Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Kitchen Gallery Wall
Kitchen Gallery Wall
A couple of days ago, when I put up the chalkboard menu in the kitchen, I realized that it alone was a little small for that space. So, I set off thinking of things I could add to the wall to make it feel more decorated.
Since Kevin and I love cooking, restaurants and cafes, and Paris, I thought it might be fun to do a gallery wall of photos of these in black and white. I chose photos from Paris, specifically Rue Cler, the street where we stayed in an apartment on our honeymoon, and a couple other photos of French cafes and chairs. Its really cool to have pictures hanging on the wall in our kitchen of the places we visited on our honeymoon. There are pictures of the bakery we visited at least once a day, the cheese shop and grocery store we shopped at before making a meal, a restaurant/cafe that we ate at, and pictures of the street. I think that displaying photos of places like these are perfect for an eat in kitchen, plus they have so much meaning for us. Were really enjoying them. Plus, this was a super inexpensive project because I used white frames that I already had and just had to print and get a few pictures enlarged!
And, heres what the area looks like now:
Click Here for post about DIYing the chalkboard menu.
So, Im still working on thinking about what Ill do for window treatments for the bay window. Heres a better picture of the space, as it is right now.
For now, Im really liking these silk sheer curtains from West Elm, but who knows what well choose in the end ;)
Shared at the DIY Showoff...
Available link for download
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Monday, July 10, 2017
Kitchen Design Board Floor Plans
Kitchen Design Board Floor Plans
The countdown is on! In about two weeks, well be starting our kitchen renovation and I cannot wait. Demo is set to begin in about two weeks - in other words, things will be getting real real fast. (Any advice on living without a kitchen for awhile?)
I basically started planning this kitchen reno the moment we first laid eyes on our house last year and if youve been around the blog for awhile, you might remember that in our "30 day blitz" after closing we took down a wall and did some quick reconfiguring to make it work for us before we could move forward with a true remodeling project.
It went from this (real estate photo):
To this (wall came down, installed a dishwasher and moved the sink to where the fridge used to be):
A few months ago, before I took time off from blogging in June and July, I shared my kitchen inspiration, and Im happy to report Ive stayed pretty true to that vision! Light, bright and modern are the key words.
So without further adieu, heres the design board for our new kitchen!
(Please note that some of the following are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through the link, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting the blog in this way!)
1. IKEA cabinets (VEDDINGE) || 2. quartz countertop (Caesarstone London Grey) || 3. butcher block countertop || 4. refrigerator || 5. range || 6. dishwasher || 7. brass hex knob || 8. brass pull || 9. pendant lights || 10. faucet || 11. sink || 12. floor tile
I went back and forth for a good while on whether to go with flat panel doors or shaker style and ultimately decided to go with the more modern, flat panel doors. Im pairing the simple door style with some really fun brushed brass pulls and knobs that take the kitchen to the next level. (By the way, the hardware I chose is super affordable - especially those Target pulls. I went into the store the other day to see them in person and theyre a great weight and color, which I wasnt necessarily expecting for a Target find! #targetdoesitagain)
For the countertops, I wanted something that looked like marble, but was more durable, and these London Grey quartz countertops fit the bill. I loved the veining and the grey tone. Theyll be everywhere in the kitchen except for a small section that will have butcher block. Those cabinets will imitate a credenza - more on that in the floor plans below.
I havent nailed down the exact tile for the flooring, but I know it will be a dark gray/charcoal and likely be in a 12"x24" size. Were also pretty sure were going to install electric radiant heat under the tile since our kitchen is freezing underfoot in the winter. Does anyone have any brands they recommend for that? Im still researching...
Our sink and faucet were ordered this week. I cant tell you how excited I am to be replacing our cheap double basin, stainless steel sink with a deep, single basin one, and our leaky, low faucet for a sleek, pull down one!
Lastly, appliances. Ive been thrilled with our Whirlpool dishwasher (its silent and cleans really well) and well be going with them for our refrigerator, range and microwave/hood as well. Im not sure exactly which models yet, but the three I linked above are strong contenders.
Now lets take a look at the rough floor plan! If any of you have ever tried out the IKEA kitchen planner, you know its a bit maddening to use, but it gets the job done for the most part.
