13 Ideas for Styling Your Very Own Nancy Meyers Kitchen in 2024

Though they weren’t designed by an interior designer, the Nancy Meyers kitchen has become an iconic style. So, what is Nancy Meyers known for? 

She’s a writer, director and producer who is known for being behind some of the most iconic romantic comedies. She directed critically acclaimed movies, including “It’s Complicated,” “The Parent Trap,” “The Holiday” and “Father of the Bride.” While these movies offer a cozy and nostalgic vibe that audiences love, the style and aesthetic of the movies also play a key role in making them so iconic.

The setting and scenery of these movies present a cozy aesthetic. That’s how the Nancy Meyers kitchen began to grow in popularity. The timeless and comfortable appeal of Nancy Meyers kitchens has led people to seek out the style for decades after the movies premiered. Luckily, recreating this style is easily done in your own home. Here are a few ideas to inspire your very own Nancy Meyers-style kitchen.

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• What is a Nancy Meyers Kitchen?
• Nancy Meyers Kitchen Ideas for Your Home

What Is a Nancy Meyers Kitchen?

Often seen in the background of Nancy Meyers movies, these kitchens perfectly exemplify the phrase “heart of the home.” So, what is a Nancy Meyers kitchen? They’re known for having a warm yet sophisticated appearance with personality and charm. Nancy Meyers kitchens are cozy and timeless, having a lived-in look that feels personal. 

Consider the timeless and sophisticated white of the kitchen in “Something’s Gotta Give” or the family-oriented kitchen in “The Parent Trap.” Though each differs, Nancy Meyers kitchens often have similar details that draw people in and inspire countless renovations.

Nancy Meyers Kitchen Ideas for Your Home

1. Farmhouse Sink

Take a look at a Nancy Meyers house in the background of your favorite movie and you’ll often see a timeless and traditional aesthetic. One feature that’s often included in a Nancy Meyers kitchen is a farmhouse sink. 

These are large, single-basin sinks that have a front facade that hangs over the counters. They’re a little bit folksy and majorly stylish. Opt for a simple white farmhouse sink for a Nancy Meyers-inspired kitchen. Or opt for a stainless steel finish for something a little more modern.

2. Open Shelving

Open shelving has been an interior design trend for years. However, it’s also featured in Nancy Meyers movies such as “The Holiday.” Open shelving allows you to put your personality on full display. It’s a great place to display decorative or collector pieces you don’t use every day. In a Nancy Meyers kitchen the director highlights mismatched dishes, serving trays and pitchers. A unique collection adds some character to the space and creates some visual interest that can break up a row of upper cabinets.

3. Soft Finishes

Soft finishes are a staple of Nancy Meyers kitchens and Nancy Meyers interiors. Think curtains with frills, area rugs, scalloped edges and table linens. These contrast against the harder surfaces like countertops and backsplash tiles. Soft finishes create a warm and inviting atmosphere with a slight vintage touch. 

Consider classic patterns like gingham and stripes to add a little color and visual interest to the design. It makes the space feel like family and friends can gather in the room for good food and good conversation.

4. Warm and Comforting Neutrals

The biggest staple of this style is the warm and comforting neutral color scheme. Consider the Nancy Meyers kitchen in “Something's Gotta Give”. The cabinets are a warm, creamy white with a sleek warm black countertop. 

The neutral color scheme allows these kitchens to be timeless, remaining stylish no matter what the interior trend cycle is calling popular. Along with the comforting white, there are also pops of natural wood with some accessories that add a bit of life to the room. Luckily, transforming your kitchen cabinets is relatively easy when you learn how to paint kitchen cabinets.

5. Potted Plants

Adding a living element to your kitchen is one of the staples of Nancy Meyers interiors. Potted plants bring life, freshness and a little pop of color to the room. Plants should be well-cared for but not overly attended to. Plants shouldn’t be too perfect so as to create a more lived-in look.

Consider some herbs on the windowsill or trailing plants on a shelf. Give ceramic planters to decorate as gifts for crafters to add personality to the potted plants in their Nancy Meyers kitchen. Make wooden markers as DIY gift ideas to add to your kitchen garden.

6. Stylish Pendant Lights

Pendant lights are an accessory typical of a Nancy Meyers house. Though there is often recessed lighting and large windows letting in natural light, pendant lights are almost always featured in a Nancy Meyers kitchen. 

