Monday, February 24, 2014

Into The Woods

The Kitchen Cabinet Saga - 1

 
Just in case you live on planet Mars... or in case it's your first visit here at The Little White House (in which case, welcome), my 2014 project is to renovate the kitchen.

Pour le cas où vous soyez un habitant de la planète Mars ou pour le cas où vous visitiez ce blog pour la première fois, sachez que mon projet pour l'année 2014 est de rénover ma cuisine.

The only two things renovated: the sink and the window.
If you've written a post about the renovation of your kitchen, chances are that I've read it!

Many of you have done amazing transformations. But I have to begin from scratch as there was no cabinet in the kitchen when I bought my fisherman's cottage.

J'ai vu beaucoup de rénovations épatantes sur les blogs. Mais, moi, je dois commencer de zéro puisqu'il n'y avait rien dans la cuisine, à part un évier en résine, quand j'ai acheté le cottage. 

Kitchen the day I got the keys

It may seem like a dream to be that free, but it's also paralysing because there are so many ideas to choose from.

Cela peut sembler offrir beaucoup de liberté, mais finalement le nombre de choses à choisir me paralyse complètement!

So I decided the best thing to do at that point was to brew some tea, pour myself a cup, sit down on my new kitchen chair. What? Do you think I'm teasing you there? And for once, I stopped my playlist. I wanted to be able to listen to my cottage.

1.
J'ai donc fait la seule chose sensée dans tout situation de panique: j'ai mis de l'eau dans la bouilloire, du thé dans la théière, je me suis versé une tasse et je me suis installée dans ma nouvelle chaise. J'ai, pour une fois, arrêté la musique de ma playlist pour pouvoir écouter mon cottage.

Here's what happened afterwards.

Voici la transcription de ce qui s'est passé ensuite.

Cottage: "Please, Petite Blonde, don't choose one of those shinny kitchens with very flat cabinets that French people are loving so much these days. I don't think I could stand it."

Me: "That's all there is in stores. What would you rather have?"

2.
Cottage: "S'il te plaît, Petite Blonde, ne me choisis pas des meubles de cuisine laqués et tout plats comme c'est bien la mode. Je ne le supporterais pas."

Moi: "Mais, il n'y a rien d'autre dans les magasins. Que veux-tu que je te cherche?"

3.

Cottage: "Well, I'd love some real wood cabinets. I think I'd look gorgeous with them!"

Me: "Let me check Pinterest for a while, please."

4.
Cottage: "Je pense que je serais vraiment très élégant avec de beaux meubles en bois."

Moi: "Attends un peu, je fais une recherche sur Pinterest."

5.
 SEVERAL HOURS and a very cold cup of tea later...

PLUSIEURS HEURES plus tard...

6.
Me: "Cottage, I really love your idea of wood cabients, but..."

Cottage: "Told you!"

7.
Moi: "Cottage, j'aime assez les cuisines en bois, mais..."

Cottage: "Je te l'avais bien dit!"

Me: "BUT I'm afraid it'll look too dark and a little "chalet" ("wood cabin"), which is not the look I'm going for."

Cottage: "I want wood!"

8.
Moi: "MAIS, j'ai un peu peur que cela soit sombre et que cela donne un style "chalet" que j'adore, mais qui ne t'ira pas très bien."

Cottage: "Je veux du bois!"

9.
 Me: "Can't we compromise? Wood, but painted wood?"

Cottage: "Well, I don't know... Go back to Pinterest and show me what it could look like and I'll think about it."

10.
 Moi: "Peut-être pourrait-on trouver un compromis? Du bois, certes, mais du bois peint?"

Cottage: "Bof, je ne sais pas trop. Retourne sur Pinterest et montre-moi ce que cela pourrait donner." 

11.
So, as my cottage requires it, this series will be about painted kitchen cabinets and the different colours I'm considering. I hope you'll join the fun of the hunt for perfect cabinets and please, feel free to give your ideas in the comments!

Donc à la demande de mon cottage, la nouvelle série d'articles sera consacrée aux cuisines peintes: je ne couvrirai pas toutes les couleurs possibles, sinon cette série risquerait d'être sans fin, mais celles que j'imagine pour mon cottage.

