Cozy Kitchen

If Family Style decorating had one room to be its poster child, it would be the kitchen. We all know that no matter how big, small, fancy or plain your kitchen is, that is where we all end up. Whether it is a cocktail party, toddler play date or just hanging out with the family, it happens in the kitchen. That is why I think every kitchen should have cozy seating, beautiful lighting and, as long as the only window isn't over the stove, fabric on the windows. You need to counter all the wood, stone and metal that makes a kitchen work with the elegant, chic and completely cozy touches that make it a happy place to be!

My recipe for a cozy kitchen:

~a really cool banquette - upholster it in a great faux corc or snake leather... spaghetti sauce just wipes off! This nook seating can work even in most spacially challenged kitchens.

~a pair of club chairs, or small love seats, and an ottoman - if you are lucky enough to have the space! Can't you just see your husband reading the paper, smoking his pipe while you cook dinner?? ok, maybe not that June Cleaver-ish, but a spot for family members to relax and share while meals are prepared.

~comfy bar stools - again, the wipeable faux leather is the key here....

~window treatments - fabric on the window does SO much to soften a space.

Here is some food for thought....

Family Style in action. I am sure my children NOT would look this neatly ironed, but other then that, perfect!
www.cityliving.com

Sunny and bright....looks like it is ready for a Sunday brunch party!
www.indulgy.com

I love this banquette! Nuff said
www.gretaschultz.com

So elegant!
www.smallspacestyle.blog.com

Imagine that a beautiful white kitchen is just behind the bench! This would be such a nice counter to all that white wood.
Mary McDonald

                                         

Another Mary McDonald that I love!!

I love a big expansive table for people to sit around and chat, nibble, drink....
Windsor Smith

Boo! A Color Treat for you

Maybe its all the Halloween decorations still haunting the halls of my house...my 7 year old asked this morning if we could leave them up till we got our Christmas tree....but I think its nice to have a little "BOO!" in your life all year long....

I love a pop, I mean a really strong pop, of color when used sparingly. I am not a fan of a house that looks like a rainbow, with Roy G. Biv hopping from room to room -- if you have little ones you are probably familiar with that trick of Mr. Biv to remember the colors of the rainbow:) But I do love flipping through design books and seeing those gems of  bold color that just pop off the page.

Color can be tricky....and many people are afraid of it. Afraid that they will get tired of it. Don't be! You can have those spaces that you see in magazines and say "ooo-la-la, if you do it in bite size portions. So that you are sure to smile when you walk by that color statement, instead of feeling like you need your sunglasses, just do it in one concentrated spot. I think it is most effective when really bold colors are splashed in small spaces, like a powder room, a study, the backs of bookshelves or just in an alcove.  Even a bright color like Kelly Green can make a small space feel cozy when it envelops the walls.  Here is some inspiration for your next trip to the paint store!

I would be happy cooking my umpteenth dish of mac and cheese in this kitchen.
by Miles Redd

Lacquer makes any color look better.
another by Miles Redd - a color master

Love this watery turquoise, you can pair it with any color, even zebra!