design*dilemma: rachael (part 1)

one of my readers, rachael, 
recently contacted me about a dilemma 
she has been dealing with in her 
kitchen/breakfast/family room. 


"I have some really odd angles in my living room and kitchen…
areas that I say,  “Is that ceiling or wall???” 
Do you have any hard fast rule about that and what to paint what? "

she was also interested in adding some 
character into her space, and although
she wants to keep the curtain panels in her
family room, she wants to replace the
ones in the breakfast room and
change things up a bit.
here is a look at her space:

here are some of the questions 
rachael had, and my answers:

1. How should I be painting these walls?? I feel like I want to turn those
weird angles into an asset- not a liability! Right now, it just looks weird.


there are a lot of homes out there with similar 

challenges, and i think the way the walls are 
painted now is the best solution 

to your particular dilemma. if you painted the 
angled spaces as "wall" space, i think it 
would look odd. the way they are painted now 

gives the best definition of the "wall" space.

2. Should I put up crown molding? If so, same question---

what to do with those angles!

i adore crown molding, 

but i would not recommend it for your space.

it would draw attention to the odd angles, 
and be a nightmare to install.

instead, find other ways to add 
some trim to the space. 

(see the answer to question #4 for more details.)

3.   WHAT should I do with the huge gaping space above the refrigerator??? I

love the build you guys did in your latest remodel with the frig. Do you

think anything like that could work in this space? I would like to find some

extra storage in this kitchen.  Is it there??

absolutely!

that space is begging for something to be added.

you can either get a pre-made cabinet that matches 

the dimensions over your fridge,

or, you could have a simple set of open shelves

built that fit the space.

continue the trim/crown from the rest of the cabinets 

above this new storage space to make it look like

it has been there all along.

if you leave this area as open shelving,

consider painting the back of the unit in a

fun accent color.

4.  I am craving some character in my cookie cutter home. 
 Any ideas for me?

I love wainscoting, beadboard, paneling (not the 70's kind)...in fact I love

beadboard or paneling on just about anything. (With two kids, it would be

pretty practical to do something. Crafts, painting, and well...just eating

in general gets messy.)

honestly, i think the best way for you to change up 

the look of this space 
is to paint your kitchen cabinets! 
yes, i know it will be a pain in the

rear, but you will not regret it! 
it will really add character and warmth.

you could consider painting them:

all black

don't get freaked out. 

your appliances are all black, and it 
would add a lot of drama! 

we painted the cabinets in our last kitchen black, 

and i loved the way it turned out:

you can see more pictures here, 

and don't forget about laylas 

fabulous kitchen:

which you can see here
alternately, you could paint the cabinets 

black on the bottom,
and white on top
here are a few pictures of kitchens where there
is a mix of light and dark cabinets:

since i don't suggest any 

crown molding for 

your space,add trim in other areas.

you could start with the tops of you cabinets:

i love what layla did to to top of her cabinets--

the trim she added really beefed the cabinets up 

and added tons of character!

or, you could simply replace your current

crown molding with a larger profile, which is what we did:

and if painting the kitchen cabinets, i would recommend 

painting the walls a nice neutral.
since you are planning on keeping the curtain
panels in the family room, i wouldn't use 
a paint that is in the grey family,but since you are
craving something a little less "sunny"
try a paint similar to this:
(these paints are from benjamin moore)

this color will allow you to slowly
phase out any colors that you are
tiring of, and allow you to 
change your color scheme in the
future, at your own pace.

also, consider these ideas:

change out the wood panel in the cabinet to 
the right of your sink 
with some glass or 
chicken wire.

here are a few examples where these

options looks fabulous:

and notice on this last one, 

how the back is 

painted an accent color.

this would look great here as well!

(and also in an open shelving area

above the fridge, if you decide to 

go that route)

also, a few more ideas:

replace your chandelier shades with these:

available at ballard designs.

it will add some 

great texture into the space.

and, changing out the buffet shades

for black ones will carry the

black from the kitchen 

into your family room.

(also available at ballard designs)

***

there is more to come...

stay tuned for 

part 2 of this post,

which i should have up

tomorrow morning!