See you soon, for the first colour! I bet you won't find out which is the first one I hesitated on!

A bientôt, pour l'étude de la première couleur. Je parie que vous ne devinerez pas de laquelle il s'agit !




PS1: You can find all the sources for the inspiration pictures of this post and more photos on my Pinterest board "Natural Wood Kitchens".

PS1: Vous pouvez trouver la source des images d'inspiration et même d'autres photos en suivant ce lien vers Pinterest.

PS2: Suzan, I hope you'll forgive me for having written a "cottage/me" conversation inspired by yours...

PS3: I hope you noticed how convenient it is that my cottage speaks both English and French.

PS4: I seem to be slightly addicted to PSs. Does anyone know a rehab center for that? Preferably on the seaside?

PS5: I'll be sharing this conversation with:

Linky Party         Dwellings-the Heart of You Home             http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.fr/2014/02/nifty-thrifty-tuesday-no201.html            
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia               A Return to Loveliness                                             

38 comments:

  1. I love the combo of painted and wood. Go for it! I also love kitchens with hodge podge cabinets or furniture used as cabinets. Can't wait to see what you come up with. Hope it all goes as well as your sink!

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  2. That was such a funny discussion!Maybe I should have one with my kitchen too!AriadnefromGreece!

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  3. There's probably a PSAnonymous society somewhere.

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  4. Beautiful Kitchens. This year we will be redoing our kitchen and I am looking for ideas on what to do with the room.

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  5. Abracadabra.......................................je pense que nous allons vers du blanc, j'adore la saga de la petite maison bretonne.
    Plein de bisous & à bientôt. Babette

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  6. I think your cottage is a very wise cottage! Wood cabinets would look stunning in that room, with a farmhouse sink.

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  7. They are all darling - the pictures but I do see the need for light!

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  8. omigod, love your choices!! have fun (and I really think you should stop talking to your house - it's not helpful!!! lol)

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  9. I really like the look in the first 2 photos. I think I may have my own kitchen remodel coming up in a few months. I'll have to keep checking on what you do.

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    1. There's going to be a whole series on kitchen cabinets. You'll get tons of ideas!

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  10. Oh fun, fun, fun!!! I like the idea of wood and painted cabinets. I think the only thing to be careful with is the size of your space and the overall effect that may have. Have you taken some photos of your space and drawn and coloured in possibilites?

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  11. Magali - what a cute post!! I agree with the Cottage - I adore wood cabinets. I have never had a single painted one! O.K., time for a confession: I am a very messy cook and wood cabinets are so forgiving!! I know whatever you choose will be wonderful, though. I hope you and the Cottage can manage a compromise. I cannot wait to find out in the next installment!!

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  12. I love the idea of white painted cabinets, but I also think some light pickled wood cabinets would look lovely.

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  13. I love #5 the most Magali, and some white cabinets too. I'm sure you'll make the perfect choice!

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  14. Oh, this is so good, Magali! I've been watching to see what your next kitchen post would be. I'm in a similar situation, as we will be moving into a new home sometime this year, and I'll have the opportunity to start fresh on the kitchen. I've been thinking of all the options there are -- just as you are doing -- collecting ideas, etc. I agree with Nita's comments. And I like photo #11. It has that aged look I love. Can't wait to see what you come up with. I know it will be wonderful. You have such great taste. Hugs ~ Nancy

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    1. #11 is my favourite as well and it really inspire me... Thanks for stopping by!

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  15. This is really exciting! Your house actually started to explain its wishes. It is a bit stubborn, as old people often are, but as it has more experience with kitchens than any of us, maybe it knows best? I love the combination of wood and painted wood, the white and the blue one and am now waiting for the next post!
    Yours Sarah

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  16. I love that your house is bilingual ( my bench is too - did you notice? )
    And bring on the conversations lol - my house has been screaming " aider moi " for 2 months now - and I mean screaming!!!
    I can't wait to see what you choose Magali - those inspirational photos are just beautiful!
    XOXO

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  17. I agree you need to go for wood, but in a light colour (vanille white, the lightest tone of grey...) otherwise you will need to spend the rest of your days with the light on :-D Good luck, I am curious for the result !! Marcy

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  18. Haha This was a cute post! You are so lucky that your cottage speaks to you. I'm a wee bit jealous. Mine just yells at me for more money! I am with the cottage on the wood and I like your compromise. Whichever way you go, it will be beautiful!

