lavender_lass - that last kitchen put a smile on my face so yep, very charming!

lavender_lass I think you nailed it with those pictures, especially the last one.

thanks for the responses, so far.

i think it's very interesting that melaska and katsmah really liked lavender's last picture, and if you look at the elements that sabjimata posted above, they fit!

* maybe a kitchen is charming when it makes you smile? when it's fun?

* a few of you mentioned scale/proportion.

* some mentioned keeping with the style of the home.

* there was mention of glass uppers/open shelving.

* i like holligator's comment about personal touches and the space being lived in/loved.

okay, i'll go out on a limb and post a kitchen i really like. does this qualify as charming? (go easy on me; i'm learning!) i know it already bugs me that i played it safe with the color of my cabs.

this is from houzz. (the photo is a bit deceptive because there is a large island/cooktop where the camera is. but I can picture a range where the u/c microwave is.)

[traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by houston interior designer Carla Aston, Aston Design Studio

Your picture is a good start, towards charming. I like the two tone cabinets, the farm sink the window is cute, but the shutters might be a little heavy, for the size of the kitchen (but if you had these shutters on other windows, it would tie them in).

I like the glass uppers, but you need more variety on that long run of upper cabinets, over the microwave/oven. Maybe include a plate rack, or an open display shelf?

Notice how the center shelves (in my first picture) are a little higher above the counter and sink, than the cabinets on either side? And in the third picture, see how the upper cabinets are higher, over the range?

The other thing, you might want to include, is something with a little curve. That gives the kichen a little less formality (like the farm sink). In the third picture, see the top of the display shelf (on the left)? See how it's curved, with the cut out? Also, beadboard will give you an instant cottage charm...although it can sometimes be over done. I like beadboard most, when it's on the back of a display shelf or bookcase...it really gives the area some character :)

Another concern can be the appliances. It's very easy for a small kitchen to become overwhelmed with appliances and gadgets. If the appliances are focal points (stainless or even white, with painted cabinets) they can break up the lines, of a small kitchen. Stainless steel is great, but in a small kitchen, maybe a stainless steel range with white (or paneled) fridge and dishwasher. If you want them all to match, think about how you're going to tie that in, with the rest of your look. Also, a vintage range or vintage looking appliances can be a fun way to bring in a little charm...but again, it's easy to over do things, in a small space.

So, I like your picture and you're definitely on the right track. If the oven was a range or cooktop (and you had a vent over it) that would give you your higher area in the middle. Maybe glass uppers on either side, if you had a solid upper next to the sink...or you could try a plate rack.

So many people put glass uppers by the window...and then nothing for the rest of the uppers. My personal opinion, but I think that breaking up your glass (shiny surface) is a better idea. Maybe solid uppers by the window, a glass upper on either side of the range? Also, don't forget a little display, but too much will look too cutesy. If you can live with the open shelves (dusty, but pretty) that can be a great look, too. Best of luck with your charming, small kitchen!

For me, probably personality first. In a new or reno'd kitchen, I suppose *well-edited* personality : ). I like the picture you posted, ironcook, but to me it looks as though the designer hadn't been gone long enough, and the homeowner hadn't had a chance yet to add his or her own touches!

There's the old modest and quirky thread, which includes mention of a small, charming, old, and cluttered kitchen I love, "Uncle Thorvald's Happy Kitchen",

www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/reader-submissions/ten-things-i-love-uncle-thorvalds-happy-kitchen-077870

Charming kitchens are delightful places to be, by virtue of their personality, don't take themselves too seriously, and are unflappable. Same for charming people, who are delightful to be with, and have all the other same characteristics : ).

Becky

Here is a link that might be useful: Modest and quirky thread

Forgot to add, ironcook, have you posted your kitchen plan? I think I just saw your thread the other day about your white cabinets (Medallion Victoria), and I think the countertop will be white quartzite or something similar?

Are you thinking of things like backsplash,wall color, hardware now, or accessories? When you said Crate & Barrel-ish, I think of jbrodie's kitchen. It's not small, but it is charming and inviting, with such touches as a chalkboard, plants, bird sculptures, pottery, wireware, baskets -- lots of great *texture* (including the backsplash...) to add personality.

