topic Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN in Home

WARMING UP A KITCHEN

Oznell — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 15:05:26 GMT

Designer Mary Ann Pickett of 'classiccasualhome' wanted to warm up her white kitchen. Of course, it's a beautiful kitchen, but not a "perfect" kitchen. But she has the advantage of the fact that her paint is definitely a soft, off-white, not stark and sterile. Ditto her tiles, which are variegated in shade. And her island is natural wood. The casual mix of metals also helps.

Her added touches did enhance, I thought. And she did it without making the room look unreasonably cluttered or crowded. It's a working kitchen, with her husband being an enthusiastic chef for the family.

Her washable, striped Ruggable rug gives that "global travel" feeling, and protects her lustrous hardwood floors.

Her heavy, washed linen 'tea towels' ( that's a Canadianism of mine, ha) or 'dish towels', further the theme of sophisticated "rusticity" established by the rug. Love their homespun look. Turns out, she got them in Paris. But on her site she gives some cute duplicates.

To hold flowers, she likes something vintage or scrounged at a flea market, like her vase. Good texture contrast with the sleeker kitchen elements--

Same with her gorgeous walnut cutting board from Quince. Love the deep color against the countertops.

The small art print is velcro'd with a few strips, to the backsplash. A lit candle and the fruit bowl make a simple vignette. A small vintage lamp could be swapped out for the candle, and give a similar homey glow.

She didn't mention this, but I think her stored and stacked cookbooks add to the warmth-- books always do!

Later, edited to add-- Forgot that I have a tea towel recommendation of my own, that is also rustic. I got these cotton jacquard oak leaf and acorn towels at Hobby Lobby. Made in India.

They also come in red, orange or brown, but thought that the rich green and ecru pattern would span the seasons best. And they're not jarringly white on the back, so if they get twisted while hanging, they still look good.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

wagirl — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 14:35:17 GMT

WOW----if only I had a kitchen like that!! Is lovely!! I would use off white/cream/ecu --not the stark white anywhere --and would love to decorate with my kitchen stuff---

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

spiderw — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 15:07:01 GMT

I like all the decor especially the addition of cook books and the lovely rug and dish towels. Having touches of color enhances a white kitchen. I am not a fan of islands , I prefer a table and chairs, more comfortable and inviting for me. I love that there is a lot of space to move around in also.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

ID2 — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 15:08:58 GMT

Oh I'm different! I just gutted my kitchen (only 8 years old) and redid it in totally stark white! It's absolutely gorgeous. But I do bring colors in by doing what the OP posted. Flowers, towels, knick knacks. My coffee bar has a beautiful collection of colorful coffee mugs from our travels. My kitchen was actually entered in the Blue Star contest 2024, it didn't win but it was posted on their Facebook page! So exciting!

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

Sooner — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 15:21:25 GMT

Almost my kitchen. Cabinets are that not white white neutral warm color, no plate racks, but we have dark wood floor and dark island that is more traditional. That countertop is our quartzite too--I can't remember the name of it right now, but it is a common one.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

faeriemoon — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 16:27:12 GMT

I honestly thought the first picture was the "before" picture. This kitchen doesn't look particularly warm to me.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

We rescue cats — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 17:57:15 GMT

Love this kitchen! We have quartz countertops but I complain about them often, the only way I can find anything dropped on them is to feel for it with my hands-everything disappears on it!, and they are so cold in winter, that we addes an under counter heating element.

Love the blue as the accent color for the room, really perks things up for me.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

Bonkers1 — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 18:41:17 GMT

Love this kitchen except for the dark island. Too much contrast for my taste.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

stevieb — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 18:50:08 GMT

A very nice kitchen, but given the huge expanse of white and stainless steel, I think it probably requires a bit more effort to warm it up.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

SactoSue — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 01:04:45 GMT

In the photo, that kitchen island looks to be fairly far from the cooktop or sink, and maybe from the refrigerator, too. It's placement feels uncomfortable to me.

I have a hard time trying to see the colors at play here, firstly because the room behind the kitchen seems to be a light green and that and the silvertone refrigerator are creating reflections that have some variable colors.

I would not have put that blue rug in there. I see warm undertones in the countertop and I like the idea of the sagey-greenish rug.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

DSD2 — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 19:23:31 GMT

@Bonkers1 wrote:
Love this kitchen except for the dark island. Too much contrast for my taste.

I feel the exact same way. Beautiful and would have been my dream kitcen.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

Nightowlz — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 19:31:16 GMT

I like that it's not so white. I don't really care for an open plate rack I would have to keep cleaning.

Love the different color wood on the island.

Of course I like the backsplash because it's similar to mine. My tiles are longer but it has that same wavy movement. It's easy to keep clean.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

GingerHead — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 20:02:05 GMT

@Oznell

That is one gorgeous kitchen! I love it!

But this is coming from someone who does love an all white kitchen with white marble counter tops, white cabinets and white tile as well so I don't find all white necessarily too white. I think in that case the focus becomes the different textures, etc. and if you mix that all white with some contrasting warm, aged wood then all the better and I'm in heaven!

The different tones of cream in this kitchen are so pleasing to the eye and it gives a "white" kitchen a lot more warmth. The varigated tile is amazing and

I too love the mix of the off-white cabinets with the natural wood elements.

I do always love when the island is a different color than the cabinetry, especially if it's in a warm, aged wood.

I also really like the tea towels (I'm a sucker for anything french!) and your Hobby Lobby tea towels would look good in there. I think all rooms could use a little green.

Thanks for the lovelies!

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

Oznell — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 12:27:15 GMT

@SactoSue , I love your idea of a sage-y green rug, and given the undertones in other elements, it would look at home there, plus be "warming"....

So true, @GingerHead , natural wood and textures (preferably "nubbly" ones) are great ways to warm up off-white. The room could stand to have some more, e.g., a natural woven or bamboo window treatment, and some more textiles...

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

haddon9 — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 12:32:07 GMT

@Oznell Lovely kitchen. I really like your green leaves tea towel!

If that were my kitchen I would have preferred a nice warm green (like in your towel) rather than a cooler blue accent color.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

shoptilyadropagain — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 12:57:45 GMT

It's a very pretty kitchen. I love the tile and feel it's warmer by just not being a totally stark white kitchen.

It feels a bit off balance to me though. The wood island is nice but there needs to be some major wood piece for the other side of the kitchen. The cutting board and few other wood/brown pieces just don't balance it out for me.

As always....thanks so much for sharing these.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

wilma — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 19:45:49 GMT

I don't mind the dark floor, but I don't care for the stark contrast of the dark wood island with all the white. I don't think the kitchen looks that "warm". There's still a lot of cool & light neutrals.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

2sisters — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 22:42:17 GMT

I LOVE everything about that kitchen!

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

Lilysmom1 — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 07:47:32 GMT

@Oznell , love!

@Oznell , looking at this again and agree. Edit the blue rug to green. Still loving it, especially the cute small art work.

Re: WARMING UP A KITCHEN

CANDLEQUEEN — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 13:59:09 GMT

@SactoSue wrote:
In the photo, that kitchen island looks to be fairly far from the cooktop or sink, and maybe from the refrigerator, too. It's placement feels uncomfortable to me.

I have a hard time trying to see the colors at play here, firstly because the room behind the kitchen seems to be a light green and that and the silvertone refrigerator are creating reflections that have some variable colors.

I would not have put that blue rug in there. I see warm undertones in the countertop and I like the idea of the sagey-greenish rug.

@SactoSue I think the lighting has greenish tones to them as well, so your idea of a sage rug would fit perfectly.!!!