topic Re: NRe: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN in Home

QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

Oznell — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 02:00:43 GMT

At least, I think it would be considered quirky here. In Britain, it's not so unusual.

Interior designer Sophie Rowell took a falling-down captain's cottage, by the English seacoast of Kent. She had to bring it back from decline, even had to put a new roof on, etc. It's tall and skinny, spread over 4 narrow floors.

BEFORE:

Love the herringbone floors she did. The cabinets are in a U.K. color called "London Brown" which she says change and look aubergine in some lights, as they do here--

So many neat little touches. Now, over the dining table, she has a different vintage chandelier, with little wicker shades she sourced in the U.S.:

This cabinet houses the frig. You can really see how in this light, the color does look very purp-ley.

This end of the kitchen was the dining area, but she ultimately turned it into this little sitting area below, since she wanted another comfortable seating space in the house, besides the living room. She said her young son keeps taking that over! The cute lilac fireplace surround here echoes the one other lilac cabinet in kitchen--

Chocolate linen on the custom sofa--

I see her point. Lovely little spot to curl up, gaze out the window, and wait for the water to boil for tea! The armoire houses her prized glass collections.

BEFORE: Designers are always switching things up. Here's this nook when it used to be a dining area--

Here you can see the one other lilac cabinet, which echoes the newly lilac fireplace surround--

So nice that the long kitchen gets such nice natural light at either end.

Here's a peek at a few other rooms. The rest of the house has a similar very individualistic, very romantic sensibility. She left the original, unpainted plaster in the sitting room, for the moody look of it-- just had it sealed. Her TV is on an easel.

Love the subtle ticking on the couch, a quiet counterpoint to the more flamboyant, very English chintz fabrics she's partial to.

Antique candle sconces, lovely painting, an old chest and Italian pottery make a timeless still life....

One other room I really like is her bedroom, which looks out over the stormy sea--

The brick is left natural in other parts of the house, but here I think it was absolutely the right decision to paint it out. The white here is called "Warm White". This looks so restful and serene, with comfy bed in vintage fabrics, and more of that lovely coastal light pouring in. Curled up kitty only furthers the serenity....

Love the painted floors, exposed rafters. Opening up to the roof line really improved the feeling of spaciousness in the room, she said.

Somehow, I think she's kept something of the spirit of the old sea captain's cottage dwelling, the character, disarming simplicity, the salty sea air atmosphere...

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

Puggywuggy — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 02:09:46 GMT

I love a good herringbone patter, especially on flooring. I'm so glad you mentioned the cabinets looking aubergine, because I was worried it was my eyes! I also love when the refrigerator is housed behind a cupboard as I don't find that particular appliance attractive. The bedrooms do indeed look cozy and light. Thank you @Oznell

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

SandySparkles — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 02:16:34 GMT

There are just SO many interesting elements here, but my fingers got quite the workout today😁, so I will just add that I LOVE❤ the BEAUTIFUL kitchen flooring and the STRIKING purple fridge door; quite clever!! I have NEVER seen anything quite like it but it certainly makes a GRAND statement!❤ It and the lovely floral accent chair complement each other nicely!!!🥰