Becky

Here is a link that might be useful: jbrodie's kitchen

Ironcook, I think this is almost charming, but misses just a bit.

My definition, like others', is that it fits the space and doesn't try to crowd too much in. Using that and looking at the picture, the uppers are too tall in relation to the lowers, the crown soffit is too chunky, and the cabinets crowd the window. Actually, the lowers and the backsplash with the matching stripe are charming. The window and little half shutter is charming. The big ol' stainless fridge is fine. The uppers look like they're there to squash in as much as can fit.

Now, you see, that nasty, chunky soffit might be necessary to hold all kinds of pipes and conduits and stuff. And the folks who live there might really need all the upper cabinetry that decharmingizes the kitchen. Sometimes it's a trade off. And the owners might have (probably did) decide that nice enough looking and functional trumps perfectly charming.

lavender... thank you so much for your post. i've been following some of your threads, and i'm always amazed how you can come up with all your ideas/thoughts for your kitchen.

i think you and i are probably opposites in our approach. i did more function first, which is probably why i'm like a deer in the headlights now with the decorating.

my kitchen is very small and i'm pretty messy, so i really had to be practical even though it would have been nice to be pretty. it came right down to when i placed the order to decide whether to put glass in the uppers on either side of the range. i chose practical and not to do glass. you probably wouldn't have done that. charming factor, strike one. :(

beckysharp... thanks for your thoughts, too. i have seen that modest and quirky thread, BUT i always wondered who uncle thorvald is and never got around to googling it. i LOVE that kitchen. forty years and that kitchen is
still so cool!

hmm... by your last paragraph, i'm not so sure i can pull a charming kitchen off. (maybe quirky, though!)

I think that "charming" implies a person and a personality. It's more than just the absence of an offstage choreographer/designer, it's the feeling that the space is used and loved. That's why many of the charming spaces have interesting fabrics or ceramics or art pieces in them. They also smack of the everyday, of use, of wet towels and rugs underfoot and cookware that is not new. They do not give much obeisance to somebody else's fashion ideas but they invite us to come in and to share in a great sense of place.

Honest, not phony or pretentious. Inviting, intuitive, attractive but not stagey. Happy, or at least not seriously intense or artificial. Ask yourself, would Uncle Thorvald approve?

beckysharp, thanks for reviving that thread. No vanity fair here.

I too, have a small kitchen. We added a couple of floor cabinets around the breakfast area. It made a whole big difference because the cabinets added countertop areas too!

Keep in mind not to over-decorate a small kitchen. It will make it look even smaller.

As for charming, it all depends on what do you like? I like the contemporary look mixed in with some old style cookwares such as cast irons.

I was at Cracker Barrel and saw these small 4-inch cast iron skillets. They added to my definition of charm and humor in the kitchen.

If you have a window stool, you can add a plant or two. Or a vase with some garden flowers like I did here...

The link below show my kitchen refaced.

Here is a link that might be useful: Before & After photos of my kitchen refaced

"hmm... by your last paragraph, i'm not so sure i can pull a charming kitchen off. (maybe quirky, though!)"

ironcook, I'm pretty sure both Uncle Thorvald and I think you can : ). Worth noting too that many charming kitchens evolve naturally over time, and don't spring full-blown from a designer's vision.

florantha, hee!

wow, that modest quirky thread went to 150! and the uncle thorvald link was in it, but i must have missed it. sorry for that.

beckysharp... i think you have me confused with another kitchen. :) jbrodie's kitchen is beautiful... and would definitely fit in crate & barrel style-wise. i guess i'm emphasis on the "-ish"!

uh... yeah, i think maybe i need to stick to quirky. but yes i'm in the color/accessories forward-looking phase. it's the calm before the storm of DIY when the cabinets get here.

plllog... i see what you're saying about crowding too much in. oh dear....

florantha... you added the same thing holligator said about the space being used and loved. i like that aspect, too.

i think because i'm in the extremes of slobbishness to minimalism (no clutter at all), i am sadly out of my depth here. i keep telling myself that with a kitchen that functions better, things will be different.

but this is an education...

