Earthy but refined - dreamy dining rooms and kitchens

No other room will serve you like a well designed kitchen, pantry, and dining room. Undoubtedly these serve there purpose - and look gorgeous!

A pot rack is a functional and attractive solution for too little cupboard space. Check out the gorgeous tile backsplash
via House Beautiful

I've never seen mirrored cabinets before - what do you think?
via House Beautiful

This is a dining room for late nights sipping wine and lazy mornings drinking coffee and reading. How couldn't you with the fireplace and settee!
via Elle Decor


via Elle Decor

A great example of how vertical space can be utilized if horizontal space is lacking
via Loft Life Magazine

This pantry is TO DIE FOR!

via Marie Claire Maison

I always like dining areas in or connected to the kitchen - it's so cozy and intimate.
NikreationS

A gorgeous Copenhagen apartment in white with bold contrasts

Happy Friday! A little eye candy for ya...










Love the old leather chair in the corner


via Indenfor

Apartment 2 from "2 very chic apartments.."

Now enter sister Victoria's apartment. As you can tell, she's very influenced by the glamor of the 50s and 60s, but with a clean traditional feel as well. I really like her color palettes.


love the chair
a gorgeous renovation for this small but great kitchen



This shot is so pretty - the narrow drawers and the hydrangea and mirror.





It's all so pretty!

Click the image above to read Victoria's design tips...
via Lonny Magazine

2 VERY chic apartments, 2 sisters

This post will be in two parts, one today and one tomorrow. I have to give these two sisters credit for both being so talented. Both of their spaces are beautiful, while showing off each sister's identity.

The two worked together to decorate and renovate each other's apartments. Antonia moved in first, so they worked on her place first. Both apartments needed completely renovated bathrooms. Both kitchens were also gutted as they were poorly laid out, and did not utilize space to the max. As you can see, and will see more tomorrow, both sisters are great navigators of flea markets, and you'll see there tips below.








I really want a tiny set of library steps like these - does anyone know if/what there formal name is?



click the image below for a larger version of the Thompson sister's tips for navigating flea markets.


Come back tomorrow for Victoria's apartment.

via Lonny

Got a small kitchen in which to prepare Thanksgiving? Here are some really great ideas!

I found this gallery on Better Homes and Gardens, and I wanted to share with you my favorite ideas! Hope you see something inspiring!


I always have lots of hooks on hand because they are a life saver in kitchens. NYC apartments have maybe 4 cabinets on average, though I've dealt with less, and having items hanging from the walls is VERY handy, and makes for a nice cottage look.


Flea market finds like the section of iron fence, or the grate as a pot rack, make for inexpensive DIY projects.

Instructions for the image above - I'm a huge fan of using jars (after all - you buy the spaghetti sauce, eat-it, and then your left with a handy organizational system)

-"Adapt an idea from the garage workbench, but instead of storing nails, nuts, and bolts, store coffee beans or other goodies. Collect identical glass jars with screw-top lids (spaghetti sauce jars, for example) and screw the lids to the underside of a wood shelf. Allow enough space between the jars for easy access.

To keep track of a variety of coffee beans, use your computer to print labels on white paper and have them laminated at a print shop. Or use purchased tags and write the variety names by hand. Tie the tags to the jars with twine."


A great solution to a common problem, (too many cookbooks, not enough book shelves in the kitchen). Bring in a small bookshelf and top with stone (this you may need to make a trip to the hardware store to purchase and cut) - so now you have storage and more work surface.

Making a caddy (this one was a tool box given a new paint job), keeps things you use everyday handy and portable while cooking.

So, could any of these ideas work for you? Any ideas on how to adapt them for other uses around the house?