Archives for October 2011

This is the 3rd kitchen I’ve done in 3 years.    Right after I finished the first kitchen remodel, we moved to the lake.  I loved her–-the turquoise kitchen. She’ll always be special to me.

Then there was the lake kitchen remodel. And much to your chagrin surprise, I did a white layered palette.   I really liked that kitchen too but again, we only enjoyed her for a few months before our house burned to the ground.

Laurel Cove Kitchen is her own woman.   She may seem a little high-falutin’, what with her crystal chandelier and her marble countertops.   But once you get to know her, you’ll realize that despite her proper exterior, she’s a workhorse willing to serve.

This weekend, she entertained the family with style.  She served roasted turkey and butternut squash soup, the best ever beef stew, smoked turkey and potatoes, and chipotle pumpkin barley soup.  On the sweets side, there were gingersnaps, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins,  apple cake with caramel icing and strawberry pretzel salad.  It was like a fall festival in your mouth 🙂

It was so much fun seeing how the kitchen functions in action—-she’s perfect.   Roomy but cozy, pretty but functional.  Mary AND Martha.

I’ll let you enjoy the pics and I’ll try to post sources tomorrow.

(a Le Creuset pot  is always on the stove and usually full  of yummies)

(I stole the idea of the fall leaves in the white transferware from Country Living)

(loving the open island—so easy to get the dishes out and put away)


This is the baking center and all the baking supplies and measuring utensils and stored in those drawers.

There’s a full post on the baking center, including how I organize my supplies and what I keep on hand!





(where all the magic happens)

This will likely be the first and last time you see this kitchen in this state.   A table has been ordered and fabrics are being chosen to grace the windows and the chairs.

But I love her now too!  And am so thankful everytime I am lucky enough to cook and bake and live here 🙂


Sources:

Wall Paint:  Hazy Skies Benjamin Moore

Ceiling Paint:  Sea Salt  Sherwin Williams (this color looks more blue in my master but here it looks more gray)

Gray Cabinets:  Fieldstone by Benjamin Moore

Green Hutch:  Great Barrington Green by Benjamin Moore

Black Island:  the cabinet maker used his own black (it’s pretty true black)

Bin Pulls:  Gilmore in Polished Nickel from Restoration Hardware (thanks Sara)

Knobs:  Gilmore in Polished Nickel from Restoration Hardware

Hood:  Custom made by cabinet maker

Chairs:  TJ Maxx

Stools:  Tabouret Stools from Overstock

Chandelier:  Schonbek Madison 12 light crystal chandelier from Lamps Plus

Library Lights above the sink:  Visual comfort Boston Library Sconce

Pendants over the island:  Large Country Industrial Pendants in Antique Brass from Circa Lighting

Marble:  Calcutta Gold marble with polished finish

Walnut top on buffet made by cabinet maker (unsure of stain/finish)

Faucet:  Perrin and Rowe Arched Spout Bridge Faucet

Antique Tea Service:  Antique store in Kingsport

White Transferware pitcher:  Antique store in Kingsport, TN

Mixed Pattern Blue and White Dishes:  Estate sale, local

Large blue and white bowls:  Horchow

Rugs:  Pier One

Fabric on the kitchen windows–Ophelia Blossom

If you don’t count the small sobbing breakdown I had when I first saw this video, I’ve been smiling and singing this little song all day.

And the neatest part?—-I really wanted to try to find music to make one for myself, but I just couldn’t find the perfect song.

Turns out, there are some things you just can’t do for yourself.

My sweet Nester friend—you are so courageous with your love.   And I am SO blessed to know you—a mender of broken hearts—-just like your Father.

Here are my excuses for this pathetic post:

1.  I had to take Hank to boot camp today and he stays for three weeks.  It wasn’t easy to leave him there.   This photo both comforts me and assures me he needs to be there 🙂

2.  I have house guests!!!!

3.  I love having house guests!!!!!

4.  The power went out on us and our house guests for awhile tonight.

5.   Then it came back on.

6.    But my photos were too dark and I can’t properly retake them until daylight.

7.   And I lost my camera cord.

8.   And I got a new back massager.

9.   Or, maybe Hank ate my post.

10.  He’s naughty like that.   See number 1.

But, just so you don’t feel totally cheated, here’s a peak at the powder room!

