So there I was in the new kitchen, sniggering at a story in the news about a lady in the US who was experiencing a distinctly unrequited passion for the Statue of Liberty, whom she intended to marry at the earliest opportunity. ’A rare disorder’, mused the gravely serious experts, which meant that she was ‘irrevocably attracted to inanimate objects’, causing the same pulse-racing, obsessional behaviour that might occur in a normal woman were George Clooney to move in next door. The Eiffel Tower too, it seems, has a flurry of admirers who become a little skittish and flirtatious when in its presence.
Imagine my surprise when my husband looked me in the eye and asked me, gently yet firmly, whether I recognised any of these symptoms. He drew my attention to the way I stroke our Italian granite worktops, sigh contentedly at the soft-close doors and am happy as a clam just gazing at our new range cooker for the entire 45 minutes it takes to cook a Findus Ready Meal. My denials faded rapidly…. in my defence, at least a new kitchen is – generally speaking – a lower maintenance and less threatening lover than the usual alternatives.
So here it is; the object of my affections….
The room used to be a shag-pile carpeted living room, before we reconfigured the space to create a kitchen/diner. We had a mould made of the original coving and will continue it along the new back wall (above). The flooring is engineered artisan oak with a linen whitewash; it’s probably my favourite thing, and is great for tricycles…
A pair of dressers hold a collection of white and neutral china, including this cow creamer which holds a place in my heart as the quirkiest yet most utterly useless milk jug ever.
It would be untrue to say that the whole kitchen was designed around this beautiful and organic light from BTC, but we certainly had it in mind from the outset; six porcelain bell-cups cast a soft glow over the dining table. Assembling it and wiring in without dropping a clanger (literally) is a feat of engineering and would make a good game show challenge.
An off-white sofa may seem a ludicrous choice for a family kitchen, but this one is treated with industrial-grade stain guard and has so far resisted wine, chocolate, mud and just about everything else a 2yr old can throw at it.
The range cooker from French company Lacanche looks the bees-knees but its opaque doors and my resultant inability to peer inside without opening the door means that my baking skills are going to have to improve…
We kept the original fireplace and added a stone surround from London company Chesneys. After a frenzy of chimney sweeping we held our breath and built a fire; now evenings are spent pottering around the kitchen whilst logs spit and crackle in the hearth.
We’re taking our time with accents (not least because we need to earn some more money first…), and will add counter stools, in due course. For now a clock and blackboard lean against the wall and can be moved around as we decide on their ultimate position.
And finally, the fireside log basket doubles as a stool and portable play table when fitted with our barrel-top breadboard
my white stone worktops have the same effect upon me….. lovely.
Your kitchen looks amazing.
thank you… less amazing now we’ve actually tried cooking in it and have wreaked havoc on the pristine shiny surfaces but hell, I’m still obsessed…
just found your blog and I love everything about it! You are very creative and very funny. Your kitchen is gorgeous and your son is just adorable. Love it all!
Thank you so much for such lovely feedback, and for taking the time to comment – made me start the day with a warm glow!
It’s official – I have a serious case of kitchen envy!
Your kitchen is stunning, but I LOVE the sofa!! I might have an unnatural passion for tuft furniture though. You have a great blog and are wonderfully creative.
What a gorgeous kitchen. Could I come by and stroke the counter tops too?? ;-D
What a fabulous room. Too many lovely things to pick out a favourite – oh, alright then – if I must – it’s the old school radiator, closely followed by the white sofa. Just stumbled upon your blog and know I will be back. Thanks for sharing.
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Aw thank you so much; I know – the sofa is possibly the silliest colour to have in a kitchen but then in general I make far too many sensible decisions so this kind of balances out! Thanks for coming b and for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate it…
I love your floors. Did you buy them online and have then shipped to you or did you buy them from a local retailer? I want to put whitewash engineered floors throughout my house.
Hi Virginia thank you they’re lovely aren’t they? They’re from Danish company Kahrs and they’re called Artisan Oak Linen- as you’d expect with any product prefixed with ‘Artisan’ yet nearly bankrupted us but it’s such a beautiful and hardwearing floor that I feel happy everytime I see it! Kahrs operate online and through local suppliers throughout the EU, not sure about RoW. Our house is 300yrs old and we wanted something that looked conceivably original to the property, which it does. Good luck in your search for the perfect floor…
Kate, I must ask…what wall color is in your kitchen. My cabinets are almost your exact color. My walls are currently a Tuscan yellow, and like you am drawn to the more muted pallette. Changes are a comin’, but I’m struggling to find a color that doesn’t compete with my cabinet color, but doesn’t veer too far away from a light color pallette. Any info would be appreciated.
Much thanks
Wendy Jones
http://www.sawdustandpaint.com
Hi Wendy
The colour I used is called ‘Shaded White’ by British company Farrow and Ball. I did a quick check online and it looks like they sell online and in stores in North America/Canada too so well worth a look. Although it’s described as a white, it’s far more of a greenish/grey neutral, which seemed to stop my cabinets seeming too yellowish or dull. I’ve used it all over the house since, and it;s one of those colours which absorbs the light and looks slightly different in each room, which I love… but have a look and see what you think; they seem to have a zillion different colours all in muted palettes – they often base their colours on those found in English stately homes, hence the focus on historical paints and finishes. Good luck, let me know how you get on! http://www.farrow-ball.com/
Beautiful space…love Farrow and Ball. Did you paint your baseboards and window trim in the wall color? It is hard to tell from the photos. Love the look…doing my dining room now with a similar color. Thanks.
Thank you! And yes, I did… it’s more traditional here to paint the trim and baseboards in white or ivory but we wanted a more organic, uninterrupted feel and we’re very glad we did. The doors are the same color too. it makes for a very neutral canvas and means that any other color or tones you introduce through furniture or wall art etc seem to ‘pop’ a bit more strongly (which is neither a good nor bad thing but just something to bear in mind!).
So sorry, one more question…did you use a higher finish than the estate emulsion on your baseboards, doors and trim? I love the subtle look I am getting in my dining room but am concerned with durability in some of my higher traffic rooms. It is very traditional here too. Lots of yellow-based beige and white trim. My friends love it…starting a new trend. Thanks again!
Hi, yes I did use the oil eggshell formulation for the woodwork, and the estate emulsion for the walls – I agree with you about wear and tear; fortunately the F&B eggshell is v low gloss (just 1 or 2% I think) so it doesn’t look any different – but is much tougher. Your project sounds like it’s going to be amazing!