Objects of desire

A potential living room update:

**Restoration Hardware Sorenson sofa in textured linen weave black (vintage velvet black would be lovely too)
**West Elm Slipper chair in pink linen
**West Elm Sloan chair in leather

Kitchen accessories

Very soon I will be at the fun stage of this kitchen renovation. Decorating and Accessories.

There is a counter installation date set early next week. Then I have to shove the oven into its hole, stick the cooktop on and hopefully be able to bake a cake for my kids' 10th birthday party and host a sleepover that weekend. Its gonna be tight, but Im still hopeful. Oh and the kitchen sink, that has to be plumbed in too.

Im debating between a fun yellow task light or cool antique industrial light.

From left top, clockwise:
Schmidt Brothers @ West Elm Knives
Ceramic bowls via this Etsy Shop
Fun yellow task light
or
Industrial rustic antique task light
Salvaged exotic wood spice shelf via Etsy Shop
Morris Stool via Anthropologie
Overdyed rug via UrbanOutfitters
West Elm prep table

A story of actualizing ideas: Wire basket

A long time ago I stumbled across this wire basket and fell in love. The most I could afford to do with it was post up a idea board & share it.

And then, one day many moons later, mid-pinterest hype, a store pinned their wares and there, across my screen, was a very good looking wire basket shelf.  Images of my half-bath mood board flashed through my head and faster then superman on laundry day I hit the purchase button and, not a week later, home came my wire basket shelf and visions came true.

I have had it for several months now and LOVE it!

(Its real over here, I could have styled it but you know, its in the bathroom and this is not only a beautiful wire basket shelf, it is functional too! My tissue and toilet paper need to be stored somewhere!)

Both wire baskets are long ago sold out now (antiquefarmhouse & sundance), but the moral of the story is, EYES WIDE OPEN, you never know when you may stumble across something and bring your idea to life.

Woods and bear

I really want a dining room with this neutral forest wallpaper

with a couple of these sweet and colourful bear prints on the wall.

wallpaper via anthropologie 
bear prints from ZukZuk @ her Etsy shop

Oriental poppy

I see this beautiful flower all around my neighbourhood. I had guess it was some kind of poppy but couldn't match it to anything online. Last night, on our landscaping run (will post shortly), we swung by this corner, shot a picture and took it to the professionals. Discovered its name, Perennial Oriental Poppy, which they did not carry, but advised us to go back to the corner and scoop some seeds. Isn't it beautiful!

Cord and cage

+

New lighting for my kitchen! I was a bit hesitant, wondering if the cord would fit the cage, but they are standard size and fit perfectly.  The industrial metal cage from UrbanOutfitters is solid and cool. The red fabric electrical cord from west elm is just as it is pictured and it came with a little CFL bulb. There is a 3 prong plug and an On/Off switch attached to the cord. I haven't strung it up yet; it's stored in my faux leather bench that contains all my kitchen renovation stuff. Maybe I'll find a temporary place for it this weekend.

the (kitchen) design board

Putting my ideas together on Olioboard, seeing what kind of floor may suit the items I have all but paid for.

black cork flooring

laminate bleach blond

pickle barrel hardwood by anderson

slate

hardwood

As I got better with the design board, I added white cabinets, (but was too lazy to insert&updated with all the other flooring options)

Quadra black opal tile

And this is what my kitchen will look like, floorless, because that is where I am stuck.

Source list:
Maytag EcoConserve Bottom Freezer Fridge - 18 cubic feet
Whirlpool Gold - 30" Sealed burner, gas glass top. 
IKEA NUTID forced air electric oven - 30" convection function


counters:
Corian ® Solid Surface -Flint
ECO™ by Cosentino ® -IRON ORE
Stonemark Granite -Black Pearl

West Elm prep table
American Standard Country Farmhouse sink
TwicesLoveWoodWork Etsy store -dish rack
FrenchMelody Etsy store -ladles

1 X 2 Carrara White Marble Honed Brick Mosaic 

---------------

Throwing it all together, my main inspiration photos:

~flooring

via design sponge

~cook area

via remodelista

~sink area, specifically the little window and maybe the little marble 1x2 tiles.

via

~the pantry

via Dwell

~the image I want to have from the living room to kitchen; soft lighting, warmth, farmsink, white cabinets

via

~the french door-to-balcony look I want:

found on pinterest

The layout:

Now, off to the tile store...


---------------
post edit & post tile shop: After looking at my ideas put together on a design board, I felt that the entire look was too modern, which is not what I am aiming for. I dont HAVE a look that I am aiming for but based on my likes; perhaps it is a bit rustic, a bit minimalist, airy, open, clean, a bit modern. But mostly I dont want a LOOK. I dont want it too look new and done or modern or trendy. I want it to come together and look like it has always been that way. 

At the floor store I gravitated towards a softer rustic flooring (softer then the slate) and came home with several samples:
1) Tumbled turkish travertine ~ "Chocolate Walnut" colour 4x4 squares
2) Tumbled limestone ~"Mystic Green"colour 3x6 bricks
3) Tumbled Marble ~"Sandgate Castle Wheat" 3x6 or 6x6
4) and a 6x24 piece of porcelain ~"Cottage City Loft, dark expresso porcelain w/ a natural woody floor look.

