Kitchens With Character

Let’s generalize here for a minute and look back:
In the 1990’s kitchens had honey wood cabinets, full overlay doors, highly speckled – probably green granite, undermount stainless sink, tumbled stone back splash, ceramic 12 x 12 tile floors and black, white or some stainless appliances.
Since the end of the 90’s the HOOD has arrived, the kitchen of the 2000’s have the big mantle hood, white cabinets (inset doors if high end) or painted cream with glazing, stainless commercial looking appliances, Carrara marble or absolute black-honed granite, different color cabinetry for the island- counter top too, porcelain farm sink, subway tile back splash, picture framed tile motif behind range, wood or limestone floor.
How crazy is it that the most expensive room in the house is so easy to date.  I have done kitchens for clients on the cheap for $20,000 and high end kitchens for $300,000.00 and both can just as easily look completely dated in 10 years or less.  I do love a white kitchen (Christopher Peacock and the movie “Something's Gotta Give” have totally changed what kitchens look like) and I must say my heart skips a beat for a custom mahogany kitchen with inset doors.  A French range can stop me in my tracks and make me giddy with happiness.  But these things are obscenely expensive.  I’m also sick of all kitchens looking the same, I need to see some character in future kitchens.  Below I have compiled a group of kitchen photos that are slightly different, it’s not that they don’t have any of the standard things mentioned above but they have a special feeling that makes them unique.  Please note that I am in New England so most kitchens are traditional although I have done and truly LOVE contemporary Kitchens - these photos are not.
























Now let’s talk about things I think are really great and in my world necessary:  Double sinks and double dishwashers- in our family we all cook, my husband is the main chef but I do love to get in there and tinker actually more than tinker, my kids are also cooks in their own right- so double sinks is a must.  For anyone who entertains often the double dishwasher is a great luxury/necessity.  (I have neither)

My kitchen is not in anyway ideal- we had a week to put together a kitchen to move into the house.  I didn't want to spend much due to only having a week to plan so we went to IKEA for their stainless cabinets.  I thought within a couple years I would redo the kitchen and have something I loved- 4 years later and we have no plans to redo.  The bummer is that not only do kitchens look dated but they also look shop worn so easily (anyone with chipped dented cabinets knows what I mean).  As much as the stainless cabinets I have are cheap and a pain in the butt to clean (finger prints!- think stainless fridge) They are almost indestructible, they don’t dent, chip, crack- if they were hammered stainless so you didn't see the finger prints I would never look back.

Ok the French stove is something I lust after (sorry honey, you turn 40 and it’s the French range that does it for you!)  But look at the matching cabinets- my heart be still!!!  Indestructible, smudge proof and classically freaking fabulous!  (Although I need to sell my house to afford them)


I wish I knew who made these stainless cabinets (above)- so classic.


Great towel bars (below)- check out the French range in the back ground- my heart: thump thump thump!!!

Things I like:  Pantry's, corner angled drawers, cement- Lava stone and wood counters, accessorizing with paintings- sconces and lamps, wood floors, radiant heat, French ranges, indestructible cabinets, timeless design, inset cabinet doors/drawers, big drawers for lower cabinets- not doors, tons of storage, as few as possible upper cabinets, seeing all food at one glance, seeing all dishes at one glance, Fabric  or bamboo/textured window treatments, Deep window sills for herb gardens, mirrored back splash for pantry’s, Under cabinet lighting, Hanging lights, un-lacquered brass hardware, kitchens to coordinate with the age and architecture of the house, character, personality, quality and the final must: a bar with stools for people to chat while you work.
Things I don’t like:  Open shelves (your dishes are constantly dusty and greasy), cabinets that don’t go to the ceiling (all I can imagine when I see that is dust bunnies the size of golden retrievers and people always try to put stuff up there- think fake ivy from the 1980’s Yuck!), tons of recessed lights- I feel like I have spaceship beams on my head, Tile floors (ice cold and too hard), Clear refrigerators (seriously if your fridge is always that clean and organized- you have too much time on your hands and you need to volunteer or get a job!), dido for clear cabinets unless your dishes are perfectly matched or for glass wear- don’t set your self up for constant maintenance if your not the type.
So what isn't going to date??? that’s the big question!  What’s next in kitchen trends?  I have always been a fan of the eclectic look but I am even sick of that due to companies like restoration Hardware mass producing items that you used to only find at antique shops.  What’s unique and desirable that can’t be mass produced and isn’t obscenely expensive- maybe that’s a whole blog post in it self. Finally, here is my quirky crazy kitchen or at least parts of it and me, photo taken from a photo shoot for Country Home magazine (it’s not usually styled for the country look- usually more eclectic):