ROOM OF THE WEEK: 5.5

I've got one thing to say about this kitchen...

Hardware. It's totally what sold me on it. The pop of brightly polished brass off that soft grey gets me every time! Oh, and yes the rest of the kitchen is divine as well - let's talk about it, shall we?

First off - the dark grout with the white subway tile. I'm not always a fan, but in this case I really love it. It keeps the room from being too glaringly white and adds graphic interest - but does it need to be all the way up every wall? Hmmm. The natural lighting is also heavenly - skylights in the kitchen are one of my favorite things! And how smart to mount the overhead lighting in there too. (Speaking over overhead lighting - that fixture about the dining table is freaking me out. No thank you.) The hood is perfection, the marble-topped island delicious, and the smattering of houseplants quite refreshing. I even spy a peek of a bar cart, which is always on my must-have list! All in all... I'd happily move right in!

What do you think? Favorites? Not so favorites?

*image by eric piasecki

A RECURRING THEME...

Not that I usually recommend one color palette for an entire home (unless you have a very small space to work with) but....



The mix of rich teal with pops of red has been one that just seems to stick with me! Yesterday I reported from my twitter that there is still a big surge of teal in the marketplace - we saw it in lots of leather goods in High Point - but my favorite way to use it is definitely as a base for the room - whether on the walls, cabinets or floors - with that pop of red and plenty of natural light so it doesn't feel too heavy. Do you think this a color scheme that's doable for your home?

*images via traditional home, domino and lonny

IN THE DETAILS: MUSIC + BRICK + MIRRORS

There's nothing like some unexpected surprise details in a home to make things feel just a little more special... but this first space is over the top in fabulousness...

On top of the gorgeous overall contrast of salvage + modern, the piano tucked under the stairs is what did me in the most. Can you imagine music magically drifting through the space?

One of my other favorite surprises is when ceilings are given a little extra attention - in this case beautifully rounded exposed brick with a glamorous chandelier makes for a stunning rustic meets traditional look.

And, finally, a perfect example of practical meets pretty with this collection of antique gilded mirrrors as an accent to the full wall mirror. A fun way to create a little playful moment in an otherwise simple space.

*rooms via tumblr and skona hem

HOMAGE

Have I mentioned how happy I am to have a week to be back in LA, visiting old favorite haunts and discovering new fabulous shops and neighborhoods...?

Taking the morning to relax after a few very busy days ... be back soon!

*photo via tumblr - anyone know the source?

ROOM OF THE WEEK 12.16

This sweet galley kitchen has some very adorable little features that drew me to these first photos...

Unique lighting and a porthole window were what caught my eye first. Then I went full circle from the gorgeous ceilings down to the textured flooring... drooling all the way, of course. My lust for the worn wood dining room table quickly followed, with a deep appreciation for the soothing grey paint that expands the room at both ends. But you know what really sealed the deal?

This. No further explanation needed, right?

*photography by mark williams via desire to inspire

ROOM OF THE WEEK 10.7

In case you haven't noticed, I don't post much in way of kitchen inspiration on the blog. Maybe it's because I've yet to own my own home where I could install rich black cabinets, antique tile floors, gorgeous glowing lighting, and a rustic dining table...

Because if I did have a kitchen, I surely would have copied every single detail of this design by Kristen Buckingham by now. I'm swooning for all the aforementioned gorgeousness, but let's also note a few other things, shall we? Huge chopping block island. Cute little cabinet for cookbooks to the left of the refrigerator.  Antique painting hung above stove (I mean, of course there is). A perfect mix of metals in the hardware, appliances and copper pots. And, did I mention the lighting? Yes? Well, still... it's worth a second note. Because I die for that chandelier.

Talk about an excuse to throw some fabulous dinner parties...

ROOM OF THE WEEK 7.15

Being a bit of a shorty, I've always love any room incorporating a library ladder. Being Italian, and the daughter of a restaurateur, I love kitchens. Needless to say...

