Today I’m featuring one of my favourite photographers of all time. Those of you who enjoy Jamie Oliver‘s books will know this name; David Loftus has photographed the food superstar’s last five books, as well as doing work for his magazine. But it’s not just food that Loftus turns his lens on. This multi-talented and wildly successful photographer counts fashion, travel and interiors photography among his talents, as evidenced by his portfolio. Enjoy, and have a Happy Friday!
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!
I’m a bit weird about wood, in that I adore it. I think a kitchen (or any room, for that matter) without a hint of wood looks a bit, if I can be honest, soulless. Staid, sad, and perhaps a bit boring, too. You might not agree, but for me there’s got to be a bit of nature among the modernity.
But while I surely dig wood, I’m not about to start endorsing any 80′s oak cabinet monstrosities. The trick is when and where to use it; nothing looks great in excess, after all. Here are my favourite ways to use wood in the kitchen. (All pics in this post from Living etc.)
Cabinets. This is a given, right? But there are so many options: dark, light, plain, panelled, upper, lower. I love the look of this kitchen, which has cabinets in a rich shade, but only lower ones, so the effect isn’t overwhelming:
Countertops. My hands-down favourite, and what I plan to do in my own space one day. Paired with white cabinets as in this space, the effect is modern classic at its best:
Island or butcher block. In a modern kitchen, this option is almost always a good bet. It can lend a refreshing country feel to even the most urban of spaces, as in this room:
Seating. In this otherwise white and minimal room, wooden stools add a touch of humanity:
Floors. Others can have their tiled, linoleum or concrete floors; nine times out of ten, I’ll take hardwood. The blonde wood in this kitchen fades into the background, while still adding warmth to the space:
Table. An oldie but a goodie. A big, wooden kitchen table works in any style of room, from industrial to retro and back again. This one looks perfectly at home in this bright space:
Firstly, a confession: I, Ele, watch and enjoy a shallow, melodramatic and at times ludicrous prime-time TV show aimed at the teenage set. So sue me.
Now that that’s out of the way, a second note: Please forgive the poor quality of the images in today’s post. It’s hell finding good screenshots, isn’t it?
Yes, Gossip Girl. The CW show about the lives of Manhattan’s young, wealthy elite, full of twisted love triangles, buried secrets, sexual tension and scandals-a-plenty. But please believe me, I don’t watch it for that stuff. Well maybe a tiny part of me does, but mainly I watch for the eye candy. Beautiful people, New York City, incredible fashion and inspiring interiors. It’s true; after the MCM gorgossity of Mad Men, this show has some of the best set design around (see this portfolio for some examples). While it’s all covetable, I’m going to stay somewhat on track here, and show you around the show’s kitchens.
The Bass/van der Woodsen penthouse is chic, modern and pure Upper East Side luxe. The kitchen in this apartment is a surprisingly modest size (I can’t imagine that anybody living here would do much cooking, after all), and has a clean, minimalist feel. I especially like the sliding blue panels and the open wood shelving (photos from this post at Apartment Therapy):
The dining area has a similar look, with a clean, mid-century feeling. Of course, it wouldn’t be the Upper East Side without a lush rug and an ornate chandelier:
The Waldorf home is more classic New York, all satin drapes and marble entrance halls. While that isn’t usually my style, I love the kitchen in this place. This image from Hooked on Houses shows off the white subway tile, marble countertops and industrial-looking appliances:
While no one can argue with the beauty of those spaces, it’s the trendy Brooklyn loft of the “underprivileged” Humphreys that gets the most love from me. Sure the exposed brick, random colours and retro paraphernalia might be cliché, but they’re good ones. I love the wall colour, open storage and cool pendant lamps in the kitchen:
The dining area is just as cool, relying on what looks like old diner booths for seating:
Until next time,
xoxo
(Sorry.)
The other day I was browsing through the archives of home-design blog Colour Me Happy when I came across a post on white kitchens. Now we all know I love them, but one photo in particular caught my eye, of a white kitchen the author referred to as the world’s “most-famous, most-copied”. A kitchen from a movie.
Apparently, I’ve been living under a rock for the last six years, because I had no idea that the kitchen from the 2003 film Something’s Gotta Give had been so influential. I’ve seen the film several times (I’m a huge Diane Keaton fan) and always loved the space, but it never occurred to me that everyone else was loving it, too.