Heres the overall view:
The main part of the kitchen will maintain the existing L-shape, but the countertop on the peninsula (where the sink and dishwasher are) will extend out into the dining area so we can have a real bar with stools under it for seating. The new items are the "credenza" (represented as brown in the above floor plan) and the floor-to-ceiling pantries (labeled 10 and 11 above).
(To see our kitchen as it stands now, check out this post.)
Below you can see the pantries on the left side. The cabinetry surrounding the range has basically the same layout as the existing cabinetry. A microwave/hood will go above the range.
And P.S., I have no idea why the knobs arent parallel with each other - a quirk of the software I guess!
Heres a better look at the "credenza" on the opposite side of the space. It will have exposed legs since a small radiator will be sitting under those cabinets. Im excited to gain a bit of counter space here too!
Our sink, dishwasher and pull out trash can(!) will be in the peninsula and the bar area will extend out the back.
I think thats it. Phew! That was a long post, but I hope it gives you a better idea of where were headed. Hopefully the next update will be a real life one where well be saying adios! to the old kitchen!
*Psst! Need help with your home? Come on over to Mix & Match Design Company and lets chat!
Available link for download
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Kitchen Drums
Kitchen Drums
We keep a set of rhythm sticks in with a basket of musical instruments for play. Spontaneous drumming on the kitchen trash lid this evening led me to pull out some pots and pans for some real drumming fun. She loved it and entertained us as long as our ears would allow. Simple fun!
Available link for download
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Kitchen Renovation Inspiration
Kitchen Renovation Inspiration
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| {Sugar & Cloth} |
Nothing is set in stone yet, but lets start with a few facts about the direction were headed and then Ill get to the pretty stuff. :)
Were planning:
- Modern white cabinets (whos surprised there?)
- Marble-like quartz countertops
- Brass hardware
- Dark floors
- Stainless steel appliances
Well pretty much be starting from scratch while basically keeping the same layout. The one lone survivor in the demo phase will be the dishwasher (we bought it when we moved in since the house didnt have one). For cabinets, were 90% sure well be using IKEA Sektion system with VEDDINGE fronts, so lots of cabinet building will be happening over here! I cant wait to get started.
Here are a few kitchens Ive found that I love that echo the style/look were going for:
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| {Annabode via Design Sponge} |
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| {Sita Montgomery Interiors via Style Me Pretty} |
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| {Francois et Moi} |
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| {Oh Happy Day} |
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| {Nicole Davis Interiors} |
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| {Burke Decor} |
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| {House Updated} |
Get the idea? ;)
Of course Ill be sharing all the nitty gritty details from the planning phase all the way through to the reveal, so get ready for lots of kitchen happenings soon!
For reference, heres what our kitchen looks like now:
Available link for download
Friday, April 28, 2017
Kitchen Curtains
Kitchen Curtains
Ive been decorating the kitchen to make it look more finished but it still has a ways to go. This weekend, Im going to finish a gallery wall of pictures that will hang above and below the chalkboard I posted about earlier this week. Im really excited about that project. I cant wait to post about it, hopefully it will come out as I imagine!
So, next on my list is figuring out what type of window treatments to use around the bay window. I think this will help make the space feel more polished. As a reminder, heres what the space around the kitchen table looks like.
Then, for the design of the curtain, Im not sure what direction I want to go. Ive looked at lots of different styles... bold patterns or solids... neutral colors or those with pops of accent colors.
However, Ive had a hard time finding any curtains with accent colors that I like. Part of me feels like a curtain with a neutral pattern will be more successful in our kitchen. I think Ill probably try to tie in the blue wall color to a couple accessories in the kitchen and on the table, but otherwise, I like the neutral/black&white look. Plus, when youre looking at pictures online, its hard to tell if fabrics and colors would look good in our kitchen and mix with the colors in our living room. Im hoping to go to the fabric store sometime this weekend to look at swatches in person for ideas.
So, what do you think? Do any of these fabrics/curtains stand out to you? Do you have any suggestions for curtains or fabric?
So, what do you think? Do any of these fabrics/curtains stand out to you? Do you have any suggestions for curtains or fabric?
