Avoiding Renovation Stress

I wish everyday life had a Command + Z function (or Control + Z for you PC users).

If you aren’t familiar with keyboard shortcuts, Command + Z is the equivalent of the “undo” function on your computer. I use this shortcut, and I use it often. (I’ve already hit the key combo twice since I started writing this blog post!) And a day rarely goes by when I haven’t wished at least once that I could undo something with the snap of a finger, the blink of an eye or the stroke of a key:

I shouldn’t have attempted to drink a cup of coffee whithout a lid while driving own a road marked “under construction”….  Command + Z.

I shouldn’t have worn a white blouse while eating pasta in marinara sauce… Command + Z.

I shouldn’t have tried a new haircut two weeks before my wedding… Command + Z. 

(And before you ask, yes—I’ve really done all these things!)

Alas, until some virtuoso unlocks the secrets of time travel, Command + Z will forever remain functional only in the digital realm; therefore, it’s necessary to learn from our mistakes so we aren’t doomed to repeat them—or at least repeat them often.

When it comes to designing, redesigning, or remodeling a kitchen, however, there is no room for error. Every mistake—from the wrong shade of paint to a miscalculated measurement—is potentially costly. Sometimes the cost is small, sometimes it’s colossal, but it’s almost always painful in some way or another. Fortunately, we at Kitchens are daily adding fantastic resources to our website to help point you in the right direction before you find yourself in the regrettable situation of thinking, I should’ve researched that contractor before allowing hi to gut my kitchen down to the studs….Command + Z.

From flooring and appliances to planning the perfect layout and creating a fully functional outdoor kitchen, you will find valuable tips, tricks, information and inspiration in every post. And after digesting all the great intel we can offer you online, you will be well-equipped and fully prepared to approach your next kitchen project with confidence and creativity—instead of wishing in vain you had the magical powers of a real-life undo button.

Written and photographed by Rebecca J. Raz

Posted  By Well Styled Kitchens

Kitchen Decor Ideas – A Place to Nourish Body and Soul

It is where a dinner party eventually settles; guests slip into a relaxed ease and speak freely. This is the ideal place for the first, innocent kiss as the guise of dining chairs is less pressured than a sofa. Secrets are revealed here. There is something about a kitchen that breaks down formality and makes you feel comfortable.

I’ve often thought about my kitchen design. There would be large windows, perhaps in the vintage casement style, with a row of cachepots blooming with herbs. A white tile backsplash punctuated with blue etchings of Dutch farmers carrying bales of wheat. Copper pots would dangle above the deep farmer’s sink. This vision was quite similar to the kitchen that belonged to my husband, Allan, when we first met. My family even remarked on how uncannily similar his style was to my own.

Though I did not marry him because he came with the right kitchen, I did envision all the events that were to take place in this magnificent space. The accent color is bottle green, featured in the cabinets and vintage accessories such as a tin breadbox and blender. Allan’s seltzer-bottle collection, the remaining survivors of a few earthquakes, hold guard above the cabinets. We’ve meddled with recipes. He’s watched me go through a container of my favorite ice cream. I’ve helped my stepdaughter with school reports at the tall vintage table. The classic setting fits the events that occur here.     

By Jacqueline deMontravel
Photograph by JaimeeItagaki