Kitchen 101

We are guilty of spending a lot of our family time in the kitchen. And frankly, it's not always cooking! We tend to gather there due to the accessibility and central location of our kitchen. It's also inviting - which means it's light, bright and airy.

Those three factors are really the winning formula for ANY dreamy kitchen renovation! So it's no surprise that I took this winning formula and applied it to my client's most recent kitchen renovation.  

Here is the before:

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And here is the AFTER!

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Now, these are the key takeaways!  A common misconception I come across is that people dislike natural wood. Especially woods that are oaky and tend to have more of a yellow hue. They believe that if a room in their house is dark or moody - they have to part ways with it. I'm here to save all that natural beauty RIGHT NOW! We believe that character in homes is far and few between these days.. and this ceiling is exactly where it is found. It's easy to paint over wood and have a white on white kitchen. But even better is having an airy and light kitchen that allows a detail like this to come to life. Notice how in the post renovation pictures - the wood itself appears to have a different hue. Colours, fabrics, woods, metals (finishes etc.) are always playing off each other in a small space. Also note, I chose to keep the light fixture here! I absolutely love how it brings the entire space together - think of it bridging the gap between what was and what is! Remember, you can get a refreshing new look with just changing one or two elements within any given space!

Key takeaway number 2.. There is NO shame in simplicity! In fact, one of the things that makes a space inviting is the easy, live-in ease one feels when being in the space. I love to use handles that are elegant, refined and minimalist. Not every detail has to be eclectic - playing these handles down will let your light and bright cabinets shine!

I also encourage you to consider what it looks like to cook in your kitchen, live in it, what you want to keep in it, where you want it that to be stored..etc. The more time you spend planning out your dream kitchen - the more satisfied you'll be with your renovation! Everyone's routine is unique so it matters whether you prefer baskets for storage or whether you prefer other customized features throughout your kitchen that meet the needs of your family's day-to-day!

Regardless of your wish list.. I ALWAYS recommend that you meet with an expert before undertaking any type of major home renovation project! Remember, meeting with an interior designer, architect, or general contractor doesn't always mean that they carry out the renovation form start to finish. Based on your needs and budget, you can select what service needs you have and how you'll best be able to tackle them. I do many home consultations during early parts of home renovation projects that seek to provide my clients with as much information as possible. These can often occur in an hour or two and provide you with invaluable insight! Then it's ultimately up to you how you wish to proceed and what professionals you'll need along the way! 

Happy light, bright and airy kitchens!!! And thank you to my VERY lovely clients for allowing us to share their stunning new kitchen! 

Sanja 

Pieces that stand the test of time..

Often times we are given gifts for celebrations throughout our lifetime. They are meant to represent or capture the emotion of any given milestone - sad, happy, funny and many more emotions.. Some gifts become treasured keepsakes that remind us of those very moments in time and if we're really lucky, they will stand the test of time.

This beautiful piece of art was given to us as a wedding present almost 30 years ago. It is an original oil painting completed by a dear family member that found it most appropriate to gift his natural talent to our newly bliss-ed matrimony. He of course, attended art school and graduated top of his class in a widely accredited European University. However, at the time, I don't remember what I thought when I look at this piece. I am sure we liked it, and enjoyed it but I didn't nearly think to put thought into the many layers of this piece.

Now looking at it in my home on a daily basis - I know that I could not adore it anymore. The rolling hills and captivating valleys are only broken up by the post-storm brightness in the sky. Today, this piece of art represents everything life in fact is. It is moody, unpredictable, complicated, yet beautiful - powerful, uplifting, and most importantly, hopeful. The colors, the scenery.. really are the making of a piece that stands the test of time.

Should you follow your head or your heart?!

This hand painted Dutch Frisian wall clock is a show stopper. And really.. what's not to love?! Frisian - Fryslân, is a coastal region along the southeastern corner of the North Sea in what today is mostly a large part of the Netherlands. This piece itself dates back to the 1920's and was true testament to the heritage of the Frisian people. The work is detail-oriented with each roman numeral painted with precision, the brass details work to accent the beautiful backdrop painted ever so carefully by the artist. All in all, this piece is a home run. But let's say you didn't know any of that.. and you saw this piece at a flea market.. Would you get it? We say YES! Because truthfully, beyond the history of the piece, it's the feeling.

Although, watch and clock collectors exist in the millions.. we'll admit, we're not one of them. And that's okay. You don't have to be an expert on every piece you collect and you certainly don't have to build a collection around that one outlier piece you purchased. To be frank, we didn't need to do our 'research' here to know that this was a piece that was going home with us. It made us feel something - it opened up our eyes to the craftsmanship that went into item and we knew that it was worthy of saving from the dusty shelf of our antique store. 

One of the biggest misconceptions about antiques or flea markets are that the items end up there because 'nobody else wants them.' And although, chances are if you read this blog.. you already know that may be the biggest lie ever told but we'll debunk it again here - THAT IS NEVER TRUE. However, two people can look at a piece and 'feel differently' about it. One can be captivated by the item while the other could be indifferent. Our personal preferences are always at play and getting past 'researching' every item you buy to ensure it has value can sometimes be difficult. And we understand that - Who wants to feel like they got taken advantage of and purchased a reproduction that only pretends to be an antique! No one! But perhaps the biggest takeaway here is that you should let that feeling you have during your antique store hunts guide you. Because it has the power to bring you to new antiques and new 'collector' items that you would have never considered before! Like us with this Dutch wall clock.. no regrets here!