Painted Works in the Kitchen

I'm always drawn to the unexpected element in design; a bold accessory in an otherwise neutral space, a fussy light fixture amidst modern furnishings, tattered among pristine. My eye seeks out the one thing that seemingly does not belong. Such is my latest infatuation with artwork in the kitchen. I'm not talking about poster prints or photography, but rather the nubby textures of painted canvas sans glass hanging in a space more akin to spills and splashes than gallery displays. 

Perhaps it's because it begs tension between functional and pretty. I think we often categorize rooms in our own well lived homes - not the highly styled homes of magazines - where certain things are off limits. It's true: artwork that might be damaged in a room used for cooking does seem a bit reckless. But a canvassed painting hung above a work counter, sink or cook top always feels deliciously daring and rebellious as well. Maybe I'm really drawn to the bold personalities that feel confident enough in their skills to know a beloved piece of art will survive any potential kitchen blunder.  I don't know that I'm that brave.

Maybe it's not confidence after all. It might just be the idea that nothing is truly so precious that it should not be enjoyed anywhere that I'm truly in love with. 

Artwork also infuses personality into a kitchen that no fixture, hardware, paint color or appliance really can. It can elevate a rental with builder grade hardware and make it a little more special just as much as it can balance a showier kitchen and make it seem well... lived in. 

While perusing flea markets and shops, I'm always stopped in my tracks, struggling with making a purchase on a small piece of art I love because I fear I'll have nowhere to hang it. I like the idea of opening up to a new room in which to showcase some of my beloved finds, outside of rules and convention. I may not have a list of formal resolutions fleshed out for the coming year, but perhaps its time to follow my heart a bit and color...or rather, paint outside the lines when it comes to my decorating strategy around Holtwood House.

photo credit: 

1. Vogue Living Australia [May 2013] featuring home of Wendy Paterson [spotted on English Muse]

2. Livingetc [March 2012] featuring the Parisian kitchen and home of designer Josephine Gintzburger [spotted on DesiretoInspire]

3. Lauren Liess perfectly designed and styled her own kitchen

4. House Beautiful featuring the home of David Kleinberg, photographed by Christopher Baker

5. Little Green Notebook featuring Callie's home tour

6. House Beautiful featuring design by Chris Barrett, photo by Victoria Pearson

7. Jenny Wolf Interiors

3 Holiday Habits I'm Taking With Me into 2015

It's always hard to say goodbye- to people and places loved, to leisure time away from the office, to a season that was suddenly over when it feels like it only just began- and even to a calendar year that may have presented some personal challenges. Admittingly as I type this post, we still have the bulbs and ornaments hung on the tree and the lights still strewn about the eaves. This year, it all came and went so fast and I have had a hard time parting with the pleasures of the holiday season.

So just as I always try to plan another vacation when one is ending, I decided to follow suit and pick out a couple of holiday habits worth hanging on to in the coming year. 

I've never really been a napper. I'm not a late sleeper and taking a break in the busiest part of the day always felt like a waste. Leisure time really brings about some new perspective and I found that a short break to watch a favorite movie on the couch by the fire didn't necessarily slow me down after all. It felt good to let my mind wander a bit with the scroll of channels on the remote and my feet up on the ottoman. With all the focus on clean eating and exercise in the New Year, it's a little curious that one of my resolutions is to sleep and lounge. But part of being healthy is also learning to respond to queues from your tired body and taking time to rest and recharge. It will not happen everyday, but instead of running on empty each weekend and dreading the workweek to come, I am looking forward catching up on some Netflix under a warm blanket in 2015.

I've talked about my renewed interest in fresh house floral recently here on the blog and plans to re-incorporate this habit into my weekly routine. Over the holiday, I again spent some time at the flower mart and played with colorful arrangements set against dark wood or clothed backdrops. It was fun to hone my skills and challenge myself a bit to create something modern and fresh for our holiday tables. There was a time when I'd shop every Saturday for flowers to display around the house and I'm not sure why I ever stopped. It may have been time or money but in 2015, I decided to make room in both my budget and routine for flowers once again.

I spent the better part of the last 8 weeks huddled over my kitchen counter and I have the dishpan hands to prove it. Among my voyage back to seemingly self discovery during the holidays came a renewed interest in cooking and baking (but definitely not dishwashing). We are a two-person household with different tastes and dinner interests and quite often we "make food" -not a formal meal. It's just been easier on our budget (and my nerves) to approach dinner this way. Eating out is always the easiest solution. But I had a bit of an a-ha moment over the holiday that helped me find my way back to something I love. It may not always translate into a "meal", but I decided to challenge myself to experiment with creating something in the kitchen a couple of times each week - be it a loaf of bread, a much loved family recipe or even a cocktail. 

As such, the coming year will likely feature more posts on food and flower arrangements here on the blog, in addition to dishing daily on design. I've already got a few projects in the early planning stages so stay tuned for continued work here on Holtwood House as well. 

FRESH IDEAS // HIGH-CONTRAST KITCHEN

With cooler weather, early nights and holiday preparations of late, I've been spending so much time in the kitchen lately. I've reacquainted myself with all the little details I love most about my cooking space, while making notes about subtle changes that would make meal prep and storage run a little more smoothly. One of the things I would add if I could would be a larger storage or butler's pantry. So it was no surprise to me that this high contrast arrangement by Danielle White of 'The Countryphiles' peaked my interest. It's perfectly suited to my own tastes that bridge both modern and vintage in design. I can't resist all that glossy, black, beveled tile along the backsplash and how they paired it with warm wood countertops and white cabinets. The composition and finishes all make perfect sense - but especially so when viewed as a whole along with the house. Click on over to see a full tour as taken when the house hit the market back in May.

3 THINGS I WANT TO MAKE // GIFT-GIVING

 It's Cyber Monday and you may very well have your sights set on getting all of your holiday shopping done today online. The holidays can be a bit of a budget buster and a good deal on something you truly want to purchase for someone can only help. But should you not find the perfect gift online today or one within your budget, consider pulling together an inexpensive handmade gift any recipient would be happy to receive.

Though I won't be tackling suede clutches and tipi forts as I did in years past, here are three quick and easy projects I'm considering over the next couple of weeks for someone close to my heart.

Refinery29

A beautiful terrarium not unlike the one above is the perfect foil to a long, cold winter for your gardening enthusiast aunt. The best part: you don't have to be a gardner to build one. Simply layer materials of your choosing together in a clear glass vessel (Tip: seek out something similar from your local Target or Home Goods).  Refinery 29 brought in the professionals to break it all down for you.

 DailyFix

 One year, a relative brought me back a sampling of local flavored salts from a trip to Hawaii. They were simply packaged, but the smells and colors of the various salts were so intriguing and inspired me to use them in all sorts of dishes over the months that followed. I think this idea by Daily Fix takes it one step further - adding both herbs and spices to salts uniquely packaged in glass tubes - perfect for your brother in law who likes to experiment at his grill year round.

Hello Natural

 I came across this easy leather brush wrap and thought it'd be perfect for both make up and art brushes. Perhaps you found some pretty little brushes online, but are not crazy about the packaging they came in. Queue a little leather and cording and you have yourself an elevated, handmade case to present those brushes in to your niece who is a budding make up artist. Those brushes will probably mean more to her (and last longer) protected in a pretty little keepsake that she'll use for years to come.