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Kitchy Kitchen

by | Apr 19, 2010 | Blog, Inspiration, Kitchen, Repurpose

Are you tired of the same old, same old kitchens? I’m constantly trying to find new ways to design ordinary things especially when it comes to such a lived in and special room–the kitchen.

When a client of mine introduced me to Urban Remains Chicago, I decided to do new things the old way.

Click HERE to see more of their website.

Think Art Deco meets Leave It To Beaver, and poof…

You have a kitchy kitchen!

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1. Use the old General Electric factory ladder to reach the cook books that you’ve placed on top of your upper cabinet shelves. 2. Try replacing one of your ordinary clocks with an old one and you’ll add more character to your wall. 3. How many times do your recipes call for the ingredients in grams? Ok, never, but this scale would look really cool on your countertop.

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Rethink your china cabinet (or if you’re like me and not a china kind of girl, rethink your pottery cabinet). 1. Add colorful china and/or pottery plates, mugs, ice cream dishes, cereal bowls and the like to dress up this old metal paint can display shelf. 2. The elegance of beautiful crystal or glass dishes, champagne and wine glasses would play off this mid 20th century display case. 3. Why not line the back of this stackable glass and wood bookshelf with a vintage patterned paper–makes a perfect spot for that boring white dish set.


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1. Replace your glass fruit bowl with a fun wire basket like this all factory basket. 2. Or better yet, why not give yourself more countertop space and hang your fruit basket from the ceiling.

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1. Nice alternative to the traditional island from Bed Bath and Beyond. Try using this butcher block top island with drawer space for a cutlery knife set and utensil storage. 2. I like this island because it’s large enough for cooking, entertaining and storage. 3. Another oversized island to put against a wall instead of in the center of the room. These wire baskets would be great alternative storage to shelves. 4. Another great butcher block island.
Why not mix and match stools? I love the combination that all of these stools create together. They’re not nearly as interesting all the same in a nice neat little row, but all the different personalities play off one another when mixed and matched.

Pair this industrial lamp with this bright blue mid century modern chair for a comfy kitchen reading nook. This old factory shelf would make a great reusable bookshelf.
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1. Wouldn’t the kids love this old exit light fixture at the ‘exit’ door to the kitchen door? 2. This old factory hanger would make an unexpected pots and pan rack in your kitchen. 3. Cool art deco over-the-island pendant light. 4. Instead of selecting a prefabricated pendant light, why not use this mid century modern one that was in GE’s factory 5. How cool would two of these oversized factory lights look side by side over a kitchen island? 

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Last but not least, the kids’ storage lockers. Rethink the typical wooden custom built storage lockers. Why not repurpose an old metal locker rack (1.) or (2.) use an old factory shelf with metal bins and assign a couple rows to each of your kids.
All of the items above are available for purchase at Urban Remains Chicago.
Happy rethinking your traditional kitchen!
   À tout à l’heure !
        ~Natalie