Favorite Things

I'm trying to conjure up "my favorite kitchen" these days. It takes me a while to figure out what I like. I have to delve through photos and blogs and examples on the internet for days before a pattern starts to emerge. 

"What do I like in a kitchen?" 

It's been bugging me since we started discussing the possibility of building a home. Well, something finally popped out at me today while I was google-imaging. (is that a word?) 

Black cabinets.

At first I was bothered by it. Why does that look so attractive? What about that is making me so excited? Scroll through and look at some, if you would.

Oh yeah, I am LOVING a faucet over the stove...how brilliant is that??!!!

In particular this one caught my eye (below), and I saw the "french hens" and something began to make sense. The black & white speckled french hen, coupled usually with creams, yellows, and red....brightly colored ceramic dishes, and racks and racks of wine. Also usually some wire mesh coverings on the cabinet doors, and some criss-cross wood panes on the glass cabinets. I'm thinking this is treading close to French country.

Here are a few more that stood out to me:

Especially this one, below. Something about the exquisite combination of old and new, clean and simple with delicacies, the oh-so-necessary botanical element, and the craving for stone (on top of the armoire), and iron. All completely satisfied. This.............this room is definitely All Me.

This kitchen with its black and white tile reminds me of something else I know I love: Maxfield Parrish.

Here are some Parrish paintings. You can see the use of the black and white checker pattern in his art.

 He did do some paintings that were more than kitchens. :)

And not all caricatures.

Anyway.....back to kitchens. :)This one (below) is a bit busy for me. It has nice aging, but too much stuff. I love the contrast of the natural brown wood grain against the black rubbed-off cabinets.

Another thing I discovered I love: bell lanterns. :)        (below)

 A bit too much white here (below), but I love the black against the white....and the copper pots. :)

Another one of my top favorites: Once again the beautiful grain of the wood is really brought out by the black. I think that grain in wood contains subtle, darker striating, which is accented when used near black. The wood alone would have melted mildly into the creamy white walls. But with black, I can see much more texture in the wood. Adding it to the ceiling, as well, is even BETTER.

I noticed, too, that the textures in the woven basket-like stool covers (above) and the baskets in the cabinets (below) were brought out by the black. LOVE.