There was nice black montauk slate in 2x2. It was nicer then my sample, a bit more black. I didnt bother bringing it home with me.

The tumbled stones and a black granite counter sample was much warmer and softer together, then the slate. The walnut chocolate turkish travertine and black granite counter was a very interesting combo.  And my kids father is turkish ....

Decisions, decisions

Kitchen floor tile, continues

This one is too stony

Montauk black slate

This one, too black

Absolute black 4x4 granite

And this was is just too darn pretty

Patterened terra cotta

Actually the first one is OK, but it only comes in 12x12 and I want 6x6.  It will probably also be too stony in real, similar to the 2x2 sample I received last week - too gray, too rocky. The 2nd one. Nice. But maybe too black. The third one, patterned terra cotta. Terra cotta was my original want, but then I switched. And then I found this. Kind of beautiful. I wonder if it will be neutral enough. I wonder if it will look ok with stainless steel? White cabinets? Black granite counter? 

Too bad the old floor wasnt wide plank pine.

Two kitchen ideas

Collecting samples, organizing my likes and likes and likes. Picking appliances. Meeting with kitchen designer with corrected measurements and honed ideas. Expecting contractor this week for electrical and wall prep. And a chest full of butterflies. Well, not quite the chest, thats too high, but stomach is too low. Butterflies in my diaphragm? A little too much excitement for me as I attempt to put this on "paper".  That is the step before making it real. Committed. Organizing all the likes and putting it together is tricky,exciting and a bit overwhelming but oh so close.

The main decisions are counter tops (black or white), and then cupboards (white by default) and floor. Had wanted black slate, but am unsure about the black white black look.

Idea 1
Black counter, white cupboards.
Black slate floor, dark gray grout - (red turkish carpet to warm things up) (approx. 160 square ft)

Not sure about the black white black combo, thinking of other floor options - right now my kitchen is down to the oak that had a layer of plywood and vinyl pasted to it. The oak was sanded but definitely damaged. Maybe I can just sand it more, stain it and and see if I like that. BUT there is an added section of the kitchen that is ply wood, and then the connected bathroom ... not sure how to work that in. I do like the look of this stained wood.

Cook area - Oven, single, True convection. Undecided between paying the extra for stainless steel or going with black. But I do like the square windows. Ordering the appliances after the meeting this friday, (encouraging myself to move along, bite the bullet...)

Frigidaire Gallery

Whirlpool

Smoothtop Cooktop - not going to switch to gas, as much as I love gas top cooking. Some other time. Doubt I will pay the extra 100 for a bit of stainless steel trim. And deciding on 5 rings versus 4. I do like the simmer option and the extra warming ring.

Frigidaire Gallery

Whirlpool Gold

White floating shelves around cook area. Perhaps a "chimney" vent.  Some kind of stainless steel backsplash behind cooktop.

Washing, cleaning area - White sink - a la homedepot - saw a pretty white sink, kind of farmhouse / apron , but more modern. I also like the stainless steel apron sink. Vintage dish rack above sink (etsy), Slim dishwasher (18"), track lighting,

Fridge and prep area - stainless steel (softens black white black look), microwave beside fridge, above counter. Prep counter and some floating shelves above

Pantry, storage - slim (14" depth), aligned with wall

Inspiration:

Source: sara-another100yearoldhousereno.blogspot.com via Sara on Pinterest

Source: themarionhousebook.com via Sara on Pinterest

but not sure about black white black, hmmmm

Source: georgicapond.blogspot.com via Sara on Pinterest

Idea 2
White cupboards, concrete looking whitish counters

Thinking about 2x2 hex hone marble ... perhaps too luxurious. But mostly I couldn't find any kitchen inspiration photos. Not one kitchen with hex marble floors, which makes me think its not the right kind of flooring for a kitchen... But look at this. Absolutely GORGEOUS. The floor of a restaurant. SO why not a kitchen.

Source: desiretoinspire.net via Sara on Pinterest

Cook area: Frigidaire Gallery cooktop and stove or Whirlpool, same as above

Washing, cleaning area - white sink - a la homedepot, vintage dish rack above sink, slim dishwasher (same as idea 1, guess that is settled). Possibly hang chandelier w/ recessed lighting

via Etsy

Fridge and prep area - stainless steel, micro above counter, beside fridge. shelving over fridge and micro, prep counter and floating shelves (same as idea 1; one small, minute issue, that huge window has to go  and become a door that would lead to mid air. would have to build a balcony. hmmm)

Maytag EcoConserve 17 cu ft.

Summit, 13 cubic feet

Samsung 17.8 cu ft

LG 20.7 cu ft.

Right now, I am leaning towards the Maytag EcoConserve. The Summit is out because I do not want a swinging freezer door. Other then that I think its sweet. The two french door possibilities are counter depth. If I put the fridge beside the window as currently planned, I don't need counter depth, I'll make the counter "fridge-depth" instead, for that extra counter space. I need to see these babies live.

Pantry, storage - some kind of vintage piece. (perhaps in teal :))

Inspiration:

Source: ruevintage74.com via Sara on Pinterest

Source: desiretoinspire.net via Sara on Pinterest