Creating a space for entertaining

More and more, Chris and I were finding our small apartment tough for entertaining.  One thing on our "To Do" list for our new home is to knock down the wall between the kitchen and the living room to create a breakfast bar. That would give us a little more space to entertain, but mostly it would vastly increase the flow in our home, making even our modest space more conducive to guests.

via Angie Hranowsky

This seating area isn't particularly large, but the open concept layout and variety of seating makes for plenty of ways for guests to mingle.

via BHG

This kitchen bar can be a great addition to more seating.

via  Houzz.com

Sometimes the bar stool itself can make a big difference. Having backless bar stools still gives you the visual space you need but allows for guest seating. 

via  Houzz.com

I love this "campy" industrial wheeled cart turned bar.
via Country Living

This post in partnership with barstools.co.uk

Our first home!

I am so excited today, we decided to buy the house in Gaithersburg, MD.

We weighed pros and cons and did some back and forth and decided to take the leap! As soon as I agreed I knew we'd made the right decision. I've easily seen over 15 homes in the area, and this one just had a feeling right away - only the first house I saw and this one could I ever see myself living in. It has some quirks and character, but nothing we can't work with. Our settlement is late May.

 As you can imagine I already have a smorgasbord of ideas for the home. Here are the listing photos:

A summer shot of the front of the house

 Unfortunately the adorable German Shepherd puppy doesn't come with the home... Behind the wall with the TV is the kitchen, which we plan to open up and turn into a breakfast bar...

 Master bedroom.  We also plan on having hardwood throughout - my allergies can't handle carpet.

 Guest bedroom

 Another bedroom, which will be my office

 One of the two full baths...

The backyard is what is really special to us.  It by far and away is the largest and the mature trees give it a secluded feeling.  It needs a little love, but we're excited to get started!

It even has an outdoor fireplace!


I've already started my wishlist:

I'd love to have a settee or something like this in the bedroom,  since it's pretty spacious compared to what we're used to.

We're going to need some additional rugs now that we have more than two rooms

The lighting throughout the house is not our style, so we're going to be replacing it all

4 items above via Joss and Main

 I would like something similar for the diningroom, but perhaps a little crisper than this.

Love the end table.
2 items above via One Kings Lane

Hopefully a real bed! I've been using one of those metal frames with the wheels ever since I left my parents! via Rue La La

Some barstools for the breakfast bar via HauteLook

A bright, white, beautiful kitchen

"Simple and white" was homeowner Julie Holloway's mantra for her kitchen renovation, and it's one I hope to have the means to adopt one day as well.  I adore white kitchens, they look so clean and bright!

Check out Julie's gorgeous Atlanta area kitchen (and some more of her gorgeous 70's home)

For some reason I have a lot of trouble finding bar stools I like, especially in a more open layout where they have to work well with the living room furnishings as well.  I think the brushed stainless steel ones look good.  What do you think?

One thing Julie manages that I don't think I could is open shelves instead of cabinets.  It would force me to get matching dish sets, which is good, but it means only I would ever be putting the dishes away, cause my sweetums wouldn't have the patience to stack everything perfectly.  He'd rather wash dishes by hand than unload the dishwasher!

I adore the dining area - everything about it - chandelier, table, mirror, shades....

Here are some shots of the rest of the house.

 At first I thought this was a home office, but now I realize that maybe that mirrored piece isn't a desk...Regardless, love the space.

Oh la la...white and dark wood - how I love thee!

Julie is co-owner (along with Anisa Darnell) of Milk and Honey Home, check it out, you'll love it.  All the images seen here belong to Milk and Honey Home, and some were featured in the Nov. 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.


this post in partnership with Lakeland Furniture

The complete kitchen

What Exactly Is It That Your Kitchen Lacks?  For me, it's ventilation, natural light, and counter space.  Since I rent however, there isn't too much I can to to fix these issues.  When your kitchen has everything it needs, it just works.  Cooking is a more streamlined process, and entertaining is more pleasurable than stressful.

A Table/Island If your kitchen is big enough to fit it in an island/breakfast bar is a great idea. By doing this you immediately turn it into a dining room and gathering place. Even if it is a relatively small surface you can still use the kitchen as a cosy place to have meals. I think it would be especially useful in the mornings when you are sitting the family down to breakfast and going over everyone's plans for the day. If you have enough room for something bigger then full scale parties and dinner parties become a very real possibility.

 via Pinterest via BHG

via HomeLife.com.au

via BHG

More LightA common problem in many kitchens is a lack of light. This can lead to a horribly dark and old fashioned look, even if the rest of the room is perfectly acceptable. Luckily options abound when it comes to options for extra kitchen lighting, my favorite being pendants and under cabinet lights.

Not only functional, these pendants over the counter are STUNNING.
via Clerkship Scramble

via Kitchenmaking.com

FlowA danger is any kitchen is that it can feel cut off from the rest of the house. If you are still in the process of designing the place then arches, breakfast bars, French doors and conservatories are all clever ways to maintain the contact with other parts of the house. If the house is already finished then it might be more difficult to do this, but keeping the door open and encouraging more use of the kitchen can help it feel more a part of the home.  It sounds small, but I rent and have a galley kitchen, so to "open" it up, I keep the door open, and have a framed picture and open shelves in the kitchen that you can see from living room, thus visually inviting you into the kitchen.

The floor graphic in the kitchen is also in the dining room, creating a visual continuity which helps combine the otherwise separate areas.

Excellent lighting, a runner, and an intriguing graphic keep this kitchen from looking like an after thought and more like a well considered, frequently used space.

2 above via blogbuilddirect.com

Smart AppliancesA well equipped kitchen is a joy to work in or to eat in. It can be pricey to start from scratch, but if you already have great bones in the kitchen, a few finishing touches might be all you need. Thankfully, there are plenty of smart, inexpensive appliances and gadgets around from websites such as the popular Lakeland one. If you have all of the basic kitchen appliances already then maybe something exciting like a food processor, a juicer (I've been wanting one for a while!) or one from the modern range of coffee machines could give you the little extra something that you are looking for.

What is your kitchen missing?

This article is written in association with Lakeland home shopping pioneers.