Octagon Dot Kitchen Floor

I left you with a bit of a cliffhanger TWO MONTHS AGO re: our kitchen floor. Let me tell you that during those two months, I went to the brink and back. I'll say it again - renovation is no joke.

But, alas, I believe we emerged triumphant. During a random Pinterest search that was going nowhere on an unrelated topic (story of my life), I came across this photo:

Carter and I both had a simultaneous "that's it!" moment when we saw the floor. The very classic black and white octagon dot tile pattern, but with the colors reversed. It was genius and exactly what we wanted.

(Sidenote: Our kitchen will not at ALL be this dark and sexy, but it's lovely isn't it?)

So, empowered by this discovery, I launched a thousand ships in search of this tile. This was obviously going to be easy to find - it's so simple! so classic! I was v wrong.

I did end up finding it online for a great price - easy peasy. Until they informed me they had zero stock and the tile maker had discontinued making it. Of course.

And that was it. It was NOWHERE to be found in the size we wanted, which is smaller scale. I turned around one hundred million non-octagon-dot options...but they all kept coming up short.

Until another random search (God bless 'em) landed me on a local vendor that makes mosaic tiles all day long. This was after about 6 weeks of searching.

So, we're going custom. Although not the most budget-friendly option, the big upside is we got to choose the materials. We were really digging the option of a marble floor (see July cliffhanger picture) but the ready-made octagon dots were porcelain. And now we get to marry the marble and the pattern we want. Should look something like this:

I'm pretty happy about it, despite the additional gray hairs it gave me.

So cabinets are set and ready to be delivered. The floor is selected and we should have it this weekend. Our den has been stripped to studs and is being drywalled...it's all happening.

I have so much to tell you that I get paralyzed with every post. There is just so much to share! An excellent problem to have...but my plan is certainly to document it here. Slowly but surely...

Powder Blue Kitchen

Remember this post? I was debating the off-white kitchen vs. the colored kitchen? Drumroll please....(bonus points if you do it Griswold style)....

We're going with powder blue!

^ Tobi Fairley ^

Signed, sealed, but not yet delivered. Cabinets are ordered and we went with Sherwin Williams' Sleepy Blue for the paint color:

It's a lovely light, powdery, celestial blue with just enough gray to not feel too baby-colored but the blue still dominates.

I'll share more details with the full plans but I'm taking the kitchen in a warmer direction than some of these pix - not accentuating the gray and silvery tones...looking for the warmer tones to juxtapose with the cool blue.

Hand claps for Carter Shuffler who lobbied for the color. I was really going to play it safe with the off-white which would have been lovely, but I think we're going to enjoy that we pushed it a little in this space.

More details to come!

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p.s. Over my baby-having blogging hiatus, my blog was getting hammered with spam in the comments. So I made it kind of hard to comment. But I love comments so it made me sad. Hoping to make it easy again soon.

Kitchen Thoughts

Turns out, we are ripping out the current kitchen and putting in a new one. "Ripping out" sounds so harsh, doesn't it? The current kitchen is a sweet, albeit outdated, space that I know was lovingly cared for by the home's original owner. But it's not working for us...so renovation it is.

Of course, I'm thrilled about this. And I'm also stressed about getting it right. The constant tug-of-war of decorating emotion.

We are smack dab in the middle of designing the new kitchen. And although none of these photos are exactly what we are thinking of doing, they all communicate the vibe in different ways:

I want a kitchen that is simple, warm, and classic.

Definitely painted, but not white. Our old kitchen was crisp and bright with a jolt of color. Now I'm looking for neutral tones and simple lines that almost fade into each other (ie inset cabinets, shaker-style doors, low contrast materials).

The big question is color - green or off-white? Pic #3 is close to what I'm thinking should we choose to go green. A situation where all surfaces have the same color so the overall look still reads pretty neutral. But I sure do like the idea of off-white cabinets, perhaps paired with a statement floor tile.

So that is my inner monologue at the moment.

I also had quite the ah-ha moment while revisiting my Pinterest boards to identify my favorite kitchen pictures...there is nary a statement backsplash. Or a backsplash at all. Granted, some of my inspo pix are butler's pantries, but still. I get it. I don't want a fancy background. Though the function of cleaning these slivers of wall is still a thing to think through.

We've pretty much outlined the layout - a wall is coming down! And now is the cabinetry. After that, we'll hit the counters, hardware, floor, and lighting. So. Many. Decisions.