This is really doing it for me. Old world charm detail, a pretty little balcony, unique lighting, great hardware, lots of storage, worn in wood and ... do I maybe even spy marble countertops on the right? (If not, they'll be getting installed pronto.) I don't even mind the narrow size, it's all so amazing. Whatever house this belongs to, I'll take it.

*via the decorista

CORAL IN THE KITCHEN

Lately, I've been dying over the idea of adding little pops of coral to my kitchen, so when I saw this lovely piece of inspiration I completely flipped out...

I had never once considered the idea of coral knobs on a white stove which is perfectly amazing. I had, however, considered all of these pretties...

Especially since they're all available at Anthropologie and I happen to see them every day! I'm especially obsessed with the hand painted bowl and pitcher, and the little ceramic strainer that's just perfect for holding sweet summer berries. Plus, I'd be much more inspired to whip up some baked goods in that fabulous apron!

THE CHARMING STYLE OF TILE

One gorgeous feature of some of my favorite kitchens is the use of beautifully patterned tile. While many home dwellers are constantly ripping out floors like these in favor of a more modern aesthetic, I happen to find them quite charming and warm...

I love how the pattern lends to a little color and enhances the gothic qualities of this sweet but dramatic dining nook by Jon Vaccari...

Designer Shannon Bowers let the beautiful palette of these reclaimed French tiles dictate the design of the entire kitchen (which you can see more of right here). And on the right? A fresh space by Tom Scheerer where modern updates meet Scandinavian design in the tile and chairs.

I think this kitchen from Nuevo Estilo might be my favorite though. It seems to strike the perfect balance of new and old to create a cozy, light-filled space.

Have any of you chosen to work with or highlight older tiles in your own kitchen?

ROOM OF THE WEEK 4.15

Browsing through photos of a beautiful West Village townhouse designed by Steven Gambrel I found so many rich rooms to love, but it was this simple basement kitchen and dining area that struck me as so simplistically perfect...
The cozy tucked in nook with light filtering in from the window hitting the rows of glass bottles. The whitewashed brick paired with faded, worn wood. Each piece selected is absolutely perfect in scale and style. Perhaps it's because the room reminds me of days spent in cool basements with my Italian grandparents and aunts preparing gnocci and curing meats that I feel pulled to it. It's certainly not the usual glamorous or even fresh open space that I usually post! But there's something so appealing about this little retreat that makes me want to settle right in.

Is Your Kitchen Making You Fat?

I'm sure a lot of people are thinking about their diets again after consuming chips, chili, buffalo wings, and beer while watching the Super Bowl this weekend. One nutritionist recently advised her clients to "close" the kitchen after dinner which entails shutting the door and turning off the lights. Kind of hard to do if you don't have a kitchen door and even harder still if your kitchen is open to every other room in your house! I'm not really a fan of open kitchens because if you entertain, you can't close the door and hide the mess but what if seeing the kitchen all day also causes people to gain weight by always tempting them to eat. There is no "out of sight, out of mind" mentality with an open kitchen. Maybe we should be not just be designing kitchens from an aesthetic stand point but a health one as well. Just some food for thought (pun intended). What do you think?

Ruthie Sommers in House Beautiful

Aerin Lauder in Elle Decor

Frank Roop

Katie Ridder

Stella Tennant

Domino Magazine

Miles Redd

House Beautiful

Steven Gambrel

Tim and Helen Schifter

Katie Lee Joel by Nate Berkus

Nancy Bozhardt

Unknown

Steven Gambrel

Kate Spade

Kristen Buckingham in Elle Decor

Roman Williams

Jenna Lyons

Francois Halard

Steven Gambrel

Top Image: Jonathan Berger in House Beautiful

love

the shelves in this kitchen....in this kitchen!

a sink full of peonies is pretty great too.

Room of the Week 3.5

For all you small space dwellers out there... this room's for you.

This could possibly be the most well done small kitchen I've seen ... well, ever. A great use of open shelving space without feeling cluttered comes from simple dishes, glassware and cooking pieces that all blend with the applicances and the paint.

