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sochi

Design Around This #14: Rustic Modern

sochi
12 years ago

There have been a number of threads over the past few weeks asking about Rustic Modern, so this DAT thread seems quite timely. I'm not knowledgable enough myself to offer any helpful hints, but I did find two short articles that deal with Rustic Modern design. One is pasted below, the other you can link to.

I don't want to limit people in the types of houses they consider. I've seen great Rustic Modern farmhouses, lofts and cottages, feel free to use any of them. The house should guide your choices, however.

If you don't know how to do a mood board, read the "About Design Around This" thread. Of just post a series a pictures to give us an idea of what you are contemplating.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0103181520843.html

First article by Sandra Oster: http://decoratortagsale.com/2010/11/rustic-interior-design/.

The phrase "Rustic Interior Design" used to have me imagining a ski lodge in Aspen adorned with plaid blankets and deer heads over a heavy stone fireplace. However, over the years, this style has really come into its own!

Today's rustic style lays emphasis on natural elements that together look and feel cozy, yet refined. With the emergence and stress on "going green" and being environmentally friendly, rustic design has found its niche at last.

This rustic style works well with modern, contemporary and classic accents.

It is easy, clean and warm, and filled with unfinished surfaces, organic elements, and a mix of new and old.

Distinctive materials such as raw wood with minimal stains or varnishes, simple rug choices such as jute or sisal, a balance of white and neutrals, and understated living spaces with minimal embellishments define the rustic style.

In the midst of our complex economy, I find reassurance in these comfortable interiors. They stress a minimalist calm that relies on scaling down and focusing on just a few good quality things that feel pleasant. That is something most of us can use in our lives!

Some of the constituents of "green" design are sustainability, and using recycled or renewed materials. One of the most prevalent pieces that exemplify the rustic style is the farmhouse table.

These are popping up everywhere these days! Many of them, such as those from Restoration Hardware, are made from reclaimed wood, making them an ideal "green" choice.

One of my favorite mixes of rustic and modern is the combination of a salvaged wood farmhouse table, the Manning chandelier by Arteriors, and Harry Bertoia side chairs, each draped with a bit of flokati. Rustic architectural touches, such as exposed unfinished wood beams and a rough slate accent wall set a backdrop for a rustic meets modern space that is rich in textural contrast.

A home designed in the rustic style is one you can relax and romanticize in.

It is a place to feel contented, while being surrounded by soothing textures and bits of nature in your own space and if you still imagine an Aspen ski lodge, go ahead and sip hot cocoa under a plaid blanket to your hearts content!

A few pictures:







Here is a link that might be useful: Second article on Rustic Modern Design

Comments (140)

  • mudhouse_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    For my own two cents...I have been lecturing myself about needing to take a hiatus from participating actively in these fun threads, mainly because I need to learn the Chief Architect software I bought to work on our kitchen plans. It's hard not to get pulled in here, because I learn so much each time (and I sure have a lot to learn.) But I probably need to devote some time to real life challenges for a while (although they don't seem as much fun.)

  • dee850
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've been slowly working on a board, but I've found this style to be more difficult to wrap my head around. The recent conversation clarifying it has helped quite a bit, but I'm still slow no matter what!

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  • lavender_lass
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Another thing...the mood boards might be discouraging people, too.

    Can't we just go back (or at least have the option) of posting pictures and explaining our 'story'?

    That's a lot easier and it wouldn't take as much time...which seems to be part of the problem.

    I also like that you see each element as it contributes to the story. If a mood board is preferred or at the end, fine...but it shouldn't feel like it's mandatory.

    I think it's starting to feel like there are too many rules...and that might be why participation is down. Just an idea :)

  • pricklypearcactus
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Has it not always been an option to post pictures and explain rather than moodboard? Personally, I prefer the moodboard because it's easier for me to see the overall design (both my own and others'), but I wasn't aware that was a rule.

    I do agree that Rustic Modern may have been more difficult than something like a color-based topic, and that might impact participation. But it also could be a lack of interest in this particular topic, general timing, a waning interest in DAT threads, or who knows. I think it's reasonable to post another DAT topic. If we want to increase participation, perhaps a simple topic that hits on some of the current interests on GW might generate more responses.