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Friday Crush

This image from Chenault James Interiors' Insta has been on my radar for a good long while. The desire for a built-in kitchen breakfast nook never leaves me and I L-O-V-E the idea of taking a high-end fabric that you would NEVER allow your children to eat on and coating it to create a perfectly slick, wipeable surface. So clever and chic.

I am on a plane to Spain this weekend (heading back for work - remember I went last year?) so I'll be away from the blog next week. Enjoy doting on the dads in your life and I'll see you the week after next!

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Friday Crush

Design by Charlotte Lucas, image via Schumacher on Instagram

This kitchen has me on high alert. I love everything about it. IT HAS SCALLOPED MOLDING. And the use of Schumacher's Citrus Garden on those roman shades is fantastic...especially since the shade's binding is the perfect hue of poppy red to match those ridiculous lanterns. I was thinking extending the black from the island to the lower cabinets might also look fetching here. This is all quite, quite good. Definitely filing this one away for future kitchen inspiration.

Hoping the rain holds off so there can be some pool time in our weekend future. Are you bummed summer is entering its final month? Or kind of pumped like me? I just want my boots back. Have a great weekend...see you next week!

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Hump Day Takeaway

Image via atlantahomesmag.com

On this fine Wednesday, let's examine this butler's pantry and the fact that the cabinetry, walls, and molding are painted the same color. I have contemplated this in the past, but never seen it in action. And now that I have, I like it. 

The effect is great in a small (I think) pantry painted a moody gray. But I would wager that this also probably looks dynamite in a bigger kitchen space...to make the whole kitchen feel "built-in." Now, kitchens by definition ARE built in, but the cabinets usually contrast from the walls...but what if they blended with the walls? Using a color (i.e. not white)?

I approve and I'm saving this idea for future use.

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Friday Crush

Elizabeth Lawson Design

I think I will always, always love a black and white kitchen. And this black-on-the-bottom-white-on-top way of doing it is very modern yet oh-so classic. The brass is totally perfect. Open shelving and I would probably never get along, but it's beautifully styled in this scenario. And the rug + hardwood floor combo is on my short list. 

Spring is here and the sunshine has been a welcome change...I'm trying to embrace my open-toed shoes (but it's a struggle putting away the boots). Hope you have a great weekend - see you next week!

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Traditional Twist in Richmond

It's rare that I post photos from an entire home. But this home 100% deserves it. Because every single space is fantastically fetching.

And, bonus points, it's located in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia.

Designed by Charlotte Lucas, it's true to Virginia tradition with a striking nod to modernity.

Photos by Laurey Glenn for Southern Living

Every space nails it. The wonderful mix of color, the touches of brass and gold, the wall treatments, the floor coverings...it's all so balanced and so mixed and so everything.

And let's talk about the lighting which is phenomenal - the mustard lamp pair, the acrylic chandelier, the glass foyer pendant, the brass kitchen pendants...literally the lighting alone makes me love these interiors.

Can you tell I completely dig this house? Do you like it as much as I do?

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Simple Chic Denver Kitchen

My tastes usually don't skew this modern or clean, but this kitchen remodel in Denver very much caught my eye. I think it's that touch of green that reeled me in:

Photo by Chandler Kim via Design-Sponge

It's the home of Austin and Anna Smith...and they did the renovation themselves. 

That's pretty impressive. I L-O-V-E the light fixtures they chose and the sprinkling of brass throughout with lots of white, warm wood and that oh-so-cool touch of army green. So incredibly chic. And I always want to high-five people that see an old home as an opportunity for renewal...property savers.

See more photos and their list of sources here...

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Country Kitchen

We just booked our first getaway to the country for the year...we'll be headed to our beloved Blue Ridge in a couple of weekends.

And no doubt during this getaway, like all the others, I'll be thinking about that Mountain House I want...particularly so I can create a kitchen like this one:

Design by Olivia Brock of Lacquered Life

I must have butcher block counters. Must. I refuse to have it any other way. And all that white is just fine with me. Our Mountain House is going to be awash in an absence of color. (I say this now...) 

But what I loved most about this small kitchen was the clever oil paintings with their picture light - they elevate the space in such a simple way. 

What does your vacation home kitchen look like?

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Hexagon Tile Kitchen Floor

I love a classic black and white hexagon tile floor in a bathroom. You just can't go wrong. And I find the shape works wonderfully in what is typically a smaller room...the visual noise of all those edges makes a nice statement.

