Georgian Kitchens: Get The Look: Materials

Welcome back to the new series on Georgian Kitchens: Get The Look. We're diving right into the four key themes of Georgian Style kitchens: 

simplicity, 

proportion, 

symmetry 

and materials. 

{So far, we've taken an in-depth look at simplicity and proportion.
..you can catch up here and here}



Today, we're focusing on materials. Georgian kitchens have a very distinctive look. Woodwork is almost always painted with walls and cabinets in a similar or toning finish, possibly with one or two stand out statement pieces.



Georgian colours that typify this look happily tally perfectly with Modern Country Style: muted greens and soft sea-blues, dirty earthy tones and gentle neutrals reign victorious.



Now, for picking the perfect worktop, I have my soapbox ready. Purrrrlease don't choose laminates. They will never, ever, ever look the part. They will stand out like a sore thumb...



Instead, choose natural worktop materials such as wood, granite or marble. Modern imported slates are, in almost all circumstances, too soft. My all-time favourite finish is honed granite...but more on that later!!



Georgian Style kitchens need all extras to whisper quality and timelessness without in any way screaming lavish sumptuousness. Think carefully about your handles, taps, knobs and door styles} This is understated quality all the way.



Again, please, step away from any plastic finishes, and quickly walk, with a sense of smug reassurance that your kitchen will still look AWESOME in twenty years, towards the over-sized wooden knobs, nickel cup handles, small antique brass hinges, dulled matt black forged iron small handles. Not all at once obviously....!



When all these tie together, not only will you have a kitchen that will make you grin like a Cheshire cat today but one that will last and lat and last, bringing years of pleasure.

Take Care Until Next Time,
Sarahxx

Images via country homes and interiors, mileu mag, elona home, unknown, deVol, my design chic, Neptune

Get The Look: Proportion In Georgian Style Kitchens

Welcome back to the new series on Georgian Kitchens: Get The Look. We're going deeper into four key themes of Georgian-Style kitchens: simplicity, proportion, symmetry and materials.

{Last time, we took an in-depth look at simplicity...you can catch up here}

Let's focus today on the way Georgian Kitchens have the most beautiful, classic and elegant proportions. Georgians were the absolute masters of graceful golden proportions in their kitchens. 

Take a look at some of the kitchens featured today and you'll see that, whether big or small, grand or cosy-country, each one is extraordinarily visually pleasing. 

Placing an oversized over-mantel above a range cooker is a fantastic way of bringing in both the height and formality that so typifies Georgian kitchens. You'll always need some kind of structure to hide your extractor fan above the cooker so it makes sense to turn functionality into opportunity and include a statement piece here; overmantels create a natural focal point around the heart of the kitchen: the range. 

Another way to bring a good sense of proportion is to NOT go down the route of having the bog-standard array of base and wall units that are in 99% of kitchens. Think outside the box and ENJOY doing so. Why not choose some full-height units to create a larder feel or, if possible, bring in a freestanding housekeepers cupboard?

Georgian kitchens are characterised by non-standard cupboards in a variety of shapes and sizes; nothing like our built-for-function units was available then.

This may be a case of trial and error in smaller kitchens where space is at a premium because the first priority absolutely must be usability (though it pains me to say it!!) but, where possible, make your kitchen unique, as every Georgian kitchen was without a doubt.

Take Care Until Next Time,

Sarahx

Images via Plain English, DeVol, unknown, The Kitchen Think, Artichoke, unknown, Humphrey Munson

Get The Look: Simplicity In Georgian Kitchens

Welcome back to this mini-series, where we are learning how to get the feel of a Georgian kitchen in our own homes. We'll be taking a closer look at four key elements in gorgeous Georgian kitchens: simplicity, proportion, symmetry and materials.

Now, when it comes to Georgian-style kitchens, perhaps the word simplicity is misleading, because I don't mean to imply any lack of quality. Indeed, the reason why the Georgians have left us such a rich heritage is exactly because of their fantastic building standards.

