I like browsing the locations at Inspace when I feel the need for a little property eye-candy. My interest isn’t limited to kitchens by any means, but since this blog is, sit back and be inspired by these gorgeous cooking-and-eating spaces.
Inspiration
Kitchen Idea: Re-bottle your dish soap
One of my favourite tips for creating a serene, unified space in any room is to get rid of branding. By that I mean, get your stuff out of the ugly packaging it comes in, and into something pretty! I keep grains and dried legumes in glass jars, remove store-bought cookies to a ceramic pot, and decant olive oil from a 3 lt. container into a small glass bottle by the stove.
Until I saw this at La Dolce Vita this week, I’d never thought to do anything about my bottle of dish soap, though. The photo is from the kitchen of Brooklyn Limestone, a fab reno blog that I read occasionally, and a little research taught me that the idea came from the incomparable Martha Stewart.
I think this is a great idea, especially if you can get as pretty a bottle as the one above. I imagine a pump-style would work better, though, so I’m on the hunt for one of those. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Colour in the kitchen: Red
Red is a natural choice for a kitchen. Symbolizing life and passion, it creates an energetic space, and apparently stimulates the appetite as well. Personally, I find too much red makes me a tad crazy, but I love it for details. Here are some of my favourite red kitchens from around the web.
In a gorgeous mid-century Eichler house, a neutral kitchen gets a bright red backsplash, from larryncelia:
Red chairs make this white dining area pop, from ooh_food‘s photostream:
These shiny candy-apple cabinets might not be to everyone’s tastes, but they work in this open-plan space, via decor8:
More red units from Marie Claire Maison. This time they’re matte, which works better in a small apartment kitchen:
The paint lends the colour in this retro kitchen from Living etc, meaning it can be changed on a whim:
Again from Living etc, this is red my way. Retro-modern details in a neutral space:
Kitchen Inspiration: Refrigerator remodels
The refrigerator is often the ugliest thing in a kitchen. Big, space-sucking and stupid looking, they can drain the charm from an otherwise lovely space. Sure, there are great options around (I do love me a smeg), but what to do if yours is one of those ho-hum models, and an upgrade isn’t on the cards? These are my favourite DIY solutions for a refrigerator makeover.
First up, Danny Seo’s chalkboard fridge, via Apartment Therapy. So pretty, not to mention useful:
Decals have been hot for a while now, but are still new for the kitchen. Etsy shop Small Time Art will custom-make a fridge accent in the colour of your choice:
French designer Fabien Barral did a great paint-and-decal job on his fridge, based on the vintage packaging of bouillion cubes:
I like this fridge from Design*Sponge because it’s so simple. Same old fridge, fab new magnets:
Possibly my favourite option of all, wallpaper is a great idea for a vintage-inspired kitchen. This one, also from Design*Sponge, makes me swoon:
Home Inspiration: Plates on the wall
Hanging a bunch of plates on a wall is hardly a new idea, but I’ve always loved the look for a kitchen or dining area. It can be sweet and vintage or modern and graphic, depending on the plates and arrangement you choose. A great way to show off a much-loved collection, it’ll certainly bring more joy than stacking them in a cupboard.
A collection of beautiful blues from Living etc:
From Canadian House & Home, these old-fashioned plates look whimsical and modern in a small kitchen:
Elaborate plates shine in a minimal space, via Sunset:
From the Bluelines blog, a colourful dining room arrangement:
Simple, modern and impactful, from Marimekko:
Colour in the kitchen: Purple
Purple is probably my least favourite hue on the colour wheel, but even I’d deign to cook in some of these lovely spaces. An unusual choice for a kitchen, perhaps, but purple is surprisingly versatile, and definitely makes a statement.
The cupboards do the work in this Paris kitchen from Marie-Claire Maison:
From the same source, a bright fuscia wall in an otherwise minimal space:
Soft and greyed, I actually really like this one from ooh_food:
A girly shade and some vintage charm, via Living Etc:
From Canadian House and Home, this periwinkle shade verges on blue, and looks great with stainless steel:
Home inspiration: Toast
UK clothing-and-homewares company Toast produces one of my favourite catalogues. I was going to pick a few items from the online shop to feature, but I think I’ll sit back and let the photos do the talking.
Blog find: Yvestown
I can’t believe that I’ve never stumbled across Yvonne Eijkenduijn’s blog, Yvestown, before. A Dutch photographer and decorator living in Belgium, Yvonne has a creative, retro and feminine style. (Also, a ridiculously cute cat.)
Also check out the Yvestown Lifestyle blog, and the Yvestown shop.
Flickr finds: open shelving
There are few things I like more in a kitchen than immaculate open shelving. There’s no room to do this in my own space, but check out the great examples I found on Flickr today.
Beautifully rustic in porcelain and wood, from ooh_food:
Colourful and modern from sarahleeab:
Cabin chic by Jordon:
In a fab 50′s kitchen from jslander:
Sleek but girly, by 3mieszczanka:
Kitchen trend: wallpaper
When my family moved into our current house, the kitchen was papered in the most grotesque yellow/orange/red wallpaper from the 50′s. Looking back, it was actually kind of cool, but my Mum hated it. One day, she let my sister and me rip it off the wall to our hearts’ content. (Wonderful way to keep a 7- and 4-year-old entertained, I imagine.) These papers, though, I would definitely not be ripping off my kitchen wall.
A colourful, sophisticated print works surprisingly well in a small kitchen, from The Kitchen Designer:
Via Apartment Therapy, this wallpaper was hand-painted , based on a vintage sample from a book:
I love this loft kitchen from Canadian House and Home. Unusually, the wallpaper is on the ceiling:
A modern-country look from House to Home (I love the colours here):
This red-and-cream look, from Design*Sponge, might just be my favourite:
