Tuesday, November 3, 2009

tale of two kitchens



Designing a kitchen for a lakehome I am pursuing two options. One is a dreamy option that opens up the kitchen to the room behind it.( Removing the refrigerator wall). The second more modest option is keeping the same foot print. I am pushing for the dreamy one.
Before pictures. I know it is a little hard to be in love with tis kitchen right now but just wait until it's done.





Problem Areas: (The long long list)
1.) Lack of counter space
2.) Tile countertops impossible to keep clean
3.) Poor traffic paterns
4.) Dated style
5.) No focal point(s)
6.) Low ceilings
7.) Abundance of ugly flourescent lights
8.) Wasted underutilized area where desk is
9.) Sea of cabinets
10.) No pantry
11.) Outdated ceiling vent
12.) Not enough natural light

Inspirational Photos these are so much more fun.



I want to use clean simple style cabinet doors like these with the two windows at top.You do not need to be such a perfectionist since most of the cabinet interior is hidden. The shelf under the island gives it a more airy look but lets you maintin most of the storage. Perfect for this small kitchen.


Placing The refrigerator where the current desk is will provide a clean finish to the end of the cabinetry when viewed from the kicthen eat in dining area. Plus it will make it easily accesible for people to get beverages and snacks.

           I am picturing a long island with room for two stools to be tucked uner at each end.




Just one more inspiration photo. Look at all the beautiful textures and the abundance of natural light.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Moments of Grey

Lately I have been dreaming of grey rooms which room shall I change to grey



Grey nights

nicholas haslam via cotedetexas by coco+kelley.
.                           Serene but still has unexpected details....
                tri color stripe skirted tables and
             contemporary floral headboard and curtains


                                                           
                         Grey Mornings


skona hem dining room by coco+kelley.
 

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Kitchens are like spouses

Contemplating the look of my kitchen to be.....

Remember how you wrote your first name followed by the last name of the boy you loved. Just to make sure it all flowed together.

Here I sit pasting images together to determine how I want my kitchen to feel and look. How the new components wiill flow with old. This kitchen will be with me a long time much like a spouse. I need to chose my qualities carefully.

I was thrust into this redux not by choice but by the fraility of a computer in my oven.


During my search for inspiration I came across the most beutiful Belgian kitchens on Belgian Pearls a blog by Greet Lefe'vre a fourth generation cabinetmaker. The textures and colors are amazing combined with the use of steel.



Rich and simple linen
.


                                                                     Iron and glass doors

Or maybe cabinets doors resembling windows...





Simple and authentic handmade tiles with quirky details

Which is your favorite?

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Harmonium anyone?

Okay todays the day. I am going to do it. My own personal mid life crisis is in full swing. Read the rules, agree to them make an audition tape. How hard can it be. It is all my Mother's fault after all.

Growing up in a house with the same curtains for 40 years in a lovely shade of avocado green I might ad.
Not a comfortable chair or couch in sight or even one built in the same century we lived in. Ok, maybe that is an exaggeration there may have have been one or two pieces that were only 50 - 70 years old.

Dragged to flea markets every weekend three days in a row. Is it any wonder that anything and everything I like is usually not typical.  I love old weathered combined with stainless steel. Or just old and never shiny finishes on wood. Most pieces I have either made..I am an iron junkie with gates, tables and beds or come from combining found items with new.

The furniture in my parents house is in the same place it was 40 yplus ears ago unless I moved it. This is why my own funriture can't be in the same place for more than 30 seconds. I suffer from attention deficit disorder for furniture placement. It's a good thing I have muscle moving this stuff is work. I do love soul which most of my pieces have and I hang onto them forever they just might not be in the places you expect them to be.

Even are family vacations were like visits to museums. My grandparents house did not have a telephone or Tv and I am talking about 1980. Furniture pieces there were really old ( made my parents house look like a swingers contemporary pad though we didn't have cable) and I am blessed to be there keeper for the next generation. My family lived in the same town same house since 1830's same furniture. This is why at my house there is a harmonium in the kitchen....go figure.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Morning Musings

Ahhh.. the sweet sound of silence before my two year old wakes.Today I will finalize the photo layout for our website and share some of my favorite photos.

I am considering this as an entrance to the web site. It is a closeup of one of our wall gates.

Our Veronica chairs in chocolate leather with silver nail heads and painted white legs paired with our squiggle iron table. I used this table in my own kitchen with a marble top. Love it! Love it! Love it ! The close up is the photo I like best.
Vintage chaise with custom slipcover and matching curtains.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

This little light of mine is hung

This little light of mine is hung and the kitchen phase 1 complete. The transformation is amazing visually but even more so emotionally when you are in the space. This small ranch home has become my personal design playground as I begin my new business venture. After 8 plus years of owning 2 retail stores that specialized in curtains and bedding The Curtain Exchange. No we didn't sell used curtains but $1000 a pair new curtains I have taken the jump to do what I love. Pure Home is about creating a beautiful personal space that works for you and your family. It's about finding the sweet spot where design and life merge.

The before we didn't own the house when this picture was taken.