Kitchen inspiration- vintage industrial design.
For the record, I thought I was really going to enjoy doing kitchen-inspiration posts.
I thought they would be fun. And EASY.
But I take that back…
I take back my secret, smug belief that if I wrote a blog where I just curated beautiful images of houses and interior design it would be mindlessly simple.
I apologize to all design bloggers everywhere– I’m sorry for my self-righteousness… it has never once been validated, but I keep trying anyway.
EXCEPT you bloggers whose sites take SO long to load… that in the time I wait, I could drive to your house and tell you how annoying it is that I have 782 tabs open, and YOURS is the one that crashes it all.
Anyway. Kitchen.
Last week’s kitchen inspiration prompted a lot of you to point out that my overwhelming theme is white. And that IS true. I do really like that look… or some two-tone contrasting-island version of it.
But I equally like the total opposite.
In fact, it’s possible I like this more.
I guess I’d describe this as vintage industrial.
Or repurposed industrial.
Or out-of-my-price-range industrial.
Something unique and interesting that involves the opportunity to buy giant useless things and hoard copper pots.
Paul would point out that this is not actually a house. Or even a kitchen.
But that doesn’t matter, because it’s inspiration.
That means you can look at photos of anything you want.
I could show him photos of elephants and gesture at them and say—see? Elephants.
Clearly, I’m going to be hampered in my design since I don’t have exposed brick.
Or live in a loft or have a rooftop atrium or a rustic cafe in London…
But you get the idea: something NOT white.
Also, something you cannot just buy at the kitchen store.
Maybe even veering into Steampunk territory?
If you don’t know what steampunk is… it’s like an Edwardian version of Dungeons and Dragons. Crossed with a Renaissance Fair. Invented by boys who want to wear monocles while hanging out in internet chatrooms and talking about building purposely-antiquated futuristic gadgets. Like hi-tech hot air balloons.
Basically a comic-book parody of steam-powered Victorian style. With lots and lots of cogs.
Is that ridiculous? Maybe.
But so is golf.
I’m certain that toast from that toaster is way more tasty and delicious than regular toast.
And it will not surprise you that I really like the idea of a kitchen full of fantasy and shiny unnecessary things…
But Paul took one look at my steampunk inspiration and said— basically you want Morlock chic.
For 90,000 more kitchens: my Pinterest kitchen board.
I will love you EVEN MORE… if you share me with your friends.
September 4, 2013 @ 10:08 am
HAHAHA! Morlock Chic!!! That man’s just about as classic as you!
I can see you are honing into your desired look- my evidence?
Less inspiration pics!
I KNOW your kitchen will be larger than ‘life’ AND available nowhere else- I expect nothing less of you!
September 4, 2013 @ 10:09 am
I’m not sure what Paul objects to. You are being very clear. You want rustic, vintage, elegant, whimsy. Simple.
September 4, 2013 @ 10:11 am
How could I possibly not leave you a comment when you promise to love me more? And, I will share. I promise. Girl Scouts honor and all. (Don’t bother that I was never a Girl Scout. I was, however, a Brownie.)
I do love your steampunk inspiration, and I strongly suspect you could pull it off with great style.
September 4, 2013 @ 11:57 am
Great. Now I want brownies.
September 4, 2013 @ 12:19 pm
Do the girl scouts sell brownies?
September 4, 2013 @ 11:14 pm
no, but they should! 🙂
September 5, 2013 @ 10:22 pm
Wouldn’t girl scouts selling brownies be some sort of child cannabalism?
September 4, 2013 @ 10:12 am
yep… of course you have set very high expectations here now… do you feel the pressure?
Relax and meet our every whim as you fulfill yours! HAHA
September 4, 2013 @ 10:14 am
Thank you – golf is SO ridiculous!
September 4, 2013 @ 10:27 am
Those lights? in that that third picture? are FANTASTIC. They would probably look like a giant spider on my ceiling but that doesn’t stop me from wanting them. This is bad.
September 4, 2013 @ 10:27 am
The reason you want white or similar (like the stainless) is because it looks CLEAN. That’s why you liked that in your bathroom: because bathrooms are icky, and a white one looks clean (and the tile you chose is easy to clean). The problem you’re going to run into with some of that other stuff is that it’s a pain to clean (exposed brick? I live with it, but YOU DON’T HAVE TO) and will never look or FEEL clean.
I cannot stress this enough: you want your kitchen to appear clean all the time no matter what, and to be easy to bring to that state. I swear.
Find one thing that you can actually buy. Buy it. Let that one thing be the inspiration for the whole room, no matter how ridiculous and impractical it may seem to design an entire breakfast room and therefore the surrounding rooms around a lamp you found on craigslist.
Not that I did that exact thing.
September 9, 2013 @ 5:58 am
I second this!
September 4, 2013 @ 10:34 am
I so enjoy your posts. You write like I think and make me laugh. Keep posting and hey Morlock chic could be a whole new design trend.
P.S. Golf is indeed ridiculous.
