Two adjacent empty kitchen walls - need decorating!
We’ve been in our newly gutted/renovated house for about 6 weeks and I’m hoping to get down to a little more actual decorating of the kitchen. I purposefully kept it very neutral, knowing I’d bring in color with art and decorations. Right about now I’m actually feeling desperate for a little color.
Because I have the 2 adjacent walls, both empty and relatively large, I want to make sure that whatever I do on one goes well with whatever I do on the other. But I don’t want them to be too matchy-matchy. Does that make sense?
As you can see from my clear countertops, I like things uncluttered. I feel that I cluttered my walls in my last house and I want to avoid that here. I’d like it to look simple and neat. My kitchen is self-contained and a true eat-in, so I’m not worried about complementing any other room in the house. (Note: even if you think I should be concerned with coordinating with my living room, through the French doors which are almost always open, I’m just not…)
What I don’t want: word art (I’m over it), a command center (we’re empty nesters, so not too much to command), or a beach theme (we are at the beach, but as I said above, I overdid it in my previous house and I’m not interested in going that route again in this kitchen)
What I like: botanical art and vintage kitchen posters
What I’m open to, but not sure how to or if I should use: a wall clock, a mirror, baskets, boards
I’m guessing this is going to be a work-in-progress for a while and I’m not wanting to rush and get it all done immediately. But I feel that I need a bit of a plan and a place to start.
Also, IRL my lighting is nowhere near this harsh and the reflections and shadows are not an issue. Something about taking a photograph - it doesn’t show as well.
Any suggestions on what to get and how to pull it together would be appreciated. Thanks.
Comments (13)
last yearlast modified: last year
last yearlast modified: last yearRight off the bat...change out the chandelier. Yours is too small, hung too high off the table and the wrong shape. With the correct piece, if you look at your photo #3, the wall will be a back drop and you won't need anything for that wall. Width is 1/2 size of the table. Hang 30" to 35" over table top. I find 36" is a bit high...you judge when you are seated at the table. I like the posted chandeliers, but you will have your own idea.
Question: why only 5 chairs and why three on one side?As for the adjacent wall, a good size piece of art will work. It maybe your photo, but the island doesn't look centered under the two recessed lights. If you keep the doors open, use middle of the island as your guide for hanging a nail.
I am coastal, Cape Cod, and I agree about all the beachy junk that winds up in rental houses. But, a beautiful scene of a beach or boats, would fit right into your kitchen. Going to find some suggestions, but I would advise you frame with a dark wood frame...no white, or navy blues..
These are all GreatBigCanvas, framed in walnut wood, but again you will have your own opinion of art you love. All come in different sizes up to 50' wide, so you can go larger on the wall.
Had to chose the next one because daughter and friends are going ot Ogunquit ME next weekend.
Related Discussions
evergreen screen needed for tight, sunny spot adjacent to wall
Comments (12)Ok, so first, I wouldn't worry about her pruning anything that overhangs her side. That is her right, and your plant can still do its job if it is pruned. In fact, if I were you I'd keep it pruned so that you control its pruning, not her, and since it would be your plant. You can prune the branches short to encourage bushiness rather than cutting them at the trunk. Second, one reason I was interested in a photo was that I couldn't picture this wall, whether it went up or down or retained something or what. This still hasn't quite told me what I would like to know, namely whether trees planted could damage the wall. Is it her driveway on the other side, and if so, is it at the same level as your ground? I'm wondering whether tree roots could blow out the wall on her side. You said it was her wall, and that could be your liability. I would get rid of the euonymous, and the ivy, which will kill any tree you try to plant there. The wall is attractive, so there is no worry about limbing things up, but you don't actually need to limb up all around a plant; just the branches that grow out to your sidewalk. Think of the plant as growing in a fan shape, two dimensionally. In front of the wall you just take out branches growing forward and backward, but above the wall you can cut short as I described above. You can use a number of strategies here, remembering that plants are living things that need to transition into and out of the ideal size you need. You can interplant both fast and slow-growing things, taking out the faster growing ones as they outgrow the space and the slower-growing ones get to size. For example there is a wonderful Ilex