Forgetting for a moment that this is Old News, can we just enjoy this room for a moment? I think the reason it captured so many hearts is the relaxed brand of elegance it embodies. The combination of dark floors, white cabinets and dark stone countertops feels modern but timeless, while the white tiled backsplash and brushed chrome fixtures are traditional, but not fussy. It’s the sort of space you can imagine working in your own home, whether you live on a film set or not.
If you ask most people what their least favourite type of kitchen is, I’d wager that long, narrow galley styles would be the answer. Galleys abound where I live in the UK; they’re the norm in all the Victorian terrace houses around here. Personally I much prefer a large, open-plan room, but it’s not always possible to have that in every house. Luckily, it is possible to have a beautiful, modern galley-style kitchen, as the following spaces show.
I’ve always liked the floor in this kitchen, which I found at Brown Button. The horizontal stripes make the space feel wider, and are a nice take on the retro checkerboard look:
Sleek design makes the most of the available space in this modern galley, from Living etc:
You can’t see the other side of this kitchen, from Canadian House & Home, but I like what I do see. The quirky objects and bright touches bring character to the minimalist design:
This shorter, mini-galley is modern and pristine. I found it on Apartment Therapy and loved the open shelving and calming colours:
Also from Apartment Therapy, this kitchen is cheerful and traditional. I love the ceiling-height units, and all the bright touches:
I think the pale, soothing colour of the units in this kitchen from house to home create more space, as do the curved countertops:
Though I love traditional, period buildings, a little part of me has always wanted to live in a loft. A huge, light-flooded open space with exposed brick and industrial fixtures- what’s not to love about that? Especially when you consider how great some of these loft kitchens are…
From the photostream of ooh_food, I like the colourful, slap-dash feeling of this space. The units look reclaimed to me, and the bright touches are so fun:
The feeling of this space from Living etc is traditional, but the brick and stainless steel keeps it from looking stuffy:
I like how this modern kitchen, found via Apartment Therapy, has been tucked into the corner. The stainless steel and yellow units work well together, giving just the right mix of industrial and fun:
This kitchen isn’t my favourite, but that wall of windows is to die for. From the same source, this space is a good example of how a traditional kitchen can work in an untraditional space:
From Marie Claire Maison, this light-flooded space is pretty close to perfect in my book. I like the white, the wood and the modest, Scandinavian feel:
Via the same source and just as authentic, this loft has a completely different feel, with lots of black touches and a chic, industrial look:
I came across some photos of private Spanish home La Finca yesterday. Designed by uxus and originally posted by Design*Sponge, the interiors throughout the house are lovely and inspiring. Though you really only get a glimpse of the kitchen, I still thought it was a space worth sharing.
I love the cool, Mediterranean vibe here. The beamed ceiling, whitewashed walls and complete lack of “decoration” make the space relaxing and serene. The long table (and mismatched chairs- love!) makes me think of leisurely meals with family and friends. Also, how cool is that fridge in the wall?!
Having a home bar is probably last on my (practicality-driven) wish list, but I admit to loving the idea of them. Options range from a full-on wet bar to a simple tray, but I have a certain fondness for the bar cart. They bring to mind images of 1940′s Hollywood films and cheesy American soap operas. (And Gilmore Girls reruns, but you won’t hold that against me, will you?) No matter what kind you go for, home setups like these never fail to evoke hospitality, old-fashioned glamour, and perhaps a touch of intrigue.
I found this old Domino image at this is glamorous. Spare and minimalist, it has a wonderful mix of masculine and feminine elements:
This bar cart is classic and colourful, found via Hostess with the Mostess:
For the crafty among us, I like this restored 1970′s airplane galley cart, from the Telstar Logistics photostream:
I love this simple little table, from an Apartment Therapy home tour. It works so well with the wallpaper behind it:
Also from Apartment Therapy, this DIY idea is pretty cool. Turn an old bookcase into a bar, complete with professional glass holders and wine cradles:
This bar vignette from Country Living is adorable and practical. I love the use of the wicker tray, and the old rake:
I seem to be re-posting a lot of spaces from The Kitchn lately. My limited view isn’t on purpose, honest- they just keep showing the greatest kitchens! When I saw Allison and Paul’s Silverlake Kitchen last week, I loved it immediately.
I could go into my usual “Why this works” spiel now, but it would be a long list. The warm wood and cool subway tile, the huge storage island, the light fixtures and mismatched dining chairs… I could go on. I especially like the windows tucked between and above the cabinets. They bring in lots of light, making the space bright and airy but warm and inviting at the same time.
Check out all the kitchen photos here, and the rest of Allison and Paul’s home here.
