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My kitchen renovation, Part 10: Cabinets and a Chinoiserie update

Annie Elliott | November 15, 2016

CABINETS!!!! NOW it’s feeling like a kitchen!

White cabinets galley kitchen renovation
Sink wall!
Galley kitchen renovation in Washington, DC
Garden door, stove wall
White base cabinets in galley kitchen renovation
Stove wall
Blue cabinets in galley kitchen renovation in Washington, DC
Butler’s pantry!

I’m sorry, but I LOVE the blue cabinets in the butler’s pantry. When they went in, I did have a pang…should I have done the whole kitchen blue?

But it might have been too much.

Anyway…

Dark blue kitchen cabinets in a butler's pantry
Butler’s pantry

See that doorway to the left? That will be covered by a matching pantry door as soon as the contractors figure out how to do it. We like to keep them on their toes ;)

You can see the first round of floor stains in the above picture, too. More on the floor later.

Galley kitchen renovation with white cabinets and hardwood floors
Looking toward back garden

Exciting though the cabinets are — and they’re pretty darn exciting — you know what I’m REALLY waiting for: the Chinoiserie backsplash. The kitchen is shaping up to be really elegant. But elegant does not equal bossy; I need color!

As a reminder, these are the backsplash panels I dream about every night. The element I’ve built the kitchen around, on which I’ve dedicated way too much of the budget. The basket in which I’ve placed all of my eggs, as it were.

Large-scale painted backsplash tile of red birds and trees

In the middle of the cabinetry installation, etc., I received this progress report:

screen-shot-2016-11-15-at-9-28-19-pm

Partially finished painting of a red bird on a swing

Please keep in mind that I started conversations about these painted porcelain backsplash panels with the company in the spring. I signed paperwork in August and approved the preliminary drawings in September. So yeah: I’d hoped the panels might be a tad farther along by mid-November.

I’m still hoping to have them in my grubby little mitts by mid-December, which means, realistically, that they’ll be installed in early January.

Good thing we’re not hosting a bunch of people for Christmas.

Oh wait, we are.

Ah, well. This is where we chant, “Good things come to those who wait. Good things come to those who wait. At least we have our health.” Et cetera.

In the meantime, let’s celebrate the cabinets! And patience. And our health ;)

Bossy color | Annie Elliott interiors is based in Washington, D.C. Outrageously beautiful homes start with color.

Category: Kitchen + bath, RenovationTag: backsplash, bird, cabinetry, chinoiserie, galley kitchen, hardwood floor, hardwood floors, painted backsplash, painted tile, tile, white cabinets

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Happy Wallpaper Wednesday! Today we’re talking about one of my favorite things in the whole world: grasscloth. (Which technically makes today *Wallcovering* Wednesday, but tomayto tomahto.) Most grasscloth is made of actual grasses that have been washed, dried, bleached or dyed, and glued to paper. Wallcovering made of sisal, seagrass, raffia, or hemp also is placed under the heading “grasscloth.” Talk about timeless style: while grasscloth had a popularity surge in the 1960s and 70s (thanks to a cultural obsession with living in nature), its first known use was in 107 AD, in China ;) Grasscloth has long been appreciated for its insulative properties and durability. From a decorating perspective, I love it because it adds warmth, texture, and dimension to any space. Picture a room painted white, and then imagine that room with an off-white grasscloth on the walls (and, if you’re me, the ceiling). The second room is still light and bright, but it’s cozier and more interesting.Grasscloth can be minimalist in neutral earth tones or maximalist, dyed bold colors, colorfully painted, or appliquéd with spangles, embroidery, or tape trim. It shows its seams when installed, but that’s part of the charm. I love grasscloth in hallways, living spaces, and bedrooms, but I avoid using it in kitchens and steamy bathrooms because I’m nervous about odor retention and excessive moisture.Enough school for the day, but if you remember nothing else: grasscloth enriches every room it graces. Highly recommend.📸 Michael K. Wilkinson@schumacher_midatlantic @schumacher1889 @phillipjeffriesltd

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