I didn’t expect to be back so soon with anything at all to say about the kitchen renovation that I kicked-off last week. In fact, I had a different post on a completely different topic planned for today. However the kitchen is what has been on my mind and so I wanted the chance to talk more about it here!
I have no illusions that I am a fast DIYer or decorator and so fully expect that this kitchen project will take a very long time. If it it took Sage a year to complete her gorgeous renovation, I bet my much less ambitious project will take at least two (hopefully joking). So I knew that the first step I would need to be setting up a good system for us to live well while the project is underway. Since we plan to remove a few of our cabinets that means that we need a good place to keep all of that stuff until they are rebuilt.
Thus, meet our new pantry:
It certainly makes the living room less relaxing, but it is conveniently located only 5-10 paces (depending on who is doing the pacing) from the kitchen workspace. Not how we’d plan the house for the long-run but a great interim solution!
And I am not sorry to not be reaching into the depths of this cabinet anymore, either.
We’ve been planning and are starting to think about appliance purchases, and so I’ve been thinking a lot about the look and feel that I want for the space. My post last week was mostly about function so I wanted to share a little on the inspiration/design side of things. I’ve been adding to a kitchen inspiration pinterest board for months and am now going back through and looking for themes. Nothing is decided but here is what I’ve been loving!
A lot of the kitchens that I’ve pinned feature a strong, geometric pattern as their main design element. I love when tile is really bold and is allowed to shine! This was a bit of a surprise to me, as in the past I’ve been convinced that I wanted a Mexican tile kitchen, but I’m responding to the cleaner look right now.
Of course, I’ve also got a thing for kitchens that make some bold, crazy moves and feature out-there design elements, whether it is intense tiles, bright cabinets, or mismatched elements. I definitely don’t want to make my kitchen boring, but I’m nervous about taking it too far. Also, Brad has vetoed the yellow cabinet idea. I’ll have to figure out how to get in something fun and edgy without going over the top.
My pinterest board also has a lot of kitchens that I’d call quirky and boho (for lack of a better term), with bright colors and patterns/combinations that shouldn’t work but they do. These kitchens look like they were put together tastefully over time and I love that look! I want it to feel homey, not sterile or over designed.
Finally, I am crazy about wood elements in kitchens: wood cabinets, wood furniture, wood shelves, etc. I love the warm look after so many all-white kitchens. And we all know that natural textures is the top trend of 2018! I can’t very well renovate my kitchen in 2018 without taking that into account, can I?
So I’m thinking a lot about how to bring this all together. Unsurprisingly, these same elements are what I like in other rooms. I’ve seen their combination go right before in places like my dining room…
… as well as just not quite come together right in places like my living room.
And the kitchen would be an extremely inconvenient/costly place to get it wrong!
What do you think? Any advice on combining these elements or resources I should look at (for tiles, design elements) as I am planning?
I have no advice, but your Pinterest boards look like they’d fit right in with what you’ve already got going. I agree with Brad on the yellow cabinets, though. 🙂
I kind of liked the yellow cabinets.
But I won’t be living there so my opinion doesn’t count as much as your husband’s.
I think once you decide what you will do with the cabinets then bringing home several samples
of tile will help you decide which way you want to go.
I like your temporary pantry solution as it beats
living out of cardboard boxes for weeks.
Good luck with your design decisions.
Just fun to see what you are liking! I agree the ideas fit in with the connected rooms.
I actually really like the functionality of hte yellow cabinets, I could give or take the yellow itself though. It looks like they are three levels and those yellow ‘doors’ slide so you get to choose which parts are open or not? Thats pretty neat. Like a kitchen reno on open shelving every time you rearrange.
From your inspiration pics, it also looks like you prefer few to no upper cabinets. YAY.
Hi Naomi, I have a question for you before I comment….Is this your forever home (or as close to forever as any of us can predict)? If it is then I say go with whatever makes you ‘happy’! I have recently been painting some rooms in our home and have gone with my ‘happy’ colours. I go into those rooms and just 😃. You however are talking about more permanent features, ones that would be pricey to replace. If you are going to be there ‘forever’ then you go girl….be happy!
I like the idea someone had on the last kitchen post about using the second doorway as a place to inset the fridge. Then you could have a longer area of floor to ceiling cabinets, giving enough storage that you wouldn’t need uppers on that back wall. Then that could be a full wall of beautiful tile, range hood and wood shelves for pretty things.
I can almost see it 😀