It’s warm in the kitchen

kitchen dining
kitchen dining
kitchen dining
kitchen dining
kitchen dining
kitchen dining
kitchen dining
kitchen dining
kitchen dining

This is the centre of our home at the moment.
The fireplace in the kitchen.

It’s utterly freezing here. The snow still hasn’t melted and the girls and I have shivery freezing cold colds that give us temperatures and make us very very cold indeed. So we have the fire on day and night to help keep us warm and we gather around the kitchen table to eat, drink and tomorrow open Easter Eggs!

When we arrived here we thought they’d forgotten to put some of the kitchen bench in next to the cooker, but apparently it’s the new thing to have free-standing furniture in the kitchen. So off we went up to IKEA and bought two Bekvam kitchen trolleys which fitted nigh on exactly into our 99cm gap. We trimmed 5mm off each one, polished the tops with local beeswax polish and hey presto, a temporary kitchen bench extension.

The mid-century piece on the right fitted perfectly in our five bedroom London terrace but is definitely a bit mis-matched in the Cotswold cottage. I did consider Farrow and Ball-ing it but thought the better of it in the anticipation of a victorian terrace house in the forseeable future.

My wonderful pink breadbin was bought at the Nigella Lawson secret sale on eBay – the shop of the manufacturer I believe, Bliss Home. My newest acquisition is the enamel Falconware pudding basin (with eggs in it) – only £3 from Daylesford Farm Shop – along with the bread and the flowers. It definitely is a plus living just up the road so I can speed down for supplies when I need them.

I’m such a fan of the Burleigh seconds shop – I picked the egg cups up at a fraction of their price during the Christmas sales. Since Ocado has been having a big intro sale on Kilner jars I’ve topped up my collection. The big 3L jars were from Lakeland before they put their prices up, but you can get a great deal on smaller ones right now at Ocado.

The big cat print, Katta by Studio Violet – I must admit the girls are scared of and won’t have it in their room. Because I love it I get to have it in the main room which makes me happy. I love it and it fits perfectly with all my lovely dreamy Pisces blues and lilacs.

My verdict on this room – it’s bit mismatched and my usual not very grown up.

I’m going to paint the IKEA trolleys Buttermilk to match the kitchen cabinets. And don’t get me started on the shelving brackets. What I really need is a good sized display cabinet in country cottage style. 

a better match?

I found a lovely display cabinet at Laura Ashley in their Bramley range which matches our Buttermilk walls.

What do you think? A better match?
It would definitely be a lot more grown up.


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20 responses to “It’s warm in the kitchen”

  1. Anji avatar
    Anji

    Hi Charlotte,

    I do like the display cabinet better than what is currently in that space I think that it will fit in to your kitchen and give you some extra storage, along with looking good.

    1. Charlotte | Anknel and Burblets avatar

      Hi Anji – yes I definitely agree with you! I do need the extra space!!

  2. Jessica avatar

    We have a huge 70s house so I do love the retro but the one you like fits your house more and you’d fit a heap more in it. You said your new place was small so you probably need a bigger unit right? Right? Right? If you need the excuse…..

    1. Charlotte | Anknel and Burblets avatar

      Yep – I do need a bigger cabinet. Most of my china is hiding in the attic very sadly..

  3. Karen avatar

    I love the mid century piece actually – I love to mix furniture styles up, it makes homes feel more real. These are beautiful photos; I’d be very happy sitting in this kitchen! Poor you with your cold colds, I have never been so grateful for my wood burner in my life.

    1. Charlotte | Anknel and Burblets avatar

      Hi Karen- we have a woodburner in the living room but we need to buy an axe to cut up our firewood – it’s too big! Can’t wait for this cold to finish. It’s freezing brrrr

  4. annie@l o v e l y t h i n g s avatar

    I love your kitchen…your new Ikea carts are perfect for the space…love your spring flowers and new egg cups.

    1. Charlotte | Anknel and Burblets avatar

      Thanks Annie – the IKEA carts were a total stroke of luck!!

  5. Lorraine avatar
    Lorraine

    The Laura Ashley cabinet is lovely but if you’re moving soonish and don’t know if it will fit into new decor best be thrifty. Also the crockery safe in the attic is safe, it would be vulnerable to breakage in the display cabinet. But the choice is yours, perhaps you don’t really need to be thrifty and maybe your children know not to touch your display cabinets.

    Your kitchen looks lovely as it is, even the mismatched unit you are thinking of replacing has got a distinctive style which is a lovely contrast. Decisions decisions.

    1. Charlotte | Anknel and Burblets avatar

      Hi Lorraine – yes it is lovely but you are right – we are on a total savings mission! The kids are fairly good at not touching things in the kitchen which must be a world record!!

  6. Daniela avatar

    Gorgeous! Love your kitchen! The Laura Ashely display cabinet, I think, would be a great addition to your kitchen. Lovely pictures Charlotte!

    1. Charlotte | Anknel and Burblets avatar

      Hi Daniela – yes I am inclined to agree – the Laura Ashley cabinet would be perfect in our kitchen!! Glad you like my pics xx

  7. OhAbigail avatar

    You are right, it would be a better match but am I right in thinking you are renting? If so my tuppence worth would be wait until you have bought a home you are going to stay in and buy peices accordingly for that house!

    1. Charlotte | Anknel and Burblets avatar

      Yes, you are right! I almost painted the mid century piece in F&B but that might have been a bit of a disaster – although I might paint it white. Once we finally buy in Forest Row the whole house will be white – it’s a way off yet though.

  8. Timbo avatar
    Timbo

    I love the kitchen but think the mid century cabinet clashes a bit , why not buy an old wardrobe , cut out panels in the doors , put chicken wire in and F and B the whole lot , must be much cheaper than Laura Ashley and you won’t mind leaving it if you move ! If I lived nearer I would do it for you , need a new project at the moment !

    1. Charlotte | Anknel and Burblets avatar

      Ah, now that’s a good idea! That’s a very generous almost-offer – I wish you lived closer! That or I need to reacquaint myself with furniture making – something I’ve always wanted to do.

  9. Shin avatar

    That LA cupboard would give more storage space, that would win me over 🙂

    1. Charlotte | Anknel and Burblets avatar

      It would certainly be nice to have all my beautiful china out of the attic and somewhere I could admire (and even use) it all more often xx

  10. Anna avatar

    LA wins hands down for me every time. I love their furniture. Your kitchen looks so warm and inviting, I’m a little bit in love with your new house 🙂

    1. Charlotte | Anknel and Burblets avatar

      Our little house is very sweet. I wasn’t much in love with it over winter with its expensive boiler, but now it’s Spring it really is very cute and I’m thinking it’s time to get into the garden x

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