DESIGN | ART INSPIRED ROOMS - Rustique Figuline Kitchen

One of the greatest things about living in a city like New York is access to some of the finest museums in the world. I try to go as frequently as possible, often I just duck in with Mads in tow for a few minutes here and there (thank god for memberships). I have a design-nerd game I like to play with myself, where I try to visualize a room based around a work of art. It is a little exercise in fantasy decorating, taking the colors and mood of a piece and creating a livable space around that.

Until now I've never planned it out further than my head, but I thought it could be fun to post them on the blog.

My first 'Art Inspired Room' is a kitchen based off this remarkable 16th century French pottery platter from the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  

Rustique Figuline (Rustic Pottery) Lead-glazed earthenware, Follower of Bernard Palissy (1510-1590), France (Paris), late 16th Century

Something about this piece got me thinking about a kitchen design. Snakes might be a little off-putting to some, but every room can use a bit of quirk, I think, even a kitchen. The color scheme is moody and subdued with glossy blue-green cabinets, rich wood and stone, lush greens and an accent of mustard yellow. I'm completely in love with this "Seba Snake" fabric designed by Adam Charlap Hyman. Check out his website and you can see it used in his NYC apartment. To die for!

tile / butcher block / countertops / stool / leather / chandelier / paint / fabric / prints

xo, Kate   

HOME | Quick Kitchen Revamp

I've been thinking a bunch about how to spruce up a rental apartment kitchen without spending a fortune. Some landlords are very accommodating and let you really make some pretty major changes. Jenny from the Little Green Notebook was able to truly transform her rental kitchen into something special. I would love to be able to paint the cabinets in our current kitchen, but since our landlord just redid it before we moved in, I don't think he'd be on board!

Usually, you are stuck with a dated space that can only be superficially improved.  Fear not!  Even if you are restricted there are tons of little things you can do to inject some personality and interest into your kitchen.

1 | Temporary wallpaper.  A great solution for renters.  Use temporary wall paper on an accent wall in your kitchen, or as a backsplash.  They can even be used to cover an unsightly refrigerator.  I love this gold and white peony paper from Tempaper.
2 | New storage canisters.  Display a set of pretty new storage canister like these from Anthropologie. They have a great vintage feel and the chalkboard labels are super handy.
3 | Dress up your hum-drum cabinets with some new pulls like these glass beauties from Anthro.
4 | A retro-inspired dome clock helps you keep track of time in style. From West Elm Market.
5 | Neon-hued salad servers also from Anthro.
6 | Bright dishtowels are an easy and inexpensive upgrade. From Crate & Barrel.
7 | New mixing bowls in ombre shades from Crate and Barrel look great on display!
8 | Indoor/outdoor rugs are perfect for kitchens, easy to clean and great in high traffic areas.  This modern floral rug from overstock.com is a great way to add pattern and color to your kitchen.
9 | I adore these glazed orange plates from Williams-Sonoma.  Beautiful for everyday use and they would equally gorgeous hung up on the wall for some color!
10 | A lovely new hand soap always puts a smile on my face.
11 | Bright handled knifes are useful and pretty like these from Anthro.  Instead of storing them in a drawer, display them handles up in a jar on the counter.

I have a couple more of these up my sleeve, so stay tuned for more ideas!