THANK you for caring to share these BEAUTIFUL photos!🤗

~~~All we need is LOVE💖

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

Mz iMac — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 02:33:43 GMT

"vintage chandelier, with little wicker shades "

I would be scared to death the wicker would catch on fire from the light bulbs.

I don't know why cause it's NOT my style but, I that chocolate covered custom made couch.

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

GingerHead — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 02:38:09 GMT

@Oznell

Very unique kitchen and decor. I love it.

But I must say the stand out for me is the wall treatment used here:

I'm a sucker for an aged faux or original wall treatment!

I'm saving this one.

Thanks again for the pretty!

NRe: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

Love my grandkids — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 02:40:05 GMT

@Oznell I love 95% of this. And I don't see one single light fixture that I don't like -- that's a first for me! The only thing I would change is the ticking fabric on the couch but I really like the rest of it. Love the herringbone flooring. Not crazy about the old chest and the painting but those are minor details.

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

on the bay — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 03:22:08 GMT

So interesting. She really has a lot of nice touches. It all looks very cozy and welcoming with light and color added too. I like so many of the things she's done-those curtains or brown shades, the purple door, the comfortable chairs

with pretty print fabric and couches.

I could live there

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

Oznell — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 12:38:47 GMT

@GingerHead , I'm also very susceptible to original plaster finishes, the highs and lows, the interesting imperfections. Makes such a romantic backdrop, especially for the art that a discerning collector like Sophie Rowell has...

By the way, knowing your predilection for a kind of "Dark Academia" look, I was interested to see someone talking about "Light Academia" online! Wondering if that would appeal to you, or is it the darkness that you couldn't be without. I usually need lightness, or mostly lightness, so my ears perked up. I've always gravitated to that venerable library vibe, with portraits, old crumbling books, tarnished metals, etc., but with lighter elements and backdrops...

If interested, both online bloggers-- just lanchen and she holds dearly -- discuss and show examples--

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

faeriemoon — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:33:23 GMT

I love it!! Quirky is my middle name.

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

ECBG — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 16:24:09 GMT

Well done! I really love the wall treatments and her fabrics. Te purple kitchen was a surprise and could prove very tiring. I would lower the sitting area coffee table; it's out of balance.

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

wagirl — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 16:30:24 GMT

I'm kind of loving that deep purple color -- and I do like the big pieces of statement furniture-- but too many stuffed into the small spaces as in a few of the photos. For me--still too much to dust and try to move around. And I feel like there isn't much light----

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

Marsha2003 — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 16:53:42 GMT

I enjoyed that video and the way she talked about how she made her choices. As an aside, I guess I'll never get used to the small refrigerators used outside of North America. I also laugh when I watch the British version of Location, Location, Location and they talk about a vast amount of space when the square footage is 2,000 square feet. I am so spoiled (and happy).

Re: NRe: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

Nonametoday — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 17:53:44 GMT

@Love my grandkids wrote:
@Oznell I love 95% of this. And I don't see one single light fixture that I don't like -- that's a first for me! The only thing I would change is the ticking fabric on the couch but I really like the rest of it. Love the herringbone flooring. Not crazy about the old chest and the painting but those are minor details.

@Love my grandkids @Oznell

I agree with LMG,I love 95%. I don't like the ticking because my DIL had that particular ticking on a sofa and they are very tidy but within a year, it needed recovering as the upholstery shampoo caused it to look like it had been made into flour. I didn't like the chest. I think it could have used a better, more finished chest against that wall. I like sparkly finishes juxtaposed to crackle walls, etc. LMG and I could probably decorate for one another. Insert smily face here.

Re: NRe: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

Love my grandkids — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 18:47:46 GMT

@Nonametoday I loved your post and I agree with everything you said. I really didn't like the chest at all. Needed a different finish. Let's get together and decorate!

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

LavernLuvsShoes — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 18:55:50 GMT

@wagirl wrote:
I'm kind of loving that deep purple color -- and I do like the big pieces of statement furniture...

Me too! ♥

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

GingerHead — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 03:26:54 GMT

@Oznell

Yes! I love old plaster or plaster looking wall finishes. I have quite a collection of interesting wall finish pictures on Pinterest that I've collected.

I've recreated this look a number of times in different houses using watered down joint compound and a trowel. After I'm done with the texturizing I'll paint it in a solid color and then white wash over it to bring out the texture.

But next time I do it I think I'll paint the wall a light brown and then maybe mix the joint compound with an ivory paint (depending) and then recreate a similar finish to the one you posted. It's really amazing what you can do with a little paint!

You remembered my love of Vampire Chic Decor ( or properly titled "Dark Academia") Haha. You have a good memory!

I love that dark, moody, cocoony look and the feeling it evokes. It just speaks to my soul. Which is fitting because I prefer dark, gloomy, rainy and cozy days and get a little sad when the summer season starts (seasonal affective disorder but in the opposite direction, haha).

My problem is that.... just as much as I love the dark and moody in decor, I also love the light and pastels/whites as in the aged, rustic French country cottage/ shabby chic way....opposite ends of the spectrum (dark/moody and white/lights).

Right now I'm living in the light and I love it....

I'd never heard of "light Academia" (or "Dark Academia" for that matter) and had fun looking it up.

I don't have the same love for the "Light Academia" as I do the dark and if I'm doing light it's in the french country way. But it was fun to learn and look it up.

If you've made it to this point and not stopped reading (haha) sorry for the looooong Novel,

thanks for bringing that to my attention and remembering me!! I always enjoy anything decor!

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

wilma — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 17:47:44 GMT

I actually like the before nook more than the after. The before looks crowded, but it would look better if the huge yellow cabinet was removed. I'm not a fan of the brown sofa in the after nook.

I think I would get tired of all the purple in the kitchen. The sitting room and bedrooms are ok. I don't care for the distressed cabinet. Just not my style.

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

Imaoldhippie — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 19:32:43 GMT

Oh my goodness I love every bit of it. She has enough color to make it happy and cozy. I really like the miss matched chairs and bench seat in the dining area.

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

Oznell — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 11:49:24 GMT

@GingerHead you're so clever with your different finishes that you can produce, and various projects you've undertaken! Really expands your options, too.

I'm with you on this one, @Imaoldhippie . Cozy, but some of the unexpected choices and colors keep it interesting. A relief from the standard, cookie-cutter looks that prevail online....

Re: QUIRKY SEASIDE KITCHEN

GinaV24 — Wed, 01 May 2024 13:46:26 GMT

@Oznell I like the herringbone floors and using that aubergine color is really neat and different. As you say, she did a wonderful job keeping the original spirit of the home through the changes.

The one thing that threw me off is that in the 2nd photo, that arrangement on the table just looks strange to me. I like the lamp but the leafy thing just caught my eye and made me go - oh no! LOL but then I'm not a decorator.