kmickleson's Kitchen

My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

by kmickleson (My Page) on Wed, May 18, 05

I just stumbled upon this forum from someone who visited my garden in garden web,
and since I'd never had anywhere to share this, I figured I'd do it here. I was going to
post this under the "Your Kitchen/Your Region" thread, but decided to put it in a
separate thread in case I lose track & forget to check back in.

I designed this tile job, with the help of my female tiler, in '99, shortly after I'd inherited
my mom's house. In love w/Provence, but not having funds to do a remodel upon early
retirement, I followed a whim and came up with this--making an arch over the sink, using
a Provencale plated I'd brought from Europe as a focal point, then drawing its colors out
into the rest of the design. I replaced mom's prior ugly dark brown room divider with one
made from a long pine cabinet I'd had.

I live in Marin, north of SF, where the rage is money, modern, huge, granite filled kitchens,
and by the time I got around to doing this lifelong dream, it was waaay out of style. But I
don't care. It's *my* style, and I don't care who thinks what about it. Knowing it would
get torn out if I ever sold is a heartache, but hey, it's only stuff!

http://photobucket.com/albums/y39/kkmickleson/Kitchen%20Tile%20Job/

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Follow-Up Postings:

RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: Pammo (My Page) on Wed, May 18, 05 at 17:25

You are an inspiration! I'd keep your kitchen just as it is. Wonderful, wonderful. Take care, Pam

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: happytime_ca (My Page) on Wed, May 18, 05 at 17:53

I love your tile work, it is awsome. You have a beautiful kitchen. How great to be able to redo an old family kitchen. I really enjoyed your European photos on your home page.

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: awm03 (My Page) on Wed, May 18, 05 at 18:26

It's wonderfullll! What a happy, colorful kitchen. I love the art work on the family room wall too. Thanks for sharing!

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: CherylAP (My Page) on Wed, May 18, 05 at 20:27

I can't imagine changing a thing; how I wish I had 1/10th of your creativity! The tilework is stellar; I especially love what you did in front of the sink. It's like nothing I've ever seen. Also, it's easy to be afraid of color...one look at your kitchen, and you can't help but wonder why that is often so the case. Fear it? Clearly, more people should embrace it! Love the stove, by the way.

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: dcmarvel (My Page) on Wed, May 18, 05 at 21:05

wow! fantastic kitchen... great tile work! congrats! love the stove too.

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: Sharon_G_in_MA (My Page) on Wed, May 18, 05 at 23:37

Oh, I love it. What a breath of fresh air. Thanks so much for sharing!

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: cupofkindness (My Page) on Wed, May 18, 05 at 23:39

kmickleson: I am absolutely thrilled that you posted your fabulous vintage gas stove and art-backsplash on my 'Beautiful Backsplashes" thread. It's like a breath of fresh air. Thanks so much!

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: wavesmom (My Page) on Thu, May 19, 05 at 13:06

Karen - Nice kitchen. I also live in Marin (Novato) - I know exactly what you are talking about. Not only monster houses but monster kitchens. I go and look at some of my friend's houses and think "Why did you do all of that?" Yours is a nice inspiration.

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: house_vixen (My Page) on Thu, May 19, 05 at 14:09

I'm a big fan of colorful kitchens (and of creative small kitchens); love yours! My favorite area is over by the range. Thanks for sharing.

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: yandj (My Page) on Thu, May 19, 05 at 15:51

Wow!! Thank you for posting! Your kitchen shows exactly why I love tile so much - I LOVE all the colors.

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: EBird (My Page) on Thu, May 19, 05 at 23:55

Is your artwork in the living room between the tv and fireplace original???? Wow - it's stunning! Your kitchen is lovely - that arched window really sets the stage. E

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What a fun happy place to cook!! Love it..where

• Posted by: TnTW (My Page) on Fri, May 20, 05 at 8:17

did you get the copper hood? That is cool. I am dreaming of owning a vintage stove someday! Your tile is beautiful. I bet you smile every time you enter that room! Trish

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: kmickleson (My Page) on Fri, May 20, 05 at 10:34

Thanks to all of you for sharing my joy and pleasure in what means "beauty" to me! It's gratifying to know that there are some who appreciate a less than contemporary approach. A few comments: Playing with color [especially complementaries] is my beloved avocation, and I recommend it to all as a joyous healing activity. The kitchen, and then the garden, became my canvases for color play. The woman who did the job for me suggested the idea of finding a "centerpiece" for over the arch. I'd bought the plate, which holds heartfelt memories, in Provence some years ago; it had broken in my move here. She glued it together and we had "oughtta-be-illegal" fun searching tile stores looking for colors from the plate, and which would go with the motif tiles on the edges, which I'd found & fallen in love with and bought without knowing quite how I'd use them. The stove: This beautiful old gem, circa early 1950's, sat for years in an inlaw apartment attached to the house--barely used by mom's last tenant of 20 years. It was there since we moved in here in 1962, when I was 13. I guess because she'd used one like it in my early childhood, it was no big deal for her, and she didn't want to pay to have it exchanged with the one in this house. The magical guy who did the arch for me [who lives, wavesmom, in Novato, by the way] brought a piano mover here and used it to exchange the stoves for me ALL BY HIMSELF, if you can believe it. He also switched the copper hoods, of 2 different sizes, which were there when we moved in. I love it, and when I can afford it, I'm going to have the top rechromed. The artwork: Most of it is by by beloved, 83 year old aunt, who's been painting with compatriots for about 35 years. I celebrated her by putting on an art show of hers and their art last year. She's quite prolific, and a hugely funny and delightful human being. I see I've gotten carried away here. Sorry for the long post. I guess I just enjoy sharing some of the soul involved in the project, and am tickled that some of you appreciate it. Best, Karen

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: mrsmarv (My Page) on Fri, May 20, 05 at 15:26

Whaaaah! I can't see anything...just little boxes with a "x" in each one.

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: kmickleson (My Page) on Fri, May 20, 05 at 15:40

Gee, Mary, it's still showing up for me. Are you on a PC or a MAC? Hmm. I just checked at my Photobucket site, and there appears to be something going on with them--I can't get action there. Maybe try later, and if it still doesn't work, I'd be happy to email them to you. Karen

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: Wooderlander (My Page) on Fri, May 20, 05 at 15:48

Karen, it's absolutely beautiful, inspiring, gorgeous! I want to be there myself. If you ever sell the house, it won't be torn out because whoever buys it will be awed and inspired by your wonderful work.

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: pickles_ca (My Page) on Fri, May 20, 05 at 16:36

I love it! thank you so much for sharing - it is so nice to see something so original and beautiful - really - it is truly an inspiration.

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: Colo_Lady (My Page) on Fri, May 20, 05 at 17:54

There is so much talent to combining colors - many of us don't have it. You've done an amazing job. I love it all, but especially love the long tiles on the counter's edge. The kitchen exudes warmth and spirit and playfulness. It's truly a joyful space. Thanks for sharing!

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: mitchdesj (My Page) on Sat, May 21, 05 at 6:38

It's a gem, I love it !! Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm and fun, that's what passion is all about.

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: MsAzadi (My Page) on Sat, May 21, 05 at 10:41

Karen, I tried to look at this at work but the IT guy royally screwed up my access to images so...I finally got to see it here at home. You really are creative and I love places like this that really show the spirit of the person. My house is nothing like this but I have a couple of friends who have personalities like I imagine yours to be and their places have this stylishly funky look. My linear mind needs people like you!

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: mrsmarv (My Page) on Sat, May 21, 05 at 12:16

Aha! Now I see it! What a beautiful kitchen, so colorful, friendly and happy! Truly unique...I really love it!

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: retro_rabbit (My Page) on Sat, May 21, 05 at 23:14

Fabulous, and so cheerful! I love it!

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: LilaThabit (My Page) on Wed, May 25, 05 at 3:58

Good for you not going with a safe cookie cutter kitchen (like I did) It's creative and personal. Really cool. Thank you!

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: kkay_MD (My Page) on Thu, May 26, 05 at 14:10

I must say--one of the best kitchens I've seen. Really different, creative, colorful and unique. I just love it! Thanks so much for sharing it!

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: sheshe (My Page) on Tue, May 31, 05 at 0:42

I love it. It is colorful and artistic. Unique in a very pleasing warm way. sheshe

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: Redbazel (My Page) on Tue, May 31, 05 at 1:52

Your kitchen is gorgeous! If you had posted the colors and tiles you were using, I would have told you it would be too much, but I would have been wrong! Red

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RE: My NON au currant, shoestring European kitchen!

• Posted by: arvajuli (My Page) on Thu, Jun 2, 05 at 16:08

Beautiful work. There are so many fabulous kitchens to be seen nowadays, but few that shows personality like yours. It is always nice to see something created with "out of the box" thinking. This kitchen describes it's owner and is very unique. Cheerful and real. We did something similar, though nowhere near this fabulous - just finished up and posted in another thread. It is very colorful and I am scared what the reactions will be if we ever want to sell the house, given it's not designed by "au currant" style. Hope the buyers will be strange like ourselves...;)

- posted by starpooh @ 6:02 PM