Comments on Things That Inspire: A Kitchen Post

These are great pictures!!! I am still such a fan ...

2010-05-07T13:59:20.930-04:00

These are great pictures!!! I am still such a fan of the "white kitchen." Always so much character.
http://livinginbeautyandcomfort.blogspot.com/

BEAUTIFUL! Like you, I too am drawn to white kitc...

2010-03-21T13:11:58.948-04:00

BEAUTIFUL! Like you, I too am drawn to white kitchens. I have one myself and I couldn't be happier. A trend where I live in Canada seems to be towards dark cabinetry, but I went against the trend and went white and I am thrilled. I would do it again! Thanks for the post. I am adding this to my favorites.

Can you tell me the fabric designer for the window...

2010-01-26T21:55:17.672-05:00

Can you tell me the fabric designer for the window treatments in the very last photo on this post? I love your blog so much!! We will be renovating our home built in 1950. I'm getting great ideas from your posts!!

LOVE this post! The Gwyn Duggan kitchen makes me d...

2009-11-11T08:51:45.767-05:00

LOVE this post! The Gwyn Duggan kitchen makes me drool! We are about to begin a kitchen reno and I am so inspired by these photos. Can anyone tell me what color they think the blue on the walls are? I am sitting here with 200 BM paint chips and I'm very confused! Would White Dove work well with the light blue? I would really appreciate any input - Thanks, Jen

Oh my, I am drooling over here - these kitchens ar...

2009-10-29T00:46:13.425-04:00

Oh my, I am drooling over here - these kitchens are fabulous! I can't even choose my favorite! Lovely photos, great post.

Chelsea

These were all beautiful spaces. I personally lik...

2009-10-26T14:31:16.222-04:00

These were all beautiful spaces. I personally like the contrast with either the mix of the dark and the white/cream cabinetry with the light floors or the white/cream cabinetry with the dark flooring.

I don't see these kitchens as being trendy because there are enough classic features in them... but sometimes just updating the lighting fixtures and the hardware will give it a freshening up.

What a lovely post! As to the marble, we have a m...

2009-10-25T12:35:37.710-04:00

What a lovely post! As to the marble, we have a mix of honed marble and a granite called Cambria black satin in our new kitchen. The marble is on the kitchen island and we have a marble backsplash as well. I love the way the marble looks but am too...well...anal to weather stains all over the place. The Cambria black satin is a honed satin finish - almost like an aged soapstone, but obviously much sturdier. Like the granite Joni from Cote de Texas described below, it is slightly pebbled and has great texture. It was a good compromise between my aesthetic desires and my practicality. The marble has some stains (the kitchen is about a year old) - grease is a big enemy of marble. That said, if you can handle the occasional stain, nothing beats honed marble for looks. I have Carerra all over our bathrooms and feel like I'm showering in a hotel every day!

There are some wonderful kitchens here. I have al...

2009-10-24T16:41:46.721-04:00

There are some wonderful kitchens here.
I have always loved the idea of having a fireplac in the kitchen, and am suprised that this is not a more prevelant trend. I am hoping to put one in the next large kitchen I do!
Thank you
David @ Ashfield Hansen Design

www.ashfieldhansendesign.blogspot.com

Love these kitchens!! My favorite is the one with ...

2009-10-24T15:22:08.414-04:00

Love these kitchens!! My favorite is the one with the Aga range... so simple!

And I love marble countertops too, but it sounds like you do as much cooking as I do and marble is such a hassle! I recommend granite that is sealed VERY well (my Mom has well-sealed granite and it will last forever, but I have granite that was very poorly sealed and hate it) or some type of composite countertop. I like this new thing called IceStone, it's made of recycled glass bottles + concrete, and some of them look like granite! There's also Corian, which my parents swear by, but you can't put a hot casserole dish on it or anything like that. Also look up CesarStone.

If you must have a kitchen with at least SOME marble, another option is to use marble tiles as your backsplash (like the kitchen of the reader of Cote de Texas) and your countertop a different material.

Oh I love kitchen posts! Wonderful photos! I, to...

2009-10-22T13:49:38.442-04:00

Oh I love kitchen posts! Wonderful photos!
I, too, have White Dove as my trim through-out my house,and on my kitchen cabinets. I absolutely love it!
Regarding the marble... I have a honed Venatino on my island and even with a sealer it does etch.... I'm thinking of doing the Meg Ryan tomato wash!! But trying to figure out if an etch will etch again on top of an etch;)! I think 'mind-set' is the biggest thing to overcome with marble- first you have to really want it, then remember that it's been used for centuries in Europe and finally, just let it be. Patina is a good thing!
Great post!

There is a simple elegance to all of the kitchens ...

