Summer Kitchen

We’ve lived here a year, and I don’t think I’ve officially shared our kitchen on the blog. There’s no motivation like agreeing to join a gaggle of talented bloggers who are sharing summer touches they made to spaces to get your kitchen clean and take photos of it. So make sure you check out everyone participating in the Seasonal Simplicity Home Tour series at the end of the post.

Generally, there are pops of color throughout our house year-round. But when it comes to summer, I tend to add in more pinks and brighter blues.

I’m still making up my mind on hardware for the cabinets and drawers. I know, I know, but I’ve been so mentally exhausted by all the fixes we’ve needed done on the house, and then pregnancy and now having an infant. But I have a pretty good idea of what I want.

I purposely didn’t have our builder install hardware because I could only choose one type of hardware (knob OR handle) and it would be installed on every single door and drawer in our house (kitchen, bathrooms, etc.). And after seeing how the workers installed hardware in other houses in our neighborhood, I’m very glad I chose to pass on the hardware. Let’s just say when cabinet doors are shut, the hardware isn’t the same height.

I’d also like to get a runner for this space. I bought one, hated it, returned it, and gave up looking for a while.

This peony tea towel came home with me from Anthropologie last summer.

We had two of these stools in the old house for the 8 years we lived there. And since I couldn’t make up my mind on new stools (shocking), I decided to buy two more because the first two held up really well.

I didn’t spend much time styling the bookshelf, but it works for me for now.

I always like to keep something decorative on this side of the island. And unfortunately, since my peonies didn’t too swell this year after the transplant from the old house, I had to go with store bought peonies.

Since we have little kids, I like to stick with diffusers instead of candles. This scent is perfect for summer– I always get compliments on it. It’s a bit of a splurge, but I scored it on sale, and these diffusers easily last me 6+ months. I got antsy and opened this one right before Emmett was born. He’s almost 4 months old, and you can see how much fragrance is left in the bottle.

I’m hoping my peonies come back bigger and better next year. I really missed them this year.

For Christmas, I like to put a wreath about the stove. But after the holidays this year, the space about the cooktop looked lonely, so I put this simply greenery wreath up. I always get asked how I hang wreaths on my cabinets. The trick is a clear Command Brand hook. I put it on one door, as close to the center as possible. Then the trick to opening the cabinets is to open the door with the hook on it first.

The dining area hasn’t changed much. I still love the table but the cracks are getting worse, so the company is supposed to send me another table (it’ll be the third table). I feel like I need to mention this, because I don’t want anyone getting the table, and then emailing me and asking if I had issues too.

I did buy a real live fiddle leaf fig– two actually (one from Lowe’s and one from Kroger, of all places). I’ve had this one for a few weeks, and I haven’t killed it yet! I’m accepting all fiddle leaf fig growing tips. It seems to like its current location– lots of sunlight, but not direct. And I’ve only been watering it when the top 2 inches of soil is dry.

Evidently, my aloe plant is on roids. This is what it looked like a few months ago.

I thought I cleaned all of the leaves, but I clearly missed a few spots.

My faux lavender is still going strong.

The dining area chairs have held up well. I know some people are nervous to get white furniture with young kids, but we haven’t had any big issues. Owen got some blue crayon on one of the chairs, but it came off with a baby wipe.

I’m still obsessed with the dining area light. The price cannot be beat. And last I checked, it’s on sale for $263 and it’s in stock, which doesn’t happen often.

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SOURCES

wall color … SW Worldly Gray (flat)

trim color … SW Ultra White (semi-gloss)

flooring … found here and here

wreath … HomeGoods

marble cutting board … found here

round marble and wood cutting board … similar // similar // similar

jade colored pedestal stand … found here

gray dutch oven … found here (currently on sale for $50!)

island stools … found here

tray … found here

white vase … vintage, but can be found here

diffuser … found here

chrome dining area light … found here

dining table … found here

dining chairs … found here

wooden bud vase … found here

faux lavender … found here

artwork … found here

fiddle leaf fig basket … found here

peony tea towel … similar

The Seasonal Simplicity Home Tour series is back; and this time we’re all about simple summer decor touches! All week long, my talented blogging friends and I are sharing part of our homes. I can’t wait to take in all the gorgeous inspiration…

Sharing today…

Bless’er House // Finding Silver Pennies // Rooms for Rent // Amber Tysl

Deeply Southern Home // Two Twenty One // A Burst of Beautiful // Making it in the Mountains

And sharing the rest of this week…

Monday

The Happy Housie // Maison de Pax // Shabbyfufu // Just a Girl and Her Blog

Inspiration for Moms // Clean & Scentsible // House of Wood // Summer Adams

Tuesday

Sincerely Marie Designs // House by Hoff // Rambling Renovators
Town and Country Living // Newly Woodwards

Craftberry Bush // On Sutton Place // Designthusiasm // Zevy Joy

Thursday

The DIY Mommy // The Turquoise Home // Nina Hendrick // Home Made Lovely

So Much Better with Age // Maison de Cinq // Paint Me Pink
Southern State of Mind // Jenna Kate at Home