Meanwhile.....

{Country Living}

 Last week entailed buying a claw foot tub for $99 bucks. Brand.Spanking.New.
The shipping was more than double, but a steal compared to the regular price. My husband Matt came home and made some sort of statement how did you find this tub again? I was looking at an old Domino magazine and they had featured some brackets available through Van Dyke's Restorers. I checked it out and came across their 90% off section and lo and behold-- a claw foot tub. {cast iron} We need to re- glaze our current claw foot hippo-of-a-tub & after finding out what that cost, this deal couldn't be beat! Plus, I was able to get a cool faucet for $19.99 regular $214.00. They had other $649.00 faucets for a tub, shower combo marked down to $64.00 and it was cute. I didn't need that so I passed on it.

Well, the contractor shows up this week to go over our storage dilemmas and I have a list. My list doesn't match Matt's list so this shall be interesting. {should we have a marriage counselor come too?}

I have been weeding through 10 years of magazines that I have saved. I have ripped out pages and have neat little stacks to put in binders. I'm so happy to have this almost accomplished. Wow, talk about freeing some room up in the attic. I saved all the Domino magazines since they are no longer, I just didn't have the heart to throw them out!

I haven't been posting as we have been busy with web store and getting ready for this house project. I will show before and after pics when it's all done. 

k

Pure Inspiration

This magazine, Uppercase Journal or should we call it a "magazine book", is the inspiration of Janine Vangool. This magazine is on our radar and we need to subscribe today. More in detail here about the magazine and what it entails. It is based out of Canada and Janice of Papier Valise writes more about it here. {she shows you what treats are inside, we love the shears card} Papier Valise is another one of our daily reads, amazing talent, unusual projects, one of the best blogs out there.

We spy shears suspended in anthropologie's catalog. We love the fabric bolts and the visual goodies in this photo. Of course the dress forms are just smashing. Does anyone out there collect these catalogs? We do! They are like magazines to us, we can't bear to part with them.

What magazine or catalogs inspire you?

A Grey Kitchen

A grey kitchen, let's peek inside! Homeowner went from an out-dated kitchen with white metal cabinets to a kitchen of English design in which she was inspired by English Home magazine. She collaborated with a very talented kitchen cabinet maker that "understood" & got it when she told him she wasn't into a kitchen that looked too "new". The house is early 1900's and the kitchen needs to fit with the architecture. Many people shuddered at the idea of her grey cabinets, but after it was all said and done, the color is a winner. {homeowner wanted grey cabinets for a very long time}The kitchen was completely gutted and the cabinet maker was talented enough to be the contractor for the entire kitchen. From start to finish, he was there to the end!

The homeowner is always cooking & baking, as they eat out very little and cooking good food for her family part is of her life. Take notice, on one of the days we were there she was baking a batch of Pioneer Woman's cookies. She needed a hardworking kitchen.............

Antique marble slab, check salvage warehouses. A white Bella Cucina bowl. Marble slab is on a vintage mercantile cabinet, used as an island. Heavy duty fitted with 4 drawers on one side. The design was made with a unique locking system so drawer will not sag when pulling out. Believe it was from Knollenberg Department Store in Richmond, Indiana from the fabric area. A steal at $800.00, see also picture on down of cabinet.

Vent over stove top. Notice the detailing at top, this matches the windows on the outside of the house, which have this exact detailing over the windows.
Upper cabinets soar to the 9 ft ceiling......
There are 3 cabinets to give the look of "furniture" in the kitchen. This is one of a pair, they sit left and right across the kitchen facing each other. They are installed with glass front and the glass is "bubbl-y" and wavy to look old. They are fitted with stationary keys for the knobs.
The 3rd cabinet is underneath the sink. It is "bumped" out from the surrounding cabinets to appear like furniture. This cabinet again is fitted with false keys for knobs. {When we say false keys we mean keys that don't work, they are used for knobs only} All keys & keyholes by Gerber Hinge Company.
Reclaimed wood flooring, again keeping with the details of an older home. See that lovely pull on the dishwasher front? The pull was found antiquing and had layers of white paint on it. The homeowner removed the paint to reveal a beautiful brass patina.
The homeowner wanted top quality appliances and chose the induction Wolf cook top with 5 burners. No, she didn't choose the large industrial stove by Wolf, as she was more comfortable with the simple cook top. This cook top fitted her needs for the technology and the "look" she was going for. Cookware by Le Creuset.
Stove area....
Our favorite design idea for a functional kitchen is to have very little cupboards below. The homeowner was tired of digging for her things and requested many lower drawers. At first the contractor was a little concerned about this, but in the end he realized that this is a must for any kitchen. Even if you are tall or short lower drawers make it easy on you, saving time and keeping things organized. There are two cupboards below which were needed to fit the design as drawers were not able to be placed everywhere. One of the cupboards does have a light in it which lights up upon opening, this is for the deep corner cupboard.
Detailing of corbel, simple & timeless.
This unit house the oven and check out what's behind the doors above the stove..........
Her microwave! This is straight from a British kitchen. The "doors" are actually a panel that pulls out and slides in above the microwave. Right below the microwave slides out a flat drawer-like panel for hot dishes out of the microwave. The dishes can cool while she does other things......
Favorite things hanging from hooks that came from an old church. {In bake center}
What's behind the two sets of doors in the middle?
Those panels are waiting for these darling vintage "push" plagues. {Handy man needed here}

