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128 Comments

  1. Darling Lily
    August 27, 2013 @ 10:43 am

    You seem to have left out the kitchen from Practical Magic.

    Perhaps you’re not aware of it….I think it would be perfect for you.

    I think you need to act like your addition is normal at first and plan what you’d like if it wasn’t so off kilter. I am predicting that its quirkiness will end up being the coolest part of your reno!

    Reply

    • Gennie
      August 27, 2013 @ 12:02 pm

      OH, I LOVE THAT KITCHEN. And the dance they did around it–“you put the lime in the coconut.” I haven’t thought of that in years.

      Reply

      • Darling Lily
        August 27, 2013 @ 12:11 pm

        Yes! Such a great scene!

        I can see Victoria’s addition being the part of the kitchen with the Mansard windows; the little breakfast area with the window seat. I mean, Paul could absolutely do that, no??

        And let us not forget that the litchen island is actually big enough to lay a body out on. A feature that would come in handy at some point, surely.

        Reply

  2. Laura
    August 27, 2013 @ 10:51 am

    When I scrolled very quickly through your Pinterest page, here are the main themes I see: white subway tile, white cabinetry and walls with clear glass cabinet doors, and brushed nickel bin drawer pulls.

    You’re getting there! Good luck!

    Reply

  3. Diane
    August 27, 2013 @ 10:53 am

    Funny cause my favorite hobby in the world is redoing kitchens ! I’d have so much fun doing yours lol. I have found a place in Pittsburgh that sells vintage to new cabinets for under $1,000! For like 20 cabinets!! I’d love to get my hands into doing a whole kitchen in refurbished cabinets wouldn’t that be awesome!!! I’m not a designer , just live doing it lol

    Reply

    • tammigirl
      August 27, 2013 @ 12:19 pm

      Diane, I would love it if you would share this source with me. I’m close enough to Pittsburgh. I need to design a kitchen island.

      tammigirl at gmail dot com.

      Reply

  4. Anne @ Planting Sequoias
    August 27, 2013 @ 10:59 am

    I am in the same boat as you in that I LITERALLY LOVE EVERY STYLE. It is hard when everything is so beautiful, no? Luckily I do not yet have to make these critical decisions as my husband has not yet trusted me with a house. But someday soon I will be looking to you for guidance in traveling through this murky-yet-beautiful phase of life.

    Reply

  5. Rachel P
    August 27, 2013 @ 11:02 am

    Steampunk! Steampunk! Steampunk! I will also second the need for butler’s pantries, and the Victorian Kitchen Redesign one is also pretty great. Whatever you choose will be fabulous! To the untrained eye (ie, my eye), all of these are lovely, but I bet your personalizations/modifications when the time comes will really reflect you, as do your past projects, and your kitchen will be no less great!

    Reply

  6. Judy
    August 27, 2013 @ 11:05 am

    I love your blog…:) Here is what I see when I look at your Pinterest page. I see antique white uppers and pale green lowers. I see a few select upper with glass fronts in order to showcase vintage or beautiful dishes that you don’t use a lot, but you’d like to see everyday. I see pulls that are pewter or brushed nickel (something like these: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Amerock-Traditional-Satin-Nickel-Cup-Pull-Pack-of-5/7719269/product.html?cid=202290&kid=9553000357392&track=pspla&ef_id=UYpuigAAAH@XNVoE:20130827150328:s ) I see an antique large farmhouse sink.

    That seems to be all the thing you gravitate toward and even though you might not agree with everything it gives you a good place to start. And as we all know every journey starts with a single step. 🙂 Good luck with the kitchen.

    Reply

  7. Steve Johnson
    August 27, 2013 @ 11:06 am

    Victoria, you need to hook up with Karla Pearlstein. She is the queen of Old House Geeks and makes magic happen to old houses. Her blog is at http://blog.restoringhistory.com/ and last I looked the latest entry was about…drum roll…. kitchens.

    Reply

  8. Cameoco
    August 27, 2013 @ 11:12 am

    I’m still looking for that magical reclaimed piece that we can base our whole kitchen design around. Maybe some of those weird ghost watermelons in the Thad Hayes design would do the trick. What are those?!

    Reply

    • cameoco
      August 27, 2013 @ 4:11 pm

      Oh! A green glass bowl! And here I already went and designed and entire kitchen around ghost watermelons. Back to the drawing board. Sigh.

      Reply

  9. Terri
    August 27, 2013 @ 11:26 am

    Great! Now I can spend another useful day at the computer looking at your pins instead of doing real work, like cleaning, laundry, or calling a contractor to re-do my entire kitchen, which we just finished. I’d go with white marble counter tops (as opposed to the soapstone I chose). You know it’s going to etch & scratch & get stains if you pass out from too much red wine & don’t clean up after you spill the wine. That’s the appeal, it’s called old house charm. Good Luck.

    Reply

  10. Sandi
    August 27, 2013 @ 11:29 am

    I want them all, too!

    And the visual representation of your soul…? Well, that’s adorable. 🙂 You’re SO TRANSPARENT.

    And colonially scary. Yes.

    I do hope you get your kitchen concepts narrowed down to just ten. Then, you can build them all. I am sure Paul would accommodate. *ducks! runs!*

    Reply

  11. Debbie
    August 27, 2013 @ 11:32 am

    I love your website and comments. They make me laugh and everything looks great when you are done.

    Reply

  12. Dana
    August 27, 2013 @ 12:04 pm

    What I really admire is your decisiveness considering that this is the last kitchen you will ever take domicile in. (sad, right?) Do you think in those terms like I do? I hope you get you amazing rustic, French, over-the-top, vintage, country, urban, erector set, Dr. Seuss kitchen of your dreams.