  • lavender_lass
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well, DAT #13 said 'concept or mood board' at the beginning and this one says how to do a mood board, then says you can post a series of pictures. And, the FAQ says...

    Getting Started
    1. Do not be intimidated. Most of the posters on these threads had never put together a mood board before they tried it here.
    2. Do your homework, especially if the topic is a home style, era or design style.
    3. Collect images of stuff you want in your kitchen.
    4. Finalize your choices of what you want to put in your mood board.

    It later says you can submit pictures, but I think most people are assuming they need to do mood boards.

    So, maybe not mandatory, but probably seen as highly recommended. I was just thinking this time, we might say, in the first sentence, something like...you don't have to do a mood board. It is not necessary to do a mood board to post pictures. Just pictures are absolutely fine, but mood boards are fine, too. Have some fun and choose one or both :)

  • mudhouse_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    dee850, I hope you'll keep working and post your board (obviously I can use the help in wrapping my brain around this style, too.) I am happy these threads are so open-ended, so anyone can keep adding.

    It worries me that anyone might think any one type of presentation (Olioboard, Word, or whatever) is "mandatory" to participate here, and I have to admit I don't think that's how most folks would interpret the set-up posts inviting newcomers. I guess that's because I interpret "concept or mood board" as a broad term, including anything from a detailed room done in Olioboard, to a bunch of collected images with text explaining choices. As long as other people can see and understand the ideas presented, and how the elements work together, I don't think it matters much.

    The thing I like about these threads is that each contributor adds their own personal interpretation to the discussion. I love that Pal's boards are structured in his own way, and that everyone else's are different, too. I can sometimes tell whose board it is when I see the first few inches revealed on my monitor, and I like that! I enjoy getting to know the personality and preferences of regular posters, and it's even better to see the ideas of somebody new to the thread.

    Lavender, I hope you will pursue your own way to present your ideas in a way that pleases and works for you. As I said in the Country French thread, I thought your presentation was a good example of how people don't need to do a "mood board" to get their ideas across. I stand by my previous comment...the way you added text in between each photo made it fun to read, like a story unfolding. I frankly think the individual presentation style is part of the fun here. It makes for a rich conversation. Just imagine how boring it would be, if we all presented our ideas in the same way. Blech!

    Some of my boards have been elaborate. Some work, some don't! Putting the elements together in a finished way seems to help me learn what works in my design, and what doesn't. Sometimes I have ideas that seem brilliant until I try to really put the tile above the countertop, for example, and then it looks awful. So, going for a more finished room helps me keep learning, every step of the way, as I work out the details. Selfishly, that's why I'm here, to try to build some skills (and boy, do I need skills; there's a good reason I don't post pics of my house.) So, if I choose to try to work on a finished board style for a long time, because I'm enjoying it and learning something, I'm really not going to worry that somebody might be discouraged by it, because my board is different from theirs. (No offense, but I think that's kinda goofy.)

    (Waving flags) Go forth! Strive! March to your own drummer! It takes all kinds! The more the merrier! I'm happy we're all different. I hope everyone will jump in and find their own way to share ideas, because that's one of the best things here.

  • dee850
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for the encouragement, mudhouse! I just want to add that I have not perceived any pressure to do boards as opposed to individual photos, or felt constrained by "rules" on these threads. I find olioboard easier to use for keeping things organized, but that's just personal preference. My infrequent participation is purely due to my lack of design knowledge (it takes me longer to figure this stuff out than many of you!) and my full-time job preventing me from spending more time on fun stuff. But even while I'm not participating, I'm reading and really enjoying these DAT threads, so I hope you all keep it up.

  • lavender_lass
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sounds good! I'm just saying, we should make it clear, to the people, who haven't been posting, lately.

    For all the ones, who are...I think they're great! Lots of good ideas, too :)

    One thing...is there anyway to make this thread normal, again? It's so difficult to read these LONG sentences. LOL

  • marcolo
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I don't think a break is needed, really. You've got a tough spot on the calendar for a lot of people--the blur of the holidays got replaced by January, the Monday of the year, and it's still a very busy time at work for many. So many folks just haven't had as much bandwidth.

