Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts

Is Your Kitchen Island a Proscenium?

With a client yesterday, below, huge vase of fresh peonies.


More amazing, not florist peonies.  Grown/cut from a local garden.  Atlanta !
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At a memorial gathering several of the tables had the same vases of peonies.  All from the same garden.
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Secret to these Southern grown peonies?  Shallow planting.
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Peonies need cold winters.
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In this house with children, dogs & life the kitchen retained this still life, above, without styling.
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Exactly what good design does.
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Living life beautifully, amongst 'real' life.
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Garden & Be Well,     XO Tara
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For a beautiful garden & home filling you with joy, become my client, local/on-line.
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Award winning speaker, hire me for your group, local/out-of-state.
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Books by Tara Dillard, Amazon
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Tara Dillard & Associates Design: farm to city pied-a-terre.
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Construction by Award Winning:
Shaefer Heard Construction, licensed home-builder, renovation - new construction.  Heard's Landscaping a unit of SHC.  3 decades of service.
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New Scented Kitchen Candles

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We are excited to share with you some new kitchen candles sent to us by etúHOME. They are specifically created for the kitchen with all sorts of delicious blends customized to be reminiscent of their favorite European cities. Their candles are made from the finest essential oils created in Grasse, France, which is the perfume capitol of the world. The essential oils are hand mixed with a blend of high-quality mineral and vegetable waxes. Used together, this customized blend guarantees the candle's longevity and keeps the scent powerful each time you burn it plus it helps keep an elegant and smooth appearance. My two favorites were the Palermo and Geneve.

The Palermo is according to their website,  "a fresh and sparkling scent comes alive with a simple combination of lemon and ginger. Palermo, which was once entirely a citrus grove, is renowned for its wonderful lemons. Its nickname, Conca d’Oro, means Bowl of Gold and references the abundance of lemon trees that once covered the city. Our candle pairs this zesty lemon fragrance with the spicy notes of the ginger root creating the perfect scent to fill your kitchen before your guests arrive. Ease your mind and refresh the air you breathe with this lively scent." And I can definitely attest to what a beautiful fresh and citrusy scent is has and I love how it makes the kitchen smell. 

My other favorite is the Geneve, which I am sure comes as no surprise as it is a chocolate and hazelnut mix.  Here is how they describe it, "On the southern tip of Lac Leman lies the beautiful city of Geneva surrounded by the Alps with views of the stunning Mont Blanc. During the 17th century, chocolate making began in Switzerland. World renowned for its quality, Swiss chocolate is often paired with hazelnuts, which give texture to the creamy confection. The classic combination of dark chocolate and toasted hazelnuts creates a complex scent that is bitter without being overpowering. Light this candle, and you will be instantly transported to a Swiss chalet high in the show-covered Alps." I thought it was a sweet smelling candle and loved how it made our house feel. 
    They are offering our readers a 20% discount if you use the code “ETUHOMECANDLES” at checkout. 


    Not only do the candles smell divine I absolutely love the simple elegant jar and the beautiful packaging of them! 





    They also carry this large size which is absolutely gorgeous! 







    They sell lots of other beautiful hand-crafted European items as well like this cake stand and cloche.




    Be sure to head on over and check out their beautiful website! And have a fabulous weekend! 

    Kitchen and Breakfast Area Source List:

    Cabinet Color - existing (I am pretty sure it is Lampblack by Benjamin Moore)
    Wall Color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore in Eggshell
    Trim Color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore in Semi-gloss
    Counters - existing but some form of granite
    Kitchen Table - Joss and Main (right now the top is resting on this side table we already owned while we await the arrival of the base)
    Round Back Chairs - World Market
    Gold Lantern - Lighting Design (you call one of their showrooms to order)
    Wood Bookcase with Glass Doors - Wayfair
    Church Painting - Deann
    Window Seat - Custom Built
    Pillows on Window Seat - HomeGoods
    Throw on Window Seat - HomeGoods
    Faux Fur on Window Seat - Ikea


    Source List for Cake Stand Photos:

    Wall Color - Dove White by Benjamin Moore in eggshell
    Door Color - Mopboard Black by Benjamin Moore in Semigloss
    Trim Color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore in Semigloss
    Cake Stand - EtuHome
    Demijon Cloche - EtuHome
    Table Runner - Pottery Barn 
    Chair - World Market
    Pillow - Birch Lane 
    Goblets - Birch Lane 
    Urn used as Vase - The Arrow's Nest




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    Our New Coffee Bar

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    One of the things I was most unsure of when we first saw this house was this wet bar area. I knew that I didn't want to keep it as is, but wasn't sure if we should rip it out entirely or try to update it and turn it into a coffee bar. We decided to use it as a coffee bar for the first few weeks after moving in to see if it was functional having it over there and then we figured if it was we would update it and if it wasn't we would rip it out. We knew we had a woodworker coming in either late January or early February who was going to build us a mantel and window seat in this same room, so we figured that gave us a couple of months to decide on whether we wanted him to update this also. Well, about two days after moving in we decided that we LOVED having this little coffee station over here. So, I did a quick temporary update to it by painting the cabinetry and ripping out the lattice work and just using that as a shelf, and then in February when the woodworking arrived to install the other items he also ripped out the upper cabinets and and backsplash and installed a beautiful shiplap backsplash and some new cabinets and a rustic new shelf and then the finishing touch was installing this beautiful new faucet from our sponsor, Delta. We chose Cassidy Bar/Prep Faucet in the Champagne Bronze color and it is absolutely beautiful!


