Inspiration, Paint, Wall Treatments
We were recently at a restaurant and I fell in love with this wall! I love the color, texture and large faded text.
The vintage industrial lights are perfect with the wall.
I can’t quite see this look in my bungalow…but the wall color and industrial lights are amazing.
I am posting pictures of some of my favorite kitchens. These kitchens are full of great ideas and so inspiring! Any of them would be appropriate for an older home.
The contrast between all that white marble and the black stove is beautiful.
My mother loves this kitchen! I like the open shelving and the little drawers going all the way to the ceiling.
Another example of open shelving. I like how this kitchen utilizes the space in front of the window, which is usually unused, as well as above the window and door. This is a smart storage solution for a small kitchen.
Shingle Stain Colors from 1912, OldHouseColors.com
I recently stumbled across OldHouseColors.com, a site that provides information on historic paint and stain colors. Boy, would this have been helpful a few years ago when we were painting the exterior of our house!
Our house was originally stained a bright green color very similar to the brightest green stain sample.
I particularly enjoyed Restoring the Colors of a 1912 Arts & Crafts House: Shingle Stains of 1912, an article on the exterior restoration of a beautiful Arts & Crafts home designed by a Pasadena architect.
I have been saving this Restoration Hardware bathroom in my inspiration files for several years. I love that the design is so clean and simple. I can’t get enough of white, clean and simple.
During our 6 year journey trying to figure out what in the world to do with our kitchen, we stumbled across Hansen Living’s freestanding kitchen cabinets and storage solutions. It was something we both (gasp) liked. The cabinets were designed by Danish architect Knud Knapper after studying the way professional chefs use a kitchen.
The clean lines, solid wood construction, craftsmanship and attention to detail are right at home with Arts & Crafts philosophy. My taste in kitchens leans a little more modern than what is typically found in a bungalow. These cabinets are a good compromise.
I met with Susan Serra, kitchen designer and the US rep for Hansen Living, last summer in New York City. We hit it off immediately. She offered suggestions and I loved all of them.
The cabinets are even more beautiful in person and so finely crafted that they resemble a piece of furniture. I left the meeting with Susan Serra super excited and ready to start planning our new kitchen in the fall.
Then the economy turned and we decided to wait. David was laid off from his job. Our kitchen fund is now our pay the mortgage and buy groceries fund.
I have spent an enjoyable morning drooling over the work of New York City architectural firm Peter Pennoyer Architects. I love his kitchens and found so many inspiring ideas.
I have always dreamed of a rolling library ladder in my kitchen. Although, considering our kitchen’s small size, that might not be practical.
Los Angeles bungalow
I recently ran across several original images of bungalows that I had saved. Enjoy!
Postcard of a California bungalow
Photograph of a California bungalow featured in the Wilson plan book that was published in 1908.
The Wilson plan book states: “This six-room bungalow has cobblestone chimney and porch balustrade, cement porch steps, shingled roof and gables and re-sawed siding walls. A disappearing bed receptacle is thus provided, which can be utilized from either the bedroom or the den, as owner may prefer. The house can be built for $2000, including the bed.”
I am intrigued by the disappearing bed. I wish our house had one.
I have pulled these photos from multiple sources over the past 6 years while dreaming of remodeling our bungalow kitchen. If these photos have a theme, I would say it is the natural wood tones of the cabinets.
A small kitchen in a Gothic church that has been converted into a home. Look at those windows!
Above is the kitchen of a famous restauranteur (his name escapes me). I adore the black and white tile floor and the cast iron, peg leg sink.
Different view of the restauranteur’s kitchen. The wood farmhouse table is used as a workspace as well as a seating area. A plate rack covers the walls on each side of the cast iron sink.
I photographed the kitchen cupboards of a 1911 bungalow a few years back and saved them for the day when we remodel our kitchen.
What I like is the vast expanse of storage. It was difficult to photograph because the cupboards filled the whole wall.
This cupboard was built into the corner.
Bottom cupboards. The middle cupboard had a hinged bottom and was a flour bin.
See more bungalow kitchens!
Martha, Martha, Martha. I LOVE this kitchen! The grayish taupe walls, the expanses of white marble and the beautiful cabinetry…I am drooling. Ms. Stewart recently posted new pictures of this kitchen on her blog.
Look at this display case. Glass on 3 sides gives it an open, airy feeling. I also like all the little touches of metal throughout the room; from the clock, to the warming drawers and the little metal knobs on the cupboards.
One benefit of owning several homes is being able to design completely different kitchens.
Sorry. No data so far.
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
{a few of my favorite things}