kitchen

Modern Rustic Kitchen Reveal

December 12, 2016

Are you ready for another great Before and After? I think you’ll love this Modern Rustic kitchen! My clients came to me wanting to completely renovate their kitchen – clean, white, fresh – but with a warm and cozy vibe like the rest of their house. This is where we started.

This East-coast family had been living with builder-grade finishes and were ready to have a kitchen that reflected their Vermont roots. Working again with Stephanie Frees of Plain & Posh to design all new custom cabinetry that is more functional and beautiful, we revamped the kitchen into this …

Photography by Picture Perfect House

Quartz counter tops, clean-lined white cabinetry, a farmhouse sink, reclaimed wood and handcrafted subway tile laid in a herringbone pattern really really transformed the space.

Keeping the island a square size made the best spatial sense in this room – and lent itself to using one larger chandelier instead of 2 pendants. We decided to make that the main light feature in the room and just reconfigure the can lighting around the rest of the space.

Reclaimed wood ship-lap on the island really added warmth and the rustic vibe we were looking for.

Previously this corner of the kitchen housed a tiny desk and became a catchall for a little bit of everything.

We knew we could turn it into a much more usable and beautiful space.

Now it is an entertaining-workhorse – with antique-mirrored upper cabinetry and a beverage refrigerator and wine rack below.

My clients also wanted a cozy spot for their family to gather – in the mornings with coffee or for dinnertime conversation. These slip-covered chairs and weathered-wood table are now a favorite spot in the house.

I absolutely love how this space turned out. Even on a cloudy day, it feels bright and cheerful … truly the heart of the home for this wonderful family.

The Friday Foursome

January 29, 2016

Hello Readers! In an attempt to do more blogging in 2016, I thought I’d try doing a little feature on Fridays called the Friday Foursome. Just a few swoon worthy things that have caught my eye during the week. I hope it will help in inspire you as well!

A creative way to hide a TV

Next time I need to send flowers, I’m ordering from here.

Loved getting a video peak inside this designer’s gorgeous home – a great example of mixing traditional and modern elements.

A great article on all the different patterns you can create with subway tile … I really like this 90 degree herringbone pattern.

Enjoy your weekend!

A Kitchen, Transformed

January 6, 2016

Hello and Happy New Year! The end of 2015 seemed to go by in a whirlwind! I apologize for the lack of posts but I hope to make it up to you now with an incredible Kitchen Makeover that has been in the works all fall.

Of course, everyone loves a good before and after shot so lets start with the before:

This is the kitchen my clients inherited from the previous owners. It was kind of a confusing mix of modern (cabinets and stainless steel countertops) and traditional – (lighting, window treatments). Ready for the after?

Honestly, this is my dream kitchen – and I am just so happy for this fun family of 6 (if not a tad envious!) This new kitchen is just so light, bright and cheerful. The wood island really adds warmth and keeps things from feeling too sterile, which can happen sometimes in all white kitchens.

A few more comparison shots …

Behind those antiqued mirrored doors is the refrigerator … with 4 freezer drawers below. We decided to tile the entire inset behind the sink in a gorgeous gray and white tile with just a hint of shimmer. It eliminates the need for window treatments and keeps the look clean and fresh.

Before … this whole side of the kitchen just had to go.

In it’s place …

That is a fun magnetic wall creating a kind of Command Center (every kitchen needs one, right?), below a TV and more antiqued mirror cabinetry.

Before …

After … wonderful pantry space flanks the oven and a built-in coffee-maker. I can personally attest to the delicious cup of joe produced by this baby … the perfect “crema” or foam atop each cup! And there’s space on top give the space a more personalized look – with a collection of gorgeous Ginger Jars.

The countertops are the most amazing I’ve ever seen – Iceburg Extra Polished Quartzite, more stain-resistant than marble, and with the most beautiful veining and opaque coloring. It really does look like it was just chiseled from an iceburg.

Before …

After …

And there was also the Butler’s Pantry …

And now …

I am just so thrilled with every little detail …

What do you think? It has been so fun to see this formerly mismatched room transform into the true heart of the home for this wonderful family. I also had the pleasure of working with Stephanie Frees, owner of Plain & Posh Cabinetry, a true kitchen magician!