2009-10-21T20:06:15.949-04:00

There is a simple elegance to all of the kitchens in your post. Like you, I could never do a patterned tile in my kitchen. I don't want my kitchen to scream at me. Instead I prefer a serene place that can be a backdrop to all of the family chaos that goes on in the kitchen.
Like many of the others, I have never had a problem with my marble. I actually think it looks better now with a little age than it did when it was new.
In regards to hoods, although I do love a pretty hood, I actually don't have a hood in either of my kitchens. I put my stove in front of the window and just open it up if it gets a little smokey! I think I can get away with this because I live in a temperate climate plus I don't cook very much!

Great post.

xo
Brooke

Yet another post to love. Crazy for subway tiles i...

2009-10-21T13:11:09.358-04:00

Yet another post to love. Crazy for subway tiles in a herringbone pattern.

I'm torn between white cabinets and black...

I love those kitchens, we have the same taste! Int...

2009-10-21T12:39:43.579-04:00

I love those kitchens, we have the same taste! Interesting your comment on white dove. . . I like the sound of that!

Shop the widest selection of kitchen furniture f...

2009-10-21T06:27:59.193-04:00

Shop the widest selection of kitchen furniture for your home from spacify.

I especially love the Victoria Hagan kitchen - fre...

2009-10-21T00:58:28.903-04:00

I especially love the Victoria Hagan kitchen - fresh, full of light, without a whole lot of embellishments. Love the ceiling, lighting and furniture!

Love the kitchen with the great big chairs around ...

2009-10-20T23:19:34.089-04:00

Love the kitchen with the great big chairs around the table. Guests always want to crowd in the kitchen whether you like it or not. The "gathering place" is definitely always the kitchen. I've always thought that a kitchen should have a sitting area for at least 4 friends to sit and chat with you while you prepare meals or just sit with a glass of wine and appetizers. Having these comfortable chairs around a table makes it more casual and relaxing! Thanks for this great post with amazing photo's. I too loved all the lighting!

amazing kitchens. i am beginning to think i want ...

2009-10-20T21:36:07.519-04:00

amazing kitchens.

i am beginning to think i want my next kitchen to have a huge counter height table, with beautiful counter height chairs.

these rooms have inspired me.
xx

Wow, such beauty and elegance!! Stunning examples!...

2009-10-20T20:54:36.380-04:00

Wow, such beauty and elegance!! Stunning examples!

bookmarking this one!! so many beautiful simple e...

2009-10-20T16:19:43.766-04:00

bookmarking this one!! so many beautiful simple elegant kitchens. I have the same thoughts myself about marble- I adore the look but am so messy I just don't know if it's for me. (And when I see it wrapping up onto the backsplash!!! ah perfection!!!) But it sound slike commenters are saying the honed is ok?

I love light kitchens too... and beautiful fixtures are key.
gorgeous post!

Thanks for the suggestion - I didn't know about Th...

2009-10-20T14:13:57.650-04:00

Thanks for the suggestion - I didn't know about The Lettered Cottage, so not only did I get a great tutorial but a great new site. Thanks a ton!

I am in LOVE with Gwyn Duggan's kitchen! I wish m...

2009-10-20T11:24:20.991-04:00

I am in LOVE with Gwyn Duggan's kitchen! I wish mine were big enough for the table and wing chair combo. This is such a fantastic idea!

I liked creamy/white kitchens with white marble 10...

2009-10-20T10:41:39.399-04:00

I liked creamy/white kitchens with white marble 10 years ago, and still like them. I don't think any major changes will occur with your very classic taste - just maybe the "accessories" -like fixtures and appliances.

Beautiful pictures.

Thanks for a fantastic, inspirational post. X V

2009-10-20T04:33:14.221-04:00

Thanks for a fantastic, inspirational post.
X
V

Too many great images! My personal favorite is Jim...

2009-10-20T00:15:57.068-04:00

Too many great images! My personal favorite is Jim Howard's kitchen. Both traditional and contemporary. Yet another great post that will be saved in my style file. Happy week! OX, Monika

Thank you for the comments, everyone! Regarding c...

2009-10-19T22:24:26.489-04:00

Thank you for the comments, everyone!

Regarding cabinets - I seem to recall that the Lettered Cottage has a good post on painting cabinets? For mine, I hired my wonderful painters, who have painted just about every square inch of my house at some point or another over the past 10 years. They took the cabinet faces off and painted them off site (I think that they cleaned them, sanded them and sprayed them). The cabinet bases were painted in my kitchen. All were painted with an oil based paint, which smelled horrible but we were out of town for most of the month so we did not have to deal with the fumes. The result is beautiful - the finish is very hard because of the oil based paint, and the appearance is nice and smooth. The painter recommended a glossy finish, but I wanted satin. I am very happy with my choice - they truly look new.