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  19. Lovely photos! I am thinking you could use both and make you and the cottage happy! :) I love mix and match...can't wait to see what you choose.

    Blessings, Vicky

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  20. I recently did a makeover in my kitchen....I took out all of the cabinets and have now replaced them with a huge mix of different kinds of unique cabinets and hutches....The best thing about this is that I can move my kitchen around just like I do with other rooms in our home... If I get tired of a particular setting, I just move the pieces around....I am in love with my new kitchen!!!

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  21. I love this! Such a cute conversation with your cottage, but that's exactly what you needed to do! Loved the inspirations, Magali. ♡

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  22. I am sure you and your cottage will inspire each other to come up with the best answer. I love the look of solid wood but I would paint the wood too, probably in white or soft grey. I do like the kitchens where there are some wood units and some painted units, gives a truly bespoke feel. Looking forward to future kitchen cabinet posts !

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  23. Love the conversation you had with your cottage ! :D HILARIOUS !
    Love, Izabella.

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  24. Well this may be the first time I've been to visit you, but I'm sure I will be back soon. I have to know how your kitchen turns out. I have an amazing picture of a French kitchen that I keep for inspiration. Here is the link in case you want to see the picture http://www.somewhatquirkydesign.com/2012/04/i-hate-my-kitchen.html. I have actually done a painted version of the mixed tile backsplash in a previous house and I miss it. Your sink is amazing. I have to go see if you have written about it. Hopefully it is not in French! PS if you haven't written about it please let me know more about it!

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  25. What a fun post, Magali! I love the idea of painted wood cabinets. In our very small kitchen, I have very light-colored wood cabinets, but it stays airy feeling because all the upper cabinets on one entire wall have glass doors. I love that, because I can place pretty china, cake stands, crystal bowls, platters in them and style it so it looks nice, but they are items that I use often, so they are close at hand as well. I also have solid wood doors on all the bottom cabinets, so I can hide ugly but necessary items, and this has worked well for us. I also have some open painted shelves in the kitchen, which I love also--they are fun to decorate with useful and beautiful items. I wish you well on your cabinet search!

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  26. Your cottage is so polite! I think if our house was as civilized as yours to be able to speak, it would mostly trick us and laugh at us.

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  27. Your cottage is smart for not wanting the flat cabinets that are all the rage. They just don't have the character that would be right for a little cottage as cute as yours. I'm going to guess pink. ;)

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  28. I love 7, 9 and 11, but I really like 11. I really love the shape of that top cabinet, white bottoms and pickled door? My cabinets don;t speak in French, and sometimes their English is hard to understand. I know one thing, whatever one you choose it will be beautiful, cause I have faith in you!

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    1. 11 is one of my favourite inspiration picture as well and I'm trying to find a cheap way to get that "vibe" in my kitchen. So I get you don't speak "cabinet"? It's a hard language to learn!

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  29. Hmmm...real wood cabinets + painted wood cabinets...brilliant! :) I know whatever you decide will be gorgeous!

    And I love your conversations with your cottage. ;)

    -andi

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  30. HaHa! Bilngual cottage! I love reading your posts, Magali, but you know that by now, I hope! I love that last photo -- yup, that's my fave.

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  31. You crack me up. And your cottage is so much smarter than me. I speak one language and may can pick up a few words of another, but that is it.

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  32. Good choice Magali and the kitchen! Painted wood is my new thing! Can't wait to see the colour choices.

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  33. Your post about "Into the Woods" is enchanting! Your vivid descriptions and the way you capture the essence of nature make it feel like I'm right there with you on your journey.
    jobs for 11 year olds

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