Breaking up the squares

Round table versus square

Breaking up the squares? What am I talking about? And exactly what does shape have to do with design? Well, actually a lot. It is one of the things that we unconsciously notice in a room and it can either make us feel at ease or uncomfortable.

Think of a room that you may have been in, that is all rectangular and square furniture. A large rectangular sofa together with square armchairs and a square coffee table and end tables. Add the square or rectangle shaped art and perhaps even an area rug that is, you guessed it, either a square or rectangle. Often you’ll see institutional waiting rooms, like hospitals, schools, community centres which are decorated like this. This doesn’t help with our sense of unease or make us feel like we want to stay awhile. Everything feels hard and well….not so friendly.

Now, think of a room that has rounded or curved furniture. Typically you may see this in spas, bars and coffee houses. Round tables with chairs, a cute curved banquet to sit at or a friendly furniture arrangement around a round coffee table or ottoman. Now don’t you feel more comfortable and want to stay awhile?

It is the same way with our homes. Too many squares and cubes like armchairs and sofas? The remedy is simple. Round, oval or asymmetrical accessories or furnishings. Ottomans, coffee tables, end tables or mirrors in a rounded shape are the perfect way to counteract all the squares and rectangles that are so common in our fixtures and furnishings. An asymmetrical piece like a cowhide rug or even artwork will also help break up all the squares. Even by adding in a round vase, pendant or table lamp can change your room’s feel. This is definitely one of the most common things I suggest to a client during a consultation.

Another benefit to using oval or round furniture is that they often help with traffic flow. If you have a tight dining room consider swapping out your rectangular dining table for a round one. All of a sudden the flow is better and it is more conductive to table talk. Same thing goes for a round coffee table.

This is the before of the kitchen above. A kitchen is obviously primarily square due to all the cabinetry, sink, countertops and appliances. Add that to the fact that they are all hard surfaces. Just by changing out the rectangular table for a round one in this example served two purposes. It breaks up all the squares and it makes for an easier traffic flow to the sliding door. To read more about this renovation, click here.

Rectangular table versus round

Ahh..now that’s better.

So consider even adding in a round pendant light or mirror to your room that is full of cubes, it will definitely help to break up all the squares!

 

 

A log cottage kitchen transformation

Well after a loooonnngg break, I’m back at blogging. I hope your summer has been going along well, mine has been busy, as per usual with projects, cottage company and gardening. But of course, come January I will be wishing for that summer busyness. In today’s post I’m sharing my log cottage kitchen which we recently renovated. This post will showcase my steals and splurges on this kitchen reno.  So sit back, grab a coffee or tea and follow along on my log cottage kitchen reno adventure. Huh, maybe renoventure….it really should be a word.

log cottage kitchen with blue cabinetry, stone island and open shelving

So this kitchen started looking like this.

Before Kitchen

So let’s start with the bad:

  • lots and lots of wood, so much so that it felt dark and dingy
  • drop down breakfast bar on the island that was too low for anyone to actually sit at
  • the wood window shutters, more wood??
  • leaking sink and faucet
  • ineffective and insufficient lighting
  • false ceiling over sink, which made that area even darker
  • floral backsplash
  • chipped and lifting countertop
  • desk area that was not functional

However, it had lots of good:

  • size and layout was great
  • flooring is in great shape
  • stone island wall
  • most cabinetry boxes were in great shape
  • two large pantries which were still working well
  • vent downdraft was existing
  • corner china cabinet
  • lots of windows
  • lots of counter space

So our TO DOs were to:

Before kitchen

Before kitchen Before kitchen

So there were definitely lots of places where we could save money. Originally I wanted to keep the cabinet fronts and just have a few made to match and then paint the entire kitchen.  However, once I took the cherry fronts to a few companies for an estimate on refinishing, they gave me the bad news that the finish on them was in such bad shape that they would have to be stripped bare. Which was going to be approximately $100 per door, not including the cost of spray painting them. So…onto Plan B – all new cabinet fronts. I can’t say it was inexpensive as it was a custom job but I am thrilled with the results.

The plan on computer via Sketchup. I love that it actually came out really close to my original plans.

Log cottage design with ketchup Log cottage design with sketchup Log cottage design with sketchup

Cabinetry

The decision for a blue/grey colour for the cabinets was made shortly after we moved in and it was still my top choice. With all the orange of the wood, the cool tones of the blue/grey are a soothing visual relief. It complements the wood and allows the remaining wood in the kitchen to sing. No one used to notice the log ends by the pantries before but now everyone points them out.

log cottage kitchen with blue cabinetry, stone island and open shelving

Once we had a good look at the cabinetry we realized that all the lower drawer cabinets were sagging so we made the decision to have all new lower cabinetry made. We also removed the desk under the window. Due to the lower windows in this area, I decided to have cabinetry made to look more like a piece of furniture here. The two large cabinets house all my big platters, bowls and serving dishes and the open shelving offers some display area.