By simplicity, here, I mean a disdain of overly fussy, showy frippery and, instead, a careful eye for precisely chosen details: look for high quality hinges, dovetail joints and in-frame doors.

So, for example, take a look at any of these kitchen cupboards. There is no sign of ostentation, no flashy swirls or curlicues but yet the quality shines out, doesn't it? That's the feel you should be looking for if you want a Georgian-style kitchen.

And the same is true for any accessories in you kitchen. Don't be tempted to compromise on quality or clutter. Remember this: buy once and buy well.

Happily, this needn't mean spending vast amounts of money on each piece. Some carefully chosen vintage pots, a station clock and as little as possible on your work surfaces will carry a Georgian kitchen a long way.

This is a classic case of less is more; choose your 'less' with thought and you'll be well on your way to your own Georgian kitchen!

Take Care Until Next Time,

Sarah x

Images via Elle Decoration, Charlie Kingham, Etons of Bath, unknown, Ribble Reclamation, Artichoke

Georgian Kitchens: Get The Look

We all know that if we actually lived in the olden days, in glorious Georgian England, it most certainly would not have been constant fragrant roses in our hair and genteel country walks but, in the name of creating beautiful Modern Country Style interiors, let's agree to conveniently overlook all the rest: agreed?!!

Now, actual Georgian kitchens would usually have been in cramped basements with very little natural light and not be the gorgeous, airy spaces we demand today. However, we can draw on plenty of other Georgian influences to help us pull together a wonderful Georgian-style kitchen that amalgamates the best of both worlds.

Four areas that I'd like us to particularly focus on are simplicity, proportions, symmetry and materials.

Let's take each of these elements and break them down one by one....

....so that you know exactly how to make this look in your own home.

Take Care Until Next Time,

Sarahx

Images via Plain English, Kate's Creative Space, Plain English, Christopher Peters

 

UNBELIEVABLE Exterior Transformations

There is a whole host of companies, such as the fabulous Back To Front Exteriors, that work the most unbelievable magic on 1970s houses. These are some of the most incredible Before and After shots I've had the pleasure of seeing: a total visual feast for the eyes (and heart!). Read on and see what I mean....

Aren't they amazing? I found myself scrolling back and forth, back and forth so many times that I think I have RSI!! 

This kind of transformation certainly doesn't come cheap - that's a LOT of building work - but, oh, the rewards are enormous!

Careful consideration is needed before deciding to improve a home in this way. Many seventies houses are part of large estates, with near-identical houses in row after row. A transformation of this kind is best left to one-offs....the kind of road where there is a whole plethora of different kinds of architecture.

That's where this kind of sorcery can really weave its enchantment to the greatest effect. If you're the lucky owner of such a house then the world really is your oyster....

Take Care Till Next Time,

Sarah

Perfect Painted Modern Country Exteriors....

Last post covered some general rules for helping you find the finest paint colours for your Cotswold Stone house. Today, I'm focusing further, for those of you who are still in a quandary, on my absolute favorites: soft putties and gentle greens and blues.

Take the example of the painted front doors below. Two very different homes: one a classic Cotswold Country getaway, which, to be honest, would take a bin-bag to make it look bad....but the other? Well, imagine that house without the painted brickwork and perhaps with a thick, sticky coat of old orange wood varnish and you'll see what magical wonders a coat of paint can bring...

The paints shown in this post form a perfect blend of muted tones, inspired by nature, which call to mind the relaxed feeling of the Cotswolds, no matter where in the world you live.

These colours work just as well when combined with painted render, or, indeed, the smart mellow yellow of London-stock bricks.

Gentle greys, soft putties and cheerful blue-greens will give you, your families and your visitors the warmest of welcomes.

