Color, curiosities + natural elements

a bohemian kitchen

My new home is one hundred and twenty years old. Its classic windows, high ceilings and timeless details stole my heart at first sight. The kitchen, however, is new. It was added onto the home 35 years ago, reflecting the tastes of the couple who raised a family here for just as many years.

You feel the subtle shift as you step into the dining room from the elegant, old living room. Instead of charming, the kitchen is modern with a light and spacious feel, thanks to floor to ceiling windows along the whole back side.

I love it! The space was a brilliant addition to this old house, taking it bravely and beautifully into the future. However, it can feel somewhat cold and clinical, with those gray tile floors, white walls and black cabinets. My goal was to choose furnishings and decor that bring warmth, softness and life.

Starting with paint in the kitchen area! Cinder Rose by Farrow & Ball works really well with the black, white and gray tones.

After settling on pink for the wall color, I found this rug by Pip Studio. It combines soft, clean shades like lemon shallow, cornflower blue and candy green. That is just what I had in mind - a mingling of happy colors rather than a limited color scheme.

A similar palette is reflected in the collection of curiosities we’ve begun to assemble here. I wanted to do something with this big, blank wall, above the terrazzo countertops. Such a shelf allows for pottery and plants, which is cozier and more practical than wall art.

Really any opportunity to add natural wood and plants to the space helps to soften the overall vibe, to make it feel more bohemian and less clinical.

Even the white shoe cabinet, tucked away on the other side of the kitchen, offers an excuse for a gathering of shapes, color….

and organic texture.

In the dining area more wooden elements, lots of plants and a collection of nature-inspired artwork finish the look. This dining set is better suited to the scale of our last home, but I am happy with how it feels for now. The round shape is so nice for connecting and we can squeeze in an extra chair or two when needed.

So that’s our kitchen for now! Someday new window treatments could further soften the look and a larger table would be nice, but really I’m quite pleased with how it looks just now. I feel happy each morning to step into this space, to feel so connected to the garden while also surrounded by uplifting color and form.