Cool House Ideas #2: Live, Love and Cook!

If you ever find yourself house shopping and looking specifically at new build homes, by house number 5 you will start to realize that basic kitchens all look the same.  Stock cabinetry: check!  Granite counters: check!  Tile or hardwood floors: check!  Stainless steel or black appliances: check!

The formulas are pretty standard as well.  All white kitchens, dark cabinets and light counters, light cabinets and dark counters, neutral colors on the walls and floors, the same mid grade pieces of granite or marble.  Sigh.

For an artist, it's a challenge to see past the boring sometimes.  So I've been dreaming of a kitchen with a personality.  Now there are some really (really!) creative spaces out there with screaming color, modern angles, and neon lights.  There are super sparse professional kitchen style kitchens with lots of gleaming stainless steel counters and crisp white walls.  Like these:

That's not my taste, but if it's you - rock on!

For my dreamy kitchen, I have been inspired by old world (shocking!) country feel with smart convenience and a family ambiance.   That's a lot for a kitchen to do but take a gander!

Cozy and even the picture looks like it has texture.

I love the added elegance of the lighting and the details extend to the hallway!

Look at the texture of the room!  Furniture styling.  Muted colors with detail relief.

 

Again with the pop of color, love the warmth of the lighting and wall color.

Details!  The two islands!  The different countertop material!

While I am not normally a fan of beams, they work here.

Wonderful use of gray.  This is a two room kitchen... hmmm...

This is the kitchen of our new house.  Lots of space but... yawn, right?

I can see right away that the space needs color, brightening, and details!  Not details like stuff on the counter.  That's technically clutter.  But hardware and coloring that bring out the movement in the granite.   Wall colors and island colors that create texture and life in the space.  Removal of that stupid table (previous owners) and extension of the island itself to create space for prepping while chatting with others.  Some of these creative and useful additions would be excellent as well. 

Yes, I am inspired to turn this cookie-cutter kitchen into something amazing!  How about you?