Showing posts with label design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label design. Show all posts

1.10.2012

heart of the home

i have always dreamed of having a kitchen that could be considered the heart of the home. we have a lovely kitchen in our old home, but it is a tad on the small side & really kind of isolated by itself in the back of the house. our old home was built in the early 1950's & floor plans just were not the same back then.  m & i both love to cook & have always dreamed of having awesome gourmet appliances, a hearth room & a kitchen that flows seamlessly for entertaining. luckily, our new home offered the potential for all of these things. notice i said potential, as i thought i might remind you of it's condition when we purchased the home:




yikes...just a tad outdated, right?!? our home was built in 1994 & we're fairly certain that not one update has been made in the past 17+ years.  but....look at all that potential...tons of space! double ovens! back staircase (obsessed)! hearth room! windows galore!  really, everything we could possibly ask for.  it is now just a matter of bringing everything up-to-date & adding our personal taste to make the room uniquely "us."  we both decided that we absolutely loved the shape of the cabinets & the layout of the kitchen....which would be a huge money saver down the road.  i have always had a thing for white kitchens, so just had to bring m on board.  that wasn't too hard after sharing a few inspiration pictures with him: 

                                                       
                                                      
                                                  
                                                   
                                                              {all images via my pinterest}

once m got a good look at some of these images (thank you pinterest!), he was 100% on board.  the specific elements that we knew we wanted to incorporate include: white cabinets (some with glass fronts to break up & lighten the space), gorgeous lighting (glass, unique shapes, etc..), dark hardwoods, updated appliances & subway tile.  our goal is to create a space that is comfortable, relaxed, homey and most importantly, lasting.  we didn't want to choose anything too trendy as this quite possibly could be our forever home.  sticking with classics with a twist is our goal in creating a kitchen that will serve us (and our friends & family) well for decades to come.  we're happy to report that we're off to a good start.  here are a few sneak-peek photos with plenty more to come soon....
{our back staircase...have i mentioned i'm obsessed!?}
we've removed all the carpet & added wood end-caps....will soon be staining floors & fresh carpet.
{counters are off!}
{soffits above cabinets}
i have always had a strong aversion to cabinets that don't go all the way to the ceiling.  to create a custom look without the cost, we chose to add soffits & then will cap off with crown molding to complete the look.

the process has been very fun so far with lots of decisions that have had to be made (and more importantly, agreed upon)...can't wait to share more soon!

12.14.2011

before....

....and hopefully an "after" to share soon!  i found this vintage beauty last week on my local craigslist...and paid a whopping $45.  thanks very much to my friend emily for coming with me to make sure i wasn't meeting with a psychopath (you never know with CL!).  happy to report that the transaction went smoothly & the piece was definitely a steal in my eyes!  it is the perfect size to fit in the hearth room of our new kitchen.  m & i had been searching a few stores for apartment sized couches, and at around 72" they were still a tad too large.  this vintage settee is just about 52" wide & should work perfectly facing the fireplace. 

just needs a little tlc

i have spent some time looking for the perfect fabric & have settled on this:

Casablanca Wht/Fla Blue Ikat Fabric

with hot pink cording, similar to this:

BIR-706

ls fabrics is one of my favorite places to shop for unique & beautiful patterns.  they always have a great selection & their prices are very competitive.  i can't wait to get this piece updated...and share some after pictures soon!

12.12.2011

color of the year

i just heard that the new pantone color of the year for 2012 is tangerine tango.  a beautiful shade that i would describe as a mix between orange & coral...
pantone tangerine tango

if you're not familiar with pantone, they have been known as the "worldwide standard for color communication and inspiration since 1963."  the pantone color matching system is basically a standardized color reproduction system that allows different manufacturers in different locations to refer to the pantone system to make sure colors match without having to contact one another. so "tiffany blue" will always be that same gorgeous shade of robins egg blue that we all know & love...who doesn't wish for that iconic little blue box?  what do you think of tangerine tango?  i love the bold color & can't wait to incorporate in our new house!  i can already picture it as a corded or pom trim to some decorative pillows or perhaps in other accessories such as a serving tray or an accent color in a piece of abstract art.  i'm definitely on board with tangerine tango...just crossing my fingers that my husband, m, agrees too!