Kitchen Inspiration

I chose our kitchen design (the most important room in our home) last night!

I thought a lot about how we live.  I want a warm home where friends and family can be with me while I cook. I want my children to sit and tell me about their adventures while I make them after school snacks. The point of this space is for serving family and friends.  I wanted something open and inviting.

I posted my chicken scratch kitchen scheme  for you to see.  This is true scratching folks.

 

 

We have a separate dining room for our formal meals, which helped me decide on the open concept kitchen/family room area.

Here are a few inspiration photos for how I would like our kitchen/living area to look.  Our cabinetry will be some warm variation of white/cream. 

This kitchen is perfection to me. I especially LOVE this vent hood.  I hope I can get one similar. And I definitely want a backsplash of white subway tile.  

Isn't this the coolest paper towel rack - not sure this is in the budget but I love it. (photo: House Beautiful)

And this cutting board above the trash is genius! (photo: House Beautiful)

I love this lantern for above the island (currently on sale at Pottery Barn).

 

And I plan to head over to my favorite shop, The Sisters Garden, for an authentic harvest table (photo: Pottery Barn).

Finally, I like this casual family room and would love for ours to look like this.

While I still need to decide the details from countertops to appliance packages, I am so excited to have a direction and a floor plan.

PS If any of you have any good advice on soapstone vs quartz vs granite countertops, I would LOVE to hear it.

Comments

[Laura Centofante]

Maria,

I've been enjoying your blog for a while now but haven't commented before (I think I found it through a Kelly's Korner link). Anyway, you always have the nicest posts and I'm so happy for you to be able to live near family, it is such blessing. I have two friends, one with soapstone, and one with a similarly colored dark honed granite. They are both beautiful and very similar and I love volunteering to help wipe down both after parties. I am no expert but I think that the white veining in the soapstone gives an effect of another time and place and would look gorgeous with the white cabinetry you are planning. Either way, your 'chicken scratch' looks like the beginnings of a beautiful nest for your precious family, you can't go wrong :)
Good luck,
Laura

[Katie]

I love it all, and I am so excited to see it unfold for you! And may I just say (as if it needs to be, yet again), you and I must be cut from the same cloth! I got so tickled seeing your floor plan drawn out. I still have my own "chicken scratch" version from when we were renovating the master bath in our old house. It is fun to look back at it and see that it all came together just like I had planned. ;o) Again, I am thrilled you are watching a dream come together!

[Maria]

Laura! Thank you so much for your sweet comment and advice. I think soapstone is gorgeous and I agree about the white vaining.

And dear Katie, it is such a treat to hear from you. If only you lived next door, you could come over for some tea and help me make some decisions:)