Holy moly! We are now just two weeks away from moving in, so I thought I would share a quick progress report from our visit yesterday.
Cannot WAIT to move in! Hope y’all have a hoppy Easter weekend!
Tag: black and white
Whoops! Looks like someone (and I’m not going to name names) forgot she had a blog. I have been super busy at work/ working on the house that I am a bit behind…
Anyways, I have been stresssssing out while on the search for the perfect white paint color for the walls. Who knew there are so many shades of white? Luckily, it seems I am not the only one who has faced this dilemma and found some great advice on the interwebs from the Hunted Interior, Thistlewood Farms, and of course Houzz.
Since there is already going to be a lot going on in the kitchen with the black & white cabinets/counter tops, I wanted to use white as a nice grounding color for those louder elements and let them breathe a bit. I, like everyone else lately, am a big fan of grey as a neutral, but did not want to add one more color of weight into the mix. Confusing?
Here is the space as it currently is – the progress has been amazing btw.
Plus the space is already inviting and bright with just the drywall that I would not want to take away the lightness of the space with a darker color. Alas, the white.
After months of deliberation (seriously wish I was kidding), Sherwin Williams Alabaster SW 7008 is the winner. It has a clean, yet warm feel to it that will not contend with the black island and built-ins while keeping the room feeling airy. UPDATE: See how the Alabaster looks in our kitchen!
Here is a great example of what I am going for: Alabaster walls contrasted with a bright white trim. The black accent looks so clean and fresh against the color.
Alabaster will be the color for the entire first floor to create a cohesive feel in the open plan, as well as the upstairs hallway.
Next stop, trim town.
So next on the to-do list is to confirm all the plumbing fixture choices for the house. I thought I would have an opinion about this and let 
me tell you, I just don’t; except for the brass faucet I ordered for the powder room.
Brass is so back – is there anything chicer than black and gold? Obviously that’s what Wiz Khalifa was referring to in his song “Black & Yellow.” I wish I could make all the faucets in the house brass, but alas, the husband isn’t too fond of the look and always taunts me with Goldmember Austin Powers quote, “I loooove goooold!!” And he is absolutely right.
Anyways, we will be going with the Moen Kingsley in the “antique bronze” finish. It is 
just the right shade of gold – not too shiny, not too yellow – and fits right into the Parisian Bistro powder room experience I am going for. Yes, an experience (my dream job was to be an imagineer, after all).
Everything else in the house will be stainless steel or chrome; I actually prefer chrome in the bathrooms as it lends itself to a nice retro vibe. I’m still trying to work in a brass faucet for the kitchen (it’s so on point), but I might just have to let this one go…
Here are a few of my fav black and gold combos:
And scene. Have a great weekend!
Last weekend we ventured out to the burbs to work on cabinetry selections for the house. We had a great meeting (albeit both of us slightly hungover) and started to make some major strides in nailing down decisions for the kitchen. While we wait for the cad drawings, I figured I would share some of the inspiration I have been referencing that I found on Houzz. Warning: if you have never visited Houzz, make sure you clear yourself a solid 1 – 2 hour window where you can be totally unproductive before you do.
KITCHEN
>> This kitchen below is everything. I knew we wanted a white kitchen with some contrasting elements and when I stumbled upon this photo it felt like love. Black and white is so classic and sophisticated, yet the use of the mixed materials on the counters and walls relax the vibe a bit and lend themselves to a slightly rustic/beachy feel. This will be the main focal point of the house and where we will spend the most time – and I can already picture hosting some great nights around this counter.
>> Here is another lovely black and white kitchen. This one feels slightly more refined than the above. I really enjoy the range hood pictured here – the horizontal orientation of the panels change up the pace quite nicely.
>> And one more for good measure. This kitchen is absolutely stunning and extremely dramatic, but I just don’t know if we are cool enough to pull it off — the brass hardware, black cabinets, and marble counter tops are beyond cool.
So that’s what we’re thinkin. Too much?
The Artesian Project 