Back to my happy place

While waiting to see our architect, I am busy editing my Pinterest mood board and my Houzz ideasbook and of course my huge magazine scrap book.  I want to begin choosing  the details of what will make this house beautiful.  I do have a broad style that I would like to achieve, but it's a fusion of quite a few styles which roughly translates to contemporary coastal, with a dash of homey Hamptons style thrown in.  The floor plan will really put me on the fast track, but at the moment I am trying to pin down colours and style.

Taken from Houses magazine - one of my favourite reads.

Usually, I have the same wall colour throughout the house, but this time I will have a two tone palette.  In the open plan living area, I am going to wrench myself away from Antique White USA (used in the last four houses) and instead go with Natural White (both from Dulux).  In the more intimate spaces, such as bedrooms and closed off living areas, I think I will go for a deeper, cosier colour. I am really liking Taubmans Abstract at the moment, but this may change!

The order that you choose your fixtures in is very important, as each decision impacts on the next, so I always start with my most definite vision.  For me, it's my kitchen. This for me is the part of the house that is non-negotiable.  My husband and I love to entertain and we also enjoy cooking together, so it's got to be a large functional space.  So, we started the plan with the functional things like: large walk in pantry, island bench, wide under-bench oven (for those massive casserole pots) and this time, we’d like to try overhead shelving, instead of overhead cabinets.  We figure, if we really hate it, we can remove the shelving and add cabinets later, without too much expense.  We have decided on the benchtops will be in Caesarstone Organic White, the cabinet in the shaker style in Dulux Vivid white. The shelving and flooring will be in timber to add warmth to the space.

The lovely Karen Martini in her fabulous TV kitchen

I have posted kitchens that have inspired me.  Thanks to the cooks in the pics who also inspire me!