    Plus, honestly, it gets really tiring searching for materials online. For this exercise, I wanted to use highly figured slab inset cabinets. Good luck finding those. I do realize there are people in the world facing worse fates than a tedious internet search, but still. It's a pain.

    The topic was challenging. Pal read modern as "modernism." Many people use modern to mean contemporary, or maybe that pseudo modern edge of contemporary you find at West Elm, or something. Whatever, it just sounded intimidating, so perhaps we should've made it easier.

    Anyway, there's a very long list of possible topics to go through, and surely some of them will inspire people to rev up again.

  • palimpsest
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am going to post a separate thread to find out from readers and potential lurkers if we should continue with new threads at this time, take a hiatus, or what...of course people are free to contribute to existing threads regardless.

  • coastal_modern_love
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am another who has really enjoyed reading these threads. I don't have much time on my hands these days but always check out the DAT's. This one in particular has been of interest to me because I have what I believe is a rustic modern house. Cathedral and vaulted white washed knotty pine tongue-and-groove ceilings, beams and posts. Modern kitchen and furnishings with the occasional rustic-ish piece, animal hide rug, wood accent etc. I have been considering a way to tone down the modern in my kitchen by maybe altering my island a bit but got too many "no's" on my thread on that topic. Reconsidered and decided to bring texture with comfy upholstered counter stools instead.

    Keep these up! There are many of us who may not post but gather inspiration and great information from all the mood boards and visuals. This has been one of my favorites and would love to see one on "coastal or beach" theme as well!

  • sochi
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey guys, mudhouse in particular- check out the Remodelista post on a modern Adobe home. I've pasted it below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Modern Adobe

  • marcolo
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OK, so it's a little eclectic, and I wanted to do more but the thread is getting long in the tooth, as am I.

    The walls have a Maya Romanoff tie-die wallpaper that's reminiscent of birch bark from a distance. I don't know if you can see clearly, but there are no uppers and instead, there is a long mod island light fixture over each run. Silestone countertops. Custom range hood by modern smiths at Raw Urth designs. Porcelanosa flooring in varying-size circles.

  • mudhouse_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think this one is interesting because it uses two modern materials that can read as rustic, although they really aren't at all (in my humble and fuzzy opinion.) The Maya Romanoff wallpaper does read as birchbark to me, and the Porcelanosa tiles on the floor read as gravel/river rocks. They mimic rustic materials but they aren't fake rustic materials, and I like that.

    The fish scale backsplash tiles in Pal's Shore House Rustic work the same way, although those seem a little more symbolic to me because of the large scale (size I mean, no pun intended.)

  • palimpsest
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Marcolo, I like yours better if I cover the windows.

    I feel like something is lurking out there. (I cover my head when I sleep, too)

    Totally rustic and very modern. I have been heavily influenced I think by the Dwell modern rustic and the Vincente Wolf all-white-with-rustic, that probably limits my outlook.

    I am glad you were finally able to contribute to this one.

  • mudhouse_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sochi, thanks so much for the link to the Modern Adobe. DH and I have pored over the photos and I'm saving some of them. Some of the (much less!) spectacular features are pertinent to our modest house.

    The very tailored, sleek looking Douglas Fir posts used on the porches in that house are an interesting contrast to the usual rough textured square or round posts used around here, usually with big corbels at the top. I also really like the use of 3" thick countertops out of a modern material (there's that scale thing again, I think helping a modern material to feel more heavy/thick/rustic...?)

  • dee850
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well, before this thread dies, here's what I've got to offer. In putting this together, I had in mind one of the relatively character-less apartments I've lived in over the years - plain box rooms, no moldings or really defining features.