    Reply

  13. Valerie
    August 27, 2013 @ 12:31 pm

    Love the last picture with the ladder. BUT – I can only conclude I would hate it by the end of the day!

    Reply

  14. Naomi J
    August 27, 2013 @ 1:00 pm

    What if you relocated your kitchen to the addition area of your house? Just stay with me here.

    If you take the bathroom out, you have about 15′ of room from the small post to the end wall on the not-french-door-side of the room with a window in about the middle right? That’s enough room for your almost 12′ long victorian wardrobe, and the vaulted ceilings might work better with your wardrobe as well. Then you have the end wall and the wall across for more cupboards/range/appliances… and since there is a bathroom there already, at least you wouldn’t have to start from scratch plumbing wise. And still room for an island. Well, if the wardrobe isn’t too deep. You’d also still get a lot of light because the french doors are there.

    That’s probably a lot more work than either of you are willing to put into it, but with a husband like Paul, I bet you’d be able to get it done without too many problems…. which is probably a lie, because problems always crop up, even if you are cool like Paul.

    Plus, what do I know about architecture and plumbing and relocating cabinets and retrofitting an honest-to-goodness victorian wardrobe into the most awesome-looking kitchen I’ve ever seen in my life.

    p.s. I love your blog. I don’t blog-stalk you AT ALL.

    Reply

  15. Garden, Home and Party
    August 27, 2013 @ 1:03 pm

    Clearly there are many opinions on the topic. Just know that once it’s finished, you’ll slap yourself up side the head and ask, why didn’t we add _ _ _ _? I trust you will pare down the list to what you love and what you can live without, rusty stove and ladder, and it will be amazing. Paul will have to visit you in the loony farm, but the kitchen will be great! I have complete faith in your style.
    Karen

    Reply

  16. Susan
    August 27, 2013 @ 1:06 pm

    I think you can still have a beautiful kitchen, even if it’s smaller. My only advice to you is to think about the older you. Yes, I know most of us don’t want to think about our older selves, but trust me, she’ll be singing your praises in the future, if you do. Create a kitchen that is not only lovely, but is easy to care for and comfortable. Too many of the kitchens above are nightmares to clean. Sure they look fab in photo ops, but remember you have to live with it everyday. Try not to go too industrial – it removes the warmth of a kitchen. I like Thad Hayes design, but seriously, a block of fridges like that? Looks like something found a morgue. I’m all for re-purposing, but you have to draw a line somewhere. And those industrial style stools in Peacock’s kitchen look great, but try sitting on them for more than a minute. Take the elements you love and go with them. You want a glass fronted cabinet – go for it! But remember, it’s really nice to have wooden doors on some, too. Nice to be able to hide things you rather not have on display. I wish you all the best with creating your new kitchen! If anyone can do a great job, it’s you!

    Reply

  17. Diane Amick
    August 27, 2013 @ 1:32 pm

    OK Victoria…here’s the thing. I’ve “redone” TWO kitchens in the last two homes I lived in and the older I get the more the kitchen is all about functionfunctionfunction. That is the most important element in any kitchen. It MUST function for the way you (or your chef) actually use a kitchen. Start there – do you have to have a coffee bar? marble for rolling pastry dough? wine cooler? tons and tons of storage because you entertain at least once a month and need all that china/silver/crystal/serving pieces? pizza oven? giant glass-front, counter-depth fridge? Yes? No? Don’t drool over super designed, huge kitchens with 10′ long islands if it doesn’t fit in your space. Back up a little and really think about how much time you’re willing to spend cleaning/sealing/buffing all of these wonderful, beautiful surfaces…then go classic. It works all the time, anywhere, for anyone, and you can dress it up as much as you have $$$$ to spend, whether for everyday or special holidays or any holiday for that matter. Or, it looks great pared down to just the basics – clean lined and minimalist. You can’t go wrong if you keep in very classic.

    Reply

  18. Virginia A
    August 27, 2013 @ 1:40 pm

    Bless, Victoria, there is a lot going on in your head right now! I see what you mean about the sliding cabinet doors – they speak to me as well. But I would want them in solid wood because I don’t like the pressure of having to keep my stacked dishes look pretty all the time.
    I have no advice, except that I’ve seen the rest of your house and I have utmost confidence in yourself and Paul. Also, there is the small fact that pretty much anything you do will be an improvement over the conglomeration of styles that are there now. 😀
    Thank you for continuing to make me smile with your posts. I am so grateful that I found your blog.

    Reply

  19. Cheri
    August 27, 2013 @ 2:11 pm

    I have a white kitchen in my 1880’s farmhouse and hate it. I had my bathroom redone and LOVE it. All the wood is quarter sawn oak. The crown molding is gorgeous. It really makes my house feel like an antique. Please don’t give up on the idea of stained wood. It just has that old feel to it. It is also easier to clean.

    Reply

  20. Zandra Zuraw
    August 27, 2013 @ 2:18 pm

    You crack me up! Thank you.
    Anyway, my favorite (not that this should matter to you at all) is the sort of mint green one w/ the drawers and glass front cabinets…I think it’s really a butler’s pantry shot. Anyway, the trouble with kitchens (in my mind) is that they all look the same. Or can easily look the same because they all have the same required stuff: fridge, oven/stove, sink, storage, cutting space. My goal is to make my kitchen look like any other room in my house: one that has real furniture, lamps on the counters, art on the wall, maybe even a rug. So far, I have none of these things. But ooooooh, do I want to!

    Reply

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