After a this post declaring the beginning of....
...on March 21, 2011, along with months and months of follow up #projectkitchengorgeous and #pkg updates, it's FINALLY time to reveal the after shots.
As you know, the inspiration for my kitchen was absolutely a space that didn't really look like one...instead, Meredith and I envisioned creating something that felt like a Parisian boutique, mixed with a little London/New York edge...in kitchen form.
I wanted a room that could showcase some of my collections (I'm sure you've read Meredith's mentions of my slight hoarding tendancies), still function as a working kitchen and really set the tone for the rest of the house.
I wanted it to be feminine, but still approachable to the dudes in the house...of which there will soon be 3:)
But most of all, I just wanted it to be pretty...and unique...full of special things that felt collected over time...like modern and old got married and shot out one glorious kitchen love child.
And without any further ado, here are the results of our labour...
I couldn't love it more, truth be told.
My favourite elements are:
1. The pantry and display cases that flank the one wall are my favourite aesthetic element in the space...the former is faced in antique mirror and is holds a bevie of pull out drawers that store all of our food...the later is backed in the same antique mirror and houses all much of my china, glass and antique collection.
2. My brand spanking new set of Electrolux Icon appliances- they are seriously the BEST ones I've ever owned- the set of fridge drawers to the left of the big/main one are beyond...so happy I picked them over a wine fridge (and yes, this choice likely surprises you as much as it did me) - the bottom one is designated as the kid's fridge and I load it everyday with drinks, fruit and snacks...no more little voices constantly asking me to get them something...did I mention I love the drawers? All of the appliances are a dream- so happy.
3. My Brizo Solna faucet and pot holder...they're in a brushed gold finish and I lurv them- never thought about really owning a pot filler before but now I couldn't live without it.
4. The lighting...some of you remember my epic lighting search, appropriately called Lighting Gate- I think I probably sent Meredith over 500 emails on the subject...thankfully, the endless search paid off. The two fixtures above the table are vintage pink veninis that I found at my favourite local lighting haunt, Sam the Chandelier Man- he actually had one large one and created the matched pair for me by taking the glass pieces off of the big one and adding them to two smaller frames- adore...the one over the island is an antique basket chandy from a local antique store- Meredith spotted it, we ran over and picked it up just mere seconds before someone else was about to purchase- sooooo lucky. I love how it works against the more modern island...and speaking of...
5. THE ISLAND- the whole waterfall edge/campaign deal makes me sort of dizzily happy and what's more, it's just do damn functional- holds all of my pots, the microwave, 3 drawers of toys, cooking/baking dishes and more...so much storage.
6. The Griffin and Wong chinoiserie panels in combo with the hand painted curtains a la Meredith. The panels went in first and my original thought was that though extremely beautiful, they were a wee bit peachy...in came the perfectly pink abstract curtains and well, I almost fainted- COULD NOT LOVE THEM MORE.
7. The marble...oh the marble...it's proved itself as not only pretty to look at but gosh darn, it's durable too- yes...'tis true. The backsplash shelf was dreamt up once I saw some photos of vintage vanities and I love that it adds another place to display some pretty...and speaking of that, the open shelves are working out exactly as I had hoped- I will grant that there is a dusting issue but the trade off is that I get to constantly rotate my little treasures and give the kitchen a whole new look whenever it floats my boat- I'm thinking of adding a little more edgy black in the new year:)
All in all, I can sum the whole thing up by saying it's absolutely/positively the kitchen of my dreams...with one tinsy/winsy exception...the hood...it's going to be swapped out for this whenever I can so budget...
...and with that, it will solidify itself as my perfect Cinderella kitchen story.
The fact that it ended up in the pages of Style at Home...
...well, that doesn't hurt either...totally added the cherry to the top of the kitchen ice cream cake...and speaking of that...if you're in the US and just want access to a single copy, you can order the digital version of the January issue HERE...and if you missed the magazine reveal post, check that out HERE.
A huge mwah to all of the people who made my kitchen happen- of course, my biggest thanks goes to Meredith...she absolutely helped pull the dreams out of my head and turn them into reality- very thankful.
And of course, a giant thanks to you my dear readers for following along this process for the past year and a half...I know it was a long haul on the waiting for photos front...VERY grateful that you stuck around to see it all come together.
Hugs and juicy kisses,
xo