I think charming represents the owner/operator of the kitchen. Up until then it is just cabinets, floor, counter and appliances. Yes, it hopefully functions well (work triangle and all that) and the elements flow together, but then what. Charming, I think, is added over time and is developed through the personality of the homeowner.
Do you like frou frous and are they part of your cabinetry?
Do you like wild or subdued pattern and is that reflected in your counters?
I think that charming is something that can't be rushed - it is something that comes together over time.
Are you a palette of neutrals kind of person and then throwing in a revolving season of accent colours. Or are you a born "colour" person and need to have colour all around you from the beginning? Are you a collector of things that can be displayed or do you cringe at the thought of junk being displayed all over counters and tables.
I think charming is developing a look that shows and reflects your personality and grows over time.
We've been back in our house since mid-sept and I'm still trying to develop that. But I am not a "charming" person - so who knows where we will wind up style wise - especially doing a whole house.
But ironcook - that picture you posted, to me, is devoid of personality and is a blank slate waiting to be worked on.

When I see a room and think charming, its usully in relation to a niche (there's a other word that I can't think of it's like vinette or something) where there's a collection or set of something highlighted. I see country/primitive/cottage/vintage/antique decorations. Little signs, a candle-style lamp, gingham or toile fabric.

I think comfortable, everything has or at least had a purpose, relaxed, casual, somewhat cluttered but not messy.

HTH! If I find pictures I'll come back and post them :) But I think primfan88 did a very nice job of creating charming spaces in her bungalow (soemthing I hope to do in my bungalow once the kitchen is done and I get the rest of my house back) :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Primfan88's kitchen about halfway down thread

If it looks charming to you then it is charming. As you can see here, almost everyone has their own definition. I don't think the "charming rules" are all that much different for a small vs. a large kitchen. My advice to you and everybody else that posts here, is to find what looks good to you, works for your situation and forget about what others think. For example, I found none of the pics that Lavender Lass posted charming. Too white which I equate with cold. Not that they aren't good kitchens, they just do not say charming to me. I can't define it but I know it when I see it. I guess the closest I can get to a definition is charming has to project warmth and throwing in a few colored accessories in a white kitchen just does not do it for me.

To me, the opposite of charming is monolithic. Long straight lines, blank walls of the same finish, these are stark modern kitchens that some people love, but to me that's not charming. It looks like maintaining the line is more important than having what you want.

If you took that blue gray kitchen, and painted irises on the upper cabinet doors, it would be charming because it
1) breaks up the line of the cabs
2) adds curve
3) shows a person that is not dominated by their cabinets, that is not afraid to visually interrupt the image.

The blue line in the backsplash doesn't help either.

>If it looks charming to you then it is charming.

Exactly. If you have to ask, it's not charming, at least not to you. On the other hand, if it makes you want to post "look at this charming kitchen I found", then it is, at least to you, and that's all that really matters, isn't it?

Iron- Close your eyes and think of a couple of kitchens, where you've felt very happy and relaxed. Kitchens you enjoyed spending time in. What was it about those kitchens, that you loved?

My favorite kitchens, hands down, belonged to my grandmothers. My mom's mom (who we were able to visit more) never had a "designed" kitchen, but it always smelled like chocolate chip cookies or fresh bread. That is one of the most charming things, I can possibly imagine, for any kitchen. My dad's mom, had a nice kitchen (light and airy with a big table in the middle). She made fresh biscuits every morning, with sausage gravy, eggs and canteloupe on Sundays!

Notice, both of these kitchens involve the best memories or food, great smells, conversation, learning how to cook...and friendly, hospitable women, whom I loved very much (they're both gone now.)

So, charming can be a variety of things, but if your kitchen is going to be truly charming, in person (not just in a picture) it has to have a soul. What do you want your kitchen to be? Do you cook, bake, bring in takeout? Do you plan to have an eat-in kitchen (my favorite) or more of a work space, separated from the rest of the house?

Function is great (and I'm still working on my plan) and inspiration pictures help you determine your style...but only you can choose what you kitchen will feel like, once it's installed. Will it be a happy, light filled space? Will there be a place for people to sit and drink coffee, tea or some other beverage? Do you want a banquette, a table and chairs, some stools at the counter? Whatever you decide, make sure your kitchen is charming to you...and preferably would make a wonderful impression on a small child. I really recommend the chocolate chip cookies! :)

This is one image that--to me--totally captures charming. I snagged it from the Modest or Quirky thread, though I have seen it elsewhere.

