#currawong cottage ...kitchen transformation

This is the biggest transformation for the smallest cash investment in the whole cottage.  Currawong Cottage came to us with a vintage kitchen, and while I love the soft yellow cupboards and the Aga, these hideous tiles needed to go.  Not only was the colour really ugly but you can see there was a strip of tiles missing.  The solution - tile paint, see below for the amazing transformation.

Replacing the missing tiles:
Fixing the tiles was a surprisingly simple and very quick task.  The tiles go up the chimney a bit so I levered a few off with my Worx Sonicrafter (you can see them on the counter above) and chipped off all the old grout carefully.  Then I simply stuck them into the missing gap with some Weldbond, and when the glue was dry filled in the gaps with Gap Filler.  You cannot tell where they were missing and it took me about half an hour tops to do.

Getting the tiles off was super easy with the Worx Sonicrafter.  You could use a screwdriver but the Sonicrafter made it a super easy process.

Tile paint in three steps:

1 - Clean tiles thoroughly, all oiliness needs to be washed away so the paint will adhere properly
2 - Paint with primer
3 - Paint with tile paint once primer is dry

To easy!

I did one coat of primer and two of tile paint and the entire job took me around three hours all in, with drying time in between coats.  I was worried that the tiles would look painted and poorly finished, but the end result is good, crisp and clean.  It isn't quite as good as new tiles or back splash, but for around $50 it is a fab transformation.  Highly recommend this if you hate your tiles but don't have the budget for a redo.

Seriously - how amazing is this transformation of the before and after.

You may have noticed there is a new bench top too.  Another really inexpensive and easy to achieve transformation!   I will be sharing how we did here soon.

See how lovely Currawong Cottage looks after all our diy work, and book your own stay to see it for yourself and explore the lovely Mornington Peninsula.

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why the kitchen is the heart of my home... making open plan work

The best thing about designing a new home is you get to make the living spaces suit you exactly.
We always knew the kitchen would be the heart of our home, we love cooking and being able to prepare and eat meals as a family. 

My favourite thing about the design is that from the kitchen bench I can see the pool and garden, across the main living areas and right across the central courtyard to the playroom.  
Whether I am cooking or reading a magazine at the counter, I can keep an eye on the kids, whatever they are up to, which means I can keep going and get things done while they play.

Having such an open plan design comes with challenges too.  You need to be able to do the cooking in the kitchen but hide the storage and washing up.  Want to know how to do it?
Here are my top tips for planning a successful open plan concept that you will love as much as I love mine.
This post is brought to you by Creative Design Kitchens: designing, creating and installing dream kitchens in Sydney for over 18 years, but as usual all opinions are my own.

The butlers pantry:
How is this different from the walk in pantry?  This room contains double sinks, ample counter space for washing up and stacking dirty pots and pans, and the dishwasher.  This is a cleaning utility area rather than a food storage or prep area.
Many people thought it was a crazy waste of space, now they all want one too, and its becoming a must have in any well designed home.  
It totally allows you to enjoy cooking and then shut the washing up away until you want to deal with it.  Out if sight out of mind as the saying goes.  Our space can be shut totally out of sight with space saving pocket doors.

A walk in pantry:
This pantry is for storing food.  Our pantry has two side: fridge, freezer and microwave on one side, open shelves for groceries, and a coffee counter on the other.  
The fridges are close enough to the kitchen for easy access, but hidden from sight.  Not only does it not affect the look of the kitchen, but you are not tied to a specific cabinet spaces for your large appliances, future proofing for unforeseen appliance changes.

A separate coffee prep counter:
Kettles, toasters and coffee machines are a necessity in most kitchens, but they sure do clutter up your surfaces.  All of these items are on a counter in our butlers pantry, out of sight from the living area, but opposite the fridge.  Never having to tidy these appliances away is one of my favourite ways the kitchen works for us.

Extra long and wide counters:
There has to be space for at least two people to cook, and place for people to sit and keep the cooks company.  Our center counter is 3m long and 90cm wide, and if we had the space I would have made it both longer and wider.

