everything LEB: Kitchens

Showing posts with label Kitchens. Show all posts

9.09.2013

Colorful Tile

I've been seeing colorful tile designs more and more these days and I'm totally loving it! I wouldn't say its a trend so much as its a lasting style that's been around for centuries. Specifically I'm talking about Encaustic tiles (Or Cement, Moroccan, Spanish, Caribbean, Cuban, Victorian or any tile of the sort). Encaustic means that the pattern isn't just on the surface of the tile, it goes all the way through each individual tile. It's a laborious process, which is reflected in the price tag for sure. But even after hundreds of years of wear the tiles will still have the same design and pattern as they did from day 1. You definitely get your money out of them if you keep them for a very long time.

The colors, patterns and designs are endless with these tiles. I rounded up some of my favorite looks, take a look

Elle Decor Photo by Simon Upton

Cle Tile

El Mueble

Elle Decor design by Steven Gambrel, photo by Eric Pizsecki

Casa Josephine

Elle Decor, house of Nabil Nahas from the April 2011 issue

Nuevo Estilo

Original Mission Tile

Cement Tile Shop

unknown

While I really think the elloborate designs are beautiful I tend to be drawn to the more simple & geometric designs. There are numerous websites that sell encaustic tile and I rounded up my very favorites. Now I just need a client who loves them as much as I do so I can get to work installing them in a home!

Top to bottom: Villa Lagoon Tile, Mosaic House, Popham Design

Avente Tile, Villa Lagoon Tile, Mosaic House

Popham Design, Popham Design, Cle Tile

Cement Tile Shop, Mosaic House, Cement Tile Shop

The hexagon star tile from Popham Design is the front runner for me. I just love it in the bedroom above and I would LOVE to use it in a house of my own!

What do you think, any favorites? Do you like this look?

5.01.2013

Fringe Detail

Living in an apartment can sometimes drive me nuts. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE calling the landlord when something goes wrong. But at the same time it takes a lot of self control not to take a sledge hammer to the tile in my bathroom or kitchen and start some renovations in there.

That being said there are creative ways apartment dwellers can make a rental space feel like their own. I know I've talked about this before on here, so it's nothing new, but those details and personal touches are what usually distract me from seeing the yucky pink tile in my bathroom.

Lately I've been loving fringed hand towels. The fringe adds a fun detail that says I'm care free, cool and have style. The photos below show some cool bathrooms with that little fringe touch

House and Home photo by Angus Fergusson

Lloyd Ralphs Design, photo by Virginia Macdonald

Michael S Smith, photo by Mikkel Vang

West Elm

Young House Love

Apartment Therapy, Kathryn Bentley House Tour

Architectural Digest

Anna Spiro design, photo by Simon Kenny

House and Home photo by Per Kristiansen

I have a bunch of these hand towels around my apartment but my most favorite one is in my kitchen. You can see my DIY monogram here.

Here are my favorite sources for these hand towels, West Elm & Turkish T's.

West Elm even has great sales every so often, so keep an eye out! Also if you are in the market for some pretty amazing beach towels for this Summer, look no further than Turkish T's. They are seriously my FAVORITE ever. They are light weight, colorful, and double as a cover up. (I'm not getting paid to say this, I really just love them)

West Elm - Turkish T's

3.20.2013

One Room Challenge: The Final

The end is here! Woah, I never thought I would be saying those words, but it really is the end of this 6 7 week challenge. I am grateful to Linda for talking me into doing this challenge again! She really knows how to get my butt in gear. Thank you Linda!!

My little rental apartment kitchen finally got the personal makeover it deserved for close to 5 years. Like I said when I started this project, just because I live in a rental doesn't mean it shouldn't feel like my own. I should have done this straight from the beginning, regardless if I thought I was only going to be here for 2 years. Not owning this place it made major renovations not realistic. This makeover had to consist of paint, fabric, and accessories.

Lets go back to where I started. The first picture (on the left) is going wayyy back, back to the first week I lived here.

Bar cabinet & armoire before

under the sink and the mess before

If you want to start back at the beginning check out the previous weeks here

The rug was purchased about 2 years ago and was the jumping off point for this makeover

I actually stuck to the original plan and used everything here.

OK enough talking already, here is my new kitchen

(warning, photo dump ahead)

And that's a wrap!

7 weeks of planning, projects, paint and hark work has paid off. With a few personal details, paint and creativity my rental apartment is no longer a place I avoid at all costs. I might actually put some of those pots and pans I have to use and cook a nice dinner for my husband.

Who am I kidding, I'll put the newly painted take out menu drawer to use and order us a nice celebratory dinner.

Thank you so much for coming back each week to check in on my little kitchen makeover. I had much fun tackling this project that I can't wait to start the next one. After a little R&R of course.

Now I'm off to check out the other 19 bloggers and their final reveals, I can't wait to see how all the rooms turned out!

Kim Macumber Interiors

Little Black Door

Matters of Style