{{!gwi}}

It has personality and coziness--just in that small area photograhed. It makes me want to see the rest of the kitchen. It must be delightful!

And this photo, I have loved for a long, long time. To me, this is the epitome of "charming".

Here's a 'charming' link to a person's recollection of their grandmother's kitchen. I thought you might enjoy it :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Grandma's kitchen

i haven't read other replies. I would say quality materials -- soapstone, wood, marble. Attention to detail. Little suprises and nuances. Lots of light and a feeling of openness. Personality. The hostess!

Shelayne, perfect example of eye of the beholder! The charming--to you--picture is way too cluttery for me, and I generally like a little clutter.

Going off of OP's title referencing small kitchens, I'm put in mind of "before" pictures of original kitchens that just don't suit the lifestyle of the now family. We all say they're charming as is, often already cleared of belongings and decor. Maybe it's as Lavender says, and the memories they bring (though my grandmother had a big kitchen that was nothing like these except for cute little whatnot shelves).

I think part of the charmingness is the crafted in place look. The little details like a decorative edge carved into an open shelf, a hand cut bracket holding it up, the little curved shelves by the window, which are great for herbs or cacti depending on how green the thumb, but are really there to soften the space and decrease the bulk of the cabinets where they end. The scalloped valance which so many of us can't wait to take down, but which shields the harshness of the sink light from view. The cane grille under the sink to prevent mold. The specialized cabinets and drawers which we now call "features" and shop for, but which were the norm in hand crafted kitchens. Even the multiple layers of paint, added over the years, that give the woodwork a kind of pillowy look.

Some of that kind of charming is age. Some of it is an overt femininity that we shun nowadays (such as scallops!). And some of it is that the carpenters of a bygone era were skilled craftsmen who took a lot of pride in their work, and by and large were well aware of design principles such as proportion, balance and scale. They might not have been able to articulate them, but they knew how to make beautiful (rather than "guy design"). One man might pretty much build an entire house. Certainly a kitchen. Pride in --> charming out? Could be!

thanks to all of you for your insights... these responses are really helping me think and "see". :)

okay... the little blue/white kitchen is looking a little unloved to me now.

ntt_hou... thanks so much for posting your pics! i really like all your little touches; those little radishes on the window sill are so cute!

craftlady... i've been avoiding that thread because i would never be brave enough to show the rest of my house! primfan88's house makes me think of the "space is lived in and loved" quality. very touching.

lavender... i think i see the difference now! i have no history with charming kitchens. my mom hated to cook, and i rarely saw my grandmother. i read your link, but it was such a foreign concept to me. interesting.

shelayne... those photos are charming, too. but the practical side of me wouldn't want to clean the first one. ;) the second pic gave me an idea.

we don't use teacups, but i always think those little racks with them hanging are so cute. but we do use bowls a lot, so maybe i can do a little shelf with colorful bowls.

you all have me thinking... would love hear more. :)

ironcook, I love the first photo Shelayne posted but all I can think of is what it would all, including the little ironstone birds in the stovetop niche, look like after I got done cooking a big pot of tomato sauce all afternoon : ).

One other thing I would suggest is not to forget function while looking at form in the search for the charming -- make sure your bowls, or mugs (instead of tea cups), are in the best spot for them. I think your idea of a bowl display sounds great. One of the things I think that makes jmseattle's recently finished kitchen so charming and attractive is how practical, clever, and creative, and perfect for jm, all the little touches are. Also, I'm not sure how about the kitchen's actual size, but it makes the most of its space, and in a charming way.

Going back to that blue/white kitchen you posted, I think that glass doors in the upper cabs and plain white subway tile (and a nice big wooden cutting board) would have gone far in adding more charm to that kitchen, making it less linear and monolithic as I think someone already wrote.

I found this dish rack (I have to admit a fondness for blue and white, which sways me every time!) while searching Google images for "kitchen bowls mugs", and such a rack strikes me as a fairly easy way to achieve charm without cluttering the counters or taking up too much space elsewhere,

Oh, and just as some people think sinks can be sexy, I think some light fixtures can be more charming than others!