September 4, 2013 @ 10:34 am
I too love a white kitchen! I pinned like a crazy women. PS: I shared you on my blog under my “Favorite Things in August Post” hope you don’t mind:)
September 4, 2013 @ 10:37 am
LOVE that toaster! I like toast.
September 4, 2013 @ 10:37 am
I am new to blogland. Only been following a short while. Wondered where blogland actually was? Is it Smalltown, USA? Is it close to Hollywood because you’re so famous (hehe)? Maybe right on the Canadia/US border? Heck I don’t know!!! But I think it is somewhere close to where I live because your life is so like your followers. I adore, love, can’t wait for a new blog from your site. You are so refreshing! I would like to buy a box of those gourmet coal granules however. Thanks for inspiring and always making me smile and sometimes lol.
Nancy
September 4, 2013 @ 1:43 pm
Oh I so agree with you. I found vicotria Site one day when I was very depressed. My best friend is very ill. I fell in love with someone I’ll never meet. You talk like I think you express what I feel. Love (not meeting) you. keep the posts coming. I intend to vacation in blog land more often. It’s my budget.
September 4, 2013 @ 11:17 pm
Canadia? Love it! That’s where I live too! 🙂
September 4, 2013 @ 10:38 am
Love the “Brown Gourmet Coal Granules”. Actually, loved all the photos — kitchens are my weakness. The last house we rented in DC, we walked into the living room/kitchen area. I saw (a) a gas Viking stove, (b) a rack for hanging pots and pans over the kitchen island, and (c) a working neon lettering (switch controlled) on the side of the beam above the kitchen island saying, “Let’s eat”. I turned to my wife and said, “Unless the rest of the house sucks, we’re renting this one.” It didn’t, and we did, living there for four years. Still probably my favorite kitchen of all time.
September 4, 2013 @ 10:44 am
great progress, Victoria! i do think the dark kitchen will be a wonderful contrast to your all white sanctuary. and won’t show food stains, and dirt. you need at least one place in your home like that. did you know a mirror over the stove will bring you $? maybe you should put that up now… and my best tip would be for Martha Stewart. she needs to hire you to be the next Gen of home mavens. you should have regular appearances on her show. or magazine. or both. go get it!
September 4, 2013 @ 4:26 pm
Why would I want a mirror over the stove?
September 4, 2013 @ 11:19 pm
double thimbs up to your ideas for Miss Victoria!
September 4, 2013 @ 10:46 am
sorry for link above. how? what? would delete but don’t see a way to edit. apologies.
September 4, 2013 @ 11:05 am
No apologies! It’s the plugin “comment luv”… I literally just did an update on it, so it may now be automatic.
September 4, 2013 @ 10:51 am
We have similar taste, I love this stuff! Would chat more, but unfortunately you linked to “Steampunk Kitchen Appliances” so I’m off to waste away my morning by browsing…
September 4, 2013 @ 10:54 am
If only you could do a kitchen full of disco balls and mirrors. Such a shame we have to keep those things away from grease.
I have lived with my own kitchen for a year and a half and I still do not know what I am going to do with it. Just designing the island and deciding on a backsplash is making me crazy.
But I’m sure your kitchen is going to be fabulous. I just know it.
September 4, 2013 @ 10:55 am
Perhaps it is my recent outing to the renaissance faire, but I find myself needing that toaster. My toaster is boring, there’s no steam, no drama. It doesn’t even threaten to explode.
September 4, 2013 @ 11:05 am
Laughing at this post! My husband thinks you’re hilarious because he totally gets the husband point-of-view in your other posts and the one on Houzz–we have remodeled a few homes, too. Thanks for sharing.
September 4, 2013 @ 11:08 am
All right, I’m glad you’ve caught onto the whole idea of tin ceilings. They are marvellous, I can give you an affordable source for them, and your amazingly talented husband will have them up for you in no time. I can only assume that given you have cited vintage industrial / steampunk as an inspiration, that you have already been ALL OVER Restoration Hardware. Not much of it is designed for the kitchen, but they have a lot of amazing bathroom stuff that can be repurposed if you just think outside the box. You don’t seem to have a problem with that part. Also, on Ruby Lane, there is a store called Preservation Station that often has great vintage light fixtures. Keep grinding… you’ll get there (and we’ll all sit back and enjoy the trip!)
September 4, 2013 @ 11:14 am
I love to read your blog because like a Lisa said you write like I think. I thought I was just crazy but apparently there are more of us out there :). BADKITTY is right, white and stainless steel is CLEAN and that seems your style. The industrial look seems to have more rugged textures, hence hard to clean. Concrete and marble surfaces can be industrial-ish and easy to clean. When I saw your first image I instantly thought COMMERCIAL. I also see the same type of tile you’ve used in your bathroom but here we see a darker grout??? I think the long mirror on the wall is interesting, to perhaps open up the space?
September 4, 2013 @ 11:39 am
Deb, if you are talking about the long mirrow that is hung high up on the wall and tilted down, it is used in cooking classes so that those students who cant get close enough to the counter to see can look up into the mirror and see it all.