We held them up for you to have a "looky"! Ok, let's see what's behind those doors........
The most darling baking area!
The lovely pull again. {our favorite}
Petite pull chain light in the baking center..........
Now, this we love Rohl faucet.......beautiful, hardworking, heavy duty and oh, that finish!
View of island......
Another view..........

Notice the wood knobs, the homeowner told us that she would've never thought to pick those, even though many of the British kitchens featured have these. This was recommended by her cabinet maker, he told her that with so many drawers this would keep everything from not looking too "busy". The knobs are painted the same color as the cabinets. The homeowner said they are very easy to clean, no grooves and nothing to polish. Sometimes simple is good.

The cabinets are slightly sanded to show wood color beneath. The cabinets have an aged look with just the right amount of dents in them.

The colors of her kitchen are by Sherwin-Williams

Cabinets: Mindful, the perfect grey, not too dark really we think it is a warmer grey. The color is not shocking and in some ways is a neutral.

Walls: Sea Oats, a lovely cream
Countertop: {vintage marble on island} Caesar Stone

Next week: We'll show you a wide angle shot of kitchen. Homeowner wants to finish the curtains, and it's a cute idea!

What's your top pick that you would like to add to your kitchen? Do you have certain stove, brand of cabinets, or favorite color that is on your wish list for your kitchen?

Thanks for peeking!

Rah, Rah, Rah {a shout out}

See that girl in the shades?

Well she's a friend {met through the Country Living Fair}.........

She calls Kara to say "hello" every now & then......

Kara even calls her every now & then.........

{oh, the other gals are friends too! Bethie & Jeanne}

We've been through the happenings at the shows

from crowds of people where you can't get out of your booth too pee.

{no, kidding Country Living Fair 2008}

&

through the hurricane winds of Country Living Fair 2009

*and the square dancers*

{sorry folks the square dancers are a inside joke,

you had to be there to understand! Only the Farm Chicks & the girls in that picture get this "fond memory"}

Any-hoo, she is a doll and lives in this cute, quaint 100 year old home in St. Charles

Illinois. Close to metropolis, Target, Anthropologie, Starbucks, Trader Joe's, Ikea, blah, blah, blah.........

ok, you get the picture! Darcy & I live smack- dab in the middle of a field.

Darcy lives closer to civilization than Kara.

We think Kasey just opens that cute garage door and wow, there's Starbucks with Marcy

serving her a Venti Latte.

Last week Kara rang Kasey {ok, she does have a cell phone!}

"Have you seen the new Country Living, yet?"

"Noooooooo, says Kasey"....... {sighing, Kara is pretty sure she was}

"Well, mine came & you're indeed in there!"

Finally, Kara in the middle of nowhere gets a glossy copy before

Kasey in suburbia!

While Kara's on the phone with Kasey, Kasey is typing on the computer

then tells me seconds later she's marching through the doors

of Barnes & Noble to see if Country Living is there {it's not}.

Hummmmph, Kara just spots a John Deere Tractor in her view.

The closest Barnes & Noble from Kara's house is 45 minutes away.

Kara hasn't been there in years.

Anyway congrats & hugs to you!

Love,

Kara + Darcy

Magazine Buzz..........

Boho magazine,
first published last August!
We need to find an issue....

lovely eye candy!

k&d

We Love This....

We just received our new Domino and
would you believe they had these
King James Version bright colored bibles.

They stated it like this
A best-seller for eons, the Kings James Bible
gets a makeover with candy-bright goatskin cover
and 4 colorful ribbon markers.
$198

a note from k&d
Now just because it's bright colored and fun
it still takes commitment to read every day!

Bravo for Domino to stick this in their magazine!
Yay for the Kings James Version our favorite!

LOL,
k&d