A powerful and quiet extractor:
Especially important where the kitchen opens onto your entertaining area.  Extractors come in a multitude of shapes and finishes, but whatever you choose make sure that your fan is not to noisy when it works.  You don't want to drown out conversation.

Prep bowl - don't put it in the center counter:
You don't want to be walking to the butlers pantry every time you need water for a pot or you want to wash your vegetables.  A prep bowl is a must but don't put it in the center counter!   Ignore those spotless show kitchens where its done this way because:  they tend to splash as you rinse which is bad news for kids doing the homework or your guests sitting at the counter,  it detracts from your gorgeous and expensive counter top, you don't want to set up a buffet meal right next to the sink.   Keep your center counter clear!!

Our prep bowl in near the stove on the back counter, handy for filling pots about to go on the stove, or refilling the kettle.  It's absolutely the right place for it.

Storage, storage and more storage:
A place for everything and everything in its place.  Yes to more drawers for everything from pots and pans, to coffee cups and spices, no to open shelves unless you have gorgeous collections to put on display, and are very tidy.  This goes for all kitchens, not just open plan ones.  

I have open shelves in the butlers pantry for storage of platters, baskets, books and vases (see left in both photo's).  I do keep them tidy but can also have pocket doors that shut that area off from the kitchen, just in case we don't want them on display.

For us open plan is fantastic, the kitchen is truly the heart of our home, with space for all of us to be together but doing different things.  We love it.
Let me know if you have a hot tip to add to this list.  

This post was written for Creative Design Kitchens, but all opinions are, as usual, my own.

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kitchen clean up and recipe collection.

I am having one of those clear out days that usually means I am about to get a cold.  I don't know why, my body seems to go into clean over drive just before I get sick.  Well at least the house gets a tidy.  I have been sorting through the pantry and getting rid of everything that is stale and past its sell date.  There is a satisfying row of clean glass storage jars as proof that something has been achieved.

I have also been inspired by the Monday Morning Cooking Club demo to get my recipes in order.  Earlier this year I made a family kitchen note book with Blurb, its been a huge success and we have added quite a few new family favourites for the year.  Now I am going to copy all the recipes scribbles that I had been storing in a rather sticky plastic folder, sticky because it had stock spilled on it one evening as I looked for a recipe.  I have been rediscovering some old favourites like: Norma Flannagan's baked lemon pudding, Laura's famous baklava, Heather's fabulous creme brulee, and my granny's pecan nut ball biscuits.  Watch this space you may see some of them featured right here.

We picked our first olive harvest and are finally getting to use our lovely ceramic olive jar from Bendigo Pottery that we were given several years ago.  I have never pickled olives before, we will see how it goes.   
So as usual its busy busy busy at our house, hope you are happy and busy too, have a lovely weekend.

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breville all in one...I think its purring

Meeting other bloggers is always fun, meeting them for a great cooking demo followed by delicious morning tea is even better.  This is exactly what Appliances Online organised last Monday when they hosted a morning tea for bloggers with a fabulous cooking demo by the lovely ladies of the Monday Morning Cooking Club (MMCC).  I met some lively bloggers like Caro of Caro & Co, had an eye opening discussion with a blogger who has been a dominatrix (I am not telling who, those who were there will have to guess), ate more chiffon cake than was strictly good for me, and generally had a very good time indeed.  

The ladies from the MMCC put on a fabulous spread with no less than three different chiffon cakes (the orange wins for me), salmon and bagels and other freshly baked goodies from the Appliances Online kitchen.  I will tell you more of the MMCC story another day, community memory and story gathering through food, fascinating and moving.  I would love to cook with them myself some time.

During the demo the MMCC used the Breville All In One.  I was impressed.  The double bladed mixer easily ground fresh almonds into almond meal and made several beautiful looking doughs.  I have an elderly Magi Mix given to me by my granny when I left home.  It is showing it's age (unlike me I hope), it works perfectly but the plastic has become brittle and is cracking in less and less avoidable places.  I also have a drawer full of mandolin and stick mixer bits that I can never find quickly enough.  This gadget made me take notice, it obviously worked well in the demo, does everything my Magi Mix, mandolin and stick mixer can, and afterwards it stacked neatly into the storage stand.  Impressive.  So imagine my delight when we were presented with a All In One to test in our own kitchens, with a copy of the MMCC book to give us inspiration.  If only all Mondays were more like this.

