Kitchen Makeover: The Reveal!

{Iomoi Lucite Tray in Coakley Cay, Mr. and Mrs. Cocktail Glasses from Furbish, Sferra Cocktail Napkins, Serving Bowl lined in Gold Leaf made by my Crafty Husband}

It’s been quite a while since I asked for your help in selecting a paint color for our kitchen cabinets and it’s been an even longer time coming for us to finally do this kitchen makeover. We started out with maple cabinets and 16” tile backsplash that matched our flooring and left something to be desired. After years of blogging, I longed for a classic kitchen with white cabinets and white subway tile backsplash. After testing some colors out, we decided that a pure white shade would look a little too stark and clinical in our kitchen because we don’t get enough natural light in that part of the house. We wanted something slightly warmer and decided to venture into greige territory.

{At this stage, the cabinets were in their original state, but we had already had the subway tile backsplash installed.}

{This is during the color selection process. Initially, we thought Martha Stewart’s Sharkey Gray would be too similar to our wall color and despite the fact that most of you had voted for it, we ruled it out. We really liked the other grey tones we tested, but some were too mauve, others too green, and some were just too dark.}

{What a difference a coat of paint makes! In the end, we decided on Martha Stewart’s Sharkey Grey despite our initial concerns. It turns out that the difference is quite noticeable and the shade is just perfect. Not stark white, not full on, cool grey, but a warm, creamy ultra light grey. My husband decided to tackle the project himself and spent at least a week prepping and painting. He sanded everything down, prepped the cabinets, made a perimeter around the kitchen and sprayed, sprayed, sprayed. He’s the best!}

{I love the clean, classic look now.}

{Sharkey Gray might just be the perfect “greige”. It has a hint of gray blended with some creaminess for the perfect, warm hue of light gray.}

{We also installed a new faucet, which I really like. Our old backsplash was made using the floor tiles you see here, laid out in a diagonal pattern. Next year, we’re thinking we’ll finally pull the trigger on wood floors.}

{Tate Peeking Out from Behind the Refrigerator}

{Our improvement projects spilled over into our breakfast nook. Fabian built some pelmet boxes for me and we installed the fabulous Extra Large Hicks Pendant by Thomas O’Brien from Circa Lighting.}

{We’re pretty happy how the project turned out and we’re so thankful that you all steered us in the direction of Martha Stewart’s Sharkey Grey!}

This Week’s Quote

{Image via Pinterest}

Fabulous Room Friday 08.19.11

This week’s “Fab Room” is the gorgeous design studio belonging to the talented interior designer, Liz Caan whose work I previously blogged about a few months ago. While the space doesn’t technically count as just one room, it is just too fabulous to pass up. I was visiting Liz’s website to peruse her gorgeous portfolio yesterday when I was greeted with the amazing photo above. I seriously had a “I want to go to there” moment à la Liz Lemon from 30 Rock. I am a sucker for symmetry. I know some people like odd numbers and find asymmetry more interesting, but I like everything perfectly symmetrical and even, so this is right up my alley.

{Liz’s studio is so rich and is beautifully layered. The wallpaper adds dimension, interest, and color. The space is truly a testament to Liz’s brilliant accessorizing skills. I would like everything in this room, please!}

{The more functional areas of the studio are no less stylish, with chic, white cabinetry, shelving, and desks complemented by pastel accessories.}

{A Bold Assortment of Pillows Adds Texture and Pattern to the Studio}

Have a wonderful weekend!

{Images via Liz Caan Interiors}

Plum Pretty Sugar Loungerie Giveaway!

 

Plum Pretty Sugar Loungerie offers fabulous textiles. The company was “borne from the idea of bringing breezy happiness, cozy comfort and easy-living chic to apparel, accoutrement and interiors.” After the success of their line of beautiful loungewear and accessories, Plum Pretty Sugar recently decided to expand into the world of textiles for the home, adding a line of bedding and curtains to their collection. All Plum Pretty Sugar products are made with high-quality fabrics in gorgeous patterns.

La Dolce Vita has partnered with Plum Pretty Sugar Loungerie to give one lucky winner a knee-length robe in the Sweet Love and Yonderflies pattern. The robe is made from fresh. white Indian cotton voile sprinkled with sunny cerise and tangerine flora and features kimono-style sleeves with a self-tie sash and inner tie. For more on Plum Pretty Sugar Loungerie, visit their website and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

1. To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this blog post.

2. Leave ONE comment on this post between today, Thursday, August 18, 2011 and Thursday, August 25th, 2011. A winner will be announced on Friday, August 26th, 2011.

For Extra Entries:

3. Follow La Dolce Vita on Facebook.

4. Post about this giveaway on Twitter with a link to this blog post for another entry (follow La Dolce Vita on twitter in order to show me your tweet). It is up to you to return to this post to enter your additional entry after tweeting about the giveaway.

