There's No Turning Back Now....

So after stressing about all the details (sweating the small stuff!) we finally started our kitchen renovation yesterday. Oddly this was not stressful. Getting everything packed up and out of there (the night) beforehand was crazy stressful. Our contractor was really sweet to leave us a working sink for as long as possible, though that may be until this afternoon. I think the plumber is on his way right now.

I know I need to go back and do a for real post on the kitchen before so there will be an even grander Aaahhh, Oooohhh when the final reveal comes but I need a day or two for that. 

I'm excited (and nervous) that it's finally actually happening.

Also, we found a little piece of the original vinyl flooring under the cabinets. It's actually kind of cute in an early 80s vinyl flooring kind of way.

Lots of stuff happening here. Now I just have to be patient for it to look like a real room again!

I Need Some Inspiration

We are still plugging along with the planning stages of our kitchen renovation (and still living with the ripped up floors.) We are making progress though. It all comes down to budget. This is (one of the) stressful times in the remodeling process when you have to decide what can stay and what has to go to make the project actually affordable. I really want a apron front sink but can I justify the extra cost in our budget. The banquette with drawers is too expensive. Can my contractor site build something to keep the cost in check? These decisions are not fun, but they are necessary.
So, having said all of that what I really need is to look at something pretty and think about how much I'm going to love our kitchen when we're finished. I made a mood board for the room to inspire us. The Husband laughed at me for calling it a mood board. Clearly he doesn't read design blogs!  This is what is currently inspiring me today.

1.  Cafe curtains for the kitchen windows in a pretty fabric inspired by nature, maybe like this one
2. A new burlap shade for the pendant light over the sink
3. Reclaimed wood openshelves with hand forged shelf brackets, image source here
4. A sleek single control with high arcing spout and a pull down spray possibly like this; in my fantasy kitchen it would be a beautiful bridge faucet with separate hot and cold water controls. But let's be honest, when your hands are full and/or covered in gunk you don't want to have to fiddle with the water using both hands to get the water that you need.
5. White recessed panel cabinets 
6. Pulls for the cabinet drawers...or maybe the doors in a brushed brass finish
7. A soft neutral wall color to let everything else in the room shine, Benjamin Moore OC-47 Ashwood
8. Lagos Blue Caesarstone countertops; what I really want is soapstone, but budget, grrrr, we'll see
9. Stainless steel range similar to our existing one we will reuse
10. New stained hardwood floors in a darker but not too dark finish
11. Knobs for the cabinet doors...or maybe the doors in a brushed brass finish
12. This is a Murano style glass chandelier that is serving as a lovely color inspiration for my own plans to breathe new life into a hand-me-down chandelier. More one that as the plans progress
13. An antique farm table; I have to say goodbye to a table that I love because I've finally accepted that it is and will always be too big for the room. Here's a little inspiration for future table shopping.
14. Cushion fabric for the banquette/bench seat in the kitchen, maybe like this

I'm feeling a bit more inspired. Hooray!  Now to get back to crunching the numbers! Question of the day: How do you determine what is worth it to you and what is not when trying to stay on budget?

Little Tile Big Impact

I've been working on a new SUPER gorgeous display kitchen for my friends at DesignLine Home Transformations for awhile now. It's going to be very clean and classic looking with white cabinetry and lots of special little details. There is a rather impressive hood that's getting some special tile for the backsplash area. Here's a sneak peek at the hood in progress

And here is a little look at the options for the tile

Which one would you pick?? I'll show you more in a few weeks when everything gets installed! Stay tuned...

I have it bad for bowls

Okay, I've fallen off the blog wagon a bit (or more than a little bit!). Life has taken over a little but this is my attempt to get back to business!

So I have a problem with bowls...white ones specifically. I've (mostly) been able reign it in over the last few years because the Reslus Arms is short on space and the Husband always gives me the look when I bring new ones home. I've been very good until last week when I couldn't resist these porcelain lovelies from Target.

The Husband's criteria for bowls are that they be wide and not so deep.

Check! And though I don't think he loves the textured detail of the beading, it's what had me saying Hello.

It's surprising how some little thing like cereal bowls can make me so happy (eh, not really)

It's definitely making me happy today.

Kitchen Deconstruction

On Tuesday I started to show you the Parents new house and all the work that they are doing to make it their own.  Today it's all about the kitchen.  The situation is very similar to the master bath.  Lots of wallpaper and border, unprepped walls,  with lots and lots of hard work.  So hard in fact that we wore out the dog.

Who am I kidding this is what George likes to do everyday!  Okay on to the kitchen!  Again, the existing color palette was mauve and teal...everywhere.  From the walls to the floors to the countertops it was on almost every surface.

Before:

from the dining room looking into the kitchen

the sitting/breakfast area off the kitchen (hi Dad!)

And now the in progress shots during all the hard work.

In Progress:

from the dining room into the kitchen

the sitting/breakfast area off the kitchen

Did I mention that the Parents will have an incredible view from their kitchen and sitting area.  You can start to see it out the windows in that last pic.  It was also close to the peak of color for Fall where they live so I got to fast forward my Fall and see some really beautiful color.