    My materials:
    "rustic" open shelving
    Ceasarstone counters in Concrete
    Kohler Karbon faucet with stages sink
    lime-green shiny slab doors with long skinny pulls
    hickory flooring
    industrial pendant light found through google
    "fauxdenza" created from Ikea cabinets by The Brick House
    white linen curtains
    sisal rug
    walnut chairs from Dwell
    Saarinen tulip table
    BM icicle paint

    Bearing in mind that I am totally ignorant about design, here are my thoughts on the previous boards/concepts...

    sochi #1 knotty pine cottage: I really like this, and I just realized that the bright stripes in the rug and chair are the key for me. Without those, it wouldn't be ugly but it would lose the fun spark. I did not realize that pattern was a classic Canadian thing!

    cbusmomof3: I like those materials together and agree that they make an an "earthy" color scheme.

    palimpsest #1 gray: That Escher-esque floor is so cool. The beaded shaker cabinets surprised me here, I think I was expecting all slab doors for some reason.

    pricklypearcactus: I don't normally like that style of stone backsplash, but I think it works really well here. I like the overall restrained color scheme - it's really just white/gray/browns, but it somehow has a lot of life.

    palimpsest #2 Money to burn: The interesting thing to me about this one is that a lot of the individual pieces are not normally things I'd find attractive, but I can see how they work well together. Is it just me, or does that Paul Evans sideboard have a bit of a "Beetlejuice" flavor?

    sochi #2 lakefront cottage: This looks very comfortable to me, maybe leaning more toward the rustic than the modern. I especially like the hutch cabinet.

    palimpsest #3 Knock-off money to burn: I really like this approach, doing the expensive vs. cheaper version. That elk credenza is a little too over the top for me, though. Something about it reminds me of the way hipsters wear stuff like '80s airbrushed cat t-shirts and trucker hats, but ironically. Maybe it's the incongruity of what could be a granny-ish embroidery pattern writ large on a piece of furniture.

    capwaps john deere: I love the concept! I know that using the exact tractor green and yellow would be the idea, but I think it would be hard to live with unless it was a small kitchen without too many cabinets. They're just so screaming bright.

    palimpsest #4 shore house rustic: I love this one. The blue makes it for me.

    sochi #3 cottage with blue cabinets: I love this one, too. Clearly I have a thing for blue. Really cool hood.

    mudhouse: The red countertops and accents really pull this together for me. All those patterns up close together are a little overwhelming, but I think they'd work in a large enough space.

    marcolo: I like the horizontal-grain cabinets here, and I really like the idea of the rustic table with those orange chairs.

  • sochi
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good lord Marcolo, what is that light fixture? Reminds me of one of the muppets. Great kitchen and a great mix of modern and rustic.

    Dee850, lovely space. Reminds me of the Dwell type rustic kitchens that Palimpsest posted, contrasts with the perhaps more over the top rustic spaces with added modern elements. I love the colours.

    Mudhouse, I was really struck by the appropriateness of the thick Caesarstone counters in that house as well. Glad you enjoyed the pics.

  • palimpsest
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Dee, I like the use of the green door in your concept, but I would be tempted to try Caesarstone's Espresso as a warmer alternative to the Concrete,

    or maybe color match the counters and cabinets and go with Apple Martini for a green block of color through the rest of the neutral palette.

    Thanks for playing :) I agree, the Elk sideboard is tragically hip to the point of being a bit annoying. I would chop off the I Dream of Jeanie legs, first.

  • dee850
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Pal, that definitely makes sense to me. I actually started with lighter brown/gray counters - shitake or mocha Ceasarstone - and felt it needed to be darker, but for no particularly good reason moved to looking at the colder dark grays instead of darker brown.

  • mudhouse_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh dear, now I'm laughing because all I can think of is the muppet fixture lurking outside the windows. (Sorry Marcolo, I'm just goofy because I'm happy to see you posting here.)

    dee850, I agree with the others, very pretty combination of elements and I think a very successful example of the theme. (Where were you when I has flopping about so, earlier in the thread?) :-)

  • marcolo
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love that light fixture. I also think Raw Urth's "Modern Rustic" hoods are pretty cool; supposedly they're based on mining architecture.
    {{gwi:1586447}}

    I'm also fond of that idea of using linear light fixtures over upperless cabinet runs:

    {{gwi:1586448}}

    As far as the windows, I'm not crazy about them, either. I put them there to break up the Maya Romanoff, which although quite beautiful in good pictures looked on the mood board a bit like a skin condition. I detest nature, unless it's plucked and trimmed like a bikini-clad Brazilian, so this whole rustic thing needs to be heavy on the faux for me.

    dee, I agree--great kitchen but the countertop color jumped out at me.