Available link for download
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Kitchen Nook Update
Kitchen Nook Update
I finally hung some curtains in the bay window of our eat-in kitchen! I got a bay window curtain rod set from Lowes, I was so excited that they had it so that I didnt have to recreate something similar from scratch.
I originally wanted plain white curtains here, but I decided that a little pattern would be better. I got these curtains with an organic vine pattern in silver. I think it really adds a lot to the space. Here are some pictures.
In the last two pictures, you can even see the new coat hooks that we hung up. Since we mostly use the garage door as our entry, Im always looking for a place to put my coat and it usually ends up on the chair at the desk. These letters from Anthropologie were so cute, so I got them and they work perfect in this small space and for hanging coats. They would also be really great in a bathroom for towels.
Available link for download
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Kitchen Goodies Swap Sent and Received
Kitchen Goodies Swap Sent and Received
Thank you so much for all of you for lovely and
sweet comments and emails about us moving to Japan!
We still dont know exactly when we will be moving,
but I started packing up just a little and am already
overwhelmed. Ive moved a lot in the past 10
years (Gunma -> Tokyo -> Seattle ->San Jose), but
this is definitely going to be the most hectic moving ever
because we have SO many things accumulated in last 8 years
including my TWO sewing machines (I bought a new one
recently which turned out to be much cheaper in Japan
because the manufacturer (Janome) is Japanese.)
And of course lots and lots of fabric, including a lot of
them I just brought from my last trip to Japan. Sure,
I am not the best decision maker ever. lol
Anyways, I wanted to share with you what Ive sent
as a part of Kitchen Goodies Swap Id joined as well
This is one of the linen kitchen towels I made for
my partner. The linen used is really cool. It was
sold as "Pre-double-washed", so I didnt have to
launder it. Woohoo! And I just love how it looks and feels.
I picked fabrics based on my partners preference.
I wish I could share with you what her preference was
like but she hasnt received my package yet, so I
dont want to ruin a surprise in case she reads this post.
This is a little extra I whipped up very quickly to go with
hold some little things at her kitchen.
Another linen kitchen towel. Ever since I found
this linen and cotton blend fabric, I thought it
would make a nice linen towel, so Im glad I
actually made a towel with it.
Although I dont think it was the greatest decision to
buy my new Janome sewing machine right before going
to Japan, Im really glad that I got to learn about
a lot of different types of feet at the sewing machine
store. This salesperson spent one hour showing me
how to use some feet that I didnt know were existing,
which made me squeal like a little kid at a candy shop.
This very narrow rolled hem was done with a 4mm hemmer foot
which creates professional-looking double folded hem so easily.
Oh how I enjoyed using the foot to do this! Ive been
crazy about learning what other kinds of feet are out there ever since.
Let me share with you what I got from the swap also.
Try your best not to be jealous although it might be hard.
Photo originally uploaded by sonjaartsania
Can you believe Sonja read my entire blog to research
my likes to make a set of placemats for Joe and me?!
When I first saw this picture on flickr, I was like
"Oh My! Please Please Please come to me!" Then the next
second I realized the cat reminds me of my cat Oto
in Japan so much. If youve read my blogposts about
my latest trip to Japan and you like cats, you might
recall this photo I shared here to introduce him.
So I became very sure that it was coming my way.
You have no idea how thrilled I was. The night I discovered
this photo, I couldnt sleep well because I was overly excited.
How sweet of her to think of me like this.. I am so touched!
Photo originally uploaded by sonjaartsania
And this is another placemat she made with paper-pieced
sushi which is Joes favorite food!!! And to share with
you my selfish aspect, these are the only three different
kinds of sushi I can eat - cooked eggs, cooked shrimp,
and rolls, so it was really thrilling to see these three!
Joe eats any kinds of sushi, so he is as happy as I am.
I must have annoyed Sonja by shooting three long emails
explaining why I love these placemats so much, but I
just couldnt help it.
I usually hesitate to join a swap just because I tend to be
way too intimidated by the thought that I may not be able to
make something that would satisfy my partner. And also,
deadlines for swaps come too fast in general. But after receiving
Oto and sushi placemats made my lovely Sonja, I am determined
that I should join more swaps from now on. Sure it scares me,
but look what great things you might receive in return!
Available link for download
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