I have been thinking quite a bit about the bones of a home and how difficult it can be for a person to strike a balance between style and keeping the design timeless – and at least moderately appealing to the masses – so as not to completely compromise a home’s value. You guys… it is haaaaarrrrrddd. This is of course my least favorite response to anything – because I am a doer and an utter optimist. I come from a place of yes and absolutely anything is possible, in my mind. I believe that most difficult tasks simply require a clever soul with a bit of finesse to find the solution and strike a balance – perhaps this is the art of compromise I refer to? Not sure, but what I am sure of, is that these three powerhouse designers and brilliant bloggers have done precisely this and have managed to create kitchens that are absolutely brimming with style and personality and in the end, will not likely be a detriment to resale value – or at the least – the more extravagant and extreme personal touches can likely be changed with relative ease, to suit the general populous, should they decide to move on from their homes at some point. This is a win – win in my book and I am absolutely smitten with these kitchens.
As a designer, I see hundreds of gorgeous kitchens roll across my desk each week and even more through my obsessive pinterest browsing. You too? Join me over there and we can pin our glorious hearts out together… My visual access to beautiful kitchen designs is officially off the hook, and my voyeuristic design enthusiast self could not be happier. But let us be real for a second, It is not technically that hard to create a beautiful kitchen. The. End. In fact much about design works this way. You see, if you throw enough money at something, and happen to pick some timeless or beautiful fixtures, there is a very good chance your space will end up being moderately fabulous. So this is not an article about how these brilliant design bloggers created fabulous kitchens for meellions of dollars. Nope, because that would be boring. This is about how three gorgeous gals (no seriously… all gorgeous) created amazing and gorgeous spaces that are equal parts well designed and perfectly personal and to their specific taste. You see… creating a kitchen with style – and I mean actual, wonderful, and chic style that is oozing with personality – outside of the choices for surfaces and fixtures, is actually pretty tough to do. It is 100 percent hard to infuse individual and unique style and personality into a fairly standard set of items in a fairly standard set of colors and choices.
Each one of these lovely ladies has done something totally and completely different and totally and completely their own. I am so inspired by their choices and the small details that make these spaces stellar.
Emily has an abundance of white and bright and brassy goodness. So basically she designed this space just for me. The fixtures, hardware and accessories are wondrous and the art, well just stunning. Admittedly she has already changed things up substantially from her Domino shoot and the images you see here (from her site right here) and I cannot wait to see what she has done. I am chomping at the bit my friends… no joke. Brass grout? Oh em gee. A gal after my own heart… gotta love brass. No really… you have to, because I said so? And that baby, oh my squishy lovely manly man of a baby! I could eat him up. And I just might, so she should probably keep him at a safe distance, just sayin… Of course they are the most adorable family and it is just wonderful to see shots of a happy family gathered round an actual working kitchen, with actual food. I know nothing of this, it is quite foreign to me most of the time.
Jenny made some fantastic bold choices in her space that I adore, and is also admittedly nowhere near finished in total, but for now she has rocked out a fun and chic look that works around many of the kitchen’s less than adorable features, so says she. I personally love a good white painted brick, and painting her flooring instead of changing it out entirely… genius, which makes it all the more adorable in my mind. That fabulous neon tray she is sporting in the image you see here, might seem a bit familiar to those of you who follow along with my shenanigans on Instagram and you may remember I have a little something similar in myLiving Room and formerly my Family Room which I still haven’t shown you yet. I guess you could say great minds think alike and all that, but that might be a stretch to put myself in the same tier as any one of these girls, ha! But I sure do love a pop of neon, goes such a long way on the interest train! Her black concrete counters are another of her daring DIY accomplishments and I think it was a wonderful choice here with the cabinetry and painted brick. So bold and glorious.
Lauren rocked this kitchen out. It is stunning and as far as I know, finished! Maybe. So it goes for a designer in their own home… things change often. So I have heard, anyhow. The details and personal touches combining a modern aesthetic with vintage pieces – oh she had my heart at first glance…. Her custom open shelving in that matte black finish, to die for. When you are not blessed with a bay window above your sink with room for an indoor herb garden, a fabulous arrangement of landscape paintings is obviously the next best thing. Except I like it so much it might actually be the best thing. Who needs windows anyhow? Not vampires… or folks with amazing art collections! So it is obviously perfect.
What do you guys think? Are you a fan of personal touches in the kitchen or do you prefer a clean and uncluttered work space? What stylish choices have you been making in the kitchen lately? Inquiring minds want to know! And of course by inquiring minds, I mean me! Let’s chat kitchen decor!
