apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I really love the formica countertops. I'm not joking! That faux marble is awesome. Reminds me of my grandma's house.

What a beautiful kitchen!

I agree -- the Formica looks great and the whole kitchen is lovely. I love the mix of closed and open storage, the beadboard backsplash, the white appliances, and the way you incorporated industrial elements.

Kudos to you for achieving such a great look and sticking to your budget! It's really inspiring.

ooo this is nice

what a beautiful kitchen.
great job, lori!

Wow, you must be so pleased. It looks wonderful.

Love the island!

I think in this kitchen though, a restored vintage stove would have made it perfect.

On a practical level, I wonder if people really know what they are really getting into with the "open shelving" concept. I have one in my kitchen and the glass containers (in which I store pasta, grains, etc) lined on it get extremely greasy from all the cooking and then dust settles and it creates a messy yuk. I clean them as often as I can, but I can't imagine having to do that with each plate, glass, cup whenever I need them! Life is way too short to spend it scrubbing! It's really pretty and all, all these color and shape coordinated items but not geared towards efficiency.
How do you reach for those bowls anyway? Do you ever use them? Isn't this planet in limbo partly because of over-consumption and greed?!

That island is fantastic -- what a great find! The galvanized top looks terrific with the old wood. I may have to steal that idea some day...

Simply beautiful!

Paulinet -- This kitchen is hardly an example of overconsumption and greed. In fact, I think it's a great example of doing more with less.

Perfect simplicity!!
I'd love to know where to get that wonderful ironstone!

Thank you Heather for your kind words - I am all about keeping it simple & utilitarian. All of the white bowls & pitchers were found through the years at yard sales. I use them, change them, as well as just enjoy them.
Being 5'9 helps me reach the bowls.

so stunning!
I love how open and clean it all is! I ADORE the island and think the exposed shelves look so great.
what a great style you have.... can you come do my kitchen?

Fabulous kitchen, incredible design. Your vision and style are fresh, combining warmth with a modern edge. Being budget savy is proof of an incredible creative aptitude. Bravo!

Let's see more....!

Finally, a kitchen that didn't cost $60K-plus and that uses modest appliances and materials well. There's not a speck of stainless in the place! It's original and fresh and just perfect.

I love the whole kitchen but especially the light fixtures! I also liked your comment about using the bowls on the high shelves. I am 5'10" and I keep all sorts of regularly used items on top of my high cupboards. Yours are just inspiration to keep that highly visible area better organized!

All hail the return of laminate! And I love the aluminum edge to the island, we had that when I was little.
And really, with the frequency that some people redo their kitchens for aesthetic reasons, laminate makes a lot more sense than heavy stone.

Great concept! This should influence homeowners that the relatiionship and value of the colors really count and that less is more when decorating. This kitchen would be very easy to translate into ones very personal style by using different colors in the same manner with an eye on objects of a similar nature and color.

6 footer here! all "my stuff" is on the upper shelves all my 5'6" husband's is on the lowers. I appreciate the bowls on the high shelves. unfortunately mine are underneath so i have to bend down to get them every night...

I didn't realize the countertops were laminate. I wasn't going to click through as I thought they were marble and marble isn't budget! I'm impressed at how great it looks!

as far as the open shelving goes, it appears that the everyday china is housed on them so they are washed as they are used - not much opportunity to collect dust and such.

I especially like the choice of light fixtures. i struggled with my own lighting selections. you certainly did a job well done!

congrats on honoring your farm house style in such a beautiful manner. if imitation is a form of flattery consider yourself flattered because I found the inspiration for my next kitchen!!

This is delightful.Sorry Lori its 'Paddy'.

Paulinet, I agree to an extent no one likes to scrub but who wants to spend time cooking in a laboratory.

I love the idea of using the old hardware store counter as an island. Using the shelving in place of cabinets gives a really spacious feel and the industrial lights are great. Design on a budget is always a challenge and you have certainly risen to it.

I am just lovin' the heck out of this kitchen! Well done. This is exactly my aesthetic...and, I love that there is NO stainless.

@ hrhprincessfiona :

I do most of the time. But I alternate between wanting a 100% stainless steel counter top professional kitchen and something like this kitchen every other week so I'm just indecisive.

I LOVE the step back cabinet. Such great storage and straight out of history. I also love that the floors (I'm guessing oak?) look like old heart pine, with that lovely patina. Adds even more to the comfortable, antique feel of the room. Definitely a kitchen I would love to wake up to. Makes a refreshing change from the expensive, matchy-matchy kitchens these days. Its nice to see someone use a true "budget" wisely and beautifully.

What a refreshing photographic perspective; a shot from a slightly elevated perspective that actually allows you to see most of the room. While I love AT, I sometimes grow weary of the myopic photographic perspective (focusing on the minutiae) that is so frequently favored here.

Lovely kitchen, as well...

Delicious! And refreshing to see a kitchen that looks like the heart of a home rather than a morgue (stainless steel free).

What a nice, cook-friendly space. I'm so tired of modern glamor kitchens. I'd love to have a cup of tea and make bread in yours. I wish I was tall enough to reach all of those shelves, but I'm with you on keeping a bunch of them open. They only get really messy if they're near the cooktop, and yours are pretty safe.

I love this and agree with the above sentiments!

Great kitchen. One technical design issue:
I worry though looking at the very tight fit for your refrigerator. There should be a min. clearance of 1/2" on each side and at the top. Freestanding unit like yours need air circulation for the compressor in the back, if not they can overheat.

Also, if it looks like what I think it is, an Amana or Maytag, 1.6 million have been recalled due to an electrical failure in the relay, the component that turns on the refrigerator’s compressor, can cause overheating and pose a serious fire hazard. Check your model number inside to make sure you don't have one that has been recalled. The website is www.cpsc.gov. Other models affected are listed on that web site.

Hi Laurie, Thank you for the hazard info for the refrigerators. This is great website to have. I went to check mine right away - it is thankfully a GE and not a danger.
The top panel over my fridge is just a little piece of molding that I hot glued in place to make it look built in, it has about 3" of clearance. Thanks for the helpful & important information, Lori

Lori,

Truth be told, I've been trolling websites looking for inspiration for a little over a year...............I want a kitchen that doesn't own me and speaks to me..........yours was a gentle whisper with a beautiful heart and soul.

Thanks for sharing......search is over.

Lori,

Your kitchen is absolutely beautiful. I bet your store out on the North Fork of Long Island, New York is just as gorgeous!!

OMG, it's gorgeous. I love it.