On a separate note … with the new year brings ch, ch, changes! Many of you know that my sweet partner Kristy made a big move this fall to Springfield, IL. Accounting-wise, it makes it challenging for us to work as one company, so she is branching out on her own. I wish her the best of luck in her new business!

Summer In the City – Design Inspiration

August 19, 2014

So … this post would not be possible without my wonderful parents who took my boys for a few days last week up to Lake Delavan, WI. (Thanks again Mom and Dad!)

While they were jumping off pontoon boats, miniature golfing and eating lots of ice cream, Dan and I had a nice staycation and a little deja vu of our days living in the city pre-kiddos! I also got to hit some of my favorites shops and the showrooms in the Mart while Dan walked to his office on Michigan Ave. (A very nice commute for him!)

Always inspired by the city, I snapped some pictures along the way …

Yes, sometimes you find inspiration on a street corner. How lovely is this little stretch of sidewalk? Even though I missed the window of time to buy donuts, I had to stop. I love this cream, blue and green color combo. How fun would it be to create this look in a breakfast room? I seriously love those blue chairs with the reclaimed wood table. (Next time, I’m getting the donuts!)

So … maybe our hotel was only a half a block from one of my favorite stores … Classic Remix. I could have snapped about 50 pictures here, but at the time I was the only one in the store so I felt a little strange about that. But I had to get one of this gorgeous mirror and this fabulous feather chandelier. The shop was filled with antique brass and gold, my latest crush.

I also happened upon P.O.S.H. – a quaint little shop that felt like a European Flea Market.

This back room of the store overlooking a little courtyard was filled with light … so charming.

Full of unique pieces … from Hotel silver to vintage cannisters and colorful china, it was fun to browse and discover little treasures.

(Had to grab one of these mugs for our pancake-loving family!)

Many of the pieces tell a romantic story of days gone by …

You can see the little Jadeite cake stand I got in the background of this picture … perfect for displaying my favorite succulent!

And then it was off to the Mart. I was dying to see and grab some samples of this new grass cloth wallpaper by Celerie Kimble for Schumacher.

(I really want to use it in my powder room.)

I also fell in love with this one …

And this one too … (not grass cloth.)

Something about these bold black and white leaf prints hanging in the Hickory Chair showroom really grabbed me. I kinda want to try to make something similar on my own !?!?

Anyway … with summer winding down, the emotions are definitely bittersweet. I will miss the lazy mornings and extra time with my boys. It has been a fun summer.

Good luck with all of your Back-To-School adventures!

Serena & Lily Design Shop – San Francisco

June 26, 2014

The first stop on our trip to Napa was one night in San Francisco, one of my favorite cities. We always love kicking around some of the great neighborhoods … Cow Hollow, Pacific Heights … grabbing some breakfast, popping in the little local shops. This time, on my to-do list was checking out the new Serena & Lily Design Shop on Sacramento Street.

I have loved Serena and Lily since I started getting their catalogs many years ago … when they just sold nursery and children’s bedding.

I think it’s great that they have created a Design Shop where you can actually touch and feel all their pretty fabrics and products.

Upon entering the store I was greeted by this gorgeous vase of calla lilies, and this invitation:

I love this! Inspiration, collaboration, imagination … and a few dreams thrown in … isn’t that what great design is all about?

Just beyond this entry table the walls were lined with colorful eye candy.

I love their vibrant prints and fabrics.

They also have a nicely curated collection of paint colors. How fun to showcase them on a surfboard?

I love this soft and pretty nursery …

I have always liked their patchwork Natural Hide Rug, so it was neat to see it in person. And how about the wallpaper?

Here is another little vignette that made me happy …

A fun way to style your bar cart!

I have also drooled over their online art collection … so this little corner of the store stopped me in my tracks.

But that’s not all … if you wander all the way through the store and peek out back … there’s another little surprise.

A peaceful little nook in the middle of a big city. I have a serious crush on that Double Hanging Rattan Chair.

And speaking of a sweet spot to sit … I got my new kitchen barstools!

What do you think? They are from Wisteria and I have had a crush on them for some time.

Also … who can resist a sweet smelling bouquet of lilacs?

Enjoy your summertime adventures!

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