Take Care Until Next Time,

Sarahx

Images via here

How To Pick The Perfect Front Door Paint

Choosing the right front door colour for your home is not a matter of simply succumbing to the latest fashions. I want you to have a house frontage that makes your heart skip a beat every time you return from a long day at work, and that means putting aside other people's ideas of what's on-trend and focusing on what makes you happy.



This is easier said than done with the myriad of paint shades available but that shouldn't make you feel despondent. I'm here to help ensure that the colour you end up with is one you really love. With that in mind, here are some questions to set you on the way to your perfect front door.

Are you drawn to warm or cool colours?

Don't restrict yourself to colours that are typically linked to 'hot' or 'cold' climates. Every colour can have cooler or warmer undertones, (or, for that matter, be thoroughly neutral).

For example, here is a picture of a front door painted in Little Greene's Celestial Blue. Although blue is traditionally thought of as a cool colour, this particular shade is warm and lively.

Conversely, see how this front door below leans towards the cooler end of the red spectrum, with its blueish undertones. Try Farrow and Ball's Brinjal for a similar look.

Do you want your front door to stand out or to blend in? 

If you're stuck with a not-so-pretty look then pick out a colour which blends in with your exterior walls so that there is no stark contrast between the different surfaces.

This essentially means that the eye can move seamlessly over the front of your house, without noticing specific details, but taking it in as a whole. Try Paint and Paper Library's Estuary for the toning look below.

Or is your front door particularly lovely? If so, make the most of it by picking a brighter shade. For a smart, bright red, perfect against pale walls, choose Farrow and Ball's Blazer.

How often do you plan to repaint?

This is time to be frank with yourself. If the answer is infrequently then I would definitely advise choosing a classic colour that won't date, such as Dulux Gloss Black, which is hard-wearing and timeless. You'd certainly be in good company...

However, if you're happy to redecorate often then why not choose something a little more daring? I love it that these owners have created a look they adore by picked out Little Greene's Eau De Nil and Little Greene's Garden. 

My last paint-picking question for you is this:

When looking at other people's front doors, which are the houses that make you want to stop and stare?

Search out beautifully decorated houses that are built from similar materials to yours, and, if possible, face the same direction, as paint can look surprisingly different depending on the quality of light it receives.

Be brave! Knock and ask the owners which paint they have used....though it's always worth trying a sample size out before committing to a full tin.

Of course, I am well aware that these questions overly simplify the whole angst of picking the perfect paint for your front door but I hope they have given you a good starting point, as well as an idea. 

For a more personal discussion, feel free to contact me personally, for the front door colour of your dreams.

Take Care Until Next Time,

Sarahx

Images via Farrow and Ball, Little Greene, Farrow and Ball, London Door, Interior Domain Designs, Maison Classique, Welsh Heritage, Sanderson

The Top Ten Front Door Paint Colours For Cotswold Stone Houses

One of the questions that I'm most frequently asked by local clients is for help choosing the best front door paint colours for their Cotswold stone houses. The classic, warm but muted honey tones of Cotswold Stone need careful consideration to bring out their very best. So, let's cut to the chase, and pick out the very best Top Ten Modern Country front door paint colours for Cotswold Stone houses, perfect for those of you who are all of a fluster with your sample pots...

1. Farrow And Ball Ball Green

2. Farrow and Ball French Gray

3. Farrow and Ball Lichen

4. Farrow and Ball Bone

5. Farrow and Ball Old White

6. Dulux Lizard

7. Little Greene French Grey

  

8 Little Greene Mid Lead

  

9. Farrow and Ball Pigeon

10. Dulux Heritage Stone Green

The paint colours listed here will all look absolutely fantastic on Cotswold Stone front doors: their perfect blend of muted tones, inspired by nature, perfectly call to mind the relaxed but sophisticated Country feel of the Cotswolds.....BUT please do take into account the direction that your home faces. What do I mean by that? Ah, well that would be spoiling the next post!!

Take Care Till Next Time,

Sarahx