You are beauty full, you know 🙂

I hope to do better tomorrow.

xo,

edie

This post is part of a 31 day series of rebuilding our house after losing everything in a fire.  The rest of the 31 Days can be found here.   Also, thank you to Kelly for hosting the ‘guest spaces’ party!

 “Our Southern roots compel us to make hospitality and good manners a priority in our daily living.”

The above quote by Cindy Smith summarizes my thoughts about guest spaces.  I like to think through what I would need if I were visiting in this space.   I haven’t gotten everything replaced since the fire but here are a few things that I think are a must for well-appointed guest spaces:  1)  A comfortable bed.   My favorite trick is to use feather channel beds on top of our mattresses to add an element of comfort.  2)  Fresh flowers or greenery, preferably from my own gardens.  3) A small token gift to make my guests feel welcome  4) A desk/chair/lamp combo  for writing a note  or using a laptop   5)  A handwritten note left on the bed that welcomes them and might include things such as the network password and where to find toiletries, etc.   Although I fail miserably, I really pray that we can use this house to serve our neighbors!

We take our hospitality serious here in the South and I like for my guests to feel welcome and that there has been some forethought and anticipation to their coming.  I try to remember to use the time I’m fluffing the space to pray for them and their needs.

We have been so blessed to be able to provide ample guest space in our rebuild.

Our basement is nearly the size of our top floor and  fits our life perfectly.  Most of the time, it’s just Steve and I and the girls and we can live almost exclusively in  the two upper levels.

But we want our older kids to have a place to still call home.   And since there’s six of them, we wanted plenty of space.

We have a full walk out basement that has 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, a huge bunk room, a kitchen-ette and a living room.  It also has lovely outdoor spaces and a fire pit.

One of the rooms has an Anthropologie-esque feel…..

As you can tell, I still need a bedskirt but I don’t like traditional bedskirts so I’m pondering on what to do—perhaps you have some thoughts?! At Anthropologie, they’d probably make it out of paper plates but I’m too tired for that. I need Bohemian AND easy.   Now that I take a second look, maybe a ruffled bedskirt is in order.   This is JamieKnoxville’s room when she comes and she’s made all kinds of demands.   I guess I should run it by her 🙂

Then there’s the Grandmother quarters. This is actually the room I would prefer if I were staying as a guest in my house. It’s pure as the driven snow and a bit proper. I love the old school chenille bedspread and I may in fact be fulfilling a childhood dream since I never got the chenille for myself in the 70’s.

And have I ever told you my fascination with doilies? I do love them and I plan to do a doily wall above the bed. Do you love doilies? Why don’t we use them anymore? They’re so dainty and perfect and proper. I want them EVERYwhere.

Doesn’t this room make you wanna sit up straight and say yes ma’am and crochet a doily?    I think it’s my favorite 🙂

The guest kitchen is perfect for our college and adult age children. It’s equipped with a stocked fridge of beverages and pizza rolls and has its’ own washer and dryer.
Cue the hallelujah chorus!

And the guest living room has the leftovers of what we didn’t use upstairs. Someday, I’ll fluff it up too.

I have dreams for the bunk room and the mudroom but for now they’re places to store boxes and wet dogs.

(The concrete stained floors make wet/dirty/shedding dogs a little more bearable.)

We are still working furiously trying to outfit the master bedroom but here’s a sneak peek!

Hope you enjoyed the tour.  Want to see more?  Click here!

The multitasking type of room has long been a dream of mine.   A room that’s like me—–that reads and does laundry and blogs and dabbles in paints and maps and printing and child-rearing and bird watching.  We’ve only lived here two weeks but I can’t even  count the hours we’ve already spent in here.  My girls’ new favorite pastime is to watch nail art videos and make their art come true whilst listening to me read “Gulliver’s Travels.”  It’s the first room we use in the morning and the last room we leave in the evening.   It never looks this clean.   There’s usually books and nail polish and writing projects strewn about.   We clean the green table off 27 times a day, only to make room for more art.