    Here is a quick before and after of this wall:





    I absolutely love the faucet! It's the perfect mix of traditional and modern and the color is such a perfect match to about anything!








    We also added the larger version of the Cassidy with the Touch20 technology over on the other side of the room to our kitchen. My girls are completely fascinated with the "magic faucet" haha! I can't believe how much I love the Touch20 function. I knew it was cool, but I didn't realize just how practical it was as well. For instance last night my hands were completely covered in dough and I was able to just tap part of my arm against it to get the water started. It's also great when I am trying to fill a heavy pot or vase. 


    And we all find this fascinating - it changes color depending on the temperature. It's so cool watching it change from hot to cold and then back again.






    And here are a few other kitchen pictures:











    Kitchen and Breakfast Area Source List:

    Cabinet Color - existing (I am pretty sure it is Lampblack by Benjamin Moore)
    Wall Color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore in Eggshell
    Trim Color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore in Semi-Gloss
    Door Color - Mopboard Black by Benjamin Moore in Semi-Gloss
    Beadboard Wallpaper below Chair Rail - can be found here
    Faucet - Delta Cassidy with Touch20 in Champagne Bronze
    Counters - existing (granite)Kitchen Table - Joss and Main (right now the top is resting on this side table we already owned while we await the arrival of the base)
    Round Back Chairs - World Market
    Gold Lantern - Lighting Design (you call one of their showrooms to order)
    Wood Bookcase with Glass Doors - Wayfair
    Church Painting - Deann (Use this code REDEEMER at checkout for 15% off right now!) 
    Window Seat - Custom Built
    Pillows on Window Seat - HomeGoods
    Throw on Window Seat - HomeGoods
    Faux Fur on Window Seat - Ikea



    Coffee Bar Area:
    Wall Color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore in Eggshell
    Trim Color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore in Semi-Gloss
    Door Color - Mopboard Black by Benjamin Moore in Semi-Gloss Finish
    Lower Coffee Bar Cabinet Color - Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore in Semi-gloss
    Beadboard Wallpaper below Chair Rail - can be found here
    Woodwork (shiplap, shelf and upper cabinets) - custom by a local builder  
    Counters - Existing (quartz)
    Faucet - Delta Cassidy Prep Faucet in Champagne Bronze
    Items on Shelf:
         Waters - Trader Joes
         White Pitcher - Target
         Cake Stand - HomeGoods
         Moscow Mule Mugs - All Modern
         Canisters with Chalkboard Labels - Target several years ago
         Small canisters  with cocoa and marshmallows - World Market
         Hot Cocoa Bag - Burdicks
         Hot Chocolate Mugs - Burdicks
    Items on Counter:
         Hot Chocolate Mugs - Burdicks
         Mug Holder/Drying Rack - World Market
         Keurig - Target
         Marble Cutting Board - Birch Lane 
         Sugar Bowl - World Market



    Family Room Source List:

    Wall Color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore in Eggshell
    Trim Color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore in Semi-Gloss
    Door Color - Mopboard Black by Benjamin Moore in Semi-Gloss Finish
    Lower Coffee Bar Cabinet Color - Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore in Semi-gloss (we will have a detailed source for the coffee bar in a future post with more closeup shots)
    Beadboard Wallpaper below Chair Rail - can be found here
    Mantel and Other Woodwork - custom by a local builder  
    Topiaries - Joss and Main
    Rug - ESale Rugs Villa Rug in the 9 by 12 size
    Round Basket - Birch Lane a few years ago
    Sofa - Arhaus
    Cable Knit Pillows - Soft Surrounding
    Other Pillows - HomeGoods (similar one here)
    White Lumbar Pillow - IKEA
    Stuffed Animal on Sofa - HomeGoods
    White Knit Throw - Birch Lane
    Large Barn Painting - was a gift
    Tufted Bench/Ottoman - I built it (you can read more about it here)
    Throw on Ottoman - HomeGoods
    Tray on Ottoman - HomeGoods
    White Wingback Chairs - Birch Lane
    Drapery Panels - Barn and Willow Belgian Flax in Mist Gray 
    Side Table - Homegoods
    Blue Jug with Eucalyptus - Decor Steals
    Gold Mirror - vintage 
    Left bookshelves: 
        Candlesticks, books and pictures - family or vintage
        Gold Orb - HomeGoods
        Photo Albums - Blurb
        Moose Bookends - Dear Lillie collection at Painted Fox
    Right bookshelves:
        Books and Pictures - from family or vintage
        Burlap Boxes - Birch Lane
        Dog Bookends - Birch Lane 
        Pineapple Bookends - Birch Lane



    We hope you all have a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by!