5. Anonymous entries will be ignored, so please include your e-mail in your comment. Your e-mail address will never be used for anything other than to notify you if you are the winner.

Sponsor Spotlight: Circa Lighting

Circa Lighting has become synonymous with timeless, classic, well-made lighting. The company was founded in 1998 in Savannah, Georgia by Gale Singer. However, she was in the business ten years prior to opening her first store, as she used to work for Visual Comfort (owned by brother Andy Singer), the company which manufactures the majority of the lighting in her showrooms. After the Savannah store proved to be a success, flagship stores were opened in Atlanta, Charleston, and Houston. The company continues to grow and will hopefully expand into other parts of the country in the future.

{Gorgeous French Deco Horn Sconces in Hand-Rubbed Antique Brass Grace this Fabulous Bathroom Designed by Angie Hranowsky}

Circa's mission is to offer "quality lighting, lamps, and accessories that are as beautiful as they are timeless." The product line is comprised of thousands of items, each of which come in a variety of finishes and all of which are sure to appeal to various design aesthetics. The pieces in the collection were designed by some of the country's foremost designers including Ralph Lauren, Sandy Chapman, Thomas O’Brien, Barbara Barry, Alexa Hampton, and Suzanne Kasler. There is something for everyone from traditional hand-finished gilded iron sconces and crystal lamps to industrial-inspired ceiling fixtures and clean, modern lines in polished nickel.

{Lauren by Ralph Lauren’s Classic Dylan Porcelain Lamp}

Earlier this year, Circa Lighting began carrying two new collections: Ralph Lauren Home and Lauren by Ralph Lauren. These collections are emblematic of one of the world’s greatest design icons. The exciting addition of Ralph Lauren to Circa Lighting brings timeless, sophisticated designs made from the finest materials.

{Circa Lighting’s Products Regularly Grace the Pages of the Most Prestigious Shelter Magazines—Shown Here: the Triple Sloane Street Shop Light in Antique Burnished Brass with Bronze Shades}

Over the years, I have blogged about Circa Lighting countless times. It is a fantastic company, mostly selling Visual Comfort lighting which I know to be the best in the industry. Each item is handmade using natural materials of exceptional quality and distinctive, hand-applied living finishes. Circa is a company that favors classics over trends. Take just about any item from their vast assortment of lighting and I can guarantee that it will look just as fresh in twenty years as it does now. The designs at Circa Lighting are timeless, the service is attentive, and the quality is outstanding. The value is unparalleled when you consider the quality and caliber of design for the price.

Gorgeous Spaces Featuring Circa Lighting

{Every last detail in this bathroom from the 2010 ELLE DÉCOR San Francisco Showhouse is stunning, including the Gary Small Pendant.}

{Is this bathroom not the picture of glamour? I love it! I love the use of the Graydon Bath Light in this space.}

{Pretty in Pink: This bathroom at the 2010 ELLE DÉCOR San Francisco Showhouse features the Simple Scallop Pendant designed by Barbara Barry and the Vendome Triple Sconce by Thomas O’Brien.}

{The classic Studio Adjustable Floor Lamp and the romantic Nine-Light Crystal Petal Chandelier appeared in a spread in Traditional Home last September.}

 

{Lauren by Ralph Lauren’s Dustin Dodecahedron Table Lamp in Mahogany is one of my favorites in the collection.}

{Also at the 2010 ELLE DÉCOR San Francisco Showhouse, this space features perennial blogger favorite, Thomas O’Brien’s Extra Large Hicks Pendant along with the Boston Functional Library Two Arm Wall Light.}

{The Goodman Pendant in Hand-Rubbed Antique Brass with Antique White Shade hangs in this lovely kitchen featured in Veranda recently.}

 

A Few of My Favorites

{I love the classic Greek key motif of the Kate Table Lamp.}

{The Hargett Table Lamp is a little workhorse. This lovely lamp is incredibly versatile and looks fantastic in any setting.}

{The Metal Banded Table Lamp is a recent addition to my family room. I love the gilded iron finish and the lucite base.}

{The Ruhlmann Sconce is so chic and beautiful in Polished Nickel and Antique Burnished Brass. This is one of my all-time favorites.}

{The Sunset Plaza Sconce might just be the epitome of glamour.}

{The Large Farlane Chandelier totally suits my aesthetic.}

{I can safely say that the Basil Flush Mount is pretty much my favorite flush mount lighting fixture in existence.}

{The Swept Arm Chandelier has a very polished, feminine sensibility.}

 

To see more of Circa Lighting’s beautiful products, visit their website. For the latest news, follow Circa Lighting on Facebook and Twitter.