A Kitchen Freshen Up

I've been working with a client on a quick kitchen freshen up.  We have selected a lighter wall color to go with their fabulous glazed cabinets.  Then we decided to tweak it a bit more with new lighting in the breakfast area and over the island as well as new hardware for the cabinets.  Here are the options I sent them . . . 

I love to give my clients options for their space.  The best part is they really can't go wrong with any of the picks!  It takes the pressure off and allows the client to truly be part of the process. 

This couple already pulled the trigger on one of the options.  When they are completely finished implementing the plan, I'll show you the results!! 

Any guesses on which option they chose? M.

Power of Paint - An Update

If you recall, I recently completed a total transformation of my kitchen using paint and new hardware.  Here is the "After" of my kitchen.  If you want to see the "Befores" and the entire post about it, click here.

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Following my post on the power of paint, I exchanged emails with Deborah, a blog follower in Madison, Mississippi.  She saw the post and was inspired to paint her own kitchen.  She was so gracious to share the before and after images of her space with us!  Here is the Before of Deborah's kitchen . . . 

She already had a great cabinetry color and decided to paint her walls the same color.  Look how much larger the entire space looks with the new wall color.  Wow - love a great before and after!

The previous color was P&L Arabesque which is a lovely rich color (I can totally see it as an accent color), and the new color is P&L Light Coffee.  This space opens into her keeping room, so she continued the color into that space as well.  Another "Before."

And the "After" (notice how the artwork really stands out now on the neutral wall).  It looks fantastic!

  Thank you, Deborah, for sharing these with us.  I hope they inspire other followers to think about freshening up with paint in their spaces.  It's one of the least expensive ways to get major impact! M.

Keeping Things on the Down Low

I knew that title would grab you!

Well, I'm actually talking kitchens on the down low - I'm seeing lots of high style kitchens these days with no upper cabinets.  

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Yes, it's sleek, current, open, airy and quite yummy to consider.  But, my practical side pokes me every time I try to daydream about the option.  

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I begin to think about how this trend will play out. Will style trump comfort and practicality?

 Or is this a true lifestyle shift we are talking about here? 

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I guess, only time will tell.

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But my brain simply cannot leave it at that. What's driving this trend?  Is it designers wanting things to be beautiful and sleek?  Is it a need for visual space?  What exactly is it?

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Not sure we will ever really know the answers to these questions.  But, I think it's obvious that our lifestyles are changing and evolving every day.

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I have lots of friends who don't really cook.

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They eat cereal for breakfast and a quick sandwich (if they're even home for lunch); and they eat out for dinner.  They are constantly on the go with their kid's activities; so truly there's no time to cook.  When they have a free evening, they're not in the mood to cook.

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Still yet, I have some friends (not me!) who are extremely health conscience.

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 They do eat at home, but their menus are "close to the garden".  So, there is little to no cooking.  Lots of raw fruits and veggies involved.

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Now, understand, I am NOT judging.  I'm simply observing.  We all know, at some point, lifestyles will dictate the form and function of a home.  This also drives the economy and what people are willing to invest their money in.  It's just that simple.  Just think, at some point in our history, before everyone owned a car, the idea of a garage would have truly been ludicrous.

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So, it begs the question: would it ever be possible to find a home (outside of New York city, of course) without a kitchen?

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Maybe this thought is simply a bridge too far (but what the heck!) - Will we one day overhear a conversations like: 

Susie: How's the house hunt going?! 

Judy: Well, we're still looking.  Most of the houses in the areas we like still have kitchens; and we just don't really need one - too much to keep up. 

Susie: You know, you could always renovate.  We loved the area, so we just took the kitchen out.  It made a huge difference in the flow of the whole house.  Believe you me, any updates you make will only add to your resale value. 

Judy:  You're totally right about that.  I was just hoping for something move in ready. 

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You never know!  My kids constantly ask me in amazement, "You mean there were no cell phones when you were little?  Tell us again about that bag phone that Nana had?  What did it look like?"  Stranger things have happened.  M.