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    Our Window Seat Area with New Lantern

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    I am so excited that our family room and breakfast nook are finished! Woohoo! Well, technically there are still a few things to finish up but the big projects are done and today I am going to start with sharing our breakfast area and new window seat. 

    First let's start with how the room started. The kitchen area had mostly been renovated but the rest of the room was original to the 80's when the home was built. The floors had been refinished which we were really excited about. All of the wood trim though, was just a little bit too dark for us. I know lots of people prefer the warmth of all the wood trim but we prefer to have a bit of a lighter feel so painting the woodwork Simply White by Benjamin Moore was an easy decision. I knew that I was going to basically be painting every square inch of this house and seeing how it felt like I had just finished doing that to our last house I decided to get some help with a couple of the spaces that I was dreading the most in this house so I hired a wonderful lady who I've worked with before to paint all the trim in this room. The days she was doing that I tackled the walls in here as well as the trim in the kitchen and the walls and trim in the laundry room. It was so nice having the help because in about four days we were able to get this whole main living space tackled which felt so great! 


    Once the painting was done I added some new blinds and then added some headboard wallpaper below the chair rail. Then Christmas came and went and I moved on to painting pretty much every other space I could so I could get all of the painting crossed off my list. After I finally got painting most of the house behind me then I moved back in here to add some more finishing touches. 

    Then a week and a half or so ago, this gold lantern from Lighting Design arrived. I had been torn on whether or not I wanted to hang it in our entryway or here in the kitchen but once it arrived I knew instantly that it was going to be perfect for the kitchen! I had been eyeing this light fixture for months and months and had taken so many screenshots of it and then finally decided to pull the trigger on it. I was sooooo excited that I basically hung and wired it as soon as I saw that it had arrived. They don't sell this particular one online but if you just give their showroom a call they can order it for you! And they also sell this one that is very similar and at a lower price point. Plus they carry tons and tons of inventory so you should head on over and check out their website. We are so happy with ours. The color on it is absolutely beautiful and I love the proportions of it. Plus they carry it in quite a few different size options. 

    And then the finishing touch was the window seat. This was way out of my building capabilities so we hired a talented woodworker to build this as well as our mantel and one other project (I'll show you both of those in upcoming posts). I still need to paint the window seat (right now it is just primed) but I couldn't wait to take pictures as soon as it was installed! Ha! And then I am trying to decide if I want to add some pulls onto each drawer that opens below the window seat. I keep going back and forth whether or not I want to add them or not. 



    I swapped the chairs we had out here with our dining room ones. I think ultimately though these will end up back in the dining room once I find what I am looking for for in here.

    I love how the gold lantern pops against all the grays and blues and adds some warmth. 



























    Kitchen and Family Room:

    Wall Color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore in Eggshell
    Trim Color - Simply White by Benjamin Moore in Semi-Gloss
    Door Color - Mopboard Black by Benjamin Moore in Semi-gloss Finish
    Cabinet Color - existing (I am pretty sure it is Lampblack by Benjamin Moore)
    Kitchen Table - Joss and Main (right now the top is resting on this side table we already owned while we await the arrival of the base) 
    Round Back Chairs - World Market
    Gold Lantern - Lighting Design (you call one of their showrooms to order)
    Wood Bookcase with Glass Doors - Wayfair
    Church Painting - Deann
    Window Seat - Custom Built
    Pillows on Window Seat - HomeGoods
    Throw on Window Seat - HomeGoods
    Faux Fur on Window Seat - Ikea
    Metal Basket on Bar - Joss and Main
    Blinds in Bay Window - Levolor from Lowes
    Sofa - Arhaus
    Cable Knit Pillows - Soft Surrounding
    Other Pillows - HomeGoods (similar one here)
    White Knit Throw - Birch Lane
    Plaid Throw - HomeGoods
    Large Barn Painting - was a gift
    Tufted Bench/Ottoman - I built it (you can read more about it here)
    Throw on Ottoman - HomeGoods
    Tray on Ottoman - HomeGoods
    White Wingback Chairs - Birch Lane
    Drapery Panels - Barn and Willow Belgian Flax in Mist Gray 
    Wood Tray - Heritage Lace
    Polka Dot Bowls - HomeGoods
    Marble Rolling Pin - Sur La Table
    Bar Stools - HomeGoods
    Basket/Side Table - Dear Lillie Painted Fox Collection
    Blue Jug with Eucalyptus - Decor Steals


    *We received a discount on the light fixture in exchange for this post. All thoughts and opinions are our own. Affiliate links are used in this post at no cost to the reader.
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