Pendant lights can add a warm glow to the kitchen while illuminating the countertop right over the island. Opt for pendants that have unique shapes or a pop of color to add some interest to the room. Pendant lighting is also a good form of DIY home décor since most homeowners can replace them themselves.

7. A Large Island

Islands have long been a feature of contemporary kitchens. However, with a Nancy Meyers kitchen, they tend to be extra large. Her movies feature islands large enough for family and friends to gather and serve as an informal dining space. 

These islands feature high-top stools where kids can do homework or sit for a snack after school. Or consider again the Nancy Meyers kitchen in “Something's Gotta Give”, which features shelves for cookbooks for a unique detail in the room.

8. Copper Pot Rack

Nancy Meyers interiors often put unique details on full display. As in Nancy Meyers kitchen in “It's Complicated”, which features a pot rack hanging over the state-of-the-art range and oven for the main character, who is a baker. You don’t have to have a professional career in the culinary field to recreate this kitchen. 

A pot rack is a stylish way to display copper pots and pans, which can show off your love of cooking. Plus, a pot rack is one of the best cooking gifts for someone looking for more storage options for their kitchen and copper pots are great gifts for anyone who loves to cook.

9. Food-Centric Details

Nancy Meyers kitchens have plenty of food-centric details. Think of the Nancy Meyers kitchen in “It's Complicated”. The main character is a baker, so her kitchen features plenty of baking-related items that are as stylish as they are functional. 

Cake stands and glass domes are the perfect way to display bundt cakes and cupcakes, plus make it easy to bring sweets over as gifts for neighbors. Wicker bread baskets can hold all your fresh baked loaves. And a collection of glass jars can hold all of your ingredients.

10. Stylish and Functional Decor

Along with the timeless details, a Nancy Meyers kitchen has plenty of charming details that help make the space feel more lived-in and homey. A Nancy Meyers kitchen is well-thought-out from the smallest to the largest details. Consider a vase of fresh flowers on the island or a bowl of fruit on the counter. 

Line shelves with cookbooks that have been well-loved and stylish salt and pepper shakers by the stove. Add glass-front cabinets to display patterned bowls and colorful glasses. Consider sourcing items from antique stores and thrift shops to add unique accents to the space. Or add an antique-looking speaker to play tunes from a Nancy Meyers' kitchen playlist to really set the atmosphere while you’re cooking.

11. Subway Tile Backsplash

A Nancy Meyers kitchen is timeless and a subway tile backsplash is a great detail of that. What was Nancy Meyers’ last movie? She made “The Intern” in 2015 and it features a simple subway backsplash. The kitchen is more modern than her other movies, but still has some of the director’s signature charm. 

The white subway tile is a stylish finish that will never go out of style. Nancy Meyers makes subway tile a feature of the kitchen by carrying it up to the ceiling and placing open shelving in front of it. She also has a unique design of an arch with white subway tile within it above the range.

12. Intimate Gathering Space

There are a lot of plot points that occur in Nancy Meyers kitchens. While your kitchen might not be home to twists and turns that move the story along, it can still be a great space for an intimate gathering. 

Create an area where your family and friends can gather for conversation and food, such as an alcove by the window, stools by the island or a long dining table between the kitchen and living space like in “Father of the Bride.” It makes the kitchen more functional and feels like the center of a loving home. So, put on a Nancy Meyers' kitchen playlist and enjoy cooking, eating and laughing in a timeless space.

13. Wood Accents

What is a Nancy Meyers vibe? Comfortable, lived-in and timeless are hallmarks of a Nancy Meyers kitchen. All of these traits can be accomplished by adding wood accents throughout the room. These can be minimal and subtle like natural wood shelves or a wooden bowl on the counter. Or, they can be a little more prominent like a butcher block countertop or wood beams on the ceiling. Wood adds plenty of warmth, color and texture to the space.

The Nancy Meyers kitchen has been a dream kitchen for many people for decades. After being featured in Nancy Meyers romantic comedies released during the late 1990s and early 2000s, many homeowners have sought to recreate a Nancy Meyers kitchen in their own homes.

Known for their comforting color scheme and charming details, these timeless designs are often seen as the ideal family space. Getting inspired by these ideas can help you infuse the style of a classic Nancy Meyers kitchen.

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