Darlene helped to give this room its’ strong elements of design.   I knew I wanted muddy pink—she helped narrow down the pinks.  I knew I wanted a great desk—she found this lovely beauty from Bungalow Five.   She even went to all the trouble to sketch the built-ins for me but in the end, we couldn’t afford them (except for those over the laundry) so we’re making do with my knock-off version of Jenny’s IKEA bookshelf  hack. I have to say—-I LOVE them.  But then again, I love everything Jenny does.   She’s so talented with color and always seem to make design seem so attainable.   I love that about her!  I painted the backs a charcoal-blue and adding some finishing touches to exterior.  You can follow her tutorial here if you’d like to try it too.    I posted Darlene’s drawings here so you can see how talented she is at making use of space.  You can follow her Pinterest Boards here which is a great way to work back and forth with a designer and gain inspiration for almost any project.  Her office/craftroom/workroom board is here.  Mine is here. She even has a Pinterest board called “Inspiration for Edie”.   I LOVE her!

Her original vision board looked like this………

As you can probably tell, I haven’t been able to turn it all into reality but I think it looks pretty close already, even without the awesome fabrics we chose.  The green fabric is a Kelly Wearstler Imperial Trellis.  I’m working with someone local to help with window treatments so it’ll be awhile on those.

This is the room that gave the electrician a pause.   “Does she realize she has 14 lights in this room?”   Yes, yes she does.

And she kinda wishes she had added one more hanging light over the sink.  But, alas, no.  14 it is.

This bamboo-ish bright yellow beauty?  The star of the show.   Or the laundry room, as it were.

My desk is pretty sweet too……

There’s no surprise to you, I’m sure, that I’ve been collecting books fast and furious.

This is a favorite—the Luther books with the horse bookends!

And the Harry Potter collection with the unicorn bookends?!!!!!!  Makes me a little verklempt 🙂

But my favorite daily reads are these, which I keep handy at desk level.  The girls and I use the Lutheran prayer book for morning prayer and then use the scriptures for our Bible readings.  We use the Confessions to memorize Luther’s Small Catechism.   (As a side note, my friend Gretchen, who is brilliant and wonderful and happens to be the wife of my pastor, posted a video to her blog of her husband Derek teaching the catechism to his girls.   It’s priceless!  And gave us some hints on how to get the kids to fully participate in family devotions. Thanks, Gretchen, for sharing!)

A closer look at my monogram obsession?  Sure.

So, you’re wondering where the laundry is in this supposed *workroom*, aren’t you?   Don’t worry, she’s even washing as we speak.

However, this room is VERY tight.   As in,  I may need to go back to the gym to continue to navigate in here.   So, it’s very hard to get a good image of that side of the room.

Bear with my feeble attempts 🙂

I also would like to help you understand yourself better.
There are two types of women in the world: 1)the immensely practical gal who actually does all her laundry in a timely and organized manner but pays little attention to the aesthetics of the laundry-doing space 2) then there’s me and my fellow artsy friends, who may from time to time, have to rewash a load due to laundry procrastinating tendencies  but who somehow find the time to go to great lengths to create a wonderful laundry experience. If you thought to yourself, “Well, that’s all well and fine but WHERE’S the detergent and such?” You belong to camp number 1 and the following picture is given for your perusal for your peace of mind.

It’s there, it’s just hidden as it did not fit with my laundry space  sensibilities.

So, now it’s your turn to entertain me.   What is the current state of your laundry room?

Hope you enjoyed the workroom tour!
I’ll be slowly adding the sources to this post as I can find them/remember them.
If you love this room, consider hiring Darlene to help you with a vision board for your next project.

Sources:

Wall Paint—Benjamin Moore Conch Shell

Back of Bookshelf Paint—Sable Black from Home Depot

Cabinet Color—–Fieldstone from Benjamin Moore

Yellow Bamboo Chandelier—-Shades of Light.com

Olive Table—-Blue dot strut in dark olive by Design Public

Lemon Drop Lidded Jar—Modern Chic Home

St. Tropez Chair—-Room Service Store

Zebra Bench—Braden’s Lifestyles

Jacqui Console Desk—-Bungalow Five, Layla Grace

Yellow Lattice Ceramic Stool—-Overstock.com

Ravella Orange Disco Rug—-Rugs Direct.com

Geo Zipper Drum Pendant in orange and white—–Shades of Light.com

Task Lamp on my desk—-Pottery Barn

“Blessed” towel—West Elm ( monogrammed by them)

Bookshelf lights—IKEA

various white dishes and tchotchkes—antique and thrift stores

Joining Kelly’s home tour, ‘laundry room’ edition!  Thanks for hosting, Kelly!