HEACLIFF KITCHEN
BEND, OR
SEPTEMBER 2021
The project is special to me, well, because it's my kitchen. Not just any kitchen, but the kitchen in my first home. My husband Wyatt and I are the proud new owners of sweet little 3 bedroom on the east side of Bend. After renting for 5 years in Seattle it still seems surreal to have total freedom in choosing the wall color. Of course there's the mortgage and the yard work, but man does it feel good to not sweat every time we have to put a nail in the wall.
I sometimes design a room by taking a single piece of inspiration (maybe a fabric sample or piece of art) and build the whole concept of the space around it. Other times I start with a broad vision of the design direction, get a picture in my head, then design all the little pieces to execute it.
This kitchen came from a concept. It's no secret I am a big fan of French design. Ironically, I'm writing this on an airplane that's bringing me home from Paris. I wanted it to look like it belonged in a lived-in-but-polished French country house. One that made you feel like you just stumbled into a home in Provence where friends are cooking pasta, sipping wine, and talking about what new novel they're reading. Dreamy, right?
We spent a lot of time thinking through the functionality of our kitchen. Yes, I do mean we. Wyatt is not the "my wife will take over all things home" type of guy, which I adore. His involvement is also extremely practical, considering he does about 87% of the cooking in the home (that 13% is mostly me cooking eggs and the occasional loaf of sourdough).
So we have the big picture, now let me walk you through a few of the details that needed to be executed to make it happen:
- Mushroom-colored cabinets. While I've been straying away from the stark-white kitchen look, creamy cabinets will never die.
- Knobs only; no drawer pulls (aside from appliances and trash pull). I love the classic look this adds.
- Pot rack. This was something we have always wanted. Even when we lived in a little 500 sq. ft. studio we talked about hanging our pots from the ceiling. Once Wyatt acquired his Mauviel collection that was begging to be shown off, the writing was on the wall.
- Library lights. I try to stay away from anything I feel is just a trend and will fade in the next couple years. I know library lights have been making a comeback, but I must say, I think this trend is here to stay.
- Zellige tiles. These tiles are the traditional Moroccan-style tiles, made to look unfinished and raw. I wanted to create the impression that they had been there for a long time, hell that they were older than the house itself.
- Brass plumbing and hardware.
- Big island with barstools. On a practical level, I love the extension of the counter that having a big island creates. Everyone gathers in the kitchen anyways, so might as well give them a nice place to sit.
Most of the time, I keep the exact details of my designs on the DL. I mean, you guys pay me for the one-of-a-kind look your unique space needs. That being said, this is my own kitchen, so I'm going to spill all my secrets. Plus, everything included is very moderately priced.
so…shop away!
