because, after all, guests tend to gravitate there anyway, even if the party started in another room. There is warmth; a presence. It is a place where people can come together and share a good meal, good stories and laughter. A place where a family can sit together during the day and actually lock eyes.

Margaret says it best: "The kitchen is the heartbeat of the home." Perhaps this is even more true of a country kitchen.

It's where life is lived. But you won't see that in a real estate ad.