Kitchens I love Archives - Northern California Style

I know I haven’t been blogging as much as I used to and one reason is some time I’ve been trying to devote to a home remodel we have been planning. The kitchen part is especially stressing and I tend to overthink everything.

I could make it easy and choose all the traditional things -white cabinets, counters…pedant lights, farm house sink, subway backsplash, etc. I love all of those elements! However, after traveling to Europe and also pouring over of kitchen ideas, I have begun to say why not think out of the box? I don’t want trendy, but I want something uniquely mine and kinda cool and something that won’t look dated.

One thing I have been avoiding is Pinterest and a few other sites. The same images or look alike images are shared so many zillions of times and things start to look all the same. The homogenization of Pinterest and somewhat of Instagram, has been a pet peeve of mine. They all look the same…Or variations of the same. It gets really monotonous and I think will look very dated in a short time. Houzz has more variations and ideas, but most adhere to a traditional look or a modern one.

The only solution is to forge your own style and look, so where to get ideas? The MLS is one good spot as real estate listings have such a diversity. I also find European kitchens more inspiring as they seem to appreciate quirkiness, take more chances and don’t care for the model home look as we Americans fawn over.

In that spirit I am sharing some of the more unique kitchens I’ve been loving and I say you only live once…Take chances and dare to be different.

This is one of my favorite kitchens – Sara Ruffin Costello’s home in Saint Louis. Photo is from her website which feature her Garden District home is one of my very favorites.

I love the painted brick backsplash, the mix of modern and traditional and the bright feeling.

Another awesome and unique kitchen I love is this Swedish one…

The home of former model and now designer Malin Persson is a great combination of furniture pieces and modern counters, lighting and tiled walls. How gorgeous is her china cabinet?

The whole post originally appeared here on Habitually Chic.

I also love the idea of painting a kitchen a color like this one by English designer Ben Pentreath. Ben and his blog are ground zero for that quirky English vibe. If only California wasn’t so hot, I could have an AGA stove. I just love their old world look.

If you like this, Ben’s blog has more of the parsonage he shares with his husband Charlie in Dorset. I love the way he mixes it all and makes it beautiful.

Some other antidotes to the usual… Yes I love white shaker cabinets and white counters, but it’s good to see other options right?

Cote Maison

Decorpad

This kitchen is the work of the Luigi Fragola design firm in Florence, Italy.

So is this…

I’m crazy about the color of the cabinets and the floor and what wonderful cabinetry.

More of their designs on this post by Desire to Inspire which highlighted their beautiful work.

One thing my designer Debbie says to me is that I would live in glass house if I could and she’s right. I crave light and can never get enough. I especially love a garden outside. This kitchen surrounded by a garden is dreamy.

So is this..

Houzz

I thought I might be able to model the layout of my kitchen after this one. The bank of windows, lamp on the counter (makes it so cozy) and the glass doors to the pantry or office are all things I would hope to do. However, I may now be moving my kitchen to an entirely different space, so the layout would not be like this.

Elements of Style

I also love this, lots of wood, white and steel and windows.

How about rock for the backsplash? Sorry no original link to this so if someone knows please tell me. Originally found on Pinterest.

I also love a mix of modern design and a fancy chandelier…

Remodelista

Jasper Conran’s kitchen has always been a favorite with it’s steel counters combined with the traditional.

Another mix of rustic, modern and classic elements by Rose Uniacke.

The beams look traditional and the dark windows are modern. I’d like a black, natural wood or even a blue hued island. Via Elements of Style.

I’m also partial to the grey blue tones.

If you have to do white, then this mix of tile, painted chandelier and lots of chrome is fun. Both photos above designed by Ilse Crawford.

Another mix here by Kristin Buckingham.

This kitchen by Windsor Smith has been seen everywhere, but I still love it! I believe this is actually a very dark navy paint that is almost black, but with the light of the kitchen, the marble and all her silver it still feels light.

Another color that is just starting to be seen more in kitchens is pink and this tone is almost a neutral.

Apartment Therapy

Veronica Swanson Beard in her New York kitchen in Bazaar. Not everyone could live with this blue, but why not and the lantern is beautiful. The color is very retro and reminds me of our kitchen growing up, until my mom got into cornflower yellow.

Remember those days? My mom had our frig painted yellow. it matched all our appliances and then we had some wonderful orange accents via mushroom hot pads and macrame owls. Around 1973 that was the height of hip. My mom dreamed of getting rust shag carpeting to go with it all!

Searching for these pics I found a nice one of Gloria Vanderbilt in her kitchen around the same era. She was also embracing those tones and the quilted/Holly Hobby look that was getting popular then.

I’m digging her apron too. Oh kitchen trends!

Here I am complaining about trends and choices when I found this gem of Julia Child in her Paris kitchen. I forgot how tall she was! I will not complain about my back hurting when I see what she had to deal with. Apparently it didn’t hinder her cooking abilities.