My Kitchen

 Yesterday was a big day...my home was 

featured on a house walk in 

our town of Riverside IL...still recuperating 

from all the cleaning, painting, rearranging, etc....

My children were allowed back home after the 

event and were asking 

if they could sit on the couch again....poor things!

I thought I would share some photos of my kitchen....

This kitchen was a turn off when I bought my 

home because it was 

so closed off from the dining and living room.   

As you can see in 

the photo below, I opened up the wall and 

added counter stools on the 

dining room side and 

was able to eliminate that issue. 

I added a drum shade fixture that would not
compete with the dining chandelier.

I purchased this antique bread box...

I think new kitchens need old things.

I used a contemporary vase with some artificial

flowers, vintage platters and potted parsley.

The window treatment is an embroidered linen panel 

that I gathered in the center using 

 flower hair accessory.

I glued buttons to this little lamp shade for a touch of whimsy.

The greens in the tall vase are 

from a tree in my yard and 

added some 

lavender and a fern in 

vintage pottery.

I selected custom cherry shaker style cabinets in walnut stain

because I am not too crazy about the red that shows up in wood.

   

I thought off adding white cabinets to keep it as open as 

possible being a galley kitchen, 

but wanted to keep true to a brick bungalow style kitchen.

I base a lot of the way I decorate my home

to fit within the style of the home....

want it to feel original, yet updated.

Sometimes this is hard...I love every style...really!

....but I keep asking...

does this fit with a bungalow look?

I also had to think about how the cabinets would look 

visually with my wood dining set...

not at all into matching, 

but like things to flow.

Sometimes it is nice to ground your design 

with the main elements 

(Example here: cabinets and dining set)

being similar

and then mix it up with how you accessorize. 

   

 I chose these granite counters...giallo ornamental 

to keep the space bright and neutral.

I have an antique wire basket

 for all my potatoes and such...

the open space keeps things from rotting 

and I love the look. 

I get tired of things fast, so I added a 

classic cream crackle

subway tile backsplash

...also true to bungalow decor.

I accented the tile with a travertine

mini subway tile

inset over the stovetop,

It also connects with the floor tile.

Under cabinet puck lighting highlights 

the tile and granite

and is great task lighting.

Then I created a little breakfast nook...

great to have benches for squeezing 

more people in

and I love it with kids.

 I found these plastic vintage flower plaques at a thrift store.

The window treatments are napkins clipped in a row.

I got the bench fabric for $6 a yard...

 just keep recovering and washing

fabric for these foam cushions.

I just wrap them like a present

and use big safety pins.

I added rug grips underneath

the cushions.

I also added vintage doilies under the glass. 

 Found these cool dishes at a thrift store...love the mix of retro with the doilies.

 I stripped the one wall I have to pull the 

colors of the granite and tile.

I placed the stripes over the 

fingerprints of my children

and a mark made where I killed a fly.

...so they are not evenly spaced.

I was too lazy to paint over the top

of the cabinets so 

 this seemed like a good solution. 

 I put the 18x18 floor tile on an 

angle to get away from a runway look.

I also selected a light and bright tile

to keep it as bright as possible and

connect to the colors in granite. 

I wanted a busy

 pattern to keep from having 

to wash the floors too much.

I added some vintage plates in a random way 

to bring your eye up.

 I feel very fortunate to have this kitchen!

I hope you enjoyed the tour!