Hope this helps : )

Becky

Here is a link that might be useful: jmseattle's new kitchen

I did french antique glass with decorative lead came. The reflection is awesome, warm and mellow. Opens up the room, too. Open shelving in the kitchen is lovely to look at, but cleanings a pain. And if you have glass fronts, then there is always the problem of making the inside attractive, which would be difficult in a small kitchen with limited storage space.

Hi ironcook -

Everyone's captured it well - and I think what Florantha said nails it. The things that the photos all have in common are a clever use of accessorizing, and a certain style aestetic. Modern doesn't feel charming to me; as someone mentioned it's too linear, somehow. Yet look at the link below; a house that is described as charming. I like the design but call it more modern whimsy than charm.

Charming is the person who makes you feel at home and welcome, who invites you to kick off your shoes and put your feet up, who has an informal warmth that allows for the mess of daily living. A charming person (home/setting) makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. How that translates from an accessorizing POV is really up your own personality.

Eliz

Here is a link that might be useful: One Man's Charming...

The smell of chicken soup.

Charm personified.

Ironcook, by some of your comments, I think this may help you. Visit your local Marshalls, TJ Max, Ross, and Tuesday Morning. Walk around the home & kitchen isles. These stores have such a variety of items that suit a variety of personality. The main thing is that they're all located in one small area which make it easy for you to browse different taste of items. Do this from time to time and you will find your charm which will contribute to your charming kitchen.

You will likely pick out a piece or two that are pleasing to your eyes. Make sure that you stick with certain color(s) and that it fits well with your kitchen. If you have a neutral color kitchen, your choice would be very broad. If this is the case, look at the adjacent room(s) to your kitchen and see what is your color scheme there. Then, pick the same color(s) or matching color(s) of that room. It will harmonize your home better.

Here's my personal example. When I was younger, I dreamed of having each room in the house decorated according to a variety of cultural region: 1 room african, 1 room asian, 1 room european, etc... When I bought this house, it didn't worked that way at all. Because of the existing Saltillo floor, my Asian and Italian backgrounds surfaced. Surprisingly, they worked together well. Couldn't you see it from the cooktop photos? The color choices were mainly red, gold/yellow, and neutral earth tones. My kitchen is partially opened to the living room; so, I've sticked with those color scheme as well. Even for my kitchenwares, I stayed with the same asian/italian theme. It's charming for me because it's simply... me!

Somethinhg to watch out, my only problem with those stores mentioned above is that I tend to pick out too many pieces! LOL!

A cat.

For me, charming calls for lots of natural light, white paint, and some great vintage finds.

This is some of what was in my former kitchen, which was teeny tiny. The realtor called it "a disaster" but I thought it was charming. :-)

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

A charming kitchen to me is a place where you can feel welcome to sit and have a cup of coffee and good conversation. It is a place where there is always enough food to fit one more plate in at dinner, even at the last minute, and the food is tasty and served family style.

It is somewhere where the guests can see and chat with the cook (not chef) and you feel comfortable getting refills on your own (as a guest) and maybe kicking off your shoes under the table. It does not have hidden appliances or garbage pails. It is also somewhere that a guest may find themself helping with the prep work.

I think it needs some whimsy and personal objects. It is not striving to be better/bigger/fancier than anyone else's but to just be a great work space.

It does not contain a cat. The thought of a cat getting up on the counters or table grosses me out.

I wish I had scallops over my window! Am I the only one, who watches these kitchen shows...and sometimes wish they kept the before? :)

Iron- If you like mugs, this is a cute picture, I found the other day. While I can't do open shelves (too much dust on the farm...and too much temptation for the kitties) I would like a plate rack and some teacups and mugs on hooks! A little glass for sparkle, but if you don't want to show the cabinets, you can use fabric, too.

Sorry to see that you don't have fond kitchen memories. I have a good friend, with a similar situation. Maybe you had a good friend in school, with a great kitchen at home? Or maybe, you can create your own 'wonderful memory kitchen' and start a new tradition!

Here are some more pictures. Hope something gives you some fun and wonderful ideas :)

{{!gwi}}

Vintage fabrics...

{{!gwi}}

Johnny, Here's some non-white cabinets, just for you :)

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Here's a cute english cottage kitchen, from the movie, Holiday.

