once upon a Cinder Rose

a warm, colorful kitchen

Another room is finished in this all-mine apartment! It’s the kitchen, which lies just past my very pink bedroom.

I chose the colors for these two rooms in part for how lovely they look together. As I walk down the hall I can see and feel the connection between these spaces. I spend many evenings moving between my bedroom and the kitchen in a warm womb of prettiness.

Let me take you back to how the kitchen looked on moving day. This is Liam, now 19 years old. He took the train “home” to Enschede from university to help me move. And boy was he a huge help that day! Pizza well-deserved.

The very first thing I did was paint the kitchen, changing out the off-white walls for Cinder Rose. This is another Farrow & Ball color, and the same one I used in my last kitchen. I would describe it as a dusty pink/purple. The color gives definition so that the white cabinets pop and warmth so that the dark gray countertop feels cozier.

The rug is the same Pip Studio runner I had in my last home. Its happy choir of color is echoed in the colorful pottery on the open shelves above.

This is a galley-style kitchen with parallel built-in cabinets. There are only drawers for storage, but several are those clever double drawers that really hold a lot. This kitchen is considerably smaller than any I’ve had before, and there is no pantry, so I had to make careful choices about what to keep. I donated everything I could and opted to store rarely-used kitchen equipment in my shed.

This wall shelf system is definitely an aesthetic and practical win. On the shelf are a few things that I use all the time, like that set of big bowls and the miniature bowls by the yellow pitcher. Plus, it holds lots of things that I just love to look at. When a friend was helping me unpack, she placed the mugs in that bamboo tray - genius. I definitely don’t have room in my drawers for all my cups.

I’ve developed a weakness for HK Living pottery, like that slender, spotted pitcher and the tall ceramic mugs. Keeping these things out allows me to enjoy them, while at the same time reminding me to reach for them more often.

But my favorite “aha” moment was figuring out to display this pie plate like so. It’s an Anthropologie plate that I’ve had for more than a decade. I used to only get to see it on Thanksgiving, but now it’s making me smile all year long.

The kitchen has a tiny balcony, which I didn’t think would matter. Wrong! In addition to letting in lots of light thanks to the full glass door, this balcony faces the setting sun. Floris and I like to eat dinner out there, catching the last warm rays.

Today is totally cloudy, but even still the view is a pleasure. It’s always good to rest your eyes on green.

And every evening the sunset is spectacular!

The last finishing touch in this room was switching out the original metal task lighting for these linen wall lamps. Adding wood and textile elements makes the whole kitchen feel softer and less industrial. More me!

The kitchen is actually so bright and small that I don’t need task lighting. Instead, I use the lights on a dimmer switch for mood lighting in the evening. This touch of soft, warm light makes my space feel so very cozy. I guess that I have learned from the Dutch, haha! When I first immigrated I was going around making all my rooms brighter with higher wattage bulbs. Now I find that less is more in the evenings. It’s all about perspective!

Thanks for visiting. P.S. my living room/sewing room is almost finished. Hopefully soon!