Paint It Black.

The Rolling Stones told me to Paint It Black.

So I did.

Quite a few of you also suggested I paint my bathroom black. Remember? Click here for a reminder and the Before photo.

Actually, I used chalkboard paint on the walls (if it's good enough for Jenna Lyons...) and glossy black on the tub. The chalkboard paint is not quite flat and not quite glossy and it reads somewhere between black and the deepest blue.


I tried black feet but it looked blah and I was going to replace all the towel bars, etc., with polished nickel or chrome but we're in a Depression people so I decided to go with the brass since that's what I have (except the lights go either way - I just haven't found anything I like yet). Fresh new white towels are on order from Restoration Hardware (I went here and got 10% off my order which also reduced my shipping - yay for discounts!).

So I think I'm in the market for a gold/gilt mirror (which is why my daughter's 1st grade artwork is on the floor - for frame color reference) - that is, unless I can have chrome lights and mirror and everything else brass? Light ideas? I love this combo - she mixes chrome and gold and more; more of a beach look but you get the idea. Opinions?

The Perfect Kitchen.

Back in the early days of my blog (lo, those many months ago) I did a post on my Dream House Tour which you can see here. Well, I think I may have a kitchen replacement. *insert angel choir* Tada!

Click on photos to enlarge.

The kitchen of Lindsey Buckingham (oh, yes, of Fleetwood Mac fame, looking quite fresh and unharmed by the 70s) and his wife, Kristen. As you may recall, I am currently obsessed with black cabinetry (see my post here); these are painted B. Moore's Night Shade. I love the white island to change it up and if that's not the most perfect kitchen table ever, then I don't know what is. The extra scrumptious Murano chandy was reportedly an eBay find.

The photos look the same but they're not. My scanner is only so big and the bottom photo shows the stove on the right with the cow painting on the range hood. I love cows in the kitchen. Heh.

The floors are paved cement tiles. They give me a backache to look at but they sure are purdy.

I am in love with her art studio (and jealous) and their veggie garden. Beauteous to the eyes, tasty and useful in the kitchen.

All from the March issue of Elle Decor, still in production, thank god. Get it while it's hot.

P.S. You may be amused as I was to see that Nathan's long-dreaded awaited Top Design spread appears and Ms. Russell spends much of her editorial explaining how it was that he won. Ha.

If you are here from Decorno, here's the editorial (just click to read):


You can also click here to read my original post on Nathan's win.

Black Is the New Black.

photos from House Beautiful, Jan. '09

I am usually drawn to white kitchens with marble counters but I find I am tiring of the look due to its ubiquitousness. Don't get me wrong; I still love it. It's just that all of my favorite kitchen renos in the past few years have resulted in white kitchens with carrera marble counters and stainless appliances.

It looks like black is gaining ground, starting with the black beauty above. The cupboards are beautifully done in Benj. Moore's Midsummer Night. I like the difference in materials on the island versus the counters but I could do without the cordoned off appliance "garage." I'm also not sure of the necessity or utility of two sinks that close together, even though one is for prep. I love that the top cabinets go all the way up. I also like the counter stools from Crate & Barrel, even though they appear to be major butt coolers. The floor looks like mosaic tiles or something but I believe it's floor runners. The cow head is a nod to Country French kitchens but I'd love to see an unfitted cupboard on that wall (assuming it'd fit) or some art rather than the mirror, even a blackboard such as that in the photo below.

Industrial Strength kitchen, Mary Engelbreit Home Companion, Dec. '08/Jan. '09.

I do not, however, like shiny black appliances. Except for Viking Ranges and this massive La Cornue (neither of which are shiny) which appears in Ina Garten's (Barefoot Contessa) Paris apartment in the Nov. '08 issue of Town & Country. You really have to be a major kind of a cook to warrant it and it helps if you live in Paris, just because.

The floors are very good-looking trompe l'oeil wood painted to resemble limestone and tumbled marble. Again, perfect for Paris.

I am loving the black but my absolute favorite kitchens are unfitted. I'll try to do a post on unfitted kitchens after the new year.