{{!gwi}}

Charming banquette

{{gwi:1412552}}

Very cute and charming bedroom

{{gwi:1412553}}

Since this thread was begun, I've been asking myself how "charming" is different from "cute." In my youth, the former meant "classy yet approachable" and the latter meant "sweetly appealing and somewhat diminutive." Charm school was an actual thing to attend, somewhat like friendliness, manners and grooming training all in one for women.

Is the GW's beloved kitchen in movie "Something's Got to Give" charming? In my mind, I would say it is, but it's not petite nor is it folksy. And it's not cute. It did achieve that status of looking as if real people lived in it and used it. It also fit the sense of place and the welcoming aspect of sharing.

I think that there is charm in modern design, but it's in the "soft" side of modern design. I'm delighted to see the link to the Swedish interior--this shows the funky mix that is the Gustavian meeting the Ikea and such. I believe that the visual references to previous historical periods may help take the edge off modernity and add some humanness. But I also think real wood, twinkle, silver and gold, soft fabrics, and candles and brick add charm to modern interiors. For me, there's little charm in strong orange, screaming chartreuse or Schiaparelli pink, stainless steel, concrete, plastic, or rubber. Some plaids are charming, some are not. Some dishes are charming, some are not. I guess I've got a checklist for "charming" somewhere in my head.

Naturally, I think my kitchen is charming, but there's no standard so how many might agree and does it matter?

Earlier tonight I put in a bid on a repro Windsor bench at the auction house--I found it charming and it's on the order of what I've been seeking. And I think this conversation has brought me a little closer to sewing a channel on the back of a family quilt to mount it on the wall by our little table. I can still hang a painting in front of it, the layered look--if I am really manic. Charming or just odd? Gotta think on this.

Have fun stormin' the castle!

I definitely would have a cat in my kitchen...but he or she would not be getting up on the counters or table. Not only are they a friendly companion, but they are great for keeping mice out of the kitchen. So, to summarize (IMHO) cats are charming in the kitchen, field mice...not so much :)

Florantha, I think I would like your house very much :-)

I think florantha brings up some good points, to me "charming" is cute + disingenuous. A charming person is usually a complete fake, trying to sell you something or otherwise wants something from you, and in my experience no one can be charming in a long term relationship (and I wouldn't want them to be, it's so false and so grating). For me, a kitchen is an LTR, not a one night fling.

The relentless cutesiness and girliness of some of the rooms posted would make me mental, and while I can see putting the "charming" moniker on the pics, living with such a kitchen would not charm me. I guess the OP is correct, "charming" is very subjective!

sandyponder

I think charming is when the owner pays attention to detail. When everything in the kitchen was chosen with care. Things you love, even if they don't "go" together. Most of all, it's the people who are in there.

I like tidy and uncluttered, but not overly designed. If it's too "matchy" or looks like it belongs in a showroom, I feel uncomfortable.

Although this picture is from a magazine, and yes, probably styled by a pro, but to me it says comfort and family.

Charming really is in the eye of the beholder! I am laughing reading sandyponder's comments because to me charming isn't a used car salesman, charming is Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (separately and together), Cary Grant, and my husband's great aunt.

I think the problem is that charming can go off in several directions, toward the cute, cutesy, and frilly, as some have mentioned, and also toward the elegant. I was thinking of the charming/elegant this morning while looking at living room pics at the blog post below. To me, that's charming and elegant, though not everything is to my taste (the animal hide rug for starters). I think part of the charm comes from the smaller size of the room, so there may well be a size component to my definition of "charming", too...

More charming/elegant vs. charming/cute to be found at the current "show me the rest of your house" thread, for example, elizpiz's rooms,

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg031944246678.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Living room

thank you all for your thoughts, guidance and suggestions. i read your posts this morning on my blackberry when my head was still clear! you certainly are an intelligent and creative group.

i know i'll be revisiting this thread and your thoughts over the coming weeks. i'll probably notice/learn something new each time. thanks again. :)

OT to elizpiz, I lost out on that Windsor bench, darn! Guess the new front lobby will be a little less charming than I had hoped. Ah, but there's always NEXT week's auction...sigh.