cultivar called Mariesii that would take time to grow in, but would serve once it gets there for many years. Grow it to size in the company of a fast-growing Physocarpus that you grow in a fan shape. Another strategy is to use maybe two fast-growing shrubs, planting and culling on a staggered schedule so you always have some coverage. You can also plant a broader canopy tree right where that big weed is (borage?) to use the airspace you have to block the view - you don't have to do it right at the property line. This is just to say that fastigiate is not your only option. But if you want to go fastigiate, I think I would look into some specimen conifers that are attractive in and of themselves - say a gold and a green or blue variety of weeping norway spruce or something, maybe with the shooting-upright type of junipers, maybe a juniper gold cone - because putting something you like to look at in that spot will enhance your experience of your space. The weeping conifers can even keep their skirts if you just trim them to the walk. KarinL...See MoreEmpty kitchen spot needs help
Comments (10)Off the top of my head, here's what I would do. A hutch, maybe 16 tor 20'' deep base, as wide as you can, centered between window and door and giving clearance for the peninsula seating. 12'' deep uppers. All one unit of course. A ''countertop'' a little above cabinet height, 15 or 18'' of open space, cabs above. maybe if you have room, two stacked drawer units (4 x 6 file cab size or so) joining base and upper cabs, Take it up to height of the top of your cabinets Use the same or darker woods as your cabinets and maybe the same countertop. Or maybe reverse the colors, espresso wood similar to the door color, and perhaps a lighter wood top? Make it say both kitchen and living area. Personally, I think I would have it built by my cabinet maker. Hmmm. could the ''backsplash somehow pick up on the checkerboard BS trim in the kitchen?...See MoreDoes this look okay? Two different wood look floors in adjacent rooms
Comments (16)@Kristel Quintana - if your joists are too warped for tile, they are probably too warped for vinyl planks. If this is the case, I would recommend sheet vinyl instead. And NO sheet vinyl does NOT have to be the ugly sort. There are some stunning visuals in sheet vinyl that do NOT look like wood. In fact, you can get some STUNNING slate look floors that would look amazing next to the bamboo and the cabinets. Please, please, please assess your "flatness" quotient for the vinyl planks. Double and triple check your floor. The best way to do that = remove the existing vinyl. The existing embosed sheet vinyl needs to come out anyway....you might as well do it to see what your subfloor flatness rating sits at. Flooret is like all other planked vinyl....it needs SUPER FLAT ("perfect" comes to mind). If you realize your existing subfloor isn't going to cut it, I HIGHLY recommend looking at a sheet product to keep your preparation costs down. In other words, replace "like with like"....See MoreNeed help with empty walls
Comments (9)There are several things you could do, but a set of two or three prints running horizontally above the sectional would be nice to add some color to the space. Add some pillows to the sectional to pull in some color. Place some accessories on the console. I'd like to see the plant get moved onto the console on the left side to add balance since the tv doesn't appear to be centered over the console. Then add a larger plant by the sliding door. I like your idea of adding some storage in the space between sofa and kitchen. I would make it tall like Ikea's Billy Bookcases or one of their tall Pax storage units. How's your lighting? Doesn't look like there is a lot of room for a floor lamp or table next to the sectional, but you could do wall sconces behind the sectional on either side of the prints. Keep the total span of it around 2/3's the length of the sectional. Add a couple of chairs out on your patio with some pillows, a plant and a throw to help pull that eye out and make the space feel larger. It's a lovely apartment and you've got a great foundation to work with....See More
last year- last yearlast modified: last year
- last year
- last year
- last year
- last year
- last year
- last year
I'm updating this thread only because, well....you never know what someone might be looking for here on Houzz.
I decided to go for a nice big piece of furniture to take up the largest wall in my kitchen. This bookcase/pantry matches my table and it will provide some much-needed storage as we continue to downsize from our large pre-retirement house 1,200 miles away. Eventually we won't own it, but for now it's still home to plenty of stuff I'll be bringing down here.
Still plenty to do, especially in the decorating department....
- 7 months ago
Why or why did I fight with myself so hard to NOT turn my too-big table 90 degrees?!?!
I feel that my entire kitchen looks and feels larger. Still a bit of a work-in-progress.
Susan WOriginal Author