I raced home and spent a happy afternoon musing over recipes and mixer attachments, I had to test it that very day.  Now I know you are expecting some gourmand recipe, but really what I made was mashed potatoes.  I wanted to test the mashing attachment, something I hadn't seen before, and (drum roll) result was mashed potatoes in minutes.  Yummy, creamy, easy!  Next I am planning pesto, I have a giant basil bush in the garden.  Or I might make my granny's pecan nut biscuits, very similar to the kifli the MMCC made for us, I will let you know how it goes.

Thank you again to Appliances Online, they are a great resource for the time poor who know what they want and just want it delivered to their door.
And a reminder to my readers that all opinions are truly my own.  I love testing products but rest assured feed back will always be genuine.

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Modern barn in monochrome

Yes I know you have all seen the lovely images of Ellen Degeneres' gorgeous ranch in Elle Decor already, but when I saw the interior it reminded me of some of my other favourites and I wanted to see them all together.  Vaulted ceilings, lots of white painted wood, and black or worn wood details all seem to do it for me.  

The rooms above and below are from Ellen's ranch via Elle Decor.  I think the triangular cowhide rug in ivory from Pure Rugs would be a perfect match.  I know I want it!

I wonder what the circle is on the far wall, something found and perfect. Another vaulted white wood ceiling, but this time with concrete floors.  This is a favourite room from a favourite blog, Emma's Design Blog.  I keep my eyes peeled for trees being taken down because one day I will make a tree stump stool on casters like this one.  It just needs this chevron cowhide in ivory to be soft under foot, from Pure Rugs again.

Above is a favourite home, I could move in tomorrow.  Lots of white with black details. This is one of my most favourite favourite kitchens, and that hat rack...perfection.  They are from a villa in St Barths and it's worth popping in here to see it all.

Who wouldn't love being in these open pared back spaces.  Just enough to be comfortable, worn and comfy and ready for living in.  

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the art of display.....plates & hats

Plates and hats and hats and plates, and plates with cups, and hats with hats, and ...
This all feels rather Dr Seuss but I love these displays.  I would love a stylist to come to my home and show me how to arrange my stuff, because I have lots of stuff and it never looks like this.

A gorgeous dark wall display via Greige.  The straw hat on the far right looks like a hat I had from Lesotho, makes me wonder where all the other were collected.
I love this hat collection from Marainne Brandi's home in St Barts.  Pretty and practical for a beach home.

And who doesn't wish their crockery looked like this every day.  I don't have enough collections to get this look!  Love how the crockery pops off the wall with this dark grey backing from This is Glamorous, and who doesn't love white on white.

Left to right: More white on white via Etxekodeco, and a sliver of Martha Stewart's Bedford kitchen coffee station.  I wonder how many dinner and tea sets Martha has!

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Reclaimed timber.... as kitchen wall detail

I adore this space!  I covet the chandelier (Ochre), Iceland poppies are a favourite flower, reclaimed wood detail in the kitchen, light flooding in, a fire place.  Heaven.Image via Elle Decor

The Voice of Reason has been working on our own wood wall detail today.  He has already built  two gorgeous reclaimed wood screening walls in the garden (a post for another day), but today he was working on a timber detail in our wine cellar.  We created a small cellar area off our kitchen and we want it to be a gorgeous little space, a secret detail you only see from the kitchen.   VoR is using left over oak floor board to clad the far wall, the oak now runs seamlessly across the floor and up to the ceiling, very hip Melbourne restaurant.

The space is changing before my eyes from bland to gorgeous, will keep you posted!  

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Black and white contrast in the kitchen

I love how the colour contrast makes the spaces sing.

Family friendly minimalist home via Elle Decor.  Love the simplicity and the large scale of everything but it could never work for me.

Jessica Helgerson brilliant as usual.

Rick Eckersley's kitchen via Living Ect

via Martha Stewart

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