I like your kitchen. I like your bookcase especially. I like your rough stone on the wall, although when I see it I think about it as an option for my dumpy fireplace. Your ideas have sparked plenty of excitement at our house!

laurainlincoln, Florantha, & lavender_lass. You are hereby invited to stop in unannounced any time! My kitchen has been called lots of things, I think even ONCE it was called charming. Coffee pot is always on. Sometimes there are cookies in the cookie jar. We could try out backsplash ideas. The "cluttered look" is becoming trying. I like all those things but.....Wish I would have ended up with display space.

Florantha, I left a bid on the cutest hen and chicks vintage picture at the auction house tonight. I don't expect to get it. And there was a set of butter dish, s&p, and flour and sugar, teapot in an orange/white crosshatch that I would LOVE to have. I know they will go too high and even if I got them, where would I put them?

Pinch me- Sounds lovely, and just the kind of kitchen I would call charming! Cookies in the cookie jar and coffee on the 'stove' as my grandmother would say :)

Florantha- Sorry about the bench, it seemed to be a great fit for your front lobby...but as you say, there's always next week and maybe you'll find an even better bench!

Kathy- I like that kitchen and I think one of the reasons is the curtains. I miss curtains, you just don't see them as much, anymore. I like fabric...it's colorful, soft and absorbs a lot of noise!

Laura- I meant to say that green cabinet is charming...and it's exactly the type of green I want to have for an accent color in my kitchen :)

Ironcook- Keep looking at photos on the Internet and in magazines...and see what feels charming to you. For me, it has to make you feel warm and cozy, but still light and airy. That makes no sense, right...but think of a kitchen with a big bay window seat, a kitchen table with a pretty table cloth (that's folded up, hanging over the back of a chair) while cookies cool on top. Maybe a bouquet of flowers, moved to the nearby counter...and a big chair and ottoman pushed over by a woodstove. It's still cool outside, so there's a small fire going, even during the day. Very inviting, cozy, bright and cheerful....all at the same time :)

O.T Pinch Me: Be stern, very stern. Gotta decide what's really important. Eyes on the prize, girl. Can you cluster those nostalgia items to make them into sets?

Uncle Leon and his friend Exie used to buy and bid at sales and auctions in the Panora-Yale area west of Des Moines. I'm trying to use the memory of their manias (and the fate of their stuff) to discipline myself. How will my kids handle the pile once I'm done playing with it? The best payoff was probably Leon's music boxes and willy-nilly silver, which always has melt value. But you _really_ have to love those other items to rationalize owning them at our age. As for the Windsor bench, well, that will always be the big fish that got away. Stories take up no space at all and we can brag up the charm of stuff that got away without being challenged.

I keep telling my kids, DON'T put all my Stuff in a box on a hayrack!! I have some good stuff and it's worth money. Put it all together and maybe real money. That's your inheritance! I spent it and now you get to figure out how to get it back. I've already clustered what I can. I need a wall and a mantle and a shelf and a printer's tray. That should do it!

I like playing with my stuff and I like to change things. Fortunately I have stuff to play with! If I put my vintage backsplash stuff away, what will I use for a backsplash? Thinking I might try some painted patterns. Paint is cheap and if I don't like it, easily changed. Or maybe if I can find a few more papers of my house's history I will put those there. I've even thought about using my curtain fabric as backsplash. I think glue it with starch. But......I don't know. Maybe.

I'm still after that last tablecloth that will cost too much. There are days when I think I won't attempt to get it next time I see it - and then there are days I think I will pay any price to have it. It's only money.

Florantha, so sorry about the bench but the optimist in me says that means something even better is in store :-).

We have an old wooden pew-style bench in the basement that I bought YEARS ago at a garage sale for $75. Apparently it came from a bank. For the first few years of our marriage it was an (uncomfortable) "sofa", and then migrated to the dining room as cozy seating for two. Now it sits as rarely used seating in the basement "family room", and I can't bear to part with it. If we were closer I would gladly offer it for your lobby.

Good luck with your choices and finds - best part of any remodel.

