How to incorporate some color, particularly red, into my new kitchen
6 years ago
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I am in my new house, my new kitchen... BUT...
Comments (17)One way to handle putting an old self into a larger new kitchen is to draw a smaller old kitchen inside of it. All those things that used to live in the den? Or the basement? Or on the high shelves of the kids' closets? Those are still your least used things. It's great to be able to store them in the kitchen now, but you don't want to have the Christmas dishes and turkey roaster and martini glasses between you and the action. As much as you can, put the stuff you use the most away first, and do it in the tightest workflow area you can, best at point of use, designing your point of use at the closest comfortable place to the previous and next steps in the cooking process. If there's room leftover in your working path--like whole empty shelves or drawers, you can put in some of the least used stuff that makes sense in that location (roaster in the cooking zone, etc.) and put the rest of the overage in the more outlying areas, pantry, wherever isn't blocking you from using your kitchen efficiently. I think Buehl has winter dishes in her dish area because there was room (and she has a very efficient kitchen), but if you can tighten up your workspace by putting the Christmas china out, do it! And swap it in at Christmas time, if you use it all day for a month....See MoreSurprise! Chimney in my new kitchen design. How do I embrace it?
Comments (4)Got a pic? Is there anything preventing you from abandoning the brick run which is causing you other problems and running the flue straight up to the attic (before realigning to the external chase) via sheet metal? You are being threatened by a 100 year old bad (bad?) design trying to dictate what you do today if I read that right. Do you want the brick (maybe needing expen$ive work to be restored to safe reliable working condition?) or do you want your kitchen? A repair mason may actually suggest lining it with a metal flue. Modern sheet metal is very adaptable stuff; brick isn't. A flue made out of brick will be, what, six or seven inches thicker than one made out of a double layer of sheet metal, the flue space within being equal? Of course removing a brick structure may reveal that it's supporting something, accidentally or deliberately, that would then have to be repaired, and it would be a permanent removal. You say it's pretty but the KD wants to hide it. I think that people 100 years ago didn't think much about exposed utility brick being proper design and you may find a horrendously ugly bricklaying job under the carefully applied plastering. There's one way to find out, but removing plaster without damaging brickface often isn't easy, clean, or cheap. Looking at all that it sounds like a scolding! It's not, I swear. I wouldn't want that decision....See MoreHow can I make my kitchen look more contemporary?New canisters?(p
Comments (32)I'll chime in as a fan of contemporary myself, and a not-so-much fan of country. Your kitchen definitely has a country look to it for reasons already posted. The natural color oak cabs unfortunately don't fall into any description of contemporary, but I would expect touching the cabs to be off the table. If you need canisters for practical reasons (e.g. storage), then consider stainless steel. I got a nice set from Costco for not much money, and Crate & Barrel also have nice ones. Your family room has a contemporary look to it (with the exception of the table lamp). If you look at the elements there in comparison to your kitchen, what you see are solid colors, clean lines, and a lack of nicknacks. Look at the window treatments in particular. Solid color valence, and solid color drapes. Also look at the artwork over the fireplace. Dramatic dark frame that matches the color of the fireplace below, complementary colors in the matting, and a repeating dark brown mat towards the inside. So ask yourself, "how do I bring these design themes to my kitchen?" Well, replace the window treatment with a solid color. I would recommend a dramatic color that matches some other elements in the room such as your counters. Vertical pleating such as you have now is more country. No pleating (like your window valence in the family room) or horizontal pleating (like in roman shades) are more contemporary. Although roman shades always have a summer beach house feel for me, but that's probably just me. For the stuff on top of the cabinets, you should replace them with repeating items in solid or repeating colors. For example you could use a dozen clear/colored art glass plates that again match the counters. The key here is to use multiples of the same item in the same or similar colors, whereas currently you have a mix of disparate items (plate, jug, basket, bottle, etc). Anyway you get the idea - repeating elements, repeating colors, simple lines, no clutter. Those things say "contemporary" to me. Good luck and I hope that helps a little....See MoreHow to incorporate real red oak floors and lvp
Comments (18)LVP is an awesome product. It's durable, beautiful, and feels great under foot. Can't ask for much more in a floor. However, wood look flooring should never butt up against another wood look floor. Wood look tile should not butt up against LVP or hardwood floors, etc. Two different color hardwoods shouldn't meet either. I would do a cool tile in the hallway. Herringbone or encaustic. Make it look like a deliberate design. Then have it with LVP in the rest of the living area. You'll be happy with it, it will look great, and it won't destroy your budget. Was...See MoreRelated Professionals
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