I saw these beautiful photos over on Abigail Ahern’s blog, and they stopped me in my tracks. A beautiful kitchen, mismatched chairs, eclectic lighting and a vintage vibe? Yes, please. I can scarcely believe they’re from the IKEA catalogue; they’ve really been stepping it up with excellent styling lately. I hope you enjoy, and have a Happy Friday and Happy Thankkgiving!

PS. I know I’ve been a bad, bad blogger of late. But school and work are kicking my a** these days, and there are only so many hours in the day. The good news is that classes break up in less than two weeks, so December should be more or less jam-packed with bloggin’ fun.

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!

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:

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.)

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.

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:

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 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?!

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: