Happy Friday! Check out this lovely pair of pics from Catskills Grrl‘s Green Cottage set. I must still be in the cottage mood, because I’m seriously loving these.
Archive for July 2009
Kitchen Inspiration: At the cottage
I’m giving the modern, colourful kitchens a bit of a rest today. August is nearly upon us and that means I’m craving Ontario/Quebec cottage country. Reading on the dock, barbecues on the porch, campfires on the beach- it’s what summer should be about, no?
Obviously, food and cooking is an important part of any cottage experience. So what makes a successful cottage kitchen? Lots of light, warm wood, a dose of vintage charm and a healthy appreciation of clutter sets these spaces apart from their city counterparts.
In this space from thekitchendesigner, an old wood table is made modern by the addition of a practical range:
From the same source, this space has a great mix. The patterned wall is modern and funky, but the wainscotting and fabric valence are pure county cool:
Perhaps a bit too “finished” to be a real cottage, this space from Canadian House and Home nonetheless does a great job of bringing the outside in with the use of stone and wood. After all, that’s what cottage living is all about:
Now, this kitchen, found via Coastal Living, is pure cabin in the woods. I love how the white units pop in the rustic space:
I found this Copenhagen Cottage on my favourite design blog, Decor8. Originally from Swedish mag Hus & Hem, it’s got style and cottage charm in spades:
I love the candy colours in this Long Island bungalow kitchen, found on Martha Stewart. Definitely cottage-y, but oh-so-fun, too:
Etsy finds: Teatime
I’m not much of a coffee drinker, but I love to start and end my day with a mug of hot tea. On special occasions though, I like my cuppa with a side of vintage kitsch. If you do too, check out the great finds searching “tea” will get you on Etsy:
Obviously, the pot’s the thing, and this classic Copper Tea Kettle from Rough Gems is a great thing, indeed:
If you like your vintage slightly more mod, how about this pot, sugar and creamer set from Found Vintage Style:
I love the look of mismatched cups and saucers, but Etsy seems to have mainly sets. Still, you’ve got to start somewhere, and I like this 8-piece porcelain snack set from Adventures In Vintage:
If you’ve got the cups but just need a sugar bowl and creamer, this Prolon Set from MarianneClare’s Vintage Kitchen is surprisingly modern-looking:
You’ll need somewhere to pile all those teatime goodies, and I think this 2-tiered cake stand from Sunshinesketches is perfect for the task:
Cool Kitchen: Modern Classic in Sydney
I saw this Sydney, Australia kitchen in an Apartment Therapy home tour last week. Max and Peter’s Squeaky-Clean Quarters is an excellent example of Modern Classic design, and probably what you’d expect from the owners of fab eco-cleaning company Murchison-Hume.
I love the blackboard wall, which not only adds interest and is practical, but really opens up what is essentially a narrow galley kitchen. The modern open shelving and a healthy dose of stainless steel keep it real, too.
The rest of the space, though, is actually quite traditional: classic white units (from IKEA, if you can believe it), dark countertops, a subway tile backsplash and quality silver fixtures. I also love the little door that opens into the pantry!
Check out the entire house in the AT slideshow.
Gourmet Traveller Magazine
Etsy is down for maintenance right now, so a little Monday eye candy will have to do us instead to kick off the week. I’ve only recently discovered Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine, but I’m loving the galleries right now. Travel writing, food photography and recipes, too- what’s not to like?
There’s a lot of great photography to browse, but right now I’m liking these evocative photos of Burgundy, France:
Flickr finds: vintage kitchen swap
jek in the box has one of my favourite photostreams on Flickr. Always visually inspiring, it’s full of colour, kitsch and general vintage fabulousness. I particularly like her vintage kitchen swap photos; I might not have anything to swap, but I can definitely enjoy looking. Happy Friday!
Colour in the Kitchen: Pink
Ok, I just want to clear one thing up: I am emphatically not a pink person. This is more my sister‘s kind of thing, not mine. What can I say, though? I’m running out of colours and I’m having so much fun with this series!
While these kitchens might not be to everyone’s tastes (or, I venture to guess, very many people’s at all), there is something to be said for throwing caution to the wind and decorating with your favourite colour, re-sale value be damned.
From Apartment Therapy, I came across this space just yesterday. The countertops lend the only touch of pink, which works well in the retro space:
The units lend the colour in this kitchen from Living etc, but it’s in the subtlest of ways. With a modern white countertop and grey backsplash, the result is surprisingly chic:
Also from Living etc, this is a sweeter, more retro pink. The backsplash isn’t my thing, but I love me a coloured Smeg:
This super-modern home, from sarahleeab‘s photostream, uses pink boldly; a wall of colour to define the kitchen in an open plan space:
I’m surprised by how well this space, via House to Home, works. I think the bold colour and black worktop really bring the wooden cabinets up-to-date:
Old-world and modern at the same time, bubblegum units pop in a pristine white space, from Lulu Carter:
Etsy find: Clineff’s Confections
Well, Etsy has moved to Wednesday this week, and it’s something a little different. I don’t normally feature food around here, but I ask you, how cute are these? Clineff’s Confections is the Etsy shop of Debbie Clineff, a bakery owner in North Carolina. She makes and sells the most adorable fondant cupcake toppers, perfect for those of us still riding the cupcake wave, but slightly less dexterous than her.
These Autumn Flowers are fantastically retro- I would definitely use these:
I like the Ice Cream Cones for summer:
The Safari Animals are perfect for a child’s birthday party:
Slightly more elegant, the Swirls would work with almost any theme:
Cool Kitchen: Green, coastal mod
I don’t usually read Coastal Living, but now and then I like to browse their site for design inspiration. The featured homes always have a charming, homespun, Cape Cod sort of feel, but every so often I’ll find something surprising.
Case in point: this contemporary kitchen. Not only do I love the colour of the cabinets (I know, so predicable), but I like the fun use of typography, too. The fact that the floors and countertops are the same colour keeps things streamlined horizontally, and stops the ceiling-height cabinets from taking over the space. The pendant lights and hints of red are also great, though I could pass on the crazy paneled ceiling.
Look: Variable heart cake form
I know Mondays are supposed to be Etsy-centric around here, but I saw this at Swiss Miss and had to share. Designed by Kurt Zimmerli (he of the SIGG water bottle, which I love), this Variable Heart Cake Form was designed in 1996 for Betty Bossy, and allows you to bake heart-shaped cakes of various sizes. I can’t believe I’ve never seen this before now- genius!
