Please help with tiny Caribbean cottage interior color & design
We are about to move into this small 2BR cottage. First on the list is to paint the walls. Then we will replace the kitchen appliances. My questions are many. How can I update this small space? I am leaning towards a white kitchen with either black or stainless appliances. Thoughts? What would be a good white to paint both kitchen & living? How about the trim that is presumably to hide drapery hardware? The cabinets are laminate/Formica. Maybe paint the countertops black? The floors are Saltillo and I love them. The windows/sliding glass doors are currently closed or hidden but when open allows lots of natural light. I posted pics of the living area as well because the rooms are basically together. All shelving/furnishings will go away. There is another window behind the black shelves along back wall. There are two sliding glass doors on the wall to the right. One is hidden behind yet more shelving. (Video is actually a screenshot photo ). Sofa is white slipcovered (not pictured). Rug will be sisal. Rest of furnishings to come later. Please help! Thank You.
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William Poole Design- Calabash Cottage- Help Please!
Comments (160)Here is ours. I believe this discussion has maxed out at 150 posts. See the link to Part 2 of the Calabash Cottage below the picture. Here is a link that might be useful: PART 2 - Calabash Cottage This post was edited by -Bryan on Tue, Oct 28, 14 at 8:15...See MoreLayout help, please! Tiny '20s kitchen, big problems
Comments (88)Look at Bmorepanic's layout on Fri, Mar 12, 10 at 12:09; it has a similar layout for a range on that wall...only with more work room. You really need more than 12" next to a doorway for safety's sake. While 12" may be Code, that doesn't mean it's best, especially if you have/are planning to have gas. There also isn't much workspace room overall next to it...I know it's better than what she currently has, but that doesn't mean it's enough or that it can't be even better. Another consideration...be sure to have at least a 24" overhang if you have the range (or cooktop) in that location. I do not recommend seating behind a range or cooktop, but if you insist on doing it, at least make it safe! Venting will also be an issue...for truly adequate venting, you need an overhead range hood...in this case, you'll need an "island range hood". [The majority of downdrafts are ineffective. Telescoping downdrafts are better, but then you have a vent in front of anyone sitting there and it's only effective for items right next to it and shorter than it by several inches.] About island range hoods... First, island range hood's are more expensive than wall hoods. Second, an island hood will hang down in front of anyone working or sitting there, will block the view to/from the DR & Kitchen, and will put the noise of a hood in your visitor's ears...and if you put in a raised bar, it's even worse b/c your visitors will be sitting another 6" higher and closer to the hood. Third, island range hoods need to be larger and/or stronger than wall hoods b/c of the increased air currents...meaning more $$ and more noise. Noise can be cut down by getting an even stronger hood and running it on low, but that adds yet more $$$ Fourth, that hood hanging down will most likely be a "commanding presence"...unless you get a low profile hood (meaning a thin hood) and/or glass (which means cleaning it often)...but those hoods have even less capture capability b/c there's no place to trap smoke/steam/grease/odors/etc. for venting out...so that means an even larger hood and more power and probably mounting even lower. IMHO, it's made even worse b/c the area is so small...a large hood will overwhelm that small peninsula. There are three main differences b/w BmorePanic's layout & JohnLiu's: Seating on the DR side of the kitchen. Is there room to take 24" of counter + seating space out of it? I can't tell from the pictures. Refrigerator location...I like John's location better b/c it puts it on the periphery and allows outsiders to get to it w/o interfering with those working in the kitchen DW location....I like Bmorepanic's better...it keeps the DW out of the Cooking Zone and out of the best Prep Zone...also across from the range. Why is that the best Prep Zone? Two reasons: (1) Because it's directly across from the range so going back & forth is easier and (2) It's out of traffic coming in/out of the kitchen. ......See MoreContemporary or tropical...design help please!
Comments (29)An out of the box idea came to me about your house: there are amazing wonderful inexpensive solid wood furniture that are sold in these stores that sell Asian (usually from Thailand, China, and Indonesia). These are usually made of teak or Asian oak that are very light in color. They are really durable tropical wood. I actually have a bench by my front door made from reclaimed wood from a torn down building in China. The scale of these furniture is amazing. My bench is made of 6 inch thick pieces of wood. What about using some of these pieces of furniture to make unfitted unique kitchen in your house. Crate and Barrel is selling alot of furniture with this wood. The colors would be absolutely stunning with your light stone floor. (They look like unpolished slate) The texture would also look great since the grains in these wood are slightly rougher and you leave it as is. This will bring in the tropical theme since they are truly the Asian tropical origin. I am not a fan of palm frond, teal and coral tropical decor that you see in rental condos....See MorePlease help me with my tiny kitchen layout!
Comments (27)Hi Rosie! Thanks! Using the front room for dining is a great idea, however we DO use our front room quite a bit as well, because when I'm cooking/cleaning or watching a movie with my daughter, my hubby can go up front and sit in the sofa with our dog and read, so it functions as a quiet "away" room (Sarah Susanka, anyone?) but he can still feel connected to us. And vice versa. That's also where our fireplace is, and we like to hang out there, especially when our families come out from the east coast to stay with us. I think we looked into it being a dining room, but the proportions didn't work. Ah, the joys of small urban living! Maybe I should post that plan too! However, I also love hearing about your lack of need for a prep sink. Does your husband or anyone else use the kitchen at the same time as you?...See MoreHillary Nobles
5 years agoHillary Nobles
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoHillary Nobles
5 years agoTangerinedoor-below are some of my favorites-even if they are much bigger spaces. West Indies/British Colonial Plantation/bright & airy cottage-y is the goal.
beckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
5 years agoCongratulations on your new house : ) .
below are some of my favorites-even if they are much bigger spaces. West Indies/British Colonial Plantation/bright & airy cottage-y is the goal.
Then stay away from black. Especially large masses of black. It can be used judiciously, in small amounts with other colors. Like this, at India Hicks's house in the Bahamas,
Just ask yourself, WWIHD?
(What would India Hicks do?)
An India Hicks kitchen on Harbour Island,
You might also want to take a look at Amanda Lindroth, who does interior design, has a book, a blog, and pictures online.
Also, the general long-standing very good advice in the Kitchen forum is to live with your new-to-you kitchen for at least six months to a year before undertaking any updates, major or minor. You'll have a better idea of how the kitchen functions for you, what you like and don't like about the kitchen, with the extra benefit of saving up a bit more money and not spending on something (like painting countertops) if you end up deciding on replacing them or living with them until you can do a bigger remodel.
Hillary Nobles thanked beckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionallybeckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
5 years ago
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5 years agolast modified: 5 years ago
beckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally