apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I want to see more of your aqua appliances.

I'm trying to figure out why I like this kitchen so much. It definitely seems within reach, maybe that's part of it. Also, from the pictures, it seems like you've been pretty restrained about the vintage thing, which can easily go over the top. (And which I really like.) And the backsplash idea is inspiring.

I grew up with an eat-in kitchen and this looks very homey and inviting. Great idea with the spice cannisters and utensils.

My thoughts exactly Joan - I like this kitchen but can't put my finger on why because it is almost the complete opposite of what I usually like. Maybe it's the cohesiveness.
I also really like the acqua oven and would also like to see more pics of the appliances.

I grew up in a 1934 colonial outside NYC with the EXACT SAME kitchen cabinets! As a little kid, I loved the half-circle trim hanging down from the bottom of the cabinets and soffits. It killed me when mom removed the trim in the 80s.
The cabinets (original to the house) are still there, driving my mom crazy still. She wants new kitchen cabinets a la McMansion; I say no, I love the original cabinets, they rock.
BTW, our cabinets were made by The Murphy Bed Company -- the same people who make those neat hideaway-in-the-wall beds. Do yours have the little metal Murphy Bed plaque inside the door too?

oh, an eat in kitchen. makes me think of my house growing up. your kitchen feels cozy and your good nature and love to cook and bake makes me feel great. i know why i like this kitchen, it seems like you use it and i bet you bake really great cookies in that aqua oven.

Thanks for all the nice words. Like I said - my dream kitchen would run to Aida's look, but this one is really cozy. Also, finding anything with some character is really hard in Orlando, home of big new builds and cookie-cutter developments. So I felt lucky to find this place.

The retro clock over the stove sold me on the place. The fact that it doesn't work adds to the charm, I suppose. The appliances are cute, and in pretty good shape - but the oven is a little small and I am still learning to adjust all my recipes!

I have a couple other pics of the appliances here -
www.excelsis.cc/weblog/faith.hopler/Appliances-01.jpg
www.excelsis.cc/weblog/faith.hopler/Appliances-02.jpg

Oh, and a - I haven't noticed a Murphy Bed connection. But I will check inside my cupboards tonight!

I thought both the kitchen and the owner's commentary were very endearing. I agree with jaimie pup--this isn't the type of kitchen I normally go for, but I think there's something very nice about it. The backsplash was pure genius (how did you apply it?) and the aqua appliances are adorable. This is the best rental kitchen I've seen yet (and, actually, I think there should be a winner in both the owner and renter category, but that's just me)

The backsplash does look and neat neat. From the pics, and also from the fact that magnetic spice jars stick to it, it's not aluminum, but rather galvanized (steel, I guess). I've looked into using botht the sheets and/or rolls of this material for exposed sides of cabinets, backsplash, etc. Stripes of construction adhesive (like Liquid Nails) work just fine to attach it to the wall. If you want something that can be removed later, you can apply the metal to a thin sheet of plywood or hardboard, then either use a few nice-looking bolts or fasteners, or a few dots of construction adhesive. But I'd love to hear how Faith did it...

It really is cute, although I'm also wondering if I'd actually like it if I lived there... It has those same flat, painted wooden cabinets as my grandmother's eat-in kitchen. Faith -- can you fix the clock? You can buy clock backs at those massive craft stores that people have in the rest of the country, although I don't know if that will work perfectly with your older clock hands...

pilgrim - good catch on the aluminum - you're right; I think some flashing is made of aluminum but this is not. I used tiny nails around the edges of the metal to attach it directly to the wall. Hopefully the holes will be inconspicuous when I take it down. If not, they probably won't be hard to fill in. Did you end up using it yourself? If you do, the other nice advantage is that you can cut it easily with heavy garden shears or wire cutters. The edges are super sharp, of course, but if you're careful it's not difficult. Also, you can get it in less vintage looking finishes...

That's a good idea about the clock mary - the mechanism is inside the cabinet. I put another clock above the door...

I'd rent that place after taking one look at the blue enamel oven door. And I love your magnetic spice "rack" done on the cheap. I'm stealing that idea.

Love the magnetic backsplash, but unfortunately, I'd bet the heat and moisture from cooking is not good for keeping the spices fresh. How do you find it?

and is that Mark Bittman's tome I see? love that book. so much.

Ang - I wondered if someone would mention the heat/moisture thing. I was concerned about that too. But I do a lot of Indian and Thai cooking, so I go through my spices pretty fast, and I haven't noticed negative effects so far. Also, I hung baking spices and baking powder and soda at the other end of the backsplash, by the measuring cups and spoons.

I love Bittman's book! I liked his columns so much I bought that book, and have used it regularly ever since.

Hi Faith. I love your kitchen. Again, not sure why. I guess it is reflects more the realities that I find in my apartments than the most other places. You've lived with what is too expensive to change and turned it into an advantage - those appliances would be off-putting at first but now I would trade my pure white ones for that beautiful blue. Great tip on the steel!

You've just given me a reason to go to Orlando...

The backsplash is a great touch. I'll have to check out Lowe's this weekend and see if I can copy. I've been looking at backsplashes for a while now, but for over $1000 for my tiny starter apartment 20 year old kitchen that I'm updating, I'd rather spend 30 or 60 dollars and stay consistent with the stainless steel and black look. Just to be clear... did you nail through the material itself, or just use the edge of the nail to anchor it to the wall? Great post!

Chris, I nailed through the metal. The nails I used were very thin and long with broad heads. The broad heads are the key. Good luck at Lowe's - when I bought this stuff I saw several other kinds that looked more like stainless steel, and they were cheaper, actually. If the magnetic thing is important, make sure you take a magnet to check the metal's magnet power! ;-)

Faith--
Nice job on the shots, especially the combo detail ones. But isn't putting a picture of steak in a kitchen shot akin to the cute dog/cat-in-the-bedroom shots-ploy?!/ ;)

Patrick - that's great... Well, the title of the contest is "I Cook" - so I figured I should give proof that I actually do so in my kitchen!

And actually, it's a lamb chop with a red wine reduction sauce, smashed new potatoes with butter and homegrown rosemary, shallot-parsley dip with whole grain crostini and cucumbers, and Florida oranges and fresh dates.

;-)

Faith, are you in the market for a boyfriend?

Ohgod, lamb, even better (apologies to the vegans).

Faith, aka, evil temptress of the kitchen! ;)
(AND managing to plug fresh Florida Oranges, to boot!)

hey, any chance you could post the shallot-parsley dip recipe? I'd guess it would swing you at least another 20 votes...!

Haha - not really, Todd - but I do think that learning to cook is easier than finding a significant other anyway... ;-)

I don't want to be accused of vote-bribing, so I will happily give all the credit for this recipe to Clotilde at Chocolate and Zucchini - chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2004/02/shallot_parsley_dip.php

It was very good. If you like onions, that is.

I'm absolutely looking at the magnetic flashing, it's such a great (and more important - cheap!) idea, reappropriating something for such an elegant use. One more question - what did you use to cut the flashing? I'm wondering how to best make the cut-outs for my light switches...

Chris - I used heavy wire cutters. You might be able to find something better than that, though; they didn't do so good with straight lines. The metal isn't very heavy, so anything that cuts wire should probably work. I drew guidelines with marker to help - cutting that stuff is tricky. You do have to be really careful - I would lay a towel or sheet down underneath as you cut, because little shavings of sharp metal splinter off. My sister was watching me the whole time, pessimistically adamant that I was going to put my eye out. But I came out OK.

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out...

Faith, Thanks for throwing in the additional pics. You get a much better feel for the space because of them. I love how all of the colors play off each other, especially the small pops of warm ambers, golds, wood-tones etc against the cool blues and white. It's great how you were able to achieve such a welcoming feel on a minimal budget. The aqua appliances are really cool! Hats off to you for highlighting them in the overall color scheme of the room.

There are "tin snips" specially made to cut sheet metal. They have some for straight cuts and others for right and left curves.

Faith
I do not know how I got into this site. I was looking for Murphy beds! But am I glad I did. I also live in Orlando in one of those cookie cutter neighborhoods in the southwest area. Your place looks like College park or Thorton Park area. I just bought a house in Tampa built in 1960 that has that beautiful aqua color on the tiled backsplash. I have to redo the counter tops. What color did you use? In some of the pictures it looks blue other it looks gray. I want to accent the beautiful aqua but am stuck with not knowing what to do for the counter tops.

i LOVE your kitchen!!!

i hope i'll be eating in it by the end of the summer!!!

-the kitty