I had been going back and forth on whether to use butcher block here or continue with the quartz countertop. However, once the quartz fabricator did his measurements we were looking at having to purchase two slabs to cover the entire kitchen. So the butcher block was the perfect way to keep the budget in check and since they were from Ikea they were a steal. Plus they are a great match to the existing wood.

The existing china cabinet was refaced and I had new seeded glass installed that looks like water droplets, so pretty! I also had new lighting installed so it can be lit for entertaining.

The center upper cabinetry was all removed and I added in one small upper cabinet where the existing microwave cabinet had been. This was specifically for glasses and mugs as I knew this would be the tea/coffee area. Black cabinetry hardware was added with square knobs on the cupboards and cup pulls on the drawers.

log cottage kitchen with blue cabinetry, stone island and open shelving

The rest of the cabinetry boxes stayed and just fronts were made for them. I also had the dishwasher and fridge panelled to match. This was a splurge but I DO NOT regret a penny of it. In fact this is my hubby’s favourite thing in the kitchen.

Island

I also wanted to keep the stone island as there is a matching fireplace and exterior garden walls. This stone is local and comes from a closed iron ore mine that my father-in-law used to work at. So there’s sentimental and practical reasons for keeping the stone. My husband wanted the kitchen to have two colours so I was happy to accommodate this by painting the island in a soft black, which was pulled from the stone colour.

However, once the new induction cooktop and downdraft fan were bought we realized that the existing island was about 2-3″ short in depth to accommodate them.  My carpenter was a genius in managing to keep the stone front of the island, by propping it up while the rest of the entirely new island was built around it.

The fun with the island didn’t stop there. Because of the drop down breakfast bar the stone was too short for the now one level island. This shortfall was fixed by having a piece of wood cut to fit and painted the same black/grey as the island. And then of course there were the holes left when the existing supports were removed. My husband, was the hero at this point when he found stone that would fit and fixed all the gaps. Lastly, custom corner corbels were added to each end of the island.

Log cottage kitchen with stone island

Open wine storage was added back on one end and a beer/wine fridge now installed in the island, holds even more. About 6″ of unused space at the far end of the island became a cupboard with narrow shelves perfect for holding cat food supplies. An electrical outlet was also added on the far end of the island for convenience.

Shelving

The live edge wood shelving was a real labour of love. I knew I wanted them to be floating with no visual means of support and that took some doing. We purchased the shelving rough from a supplier and had them cut to size. I spent many, many hours taking off the bark and sanding them down. Then my husband went to a welder to have custom supports made that were then drilled into the log walls to ensure they would be completely stable. Then the shelves themselves had to be drilled to match the metal support dowels. We were thankful that we found all these amazing labourers in our little town. Once up we both loved them and they were definitely worth all the effort.

Log cottage kitchen with live edge open shelving detail

Now they house all our everyday dishes and a few special pieces that I rotate once in a while, when I tire of the view.

Countertops, sink and faucet

As I mentioned above I used quartz for the main counters and butcher block for the lower cabinet by the window. I am still in love with these quartz counters. They have a casual, natural feel and the slight veining in them helps to disguise any dirt.

Quartz countertop

iPhone pic

For the sink I originally wanted a farmhouse sink but it wouldn’t work with the angled corner of my kitchen without moving the dishwasher and since I was trying to keep the costs low, I went with Plan B again. A stainless steel, rounded square sink.

log cottage kitchen with blue cabinetry, quartz counter and sink and faucet detail

I went back and forth on either a double, single or one and a half sink. I ended up selecting the one and a half sink. Since the area wasn’t too big, a double sink would have meant two tiny sinks. So the convenience of having two sinks won out.

log cottage kitchen with blue cabinetry, quartz counters, sink and faucet details

The Artesso articulating faucet was generously donated by Brizo in exchange for my blogging about it.  I loved this faucet and planned alot of things around it. I knew I wanted a dark finish to contrast with the light cabinetry and counters.

Log cottage blue kitchen with faucet detail

She’s a beauty and I absolutely enjoy her every day.

Lighting

I also wanted dark finishes on my lighting but I love the look of mixed metals. So I went with dark finishes but with little hints of bronze.

Log cottage blue kitchen with lighting detail

log cottage kitchen with blue cabinetry, stone island and open shelving

As you can see in this picture above the large pendant has a dark grey and bronze finish.

log cottage kitchen with blue cabinetry, stone island and open shelving

The articulating sconces are also a dark finish but with bronze necks. The sink pendant also has a dark  finish but with clear glass.

The wall you can just see on the left I made into a chalkboard. It’s a fun place for everyone to put messages.

