I’ve got holidays on the brain lately. Surfing Flickr for some atmospheric snaps to share today, I found several of peaceful looking kitchens in far-off places. Don’t these spaces just seem like a home away from home? Happy Friday!
Cozinha da batain by Alexandre Hamata Possi:
Sala da pronzo by Ricardo Francone:
kitchen in … Dubrovnik by hyperborea:
another travelogue 8 by tim caynes:
a view of a kitchen from a doorway by tashalutek:
I recently discovered Rose & Grey, a UK-based homewares company that sells a delightful mixture of modern and vintage items. This family-run business stocks furniture, lighting, accessories and storage solutions, and let me tell you, I could do a load of damage on this site. Check out some of my favourite items from this great shop.
These Candle Holders made of vintage baking tins are so sweet, I want a whole set:
The colours in these 6 Kashmiri Beakers are gorgeous- how perfect for a picnic:
For that same picnic, this hand-painted Tiffin would be great for storing food:
I’m pretty sure I let out an audible “wow” when I saw this retro Double Recycling Bin. What a stylish (and useful) addition to a kitchen:
How’s this for a cute and educational kitchen accessory- the Seasonal Guide Tea Towel comes in two options, Fruits & Vegetables and Wild Foods:
I think this Wooden Cabinet would be great in a kitchen; the wire front and sides make it useful for storing food, as well as crockery:
My friends, it’s a furnace out there. Temperatures are set to reach 30°C in London today, and already I’m melting. Faced with the question of what to have for lunch, I can only think of one thing I could stomach making and eating right now: a salad. Yes, summer is definitely salad season and there’s no reason not to be thrilled about it, especially with all the gorgeous salad accoutrements available on Etsy.
Seeing this listing stopped me in my tracks, because I own this bowl! Well, not this exact one, but I have a mushroom-patterned Finel Finland salad bowl of my own, given to my by my Grandma. It’s a gorgeous piece of mid-century design, and you could pick this one up from Blue Flower Vintage:
For a completely different vintage vibe, I’m liking this frosted glass aqua bowl from Plaid Pony Vintage. The colour just says “cool” to me, but if blue isn’t your thing it also comes in red, and as a set in green or yellow:
When it comes to the modern stuff, I always like a clean and simple wooden bowl. This cherry salad bowl from J&L Wood Turning is just the ticket:
I love these vintage salad dressing bottles in a wooden server. They’re marked with “House”, “French” and “Italian”, which is deliciously retro-kitsch, don’t you think? From rewindtime:
Salad servers come in umpteen different shapes and materials, but I always gravitate toward modern styles in metal or wood. The best of both worlds, this mid-century pair from Just Smashing Darling has style to spare:
For a sleeker look, these modern maple salad tongs are perfect. Made and sold by Grand Prairie Woodworks, they also come in cherry:
I discovered the Blasieholmens Aquarium & Restaurant, or B.A.R., just yesterday via The Beat That My Heart Skipped. A new eatery in Stockholm, Sweden, B.A.R. serves up delicious, timeless meals (with a focus on fresh seafood) in modern surroundings. I immediately fell for the photos of the space and food, so I figured you might, too.
I don’t have a photographer credit for these photos, which are available on the B.A.R. press page, but I wish I did know who was creating such drool-worthy images. These pics are enough to make me book a flight to Stockholm, pronto!
If you’re at all interested in design (and why would you be here if you weren’t), chances are you’re familiar with Finnish design company Iittala. I started hearing about their glassware a couple of years ago, and lately it seems that I can’t pick up a magazine or read a design blog without coming across something with the Iittala name on it.
The cast-iron Sarpaneva pot looks like something out of Harry Potter, which to be honest only fuels my love for it. A Finnish design classic, it’s as functional as it is beautiful:
Glassware is what Iittala is known for, and these Aino Aalto drinking glasses are a classic. Inspired by the rings made by a stone hitting water, they were designed in 1932 and are just as covetable today:
The storage Jars are a more recent design, and one that I’m crazy for. Imagine how lovely your pastas, grains and pulses would look in one of these:
Not strictly for the kitchen (though I suppose they could work for nibbles), I just adore the organic icecube shape of the Vitriini range of boxes. I’d use mine for jewelry and odds and ends:
Kastehelmi is a 60′s design that’s being re-released in 2010. The inspiration for these elegant pieces came from water droplets, but I think the result looks like lace:
The Kitchn is in the midst of their annual Small Cool Kitchen contest right now, and there have been some great entries so far. I was particularly taken with this one, posted just yesterday: Inés’ Opened-Up Barcelona.
When Inés bought her home, there was neither kitchen nor bathroom nor layout to speak of, so she was free to let her imagination run wild. I love the space that emerged, for its practical yet stylish nature. The white units, steel appliances and wooden countertops contrast so deliciously with the ornate mirror on the wall, and the cowhide rug in the adjoining living area.
But what I really love is the scale of this space. This isn’t a someday home, cavernous, it’ll-be-years-until-I-can-live-like-that kitchen. It’s real, approachable urban living. That just happens to resemble a design magazine.
Also, check out the space-saving, extendable island; normally accommodating three people, an extra section can flip out to seat two more! Genius, no?
It’s (almost) that time again! Who else has got picnics on the mind lately? I sure do- from portable food and refreshing drinks to retro picnic style. While the first two are up to you, check out some of my picks for the latter on that list.
Firstly, I just love this party ball picnic set, sold by modapple. It’s got plates, bowls and cups- everything you need for a stylish lunch al fresco:
If you like something a bit more compact, how about these vintage plastic lunch trays? Sold by Tracelements, they’re perfect for those who don’t like their food “touching”:
For beverages, I like this plastic thermos and soup jar set, by Junk Yard Finds:
These plastic corn on the cob holders just say summer to me- my parents had a set just like this when I was young. Sold by Find me a Memory:
Of course, you’ll need somewhere to lay it all out, and I like the look of this 60′s wool blanket from solartwin vintage:
And to pack it all up, this vintage tin picnic basket, with trompe l’oeil basket weave pattern, from Camp Hobachee:
I love browsing location-rental sites like 1st Option and Inspace, both for practical decorating inspiration and for if-I-win-the-lottery-this-week type daydreaming. Too often though the kitchens are dull. Never ugly, but too showroom bland to really get my blood racing.
Not this space, though. Kingswood House from 1st Option has a great kitchen: modern and retro and strong and feminine, all at the same time. The first things I noticed were those fab industrial stools, and how well they go with the retro pistachio-coloured fridge.
I love the two striped rugs in this space, too. Bold and unexpected, they keep all the pastel touches from looking too sweet. The floating units also work well. The whole feeling of this space would be somehow different if they were built-in, don’t you think?
Of course, these photos are styled to perfection- right down to the gumball machine and retro tea towel. Still, I’d have to consider this space if I do in fact win the lottery this week.
What do you think of Kingswood House?
I’ve got to be honest here: I didn’t so much “find” this shop as hear about it last week on a daily read of mine. Sure it’s lazy, but I figure that the more exposure this girl gets, the better.
Lucile’s Kitchen is the shop of French artist Lucile Prache, who sells both originals and prints of her whimsical watercolour sketches. The subject matter is right up my alley- baking, vegetables and some flowers for good measure. The works even have charming names like A French Cake Recipe and La Soupe au Pistou. Here are some of my favourites from this wonderful new shop.
It may not quite be barbecue weather yet, but it never hurts to look ahead, right? I’m loving these Summer Party Ideas from Country Living; there are some great ideas here for table styling and entertaining. I like all the fresh blues and pattern, and the beautiful setting doesn’t hurt either. Happy Friday, everybody!
