I need your HELP! I’ve been collecting pictures of kitchen ideas for a long time, since one of these days we really must re do our own kitchen. Ours is not the grand, sweeping huge space so often showcased in magazines….rather a true family “eat in” kind of kitchen. Smaller. Cozy. I thought I’d share some of my latest picture “finds” for my file….I especially love the RED Aga in the first photo. That’s really my problem so far, I love so many different styles of kitchens, it’s hard to finally decide what it should become. So that’s where you come in. With your thoughts, ideas and suggestions.
This all~white kitchen is crisp, clean, and simple.
Loving the beams overhead in this one. We have beams as well, although not as beautiful as these.
A central island would be great, if we could move the table somewhere else. Or maybe make the island so that we could pull up chairs for meals?
This one, below, has that interesting arch of brick. Not sure about the black painted brick, but brick does add such interest, doesn’t it?
This one is totally simple. There is something so appealling about it though, but probably not for us. It would make a grand kitchen for a young couple, I think.
And then we come to this one. This remains my complete favorite. This kitchen was designed by Canadian Tommy Smythe….LOVE this one. It remains on the top of the pile for me. I love the black cabinets on the bottom, and the white on top.
The colors are stunning. We would have a bit more antiques in there …but other than that, this one is perfect!
The lantern?? To die for, I think. This is most likely what our little kitchen will be based on. Hopefully next year it will become more like this {as much as it can, anyway!}
photo:Tommy Smythe
all other photos:HousetoHome
What kind of kitchen do you dream of? I’d love to hear, and let me know which one of these most appeals to you. Which one do you think will look great in our house?
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32 Comments
We are doing a small reno on our kitchen and my mind changes every 5 minutes! Have you thought about pulling out all the things you love in those kitchens and combining them into your own plan? I’m not good with advice but I am a good listener…let us know what you do!
XO,
Jane
Love the same one you do! The lantern does it for me!!
Jane, that’s a great idea! I know, it’s mind boggling all the choices, isn’t it? It won’t be ’til next year, most likely, what with the busy fall and holiday months coming up, but it’s not too early to really THINK about it, is it? xo
Michelle, me too! Unfortunately, I probably won’t be able to have one. It’s hot in our kitchen in the summer, we live so close to the ocean that none of us in our town have air conditioning, so I really do need one of those overhead fans over the table. ack!
I like the Tommy Smythe black and white kitchen too. Love the floor! And the built-in wine storage. I think it more realistic for real houses and looks fantastic. We don’t live in a mansion either, and when I re-did my kitchen three years ago, it was hard to find pictures of kitchens I liked that were suitable for house, which is not a Tuscan villa. I ended up with white cabinets in a style that matches the rest of the woodwork in the house, and a dark green island.
Love your fav also! However, I have a chrome finish trashcan, and it’s murder to keep smudges off of, and it’s hard to clean without streaking, so I’d think long & hard about a fridge with that finish (maybe black cabinet finish?). I would highly recommend an island if you can fit it in (with that gorgeous white marble?top – it’s wonderful for buffet style serving. I have one that’s long with a Jen-Air stovetop built in and cabinets below that are awesome – some with pull-out shelving, some that open on both sides, and a small end that would fit a couple stools for casual dining. Even if I changed surfaces, cabinetry, etc., etc., I would def keep my island.
Oh My…I like the black kitchen..the 3 last pictures..perhaps I should paint the kitchen white and only the door in black
That’s it, exactly, Cathy! Most of the drool worthy kitchens are so huge….which our cottage just doesn’t have. Yours sounds beautiful, with a dark green island.
I know, I certainly won’t get a stainless counter like my favorite kitchen has! It will have to hide fingerprints. Have you tried special stainless steel cleaner? When we lived in Europe we had a stainless sink, and that was the only thing that worked like a charm.
Marie, it IS beautiful isn’t it? The doors black sounds so beautiful, too!
I love the one you chose for the top of your pile. It’s beautiful. I also love the first kitchen, cozy and cottagy.
~Donna
It’s that RED Aga that gets me about that one, Donna. Cozy. yes. That too!
No, but I will look for it! That could change my mind, at least while we are empty-nesters and don’t have lots of traffic.
