Thursday, September 19, 2013

new kitchen look book (revised)

I realized after looking back at the previous look book for the new kitchen that the entire scheme was very beachy fresh (I may or may not be coining a new style phrase here).  There's nothing wrong with beachy fresh except for the fact that I neither live near the beach or live in a beach-type house.  We live in a bungalow built in 1922 with original wood trim and windows, hardwood floors, and a large brick fireplace with a heavy, black iron, wood burning insert.  It feels a little cabin-in-the-woods sometimes, from the worn wood of the floors to the spiders (yes spiders - why do they like my house??!!?).  And because we aren't going to be doing a full-house renovation, I think the materials for the kitchen should be more in keeping with the age and style of the house, especially as it relates to re-sale.  So here's the new plan:

West Elm Globe Pendant  I think this pendent will help add some interest to the kitchen without acting as a visual roadblock.  It's transparency will be nice compliment to this fixture that we installed in the dining room when we moved in.

Jim Datz City Series - Manhattan and Brooklyn  I already own these prints, though one is still waiting to be framed.  I think that they'll look great on the long wall of the corridor to the basement and add a bit of color to the space.

ADEL in Off-White  I naturally gravitated towards IKEA for the cabinetry because they are affordable and have great interior fittings.  With this new plan, there aren't any areas where the standard sizes offered by IKEA wouldn't fit (hooray).

Sumner Street Symmetry Arched Cabinet Pull in Polished Nickel  I still like the utilitarian feel of these pulls, like they belong on an antique flat file or an old wood window as sash lifts.  The polished nickel finish gives them a contemporary look.

Elite Tile Posh Penny Round Porcelain Mosaic Wall Tile in Mint  So I couldn't leave the mint out entirely.  Did you know that penny round tile has been around since the early 1900's?  Not only does this backsplash choice seems appropriate for the age of the house, but it will add a bit of fun and little bit of color to what would otherwise be just another white kitchen.

6 Soapstone Countertop  So, I'm scrapping the ming green marble from my initial plan.  It's too specific to my tastes.  When Ted and I went to look at stone slabs several weekends ago, we both ranked the soapstone as our top choice (convenient, right?!).  My only hesitation is that I remember warning clients about the delicate nature of soapstone when I was working in New York.  But I continued to do some research and decided that we can definitely make it work.  In fact, not all slabs are equal (as with most natural materials in general), and I think that the charm of the soapstone as it ages will be a great addition to the existing character of the house.

7 Ferm Living Stackable Jars  I think these jars will look just dandy on the counter and help bring together the colors in the city prints and the tiled backsplash.  Plus, I just like 'em.

8 White Fur by Behr  For walls and trim to coordinate with the rest of the house.

9 Stained Oak Flooring  Because the kitchen is such a small space, and because it will now be open to the dining room, I think that the best choice for the floor will be to continue the existing oak flooring from the dining room into the kitchen.  Both contractors I've had come by to estimate the project think that there is wood flooring beneath the myriad layers of other flooring that have been installed in the kitchen over the years.  For the budget, I hope this is true.

10 IKEA Domsjo Double Bowl Sink  We can fit a double bowl sink in the kitchen!  I am so excited about this - no more counter drying rack for us!  I've gone back to my original inclination to try something new and chose the white ceramic apron front sink.  I think it's style is much more in line with the age of this house and the overall style of the kitchen we're going for here.

11 IKEA Elverdam Kitchen Faucet  This is probably more traditional than my own personal style usually tends to be but I think it will be best suited to the style for this kitchen.  I prefer single lever sink faucets for the kitchen and this will fit the bill nicely.  It even has an integral pull-out (bye-bye deck mounted sprayer).

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