A truly heavenly kitchen

I'm pretty happy with the kitchen in our new home.  It is definitely a huge upgrade from anything I've had before.  Ideally I'd like to refinish the light maple colored cabinets in white, knockout one one to open it into the living room, and maybe even swap out the tile for hardwood.  For now though, it will do, and I'll get my fix by perusing amazing kitchens like the one below.

The brick comes from demolished buildings in Chicago, and the steel hood is custom.

I'm in love with the walnut floors! They gray/green cabinets are elegant, but I think I still might have gone with white.

What do you think of these glass pendants?  What do you think about the whole kitchen?

via Traditional Home Great Kitchens

Creating a space for entertaining

More and more, Chris and I were finding our small apartment tough for entertaining.  One thing on our "To Do" list for our new home is to knock down the wall between the kitchen and the living room to create a breakfast bar. That would give us a little more space to entertain, but mostly it would vastly increase the flow in our home, making even our modest space more conducive to guests.

via Angie Hranowsky

This seating area isn't particularly large, but the open concept layout and variety of seating makes for plenty of ways for guests to mingle.

via BHG

This kitchen bar can be a great addition to more seating.

via  Houzz.com

Sometimes the bar stool itself can make a big difference. Having backless bar stools still gives you the visual space you need but allows for guest seating. 

via  Houzz.com

I love this "campy" industrial wheeled cart turned bar.
via Country Living

This post in partnership with barstools.co.uk

Extra space worth using!

I love natural light in a home and tall ceilings can add to that by making a room feel large and bright. A great way to add some of that in a smaller home is doing a loft conversion. Opening up an attic and using that space can really add a lot to a home.

That extra space could go towards adding more square footage and creating a room in the attic! With a nice sky light window you can open up a small space with gorgeous natural light.



Using the natural shape of the extra space can create some stunning designs. Some people are nervous about truss loft conversions but using a specialist can make this transformation easy with as little disruption as possible.



Some spaces are large enough to convert into an entire loft apartment. Using a wall of windows really makes this space feel more like a getaway than an attic!



Another option would be to just open up the space. This kitchen hardly feels small with the tall ceilings and windows.



This post in partnership with LoftCreations.co.uk

Charming English home with an atypical history

Charming English home with an atypical history Design , Photos of interiors. Ideas for home, English style interior, classic style interior, unusual history of English house.

unusual history of English house

There is a widespread belief that the British - incredible snobs. They are very picky about the origin - of people and animals, things and houses. But sometimes there are happy exceptions. It is a journey - a vivid example of the striking creativity, to turn an old public building in old luxury mansion.

But everything - from the beginning.

Many purebred English homes clearly seen a certain style of construction - the medieval, Georgian, Tudor, Edwardian or Victorian. The same house will not fit into any classification, because it was built at all like an apartment building.

A few centuries ago it was a facility for military drill marches in the 19th century - and the secular dance halls, in the 20th century - the cinema. It was only a couple of decades ago, thanks to the efforts of previous owners of the building was demolished to make room for a garden, and construction - turned into a private home.

Today it live spouses Hassan, a tireless visionary Vicki and her husband, Andrew, helped his wife carry out all the ideas. Look what shape they purchased the house, which is especially surprising given the modest budget situation.

The house is located on a slope, so the majority of the living space is concentrated on the first floor. The previous owners started to internal conversion from that found huge French windows from floor to ceiling. The house was filled with light instantly.

unusual history of English house

current mistress, Vicki loves the old days, creativity, but does not like to save. Ancient walls, columns, doors and floors have been carefully restored by the previous owners, so she went to "ready". But the purchase of furniture and decoration took a lot of time, because Vicky was sure such an unusual space deserves an equally unusual situation.

unusual history of English house

Because the funds had not very much, most of the items - it's either Grandma's legacy (as, for example, a couple of chairs, Berger), or things from the auction eBay, inherited the hostess at a record-low prices. Some of the furniture was very shabby appearance, but in the capable hands of Vicki and her husband forgot charm was restored. Please note that furniture and decor a bit, but all that is perfectly fit into the interior.

Today, as with the design of the house is finished, hobby Wiki - gather together and prepare a Sunday meal. They are developing a long menu, and then all involved in its implementation ...

You say, well is not accepted, especially from the British? But in a house with such an unusual story it does not seem so strange. It's - a fascinating game that delivers fun and guests and hosts ...

In the back yard there are small houses - a gypsy caravan and Hobbit Castle, built by former owners for their children. Sadiq is filled with roses, hollyhocks and bushes arrows digitalis. And on the green grass lounging two happy cats undetermined breed.

As baleen-striped, this house can boast a perfect pedigree, but thanks to the love and creative vein hosts it turned into a charming and comfortable accommodation.

unusual history of English house

Marriott Hotels - the amazing 10,000 square foot Innovation Lab!

Recently I had the very cool experience of visiting Marriott Hotels headquarters right in Bethesda, MD to visit and “play” in their absolutely amazing “Innovation Lab.”

 “What is an innovation lab?” you might ask. A 10,000 sq. ft. space right in headquarters that allows designers, architects, employees, and customers to rapidly prototype and manipulate “white box” guest rooms, lobbies, and meeting spaces by moving around rolling furnishings as large as a bed to accessories as small as a soap dish.

I was lucky enough to get to create my own ideal guest room along with other bloggers, designers, and writers and chat with SVP architecture and construction of Marriott, Karim Khalifa. His enthusiasm for the Innovation Lab was contagious. “This isn’t a space where sport coats are required or guests stand to the side while we speak. It is interactive and participatory… Marriott is dedicated to transforming the brand to make it relevant for a next generation of travelers – and we want these travelers to be a part of our transformative journey”

Drew Shepherd, Senior Director, Portfolio Strategy & Research started us off with an interesting presentation about gathering guest insights, and speaking to travelers' and consumers' heightened expectations for good design in everything from the razors they use to the hotels they stay in.

The then and now of industrial design.

We then visited a few "mock" guest rooms near the Innovation Lab to discuss what it is we like about hotel guest rooms and dislike.  I was very surprised at how varying everyone's guest habits were.  Some of us unpack immediately, some of us leave our things in suitcases, some always order room service, some have never.

With the current rooms fresh in our minds, we were given a tour of the Innovation Lab and introduced to the prototyping process.

The amazing space:

Next, we got to the fun part and mocked up some new guest rooms with pen and paper

And finally, we moved on to actually prototyping rooms- moving around furniture, lamps, appliances, etc...

Pretty awesome right?  As a designer, being able to "create" so quickly and instant feedback is so valuable.  This hands on method was a great way to test concepts out in a much more tangible and accurate way then sketching.

Last, but ABSOLUTELY NOT least....lunch.  One word: yum.

Vice President, Culinary and Global Corporate Chef Brad Nelson gave us a tour of his kitchens and garden before joining us for a truly delicious lunch.

Love this floating radishes centerpiece

Now I'm hungry!

What do you think about Marriott's Innovation Lab?

Deliciously chic and glamorous eye candy!

I've been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off these past few days preparing for my baby sis's baby shower, being a freelance web designer, trying to unpack and get settled into our new home, and wiping up puddles of puppy pee-pee.  Right now I just need some gorgeous eye candy to remind me that all my hard work CAN and WILL pay off!

This is actually an office! I love the look - and that wallpaper would look great in my home office!

Canopy beds always say luxe to me.

Gold, cream, gray, and a touch of pink...and horses...what else could a girl want!?!

all images vie Rue Mag Oct.