I must say I do like the first one with all the cozy feel, but put the lantern pictured in last photo in there.
Betsy
Fixing to paint my kitchen…. I am going with a color called cappuccino.. Sounds dark but it is not…….. then linen color for the cabinets… Going to put a chair rail around the entire kitchen (it is huge) with just a bit darker on the bottom…….. I bought new table and chairs and china cabinet today……… sooooooooo I need to get busy….. I am going to go very neutral and then put crazy color accents!
I see the problem…You’re right they are all stunning designs….the first photo and the last feel most welcoming to me. The colors are rich and give a cozy feeling environment
I love the last one, too. The black lower cabinets with white upper, combined with the warm wood of the farmhouse table (which can double as an island) is so classy!My kitchen was redone a few years ago. The cabinets are raised panel off white with a glaze – very country French. We have a black island. I would pick it all over again. However, I also love an all white kitchen with marble countertops reminiscent of a French bakery – drool. Either the black & white kitchen or all white would be my choices for you. That’s my 2 cents. Let the accessories give you the changes of color that you might want. Linda : )
It sounds like it’s going to be just beautiful, Denise!
Thanks, Victoria. I do love the last one best!
Those are my own choices, too, really. I love all white. And I love White and Black! Your kitchen sounds gorgeous, Linda.
I say pick your favorite thing from each kitchen that you “love” and incorporate it somehow in your design. You are surely going to love it! Eclectic mix is what it’s all about.
LOVE the second picture. We just had our Hickory cabinet painted white last year and my walls are the buttercream color as well. Now you’ve helped me decide that I must have butcher block and white subway tiles for the blacksplash. Yay! Thank you for sharing that picture (giggling in delight) ~rosie
Have you ever seen distressed zinc countertop. They do not show fingerprints, they are impervious to most substances, they are antibacterial and since it’s a live metal it will change in color with time just like copper does.
I love the kitchens you have been collecting visuals from too!
There are several common things I am seeing in your vision….
the lantern, a must! A bright clean white kitchen, with beams (that you have),
and if you are loving the Smythe kitchen most of all…. then you should create your version of it!
I have off-white cabs on top and bottom, but the black cabinets on the bottom (Smythe version) add a nice weight to the room. They probably will last longer and take more daily wear and tear…. white on the bottom tends to get a lot of dings I am noticing.
Maybe you could put in a warm wood toned floor to coordinate with your wooden beams (and antiques) and they would add some warmth and contrast to black cabinets on the bottom?
Looks like you have a clear image in your mind of what you are dreaming of!
I love the red stove but might get tired of it…. could you maybe have a stainless with red knobs? The pop of red would still be there, but more of a whisper?!
Love your style. Whatever you do, it will be fabulous!
xx
Alison
That will look so good, Rosie. Butcher block is so very handy, and always looks great!
Thanks for the great input, Alison. And that’s a great idea…the knobs, love that!
Hi Marty! No, I will have to check that out, it sound beautiful. Hope you are having a happy summer!
I like the first photo, Lidy. It has elements shown in all the other kitchen photos. I love the tile backsplash and the unfitted look to it. It looks like “home.”
I like your choice also but I think the floor could be be improved on. The grout(?) lines are too light, too much contrast – busy.
we built our house 12yrs.ago. it is maple floor with an island. i planed all the storage under the counter only one small cabinet near the sink for everyday glasses & dishes. i am very short & upper cabnets are useless to me. we have three finishes. natural, cherry & a bespoke breakfront in antiqued blue. my favorite piece is a Matina for storing and making coffee & tea we had a kitchen designer who helped me a lot.. i’ll send a pic if i can figure out how to do it.
I love the last photo by Tommy Smythe. The cupboards, the french doors, the lantern and the accent of colour, the black floor, cupboards and doors. I hope to incorporate similar cupboards in this picture into my own kitchen but full ceiling to bench height either side of my rangehood.Hopefully this will happen sometime soon. I think its important to choose one major favourite colour against another background colour. This way you can pick up with plates, serviettes, seat covers, ornaments, flowers, floors tiles. This co-ordinates your room. I personally cannot go past the classic blue and white. I love to find old or new items that fit into my colour scheme. Whatever your final decision will be it will be from the heart and admired.
It sounds beautiful, Nancy!