Plate storage-display

I have been deliberating with the idea of using either floating shelves above the sink or a vintage dish rack.  What do I want to look at, what do I want to see up there? What would be most practical? What would suit my personality the most?

Occasionally a beautiful vintage plate rack appears on Etsy (and since I was not committed at the one time I found an authentic french shabby chic rack, I missed out on it).   More so, many plate racks appear on UK websites (maybe they will ship, maybe I wont want to pay the shipping cost).

via UK website

via Etsy, this one sold out.

 

Here we have the cute canister shelf, oh so Parisian (although, if I recall correctly, the kitchen is in Australia).

Source: keenandfitting.blogspot.com via Sara on Pinterest

And the very cool double plate rack wall. I prefer this kind of plate rack; not really a rack, just some open shelving. I would surely tire of putting each individual plate in a slot. One at a time. EVERY SINGLE DAY. Although I do really like the way they look (the slotted plate racks).

Source: desiretoinspire.net via Sara on Pinterest

I have posted some of these inspiration photos before, but today the concentration is on shelving and plate racks. Sorry if its repetitive, but how could it be, they are beautiful photos.

Now, on to open, salvaged wood plank shelving options. Notice the different kind of brackets used. And the numbers. People like to display numbers. I like it too. I would choose the number three. What I have discovered is it is really hard to find deep salvaged would planks. I probably need at least 10", probably 12". I keep forgetting to measure my plates. But these pictures make it look really easy.

Source: ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com via Sara on Pinterest

Source: themarionhousebook.com via Sara on Pinterest

Source: littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com via Sara on Pinterest

Source: vintageglamorous.blogspot.com via Sara on Pinterest

And today, while eyeing some of my pinned kitchen ideas, I noticed in this photo they used soapstone for the counter AND the shelf. Kinda cool. Although, I wonder if I would ruin all my dishes, not lifting them high enough, nicking the the edge of the stone, breaking plates.

Source: remodelista.com via Sara on Pinterest

Yummy Russian Sage

I posted this picture on my photo blog, but I love looking at it and want to post it here too.  I planted the Russian Sage beside my driveway / parked car. As I swung open the door, I looked over at the buzzing plant, assessing the bee situation. Many bees have found the plant this summer; I am not sure if its due to the hot weather / no rain or if it just took them three years to find it, but its a buzzing!  Just as I noted the bees were minding their own business, my eyes fell upon this gigantic, beautiful dragonfly. He was sucking back nectar too. He didn't flinch or budge as I moved in closer and closer.

I have never seen a dragonfly sit still for so long, allowing me to stand this close to take his picture. Or a dragon fly so big; I had to step back in order to capture his entire body. Bees were buzzing through the plant, I thought I might get stung, but it was worth it. I had dreamed of taking a close up of a dragon fly, and oh how lucky I feel now!

Happy weekend!

Lighting, again

Yesterday I mentioned the lighting had arrived. And they did, in all their enormity. The pendants are huge, bigger then I was able to envision with the pictures and written dimensions that I scoured over online.  I was drawn to its organic shape and cage and decided to go for it.  I had fallen in love with it before but never thought about it for my kitchen. After the floor was laid I was informed electrical was the next step.  I was hoping to avoid having to make any more decisions and thought I could do that last, at my leisure.  Nope.  Noway. Not wanting to delay the project any more, I returned to all my pinned kitchen inspiration and concentrated on the lighting. I remembered this light, checked it out and realized it would look beautiful in the kitchen and tie everything together.

The size posted here is medium. I was going for two mediums and one large. The large was meant to be in the corner of my L shaped area, flanked by two mediums creating a triangle.  The large was on back order and I immediately cancelled it.  I now just have two and I have to figure out a different lighting configuration. One part of the ceiling in the kitchen is a foot lower then the rest.  And the medium barely fits there.  Perhaps it will be ok and I can just order another medium. If not, I'm leaning towards one medium light flanked by two spotlights. And I can install the 2nd medium light over the stairway upstairs.  Its open up there and may cast an interesting shadow, or at least, light it up really well.  And I can admire its "glamority" every morning when I make my way down.

Why don't I order a small you wonder? Yeah, having a large and medium size may imply there is a small, but nope. No small size to order.

Goodbye stove, hello lighting

A mere 24 hrs after deciding it was time to get rid of the stove, posting an ad on craigslist and its gone. I suppose FREE is an incentive.

I sold the fridge via craigslist as well, but I experienced too much guilt and angst along with the price tag I had attached to it. A fridge I had only known for a few years.  A fridge that froze my watermelon and melted my ice cream. How was I to guarantee the life of the fridge that was kind of working but could break any time. What if this fridge was put in an apartment and I was the tenant. Could this fridge be better then the one it was replacing. Hardly. I couldn't sell it the lady that was looking to replace her mothers broken fridge or even the scammer who wanted to send me money right away and pay oodles for shipping it to his ailing, fridgeless grandmother.  Nope couldn't even sell it to him. Perhaps a beer fridge or a 2nd fridge in the garage, but not as a main fridge. The guy who bought it was really knowledgeable in moving out appliances, professional and was happy to pay 100 dollars lower then the suggested asking price. I'll take it for 50 and the risk that comes with it he said. Deal done.

