It seems that most people in my suburb are into a very standard look for their kitchens and I suspect that this is the case in most other places as well. People seem to be leaning towards ornate cabinetry in darker stains with fake greenery resting on top, busy lighting with the requisite wrought iron scrolls, and a rooster, bistro, or wine theme. Now, I don't mean to offend and I can't really judge as I have a kitchen with traditional, walnut cabinetry. This was not my choice, but I probably won't change it as this is apparently what sells in this market, though I don't have any of the aforementioned lighting or themes. I digress. We'll get to my plans for the future in a minute. It doesn't matter to me that the kitchens I speak of are located in very nice homes. The look just seems so common and literal. Sure, most of these kitchens are equipped with nice appliances and upgrades, but I can't help but think about the fact that builders and homeowners are settling for what seems to have become a rather standard look. Surely, we don't all have the same taste, right? Then, perhaps builders should offer other options so that we don't all end up with what I have started calling "The Stepford Kitchen".In my next home, I would love to have a beautiful white kitchen. I'd like fairly plain white cabinetry (some cabinets would have glass doors), a white subway tile back splash, dark counter tops made of stained concrete or honed black granite, a large island made of honed carrara marble with Circa's Yoke Pendants in Polished Nickel hanging over it, industrial looking hardware, and stainless Viking appliances including a professional range. In my opinion, white kitchens are both classic and contemporary. I feel like it is a timeless look with a very East Coast feel, which I can't help but love. Plus, they look professional to me, which makes me want to cook, and cook well. I know I am not the only one who loves a classic white kitchen, but it sure seems that way where I live.
Exhibit A: The Stepford Kitchen
I love this kitchen! The lighting is fabulous, I love the wooden ceiling, and all of the natural light spilling in from the abundance of windows.
The Circa Yoke Pendants which I hope to own some day. I just need the perfect kitchen to put them in first. The carrara marble table and coffered ceiling are incredibly beautiful.
Beautiful cabinetry featured in Domino
Amazing carrara marble island. It's just so gorgeous, but I'd be too afraid to do an entire kitchen in it. I'm too OCD and would obsess over every little stain or flaw.
Classic subway tile back splash and amazing ebonized floors
I love the hardware in the background. This kitchen is featured in the current issue of Martha Stewart Living and was the inspiration behind my recent post on the color yellow.
Large, classic kitchen with a vintage vibe featured in Architectural Digest
7 comments:
Gorgeous kitchens! I too am stuck with a dark-cabineted, dark floored kitchen. That white is such a breath of fresh air! Katie's kitchen is a dream, isn't it?
You know my feeling on white kitchens :) and I totally understand the other kitchens you are describing- they abound in my neighborhood! Love all the examples you posted. Our pendants (sort of similar to what you posted) for over our island just came today, and I'm soooo excited! Makes things feel a bit more real.
Stepford Kitchens...that's hilarious. I actually gets knots in my stomach every time I have to see yet another kitchen with the fake greenery, fake wood stains, fake stones painted on the walls, fake, fake, fake! I just want to shout "Nobody believes you live in Tuscany, o.k!" Anyway, you can tell I have strong feelings about this. I have a hard time avoiding it, in my business.
I love a clean, crisp, white kitchen. I always have. I cringe when I see dark stained cabinets! Great examples in your post.
I would love to have marble countertops, but I cook a lot and there is no way I would not stain or etch those countertops. I currently have white corian countertops, and as unfashionable as they are (my house was built in the late 80s when they were considered high end), I love them. They are so smooth and warm, practically indestructible. They are so functional.
You described my dream kitchen; here is the kitchen I am patterning mine on when we build our home. I thought it would be right up your alley.
http://www.newoldhousemag.com/features/summer06/kitchen.shtml
(I got here from Katiedid...)
We did a lightening-fast kitchen remodel late last year, using white cabinets and wood counters. I love the white, and dream of owning a kitchen just like all those pictures one day.... Ours is still a small apartment kitchen, and we didn't want to bother with getting the stunning marble counters, etc. for this apartment. But white keeps things so nice and light in the kitchen, plus it matches the original glass-front white cabinets and wood counter in our 1901 butler's pantry.
(By the way, we got the white enamel Viking stove; my one huge splurge. It's so pretty!! And such a fresh change from all-stainless.)
Just happened to come across your wonderful blog and this post caught my attention because we're at the finishing stages of building our new home and we went with creamy white cabinets, white subway tile, wolf range etc....We were heavily considering soapstone or honed balck granite but couldn't find any of good quality when we were looking so we went with honed Calacatta, and we love it, at least how it looks, haven't "played" with it all yet.
Nice post and nice blog~
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