  • cawaps
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Palimpsest Escher-esque floor: I like all the elements here but I'd like to see more rustic on the kitchen side.

    Pricklypearcactus: This is really soothing with the limited palette. I really like the island and the table.

    Palimpsest pie-in-the-sky budget: The petrified wood is fabulous, and the mirror and sideboard are great.

    Sochi white & pine: Love the artwork. This is very livable and comfortable.

    Palimpsest budget version of above: I think I like the laminate version of the petrified wood better than the high end, at least in the photos. I don't have anything new to say about the Elk credenza--my thoughts are pretty much along the lines of the other comments, including your critique of it. Too much. Except for the sideboard and mirror (big exceptions, I grant you), I think I like this one a bit better than the high-end.

    I'll throw in a comment on mine as well (John Deere). I don't really like the green and yellow any better than anyone else did. I think at least some of you got what I was trying to do in evoking the very recognizable but extremely LOUD John Deere colors. I probably wouldn't do this in real life, and certainly not in a kitchen anyone had to live with for long periods. The purpose was guest lodging, for a few months at most. It is also only an 8-10 ft run of cabinets on one wall and that's it, in what I figured would be a fairly large open living area. Under those circumstances I MIGHT do it. Pal, regarding the yellow/green interference with the knobs--my hardware also-rans were rust-colored pulls that looked like something my dad would have pulled out from his harware bin in the shop salvaged from some long ago project. Maybe I should have go with those.

    Pal fish scales: This one of course reminded me of Anna Chosak's animal prints entry, with the scales and driftwood cabinets. I like the similar elements here with the modern spin.

    Sochi blue: I really like this one, especially the bits (dare I say pops?) of strong red contrasting with the blue. I prefer the red table you put in the mood board to the one you posted separately. I think this is one of my favorites on the thread.

    Mudhouse: I like the idea of breaking up the barnwood with the courses of stainless tile. It nicely combines rustic and modern in a way I think is very pleasing. I like your dining room. I think it would be less overwhelming in real life with the rugs on the floor rather than being the backdrop to the image. The fixture is great.

    Marcolo: I love the cabinets and the lighting fixtures, which are a very creative application. I think I like it. I totally see what Sochi meant by her Muppet comment about the DR fixture, although I like it too. The orange chair is cool.

    Dee850: I like the cheery green cabinets. The "fauxdenza" comes off as both rustic and modern, and I like the sisal rug. The only element I don't really like is the counter--the color doesn't seem to be in harmony with the wood elements.

    Sorry for taking so long with comments. It's been hard to find the time.

  • mudhouse_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Marcolo, thanks for the larger pic of the linear lights over the counters. The many small bulbs remind me of city lights from a distance, and I think they add a formal feeling to the room that is interesting against the faux rustic elements. I do like the Raw Urth hood, especially the standing-seam like details.

    Cawaps, thanks for your comment on the stainless tiles breaking up the barnwood. I thought a wall of natural barnwood might look too country. I'd prefer narrow solid stainless bars (I've seen those on TV, used in bathroom walls) but couldn't find them online, so the stainless tiles were a substitute. I think it would work best if the stainless accents were understated (preferably even skinnier than the 1" tiles I used.)

    I really didn't mind the strong colors in your kitchen, because to me they're as recognizeable (and central to your theme) as Sochi's Hudson Bay color bands. If they were more muted, I don't know if they would read as John Deere(?) Once I visualized the scale, setting and planned use of the kitchen I thought the colors were workable.