Eliz

Such an interesting thread. Like those that postulate that the opposite of love is indifference (rather than hate) I tend to think the opposite of charming is tasteful. I think we often see very beautiful and tasteful kitchens here but not many that are charming (not after the reno anyway - gorgeous for certain but often not that charming - in my estimation). There are many reason for this I am sure but I think most folks abandon their charming kitchens (if they were lucky enough to have charming to start with rather than the charmless mess some of are contending with) for better functionality. Given one has had charming and dysfunctional and is spending a boat load of $$$ it is not surprising most folks opt for more tasteful territory in their renovations.

I always think charming rests in the juxtapositions and the use of more idiosyncratic elements. I remember one poster with a very nice but very tasteful kitchen who ran out money and ended putting a two tone CVT floor in a pattern. That kitchen went from lovely to charming with that one element. I have a few other "charming" magazine favourites that showcase a wonderful mix of high and low elements as well as vintage(y) and new.

Just scrolled through this thread again. Something that leaps out at me is that many of the photos have ivy, shutters, or curtains at windows. Not only does the item itself bring charm, but I suspect that it's the sense of enclosure, of being separate and apart, of including the observer in a private world with its own strong happy rules.

I don't think a bald window with a huge Manhattan view would have "charm" for me until after dark when the darkened and twinkly world would become background and not competition for the activities in the room. Until then, big windows would tempt you to put yourself in the out, not the in. Charm has the confidence to look inward, it would seem. It's a smaller scale, personal world not a small physical space.

Interesting observation florantha. A closed-in coziness.

I chose my inspiration photo because I loved the lightness, the openness, and of course those cute cafe curtains. I'm such a sucker for fabrics.

Oh yeah, and the cute baby too.

Kathe

Just in response to Caryscott- I think you may be on to something, but so many times the new kitchens are large and high end...and I agree that's hard to reconcile with charming.

Charming is usually not huge (although it can be a big space with diffent functions) but it wouldn't be all sleek cabinetry and huge island...and by definition, industrial restaurant/style kitchens are not charming. They're industrial, the opposite of hand made and hand crafted, which I think is a big part of charming.

I also think charming has some vintage pieces or usable antiques (stress on usable) and fabrics, plants, and a little bit of clutter. It's important that people can tell someone actually lives there and you should see a bit of their personality, by what they feel is important enough to display.

So many of these high end kitchens are beautiful, but they don't look lived in. Everything is very funtional and has a specific storage space, often behind doors (sometimes even the microwave is hidden behind doors). A charming kitchen is functional, but you can see the function. Instead of form over fuction, I would say it's form as function.

Open shelves or glass uppers show you where the dishes are, so you can get your own glass of water. You often see pans hanging above the range or over a small island, so helping with cooking or cutting up veggies/salad stuff is easy. Appliances are rarely hidden or covered with cabinetry...they're there to be used and add to the function.

Where charming turns some people off (IMHO) is when the clutter starts to become form, over funtion. Dishes that are displayed should be used, cutting and work surfaces should be open and easily accessed (not piled with clutter) appliances should be functional, not decorative...so a wood stove or old gas stove should still be working. Floors, countertops, backsplash and cabinets should be durable and easy to clean. It's hard to imagine a high maintenance finish, in a truly charming kitchen. Yes, you might have a piece of marble for rolling out dough, but it's going to be etched and that's need to be okay.

Charming isn't for everyone...and it doesn't always work in a great room space. Part of the appeal is that it's a working kitchen and while you might have an island, table, cozy seating area (or maybe all of the above) it needs to first and foremost be a kitchen. If your idea of the perfect kitchen is a lovely space that hides all of its funtion and ends up looking more like a corner bar in your large living room...that's also a great look, but I don't know that I would call it charming...maybe stylish or modern, but not charming :)

I think that function can double as form. I agree with lav that hiding appliances takes away from the charm for me. On that line of thought, I am also one of the minority who will use a garbage can in my kitchen... no fumbling through every cabinet until the guest finds one. I also don't want to pay in money or space to house trash.
Of course, once our bs is in, we will have some open shelving for the most used dishes & glasses. I'd like anyone who walks in to be able to figure out how to get what they need. We want to be the "Kool Aid" house where our sons invite their friends over often and everyone feels welcome.
I think charming is when you are trying to make it nice for your family and guests vs trying to beat the Jones' and impress anyone. I'd rather everyone feel comfortable than to feel awed by our new kitchen.