Blue Monday is hosted by Smiling Sally.
I love blue and white together. I had beautiful blue and white kitchens for many years, in my home and also in the house I use for my studio and office. 3 or 4 years ago, I redid my home kitchen in a cheery yellow, and replaced the original white linoleum floors with a lovely Pergo oak that I adore.
And now? I've got The Kitchen Blues. I've grown tired of all that sunny yellow and am ready to redecorate. Blue and white won't work this time around, as the kitchen is open to the family room, where the Smith Men and I hang out and where we do most of our entertaining. That room has burgundy wallpaper, a white brick fireplace, and dark brown leather furniture. It's comfy, clubby, and gorgeous, but it won't mix with a blue and white cottage kitchen.
I've spent the past couple weeks looking at kitchen pictures -- 1000s of kitchen pictures -- in magazines, in books, and online. I've saved dozens of photos for inspiration, and of course there are lots of blue kitchens that caught my eye "for the future." Even in the midst of a brand new project, I'm always thinking ahead to the next time, the next house, or that elusive beach house we still don't own.
Here are some kitchen pics for a Blue Monday in sunny California. Which ones do you like best?
Subtle and stunning ... hydragneas are one of my favorite flowers.
Love the open shelves, the shutters below the sink, and the seashell backsplash.
Fabulous vintage blues in this photo, especially the hanging lights and the old screen door.
Pretty blue-gray walls against crisp white trim. The chalkboard-on-the-door is a great idea that might make it into my kitchen redo.
Rich blue accents against a dark background ... love the contrast and am coveting the scale.
Classic farmhouse style ... white with blue accents.
Love the fruit prints against the blue striped walls.
Shabby romance ... a pale blue scale, a blue breadbox atop an old blue cupboard, and blue cappucino cups that pop against the white beadboard wall.
A place for everything in a tiny blue kitchen.
So ... I have The Kitchen Blues, but I'm not going to have a blue kitchen. I did my research, did some inspirational shopping, and got my kitchen update underway this past weekend. Check back on Tuesday to find out what colors I chose. I'll be posting before and during photos tonight or tomorrow, and I have to say it's looking grand!