And yes. Those doors! Fantastic little use of a small patio space in creating a focal point that dresses up the simple kitchen. Just the little urn and the paint make a huge difference. Love it!

*photography via amanda prior

Room of the Week 7.24

I've been skipping on my usual Thursday 'Room of the Week' feature lately, so apologies for those who look forward to it! It's just that recently I've been posting so many rooms that I felt it a bit redundant. But, I've collected up some absolute stunners (in my book anyway) that require the coveted title. So... what do you think about this one?


Imagine, for a minute that this is your home. Or, actually, it's not quite yet your home. You're looking for something a bit more modern and clean, perhaps, and the space is heavy with huge dark wood built-ins that are beautiful, buuuut... maybe not quite what you had in mind. Do you walk away? Give up on the possibility of what it could be? NO! You paint it all in white, keeping the oversized original architecture just as it is. You don't even need to touch the ceiling because it's absolutely fantastic. The fireplace? It definitely stays. You tear out everything else, build in clean modern islands topped with marble (what else?). You add a modern lighting fixtures, but in white so they blend incredibly well. You put in flooring that is a bit more ideal for a kitchen, top it off with a fabulously placed mirror, and you, my dear, have created a culinary dream. Well done.

(Room via desire to inspire.)

Room of the Week: 6.26

I've been on a bit of a clean kick lately - craving open spaces without much clutter - and this room is the perfect example. This kitchen proves that it doesn't take much to be functional and gorgeous... just an amazing marble-topped workspace, simple shelving, and a killer stove complete with white subway tiles! Of course, being the organizational freak that I am, I don't know how long I'd be able to handle staring at stacks of pots and pans and a transparent fridge door... but I will take the stack of firewood! In fact, I like it so much...


I might as well share this one with you too! Interesting way to divide up a room, no?

Edelweiss, Edelwiess...

Every morning you greeeeeet meeeeee (c'mon, you know the words...)

Small and white... Clean and bright...


You look happy to meeeeet meeee...!


(I'd be happy to meet either one...)

Charlotte Bjorlin D'Elia Antique Edelwiss Cuff at Barneys. Glamorous dining/kitchen via Skona Hem.

Room of the Week 5.29

(Image via desire to inspire.)

This is what I need right now. Big open light-filled soothing spaces. I'd probably add a gorgeously simple chandelier over the dining table for drama. Take off the tablecloth and do more mismatched chairs. And add a small narrow island in the kitchen. Other than that... I'm pretty much ready to move in.

Chic City Kitchen

I was going to call this post, Chic Country Kitchen but then I remembered that the husband and wife owner's Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch don't care for the connotation that the phrase "country kitchen" infers, especially since theirs is in a loft in downtown New York. Regardless of what they call it, it's one of my favorite kitchen designs. The forced cherry blossoms add to the beautiful ambiance and have me drooling as well. I also thought that Decorno might need a little inspiration after her "home of never ending projects" post today. You can read the entire article about this chic kitchen here.

1) The island: The marble top comes from a lithographer’s studio in Indiana and had to be craned in through the window. Standefer found the tree stump in a forest, and uses it as a cheese platter or fruit stand.

2) The Garland stove: A well-used workhorse that was inherited from the loft’s previous owner, an urban pioneer who’d been there since 1968 and also kept a giant loom on the premises. She’d cloistered her kitchen in a dark corner of the loft. They moved the stove—and everything else—out into the open.

I'm going to have to do another post about the owners and their design firm Roman & Williams because they have a really interesting back story. They started out as set designers for movies and then started to get interior design jobs after a few celebs who admired their work started to hire them. There also came a point where they couldn't stand to watch all their hard work destroyed at the end of a shoot. They recently finished the lobby renovation of the Royalton Hotel in New York and word is that they have quite a few more celebrity clients. Now, I just wish they would post some photos online so we can see what else they have been up to!