  • marcolo
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I agree that there's something interesting about the "identifiability" of some of these designs, like sochi's instantly-recognizable Scando-Canadian kitchen, or the John Deere special. Sochi's design uses the tried-but-true trick of rustic plus white plus color, like the model pal was talking about. (Though I have to confess that pal's Dwell photos make me wonder if that's Gary and Elaine's house.) And OMG sochi, I just realized that I stole your hood!!

    prickly, are there any paint colors to go in that kitchen, or is it all backsplash? On my monitor the floor and splash, while great, seem to have a burgundy taupe undertone that isn't carried out in the cabs.

    I think we should either start planning the next DAT thread or set up a separate thread to discuss it (since this one is getting over 100 posts). I like the idea of picking the topic in advance then waiting a couple of weeks to start it off. Perhaps we should pick the next two in a row.

  • pricklypearcactus
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    marcolo - I really like your overall eclectic design, especially the cabinetry and the lighting. Very unique idea to have the mod fixture over all of the counters. Not sure if I'm correctly reading cool tones in the wallpaper and floor (gray?) or not. If so, I think I might prefer a more gray counter: maybe concrete counters or a gray Silestone.

    I chose a creamy white paint color (color splotch is in between range hood and beams in the moodboard), but it might be a little hard to see in the image. I wanted to keep the color pallet very minimal as that seemed to be a trait of some of my favorite of the rustic modern examples provided. Alternatively, I was considering a light aqua paint color and using some light aqua Eames molded plastic chairs.

    I'm not certain I see a burgundy taupe undertone in the floor and splash, though I do see some warm beige tones in the backsplash. Are you thinking the reclaimed wood cabinets are clashing with the undertones of the stone? If so, would you suggest a warmer or redder wood?

    dee - I really like yours, especially the green cabinetry with the wood floors. It seems like it would fit perfectly into a modern apartment, bringing in rustic qualities without seeming out of place.

  • marcolo
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Maybe we have dueling monitors, prickly. My wallpaper looks quite warm to me, and your backsplash does, also, with reddish-brownish tones in both. Since they are both tilting in the same direction switching between our two monitors, that may be the whole issue right there.

  • Stacey Collins
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sochi,

    May I ask where you got the clipping of the white bookcase-like firewood storage in your first mood board? I have been trying to design something similar and would love to see the original post!

    Great thread, by the way!

    Stacey

  • marcolo
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here's the old topic list that cawaps put together:

    Materials
    Knotty pine
    Metal cabinetry
    Interesting tile (we can do this one over and over)
    Vetrazzo
    Marmoleum graphic series
    Back-painted glass
    Commercial Kitchens/Restaurant Supply

    Defining the Home
    Minimal traditional house from the '40s through the '70s
    Tract house (specify decade? or any tract house?) (Do we consider these first two "done?"
    Spanish Colonial Revival
    Craftsman
    Prarie School
    1930s
    1940s
    1950s
    1960s
    1970s
    Pimp this kitchen (choose home/kitchen from real estate listing)
    Beach House
    Mash-up house (what do you do with a house that is already a mash-up of styles, like a Mission-style Queen Anne)

    Theme/Decorating Styles
    Steampunk
    Eclectic
    Starting from clothing fashions as your inspiration pic, design a kitchen that suits the era/mood/style
    Rustic Modern Cottage
    Hollywood Regency
    Scandinavian

    Budget/Supply restrictions
    $10K budget
    Ikea kitchen (all Ikea?)
    Mail order kitchen
    Home Depot kitchen
    Architectural salvage/upcycle/recycle

    Define the People
    Mid-life crisis bachelor (or cougar) pad
    Rabid sports fan wants to decorate in team colors

    Presentation Strategies that Can Be Combined with Other Choices
    This/Not That (Good taste/bad taste, works/doesn't work)
    High/Low (same look, different budgets)

    What we have done so far:
    1) Apple Jasper
    2) Colonial Revived
    3) 1920's Kitchens and All That Jazz
    4) Formica Patterns are Cooool!
    5) Neo-Tuscan/TuscAmerican
    6) I'm Dreaming of a White Kitchen, But...
    7) Victorian/Queen Anne
    8) Animal "Prints"
    9) Keeping the Golden Oak
    10) Tarting Up a Tudor (posted as #9)
    11) Pink for the Present Day
    12) 1960s tract house
    13) French Country
    14) Rustic modern

    In no particular order, my personal favorites for the next one include:
    - Pimping a real kitchen from MLS (but we'd have to show the house)
    - Interesting tile
    - Hollywood Regency
    - Steampunk

    I suggest we pick both a topic and a date to start, given recent discussions about spacing them out a tad. I haven't done a launch post in a while so I can write it if you want.

