Kim's Kitchen Re-Model

My sister Kim is re-doing her kitchen.  She is doing a semi-remodel of her kitchen.  She kept the cabinets, which were wood, and painted them white. She is bringing blue into the room with her cobalt glass collection and also painting her island blue. 

Her home was built in the 1800's and I wanted to make it blend in with the original portions of the home as much as possible.  I went with a simple white supbway tile and wood counters. The tile started going in today.

I just love the wood counters.  I suggest them to clients so frequently, and yet they are selected so infrequently.  They add so much charm to the space, and keep it from looking too "modern", like some more shiny surfaces could do.  I love to see wood counters when there isn't other wood in the room.  No wood floors, the cabinets are painted...  it's just asking for them.  The age of the home in this case made it a particularly good candidate.  Today Kim asked me what to do with the area above her refrigerator.  It currently looks like this: 

I have a few pieces of advice for Kim:

1.  Add a crown moulding to the top of the cabinets. All of the cabinets need a larger crown. 

2.  Add lights in the space over the microwave as well as over the refrigerator.  I'd have them on the same switch as the under cabinet lighting. 

3.  Add a false back to the area over the refrigerator.  It is too deep.  Have your family put a time capsule back there- how exciting for the next remodel in 40 years.  ;-) 

4.  Keep the cobalt going.  I like to see consistency in over-the-cabinet, or in this case, within the cabinet decor.  It adds continuity, keeps the space from feeling disjointed.  You don't need a lot, even two or three larger pieces, and you would be done.  Notice the area over the refrigerator in the photo below.  Two larger items, appropriately sized, works great.  Start with the same kind of scale.  If you want to add to your cobalt glass collection and add more smaller pieces, that would be great- but start with two or three larger pieces that fill the area nicely. 

5.  Add a few more bits of blue, but don't over-do it.  A graphic rug from Garnet Hill, (it comes in a 2 x 3- get two and put one in front of the stove, one the sink)

and a new Kitchen Aid would be perfect.

If you have some open wall space somewhere in the room, I would do a blue and white plate collage.  Even a small wall could hold a vertical row of plates hung on it. 

 

I'll post more of Kim's kitchen as it comes.  Her stove goes in tomorrow!

Lauren's Anthropologie-esque Kitchen

Open Shelving Style Kitchen Uppers

Hi Christine!
I just found your blog! It's amazing! I just bought my 1st house, and I move in on June 1st. Right now, all I have are pictures of is from how the owner has it. So, none of my furniture. My taste cottage/eclectic (I love Anthropologie-esque stuff and vintage/antique).

The house itself is 100 years old and cottage looking from the outside. I love older homes- and I love that your interior is going to be consistent with your exterior. Anyway, I have time to paint and do other things during the month before I move in, and I'd love some help.

First of all, I'm trying to figure out what to do with the walls in the kitchen (maybe more white, instead of brown??). I would not go white unless it was white beadboard- just painted white would be too dull. The tile on the floor is a gray tone. I'm also not sure about the countertops (maybe wood? but would the gray floor look weird with that?). Wood counters are a classic. You could always bring in some gray in the backsplash to help tie in the flooring. I put a picture in below of a hand painted tile from Country Floors that has some white and some gray- you could absolutely use a tile like this on the backsplash and add a wood counter. Repeat the wood somewhere in your room- like your furniture. I also feel like the fridge looks bulky where it is, but I'm not sure what other option there is. Just replace it with a counter depth refrigerator. You pay more for less square footage- and it killed my husband to do it- but after bugging him for about 2 years- I got mine- and love it. From a design standpoint it is the best solution- and if you run out of room- just clean out your refrigerator- you don't really need more space. (coming from a mother of 4) I also thought about changing the hardware on the cabinets- what do you think?? I don't have a real good look at the hardware.... it is hard for me to say- but in general I'd like to see something with more contrast. Anthropologie has some really great hardware to check out- I like their button knob.

Check out I am cutting your e-mail in half- I will finish it with an additional post and just focus on the kitchen in this one.

Thank you soooo much. This is the best blog ever. ANY advice is appreciated!!!!
Sincerely,
Lauren

Well Lauren,

Congratulations on your new home! I'd like to add a few more thoughts to what I said above. I would have one dining set in the center of the room- and no additional furniture. The arrangement the previous owner has is really not good. If you are interested in making any structural changes or additions- consider adding a display area above your cabinets- where there is space- like in the kitchen above. Or you could take down all of your upper cabinets- and have a more open feel like in the photo at the top of the post.

Over your dining room table- remove that horrible ceiling fan and add some charming lighting. I found this glass jug pendant from Shades of Light- I would do a little collection of three of them- hung in staggered heights.

Add some Roman shade or cafe curtains on your windows. Find a fun vintage fabric like the one below from Amy Butler. Your curtains and backsplash will bring in your character.

I would put beadboard on the wall- floor to ceiling would be perfect- painted white. Then add a vintage plate collage to the larger back wall.

Consider some retro chairs like you see in the red and green kitchen photo above- paired with a simple wood table that brings in the colors of your counter- and adds warmth to the stone floor. The addition of the retro will give you more of an Anthropologie feel- and not too country.

Any more ideas for Lauren? Anyone seen any cool vintage Anthropologie-esque kitchens lately?

Is More More?

I was intrigued by this month's House Beautiful Kitchen of the Month. I wanted to know what you thought. It is a French look with quite a formal feel and a lot of blue and white.

Clearly no expense was spared. What I want to know is- is it just too much? Is it over-decorated? The mouldings, the tile, the ceiling, the sink, the leaded glass...

Is there any restraint shown? The tile work on the double refrigerators...

Not one scene on the tile- but many...

OK- here I'll say it's beautiful- wouldn't change a thing.

This is a good shot above that shows what I mean about the mouldings and tile work and leaded glass. When there is so much going on- it is hard for the eye to know where to go. I feel like a beautiful room is a journey. The eye is drawn to the focal point- and there is then a nice rhythm around the room. I feel like there are multiple focal points here.

I am liking the butcher block!

What do you think? Anyone love it? Wish it were theirs? Anyone agree with me that the tile work and moldings needed to exercise the less is more approach? What do you think?