The Power of Paint - Kitchen Before & Afters

I have often said that paint can fix a world of interior design mistakes.  You can use it to highlight really great architectural features; or in the case of my kitchen, you can hide a whole lot of ugliness.  

For those who have not had the pleasure.  Here is a Before of my kitchen . . .

And now for the After . . . 

And again. Before.

And After.  It doesn't look like the same kitchen (at least it doesn't to me).

 The color is Ben Moore Grant Beige; and honestly, I think it changes with the light of every hour in the day.  It is looking very warm and green in this shot, but at certain times, it feels grey.  

 In addition to the kitchen, we painted my breakfast room the same color.  You can see how different the color looks in there.  

 Here's another Before picture taken from the same direction.  The dark chocolate color in this before image is called Seal Skin by Martin Senour; and truly, I loved it.  I can't say the same for the maple cabinetry.  Just was not my taste.  

Now, before you start commenting on how you can't believe I painted maple cabinetry, they were not solid.  Instead they were a thin veneer that was just begging to be painted!!!  

The kitchen is in the center of my home, so I have no windows in the space.  This made the chocolate color feel even darker.  I think the lighter color really helped to make the space feel larger and more airy. 

 In addition to the walls and cabinetry, I also painted all the trim the same color.  This is a great trick to make a room feel larger and more cohesive.  When a room has a lot going on (i.e., cabinetry, door casings, windows, etc.) it can feel very chopped up.  By painting it all the same color, it becomes cleaner and larger. 

 I still have a few extra things to do in the space, but I wanted to show you the progress.  I plan to include some simple sheer linen cafe curtains on the bay windows, just to soften the look (it is very private in the back, so I'm going with a sheer fabric) hang some new artwork (maybe those sea fans I found), and some lighting over my island.  I will share all those ideas with you in a later post (would love your thoughts).

 But for now, I am loving the change.  

 Oh, one last thing.  I changed the hardware on all the cabinets.  What I love about these pulls is the size.  I really think the larger hardware feels more current.  These are 7" pulls.  I put my hand on them to give you an idea of the actual size.

In this picture you can really see how the pulls stand out in the space.  

Overall, I am thrilled with the result.

The power of paint never ceases to amaze me.  Even in my own kitchen.  

Happy Monday.  M.

 

It's Monday

Since life is feeling a bit like this for me at the moment . . . 

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I thought some eye candy was in order - just to get our week started on the right foot!  These are just a few of the images I've saved for some heart stoppin' goodness.   They are random rooms from many different sources; but each one makes me pause and sigh.  

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Now get out there and seize your day! M.

House Spy - Needle in a Haystack

Over the weekend, I was perusing the real estate listings for Charleston, SC, and I came across this stunning island retreat.

Am I in the market for an island retreat, you ask?  No, but to be perfectly honest,  I could use a little getaway right about now.  With all the hot weather and family togetherness I am enjoying, I've heard, "MMMOOOOMMM . . . I told him/her to stop, and they won't" one too many times this summer. 

Sorry, totally digressed. . .   As I mentioned, I came across this picture.  Beautiful, right!?

With this kitchen . . . 

I thought, "This kitchen looks familiar," but did not think much about it beyond that.  Then, I decided to check out a few of my favorite interior design websites to see if I could find something pretty to share with you.  Well, look what I immediately found!  It's the very same kitchen.
 Talk about a needle in a haystack.

As an aside, the above image is from the Loraine G. Vale's website,  and it is so much prettier than the one on the real estate listing page. 

This beautiful home is the interior design work of Loraine G. Vale.  And it's currently for sale with Daniel Ravenel, Sotheby's (in case you're in the market and itching to part with a bit of cash).

Look at the size of this foyer - very grand (not to mention that ultra cool chandelier).

Another view of the kitchen.

One huge benefit of having two chandeliers is that you can create a very tall centerpiece (one that floats above your guest).  

Wondering if the wine comes with.

Vino and a soak sounds pretty good to me.

So, I must ask?  Was this a weird coincidence or just plain fate?  No matter, the count down for back to school has begun here at the Smith T house; and these images gave me a little mental vacay! Hope they do the same for you. Happy Monday. M.