  • palimpsest
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I know that some readers have suggested as infrequently as once a month but the remaining list would take somewhere around two years, and I don't know that once a month is frequent enough to sustain a particular thread on the kitchen forum since things drop down a couple pages in a day sometimes.

    I would feel better, personally, about a 2 week interval.

    I think we have been heading this way since it'e been 10 days since Rustic Modern was started.

  • marcolo
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I agree that once a month is too seldom. If people don't want to read them every time, no one is forcing them. I could aim for this weekend or sometime next week.

    Some of these topics, like steampunk, are going to take extra time to find materials for, so I'd still like to pick two topics in advance. You have my votes. Lavender wants yellow, I think.

  • lavender_lass
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Marcolo- I am all for your steampunk, because I know you really want to do it. My only concern is that it may be seen as another, more difficult (or should I say challenging?) topic. Too bad we can't have beginner's and intermediate...something easy, like yellow kitchens (as an example)...and steampunk!

    Oh, and I like your rustic/modern kitchen, especially the table and the hood...and the view!

    Pal- The view is only scary...if a truck is heading for your house! Trust me on this. LOL

    Dee- I really like the green cabinets and the rustic wood shelves. Great combination :)

  • marcolo
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Actually I think steampunk, if we do it, is a topic that should have two cycles of notice.

  • sochi
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Staceyneil - I've had that picture of the bookcase/firewood for months now, in my 'cottage' collections. I clipped the image from Remodelista for this thread, pasted below. It is (of course) from a Scandinavian cottage/cabin. I think I originally found the image on the blog 'My Scandinavian Retreat' (great blog). According to Remodelista, its is made by a Norwegian couple, here is a link to their blog: http://so-mee.blogspot.com/

    Good luck!

    Here is a link that might be useful: bookcase firewood storage

  • sochi
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'd vote for, in any order:

    1. Upcycled/salvaged kitchen
    2. Pimp real MLS house kitchen
    3. Hollywood Regency
    4. Steampunk

  • mudhouse_gw
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    If it's not too annoying, I won't vote, because I'm not sure how much time I can invest for a while. But if I can, I'll happily wade into anything you folks decide.

  • palimpsest
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think if we do a pimp my kitchen we have to be careful to not get involved in layout issues.

  • dee850
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for the feedback on mine, folks, I appreciate it.

    Cawaps, I somehow glossed right over the "guest apartment" description in your post - I agree that the tractor-inspired bold cabinets would be really fun in an occasional-use space.

    As an occasional participant on these threads, I'll try to play along on whatever you all go with. I agree that 2 weeks between new ones might be a good interval.

  • cawaps
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hollywood Regency and Steampunk are the two that I have been collecting images for the longest. I do, however, agree that steampunk has the potential to be very challenging. Not necessarily because people don't get what it is, but because done well it is such a DIY/maker thing that it is hard to find images. Either it's "stick a gear on it," or it's Restoration Hardware faux steampunk, or it's someone's one-of-a-kind labor of love. I've had some luck finding images thinking in terms of Victorian industrial, but I don't feel I'm quite hitting the mark.

    Hollywood Regency is definitely easier to find pieces, but although I'm pretty clear on the style for living/dining areas, I'm not sure how to interpret it in terms of kitchen cabs/counter/backsplash--the nuts and bolts of the kitchen.

    I'm also keen to do commercial kitchen & restaurant equipment, since I've been frequenting the restaurant supply store for my own kitchen. I think this would be easier for most people than the other two, which might be good right now.

    Oh, and after the pink thread with Pal and me riffing on menswear, I think it would be fun to do the one starting with clothing fashions as inspiration. This one also seems like it might be comparatively easy and attract new blood.