As of last night my Mom and Aunt have been working on the kitchen walls for 11 days, peeling paper, washing down walls, priming and now painting.  I have a great shot of them hard at work but I'm sure they appreciate that I'm not sharing with the world.  They are standing on a ladder, their butts in the air, trying to peel the last of the paper from around the refrigerator.  I can't wait to see it again when I return in a view weeks.  There is still a bit of work to be done.  Walls are being painted, countertops are being selected and I need to get cracking on some great fabrics for the windows.  I'll update you as this story progresses. 

A Kitchen & Family Room After

On Friday I got to stop by a project that's wrapping up.  It's always so exciting to see a room finished.  I snapped a few pictures.  I'm kicking myself that I didn't take a few extra minutes to style everything properly.  This may be the push I need to get a few projects photographed properly.  I had given a sneak peak of the project a few months ago which you can check out here. But I'll also remind you where we started.

 

And here's the view on Friday.

Here's the before from the kitchen into the family room.  The stone fireplace was the only thing we were not allowed to touch.

And the oh-so-warm and cozy after

Happy Monday everyone!

I've linked up with Brooklyn Limestone for Real Room Makeovers, and the Mustard Ceiling (see below) Check it out!  

A Peak at an After

Remember this in progress project from a month or so ago?  Well, I got to see it finished on Friday and couldn't wait to share a little bit of it's fabulousness.  I just snapped a few picks (beware the rooms aren't styled).  Hopefully I will get to go back soon for better photos of the whole project.

Here's the Master Bath:

And here's a look at the A-MAZING kitchen.  I didn't show you any befores before but I thought it would be nice to drool on the afters.  

Here's a close up of the island marble and of the cooktop backsplash.  My client has a great eye and hand picked all the marble.  Isn't this gorgeous?!

In Progress: Another Kitchen

Thought I'd share another kitchen I've been working on.  It's not close to being finished but I thought you might enjoy a little peak at the work as it's being installed. I also think it's good to see the progress of something.  It takes time and effort.  It's more than just the pretty picture in the end.  I like to show the not always pretty work in-between too.

Here's the before.  The client wanted more light in her dark little kitchen.  She was looking for something clean and streamlined with a few industrial touches.

 Before:  sink wall

Before: ovens wall

Here's a little preview of what's to come in terms of materials and finishes.

And here's the progress that's been made so far. 

 in progress: sink wall

construction by DesignLine Home Transformations

The layout didn't change a lot but we did open up the sink wall with more windows for a lot more light - so much better!

in progress: oven walls

construction by DesignLine Home Transformations

We also relocated the Refrigerator to this wall to allow for more counter and window space.  This is a much more functional arrangement than she had before.

Now I saved the best for last.  My very talented client found this amazing piece that she's going to use as her island/worktable in the center of the room.

I LOVE this I can't wait to see it all come together.

Happy Friday everyone!

In Progress: An Almost Complete Kitchen

Though it's not finished, I just have to show you a peek of a project I've been working on for awhile now.  I'm so excited about how everything is coming together.  My client is so sweet and is also really excited about the progress too which is always fun. Okay now for a taste:

Here's the before:

This was the original kitchen to the house (built in the early 1980s)  The wallpaper was original too.  The client wanted it gone so badly that she couldn't wait for the project to start and started pulling down right after our first visit!

And now the not quite after (remember this is a progress shot - nothing has been styled!)

construction by DesignLine Home Transformations

There are so many things that I love about this new kitchen!  It is so much lighter and brighter.  The island granite has beautiful movement with spots of blue.  The backsplash is a classic subway pattern but with a subtle crackled finish.  We are still waiting on window treatments and furniture.  It makes me so happy to be in this new space!!  I'll show you the full progress of the project in a few weeks once everything is installed. 

In the mean time I hope you enjoyed this little peek into a work in progress.

Staying White or Going to the Darkside?

I've been searching for subway tile examples for a client today showing what a difference grout color can make.  When we were shopping for tile last week we looked at a lot of different options but settled on a clean and classic white subway tile to go with the rest of her clean and classic kitchen.  When it came to grout though, she didn't know of any other options other than white.

via decorpad

via atticmag

Without being able to visualize the difference she didn't know how she felt about a light gray or something even darker.

 unknown source

via cococozy

unknown source

via house beautiful

So what do you think?  Which grout works best?  The white blends everything together for a more seamless look white the various shades of gray make the tile and pattern pop.  So what do you think?  Which grout works best?

My New Favorite Kitchen

Isn't it lovely!!  Tommy Smythe and his former partner Steven Gallagher designed this kitchen together 7 years ago.  I've never been a huge fan of two tone cabinets (dark on bottom, light on top,etc) but in this situation I'm in love.  Starting with the dark herringboned tile floors, black base cabinets, marble backsplash, white uppers, light fixtures....yummy.

I also love the rustic farm table mixed with the black and stainless steel in the room.  It is little touches like this that keeps the room from reading too cold.

and the black windows with crisp white trim!  I've been toying around with the idea of this for our own house.  Our windows need to be replaced (ack!) so I will probably wait until then. 

Tommy is the design partner of the talented Sarah Richardson.  He now has is own fan page on facebook where he posted these lovely pics.  Also, thanks to Urban Nest for turning me on to this kitchen.  I am in love.