Kitchen Inspiration

The best part of any renovation is the planning: measuring, drawing, dreaming, looking for inspiration photos, and finally shopping. No matter what stage of the renovation we happen to be at, we are always in the market for some inspiration, and we have been known to completely alter plans if we happen upon something really great that needs to be incorporated into the design. So here is a little sampling of beautiful little nuggets that are keeping us motivated to finish. Each one of these photos has an element or two that we plan on weaving into the final kitchen. Can you guess which ones?

Southern Living

SchappacherWhite Ltd. via myhomeideas.com

Amoroso Design

Wendy Possard

Mueller Nicholls Cabinets

Jessica Helgerson

Mueller Nicholls Cabinets

Christian Rice Architects

The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn

Rebekah Zaveloff, KitchenLab & Design in a bag.com

Denyse Rinfret via Traditional Home

House Beautiful

Michelle Dunker

Beautiful Kitchens

Amoroso Design

The Case for White

Maybe because it is spring and the world outside my door is in a constant state of renewal, or maybe because of all this bright sunlight streaming in through my open windows, but I am having a serious hankering to lighten up inside. I would love to slipcover my sofas in crisp white, paint my hardwood floors a creamy linen, and lighten up all my dark furniture with a fresh coat of light gray paint.  I found this home on 1st-option and immediately fell in love. (p.s. don't follow that link unless you have a whole day to kill. Seriously, that is eight hours I will never get back. That website might be where my productivity meets it's demise.)

I am posting this over at The Inspired Room. Head on over there for more inspiring spaces.

House Stalking: Sherman Avenue

I drove through this neighborhood the other day and was curious about this renovation. A quick google search led me to Brach Design (isn't the internet great?) This tiny dilapidated house sat on a 25 foot wide lot in an up-and-coming district (though you would never be able to tell that from the before pics of this house). The size of the lot required that the design be approved by the neighbors and the city Planning Division. Brach Design was able to devise a plan that restored the original structure and its relationship to the street, while adding space above and below ground to achieve 2,200 square feet of clean modern spaces flooded with natural light.

Before

During: The front structure of the house remains intact while footings are poured for the two story expansion.

After: I love that they kept the same lines of the old porch roof and updated it with the metal pergola. The slate porch ties in nicely with the new landscaping. 

After: View of the back of the house. A juliet balcony extends from the new master bedroom.  

Inside: Because the lot is narrow, so too is the house. This layout is very similar to a New Orleans shotgun style house with all the rooms lining up from front to back. Although the use of different flooring does set the living room area apart from the hallway, I would have kept the floors all the same material to allow the eye to flow more from the living room to the back of the house.  

The streamlined kitchen sits at the back of the home with a sliding glass door that leads to the back garden.

Small scale glass tile visually expands the space and a european style glass enclosure keeps this small bath looking fresh, clean, light, and airy. Lesson to learn: keeping the vanity low with the sink placed on top doesn't take up as much visual space as having a higher vanity with an inset sink. Something to think about if you are working within a small footprint such as this. 

The Banquette Effect

Last week, I was discussing my kitchen renovation plans with a friend of mind and I told her that we are planning on incorporating a banquette into a corner of the kitchen. Her response? Ew yuck, along with a look of terror! Now mind you my friend and I don't always see eye to eye (she prefers Jean- Claude Van Damme, I prefer Matt Damon, she likes high heels and running (separately, of course), while I go for ballet flats and biking) but when it comes to design we usually have the same instincts.  So I was understandably shocked at her reaction to my brilliant plan. I demanded an explanation and got an earful of her phobias of dive-e, greasy spoon, poorly lit diners. You know the ones - the place where your *insert male figure with terrible taste* drags you to every weekend because this place has the best tuna melt/six egg omelet/other nausea inducing indelicacy. The type of place with fake flowers stapled to the wall, an inch of dust dating to the 80's, and a cold, sterile booth covered in plastic coated checkered cloth which makes a screeching sound as you slide your rear across it. Yes, at this point in our discussion my friend was curled up in a fetal position singing 'You Are My Sunshine." I get it, THAT banquette is bad. Fetal position inducing. 

So I dragged out the laptop and opened the folder titled "kitchen inspiration" and coaxed her out of her hell and into a happy place. Banquettes don't have to look like they were installed in the 50's by a red-faced screaming chef wearing a starched white coat and barking out orders in German. Banquettes can be good. 

Here are three reasons why I will be putting one in my kitchen: 

1. Banquettes are perfect for small spaces, an unused corner, or an awkward nook because they take up less space than a free-standing table with chairs.

2. You can create one with a free-standing settee or bench, or opt for a built-in upholstered bench which can provide an abundance of storage space (did you hear that? Storage space!)

3. There is always room for one more friend at the table, just scooch up a little closer on the bench. Relax, you're friends. 

Molly Frey

Caroline Scheeler via Country Living

Rachel Ashwell

Decorpad

S.R. Gambrel

Decorpad

BHG

Domino

BHG

Chris Barret via House Beautiful

Cottage Living

Metropolitan Home

Morgan Harrison Home

BHG

BHG

BHG

BHG

BHG

BHG

What about you? Does the idea of a banquette make you want to curl up in a ball and cry? Or does it impel you to invite your friends over and whip up a big batch of strawberry crepes?