I decided free was the way to go for the stove, even though I could guarantee this stove. But I just wanted it out. Free to whomever wants to move it out of my house. This was a 24" white electric stove. Two knobs to share amongst the 4 burners, the rubber lining peeling off and a temperature gauge on the brink. Haven't baked banana bread in 2 years. Maybe a camp stove for someone else, but farewell it was for us.

Clearing some room in the kitchen, I can now store the newly assembled cabinets in their respective areas AND move around the house a bit easier.

No stove meant I had to go out a buy a hotplate and make a "camp cook stove" area to bide us some time until the counters arrive. A .51cent piece of scrap mdf from the hardware store resting on the inverted cabinets, a collection of tile samples, a hotplate and some vignettes.

 This should work for a couple weeks, while I assemble the last two cabinets, install them and get a digital template made for the counter. Ah counter, yep I finally went to the counter store yesterday. In their small display area was a beautiful soapstone counter and sink. Just what I was looking for. Spoke with salesperson, eyed and caressed and sprayed water on the HUGE slabs of soapstone in the ware house ... yes already in stock. Pressuring her for a quick estimate, cubic feet cost, something .... yes, I was pressuring the SALESperson ... I didn't want another day to go by. I finally realized she just needed a sketch of the kitchen and dimensions. Oh yes, I can do that right here on the back of this paper.  Dimensions included. Impressed her, but really after a year and a half who wouldn't know the exact numbers, down to the 5" x 4" beam thing that sticks out. Left the warehouse/displayhouse thinking the kitchen could possibly be completed by my BIrthDay!!!

Arrived home to two huge boxes . Lighting already!  The light is behind the little girl, hidden, as enormous as it is.  So big I have to cancel the order of the large sized pendant and rethink the lighting.

Removal of stove, counter estimate and lighting all in one day!

Beach

We had all this to ourselves ... 

 ... and only an hours drive from home.

A private beach I was recently introduced too. This was our third trip in two weeks.

Just my family, a friend and I. I actually got to lay down, drift off w/ the noise of the waves, under the blue sky. I even read a few pages of a new book, first time in two years.

College kids apparently know about the beach - there were signs on the sand, beer caps and tins, as well as the group of frisbe tossers, but they kept to themselves.

The sky cleared as the day progressed.

I could spend a month of Sundays here. We will never have to fly or road trip to the ocean again.

Linen curtain

A long, long time ago I spoke of some serviettes that I crafted out of some striped linen. The serviettes were actually made from the remnants of a small curtain. I finally found the clips ... and there you have it,

Curtain hung.

Bathroom wire shelf here, serviettes here.

Blog title change, again

Hello,
Returning to my roots and original blog name. I may even stay on topic. Too many icky and sketchy links coming into my site. Kinda sucks, because the renovations are slow and it is a nice creative outlet and my family is a huge part of my life but ew and icky to the some of urls.  I have a bit of tweaking still to do but..

.., perhaps you will enjoy the future posts...kitchen should be done any time now (in my time, a month)!  Assembling the kitchen cabinets right now.

Here's to hammering away
Sara

postscript:  Also playing around with a header, ignore the description here, way to serious!

Lighting

In the spirit and in celebration of having reached the electrical and lighting stage in my kitchen renovation, here are some beautiful and considered pendants but passed on. The lighting I have ordered is on backorder and limited, so that will remain on the down low.

 

 via West Elm

via Solo Pendants

And some lovely kitchen lighting inspirational photos:

via

via (looks like west elm pendants)

 

via

 

via

via

Tile down

Plywood for a year and a half, then backerboard for a week or two, and then ...

...tile!

w/out grout

And tile with grout. Completed!

The contractor did an incredible job. He thought about all the details, cut curves in tile to loop around the stair. Laid the the tile so it lined up directly to the middle of the french doors. Took toilet out, layed tile. Reinstalled toilet. Moved old sink around, leaving it hooked up as long as possible so I would never go a day without water and sink. And his work ethic is awesome, presence upbeat. Met him the first morning and then kept in touch over email. Three days.

I eventually chose larger then normal sized tile, 12x18 slate looking porcelain. Originally, I wanted no bigger then 6x6 slate but had a hard time finding just that - lets see if I can link back to all that anguish! I didn't want 12x12 as it was too "common" for me. I also wanted a linear look rather then scattered. I do like the over-sized ones. Went out and bought a mop last night, stil have to mop the floor ... the excess grout is turning our feet black.

Source:
Daltile Continental Slate 12 x 18 (Asian Black)
Charcoal grout

Moving along to electrical ... made an unexpected yet quick decision last night for lighting and will put in the order