Backsplash

I kept the backsplash neutral and clean, since there were enough finishes and textures going on. So even, though I love a fun cement tile, I kept it simple. This large scale subway matte tile has a handmade look and with the soft grey grout it is pretty timeless.

Log cottage blue kitchen with white subway tile and live edge wood shelves

It covers the entire back and side walls of the kitchen. We painted the walls above the cabinetry the same colour white as the tiles to keep the flow.

Log cottage blue kitchen with white subway tile and live edge wood shelves

This was not quite a complete gut but it was certainly transformative. Most people who had seen the kitchen previously, think we have enlarged the space. It just goes to show how light and brightness can make such a difference your home.

Now, how can we transform your kitchen?

*Photography credit: Melissa Kew Photography – all photos except before and iPhone pictures

 

 

Exciting news

 

modern cottage kitchen

Photo credit: Melissa Kew Photography

This kitchen will soon be featured along with the rest of my log home cottage in a local magazine. I’m so excited. Once it’s published and available I’ll let you all know.

And did you know that it was an award winner? Click here or on the picture below to see the DDA video showcasing it.

2017 Silver award Kitchens DDA

Lisa

Kitchen Planning Standards – Class 101

Photo credit – Melissa Kew Photography

Ever wonder what standards there are for either a new kitchen or a kitchen renovation?

Well, I’m here to help!

These industry standards will help  you work out your plan properly so you don’t run into any unexpected surprises.

APPLIANCES

Standard oven width – 30 inches

Standard dishwasher width – 24 inches

Standard fridge width – 36 inches. Keep in mind that you should choose and order your appliances before building a new or renovating a kitchen, the cabinetry and countertops will be built around them for the most custom look.

CABINETRY

Standard upper cabinet depth – 12 inches

Standard base cabinet depth – 24.5 inches

Standard counter height – 36 inches

Standard counter depth – 25.50 inches

Standard distance between bottom of cabinet and your countertops – 18 inches**.  If you are installing under cabinet lighting, a must in my books, then you’ll have to give some consideration to the extra space needed for them and valances.  Also, if there is a special appliance(s) you would like to store on your countertop, be sure that the 18 inches will accommodate it.

**This height will change if you are putting in a gas cooktop. Please check with your contractor or designer with regards to your building codes and safety requirements for your particular kitchen design.

ISLANDS

Minimum distance between two working areas – 39 inches.  48 inches would be ideal but you can get by on the minimum of 39 inches.

Minimum island overhang – 12 inches with no brackets for support (depending on the counter material) or 15-18 inches with supports.

Minimum counter space on either side of the stove – 18 inches.  A stove should never be placed right beside a wall, as this could be a fire hazard.

STOOLS AND LIGHTING

Bar stool height – 30 inches

Counter stool height – 24 inches

Height for hanging light fixture over a table or island – Standard is 30-36″ from the top of the dining table, however this can and should be adjusted for individuals using the space and for sight lines.  I usually prefer to hang the light lower if it is a statement piece and if the table is large enough to accommodate it.  For an island fixture – standard is 60-66″ from the floor, but again this can and should be adjusted for sight lines and for tall individuals.

HAPPY KITCHEN PLANNING!

Lisa

 

 

How to properly light your kitchen

So how do you properly light a kitchen? I was asked this question recently in my Facebook group – Empty Nesters – Reclaim your Space (click to join). Here’s how to light your kitchen so you aren’t squinting when you are trying to create your gourmet meal.

There are three types of lighting:

  1. Ambient or  General Lighting
  2. Task Lighting
  3. Accent or decorative lighting

You really want to layer all three types of lighting so that you don’t get a spotlight effect in your room. And I always recommend dimmers for most lighting, even in a kitchen, especially if you will be entertaining.

For a kitchen, an example of all three types of lighting would be:

  1. Ambient or General lighting – This is typically potlights (and yes, put them on a dimmer), one or more large overhead lights or track lighting. This is the overall light for the room. If you are using potlights your designer, electrician and/or contractor will have recommendations for you on their spacing. This is dependant on the size of the room, placement of fixtures, work areas and the size and light beam of the potlight you are installing.
  2. Task lighting – this is lighting that directly lights your work area, think of a reading lamp. This would be your under cabinet lighting in a kitchen, or pendant lights over a sink, island or peninsula.
  3. Accent or decorative lighting – this can be wall sconces, glass cabinets with interior lights or a decorative lamp placed on the island.

Here’s a visual showing all three types of lighting.

how to properly light a kitchen

So in this example, the ambient or general lighting is the potlights. The task lighting is the under cabinet lighting, the pendant lights over the peninsula and the fan light over the stove. The accent lighting is the in cabinet lighting.

To see more of this kitchen renovation click here.

Proper lighting in a kitchen is essential and should be one of the first steps when planning your renovation.