    And I'd also be okay with yellow or with an interesting tile choice.

    So my list, in order of preference...
    1) Commercial kitchen/restaurant equipment.
    2) Hollywood Regency
    3) Steampunk
    4) Fashion-inspired kitchen
    5) Interesting tile
    6) Yellow kitchens

    Clearly, I like almost everything, so don't weigh my opinion too heavily.

  • pricklypearcactus
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've just started participating, so no need to weigh my opinion heavily either. I'm interested in a lot of the ones on the list, but the following are some of my favorites.

    - Steampunk
    - Hollywood Regency
    - Beach House
    - Spanish Colonial Revival

    If we're looking for something more friendly for new participation, I would probably also enjoy something color-based. Maybe an all color kitchen (no major elements like cabinets, counter, flooring can be "neutral")? Or maybe one of the material-based: Vetrazzo, Interesting Tile, etc.

  • palimpsest
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I will do any project that comes up.

    I don't have a great handle on Steampunk. The idea of "genuine" Steampunk is an item that really works, but has a convoluted structure. (The movie Brazil, Tik-Tok from Return to Oz come to mind)

    But when I look at Steampunk images online though, a lot of it looks like so much window dressing or set decoration. I suppose there are some real appliances that could work--because it is the "machines" that are the real Steampunk items, right? But the budget would be outrageous.

  • cawaps
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Steampunk, to me, is first and foremost a science fiction genre. It's alternative timelines or reinvented history. As a fashion and design movement, my impression is that it has been VERY theatrical (up until Restoration Hardware et al. got hold of it). Done well, it's about making modern equipment look like it was created with steam age technology--clockwork, levers, cranks, gears, etc. And all with a Victorian fashion flair. But you can't really find a lot of (any?) stuff off-the-shelf, which is what is going to make this one hard. So I figure I'll try to fake it with what is available. Steampunk might end up being an utter failure as a DAT topic.

  • marcolo
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Actually, the quintessential steampunk piece is a modern computer decked out to look like a 19th century device.


    I met a guy profiled in the Boston Globe who has a steampunk house, and whose kitchen was featured here once. He was selling a cast iron Victorian stove that had been outfitted with a barely-discernable electric cooktop.

    It's not so much working Rube Goldberg contraptions as it is window dressing on modern technology. I think of it as a stage set in search of a story.

    Let's say Steampunk is a definite one month from now, as the project that follows the next one.

    For the very next one to start this weekend, I'm thinking Hollywood Regency, based on an unscientific review of the preference lists people have posted so far. I would sort of like to do the setup for Steampunk, so if you'd rather I not do two in a row, I can happily defer to pal on the HR project.

    Thoughts?

  • lavender_lass
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Still a bit confused, but I think I'll try again. Is this rustic?
    {{gwi:1433897}}From Fairy tale cottage

    And is this rustic modern? Or just rustic with modern island? {{gwi:1586451}}From Fairy tale cottage

  • palimpsest
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I would say the first one is rustic with some contemporary (meaning Now) touches

    The second is rustic modern.

  • sochi
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I agree with pal. Both very nice spaces, IMHO.

  • lavender_lass
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks...I'm not sure if I really understand the styles, or if I just got lucky on the pictures :)

  • westsider40
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Re Marcolo's post at 1:03. Maya Romanoff was at our wedding, in 1975. I guess I am name dropping.

    He is a superb artist.

  • sochi
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think you're getting it Lavender. Quite the cuckoo clock in the first picture though.

    Westsider - thanks for bringing Marcolo's 1:03 post to my attention, I had missed it. Somehow that post and Marcolo's light fixture have created a rather frightening Carnival image in my mind.

    Marcolo, I guess I'll overlook your theft of my truly awesome hood this time. It is great, isn't it? I used the stone from the photo too, cheating a bit I guess.

    So is steampunk after Hollywood Regency? I'm looking forward to HR, but not sure if I'll be able to come up with anything.

  • cawaps
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sochi, I think it was supposed to be Hollywood Regency, then something else, then Steampunk. I think the idea is to give folks sufficient lead time to search for images for steampunk.