And I'm usually a believer that larger tile is better for a larger space like a kitchen, but then I saw this photo and now I'm correcting myself:

image source

All that marble could start feeling a bit stuffy but the blue cabinetry and fun floor keep things cool. And I love the flower pattern and Greek key-ish border...definitely a unique pattern for this very classic tile.

What do you think? Are you a fan of this flair in the kitchen? Or too busy for you?

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Friday Crush

Design by Heidi Piron

My latest pin for The Mountain House (our vacation home in the Blue Ridge that has yet to exist but will). Although I've always been Team White Kitchen, I think gray cabinetry in The Mountain House would be amazing...especially when I see pictures like this. The Mountain House is going to have lots of white going on so a white kitchen might have things feeling a bit sterile...but a soft gray juxtaposed with warm woods might just be the ticket.

We are kicking off beach season this weekend!!! Heading to our little slice of heaven - a beach trailer in Garden City, SC. It will be Mac's first visit to South Carolina, so that's big news. And Ana Claire can't stop yammering about the beach so her dreams will be coming true. Additionally, Carter and I might self-destruct if we don't decompress a little...life has been nuts. Hope you have some lovely plans for the holiday weekend. I likely won't be back until end of next week...see you then!

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Connecticut Cottage

Summer is over. Hallelujah.

My brain is officially in its favorite autumnal mode and all I can think about is cooler temperatures, changing leaves and boots. For instance, at the moment, all I want to do is be here...Joan Osofsky's cottage in Connecticut.

All photos by John Gruen for Country Living

Serene views, white walls, warm wood...simple, gorgeous living. I'll take it!

I might be stalking Zillow these days looking for our dream Virginia mountain house. Because buying a ramshackle house in the country months before having a new baby is a fantastic idea.

But even if we don't have our own mountain house this fall, I'm certain we will spend as much time in the mountains as we possibly can. Are you as excited for this new season as I am??

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Friday Crush

image source

Feeling very good about this black and white cottage kitchen from Better Homes & Gardens. I might ditch the slightly country decorative accents but I am completely smitten with the black backsplash, beadboard ceiling and white cabinets. I will always be loyal to a black and white kitchen and this small one packs a visual punch. Let's note the black backsplash again - great, great (simple) idea.

I am off for the wedding weekend of a very good friend taking place in my beloved Charlottesville...hope your weekend is as killer as mine is going to be. See you next week!

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Margaret Kirkland

I love what Margaret Kirkland is doing in Atlanta. Her interiors are just classic, elegant perfection and I can't get enough of this home that is featured in the current (May 2014) issue of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles:

 Photos by Mali Azima

Delicious, right? That nursery!!!!! The colors are a dream. And I love how the home flows...no two rooms are using the exact same color palette but they all employ cool tones that relate and that work great with the home's architecture.

The blue door in the kitchen has to be my favorite. I feel like it completely ties the kitchen to the rest of the home's style. A small detail that has a big impact.

Love, love, love. Check out more of Margaret's work here.

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Friday Crush

image via Jenny Castle Design blog (more info welcome if you know it)

Oh my. This de Gournay-like (likely the real deal) wall in this kitchen is so striking in cobalt blue. I love it paired with the open shelves and the cool marble counters. How could you not be delighted every morning walking into this kitchen??

I hope you have a delightful weekend. See you next week!

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Renovated Vermont Farmhouse

I'll put it out into the universe that Carter and I would love to buy an old farmhouse (someday). Something small and humble that needs renovation but with great views of the Blue Ridge. A home we could use as a weekend place to start and maybe a forever home down the road.

Hopefully someday I'll be blogging about said renovation and I wouldn't mind if it looked a lot like this home in Vermont belonging to Jane Benson Ackerman:

Photos by Eric Roth for This Old House

 DREAM. HOUSE.

Requirement for the farmhouse? A beautiful dining table in the kitchen...

...and a sink like this.

 Beautiful built-ins.

 Love the red-painted stair treads.

Awesomely cozy guest room with a red-painted floor. Imagine how gorgeous in the snow.

The tile combo is distinct paired with mint green walls.

What do you think? Love it as much as I do? Check out more pictures of this home here. The interiors skew a teeny bit country for me, but the architecture and features are right up my alley. A perfect addition to my dream files.

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