Picking a Paint Color ~ White ~ It's Tricky!

 

Hope you are having a fantastic week!

I need to pick a paint color for my new place & I need help!

 

I want all the walls, trim & cabinets to be the same
 crisp, clean, modern shade of white. 
 

 

Here are a couple of examples of the look I'm going for:

 

  Sarah Samuel

 

 

 Liz Bachman

 

 

My refrigerator is white, exactly like the one above. 
Other appliances are stainless steel for now.


Below are my cabinets now...I think they are too beige with my white fridge.  The granite will eventually be going bye bye in favor of some white ceasarstone with white subway tile backsplash.







Here is a shot of my living room (with the seller's furnishings).  There is a lot of natural light in the room.



So what's the best white to acheive a
bright, clean and crisp space?

Is there a chance of going too white and looking sterile and cold?

I'd love to get your opinions and advice!

Thanks so much and have an awesome day!

#somanyshadesofwhite

#help!

xo

~Karen~
 

 

 

 

 



~ S U C C E S S ! ~

What a long strange trip it's been....Grateful Dead anyone? 
Well, grateful anyway.

Yes, I have kept on "Truckin" and success is a wonderful thing.

After six months and nine offers, I am finally in escrow!!

 

Let that sink in for a minute.

 

I really wanted a view...this is a crummy picture of part of my view.  The picture does not do it justice.  It really is a beautiful panoramic view seen from the whole condo. 

So lucky!

 

 You guys, there were times when I thought I would never be a homeowner again.  Real estate prices here in LA are shooting up.  All of a sudden.  Crazy making.  Thought I might get priced right out of the market. 

 

Feeling blessed and lucky to be in escrow on a place that's in a great area and has pretty much everything on my wish list.

It's not a fixer, but it does have granite (you know how I feel about that) so that may have to go eventually.  Why do they use granite for the backsplash?  Oy vey.  At least it's gray...and it's actually much lighter gray in person than my iphone picture shows (and way less pink, it's not pink at all).

That granite backsplash may be gone sooner rather than later.   Ooooglay.

 

And the floors are much darker than I would haven chosen, but you guys I am truly happy to have floors!  You would not believe some of the dumps places I considered (because sometimes it's hard to resist the urge to turn something awful into a thing of beauty). 

 

But these floors are pretty nice and they will certainly do for now.

 

 

 

So many of you have emailed, prayed and sent your good vibes to me and I cannot thank you enough!  It's such a blessing to have so many wonderful friends in this blogging community.  You are the best!

 

~ Thank you from the bottom of my grateful heart ~

 

xo

 

~ Karen ~

 

 

 

Grey and Scout

Sometimes I come across a style that makes me rethink everything.  I get pretty excited when that happens. 
Stylist Liz Bachman writes the blog Grey and Scout...you may already know it, but if not you must check it out.

Feast your eyes on Liz's lovely home.
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love her style.  Check her out.


#sochic


xo
~Karen~


(all images via Grey and Scout with permission from lovely Liz)

Granite and Stainless Steel. {Over It}

Attention Home Sellers: Please stop. 
Please please please I beg of you...stop.

(warning: radical opinion ahead)

 Stop ruining perfectly good kitchens with granite and stainless steel!

It's over.  It's done.
I've never been a fan, but searching for a new home has really reinforced my feelings about this dreaded duo.

My least favorite thing to read in a listing is "updated kitchen" because I know that means one thing only...granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.  Apparently there are no other ways to "update" a kitchen. 
   

In my opinion granite and stainless steel are going to be to this era what avocado green and harvest gold were to the 70s.

Unless you're talking about these lovely gold Viking appliances, which I'm totally digging.  How awesome are these?
 

But I digress...
Mark my words.  Future generations are going to be hiring hulky guys to get those heavy, ugly, massive hunks of rock out of their kitchens while they shake their heads and ask "what were they thinking?".  

(again, it's only my radical opinion...no offense to granite lovers)

Fact: 60% of us think that granite has run it's course..I read it on the internet therefore it is true (wink wink).

One of my favorite choices for countertops is marble.  In the only kitchen remodel I've ever done, I chose the yummiest crema marble for my counters.  I loved the way it looked (and I had white appliances, which I also prefer over stainless).

 

I designed my kitchen (above) based on this image from a BHG issue (below).  I think I still have this torn out page in my files...it's a beauty.

 One of my other favorite countertops is wood.  The kitchen below belongs to Vanessa of the blog This & That.  Vanessa and her husband live in Auburn, Alabama...how fun is that during football season?!  Go Tigers!  They did such a beautiful job on their gorgeous butcherblock countertops and they did all the work themselves.  (Actually they did the whole kitchen remodel themselves...such impressive skills!) It looks so warm and beautiful don't you think?  I think Vanessa's are my very favorite wood countertops...and sweet Vanessa is one of my very favorite bloggers. 

  

 

Vanessa says her countertops are still going strong and looking great 4 years later!  You can read her post about them here.

Here's another example of a nicely updated kitchen using butcherblock countertops.  This home seller used orange and yellow glass tile for the backsplash.  Love this.  Fresh, clean and so pretty.

 There is one granite that I think looks really great however...solid black granite with white cabinets like this kitchen on the set of Cougar Town.

  

I also like nice, clean tile like the black and white below, and there are so many options with tile.  Just look how clean and fresh it looks.  Sort of timeless don't you think?  You just cannot get that look with granite. 

  

So what do you think?  Is granite here to stay or is it nearing the end of it's popularity? 

What is your favorite type of countertop?

I'd love to hear what you think.

Thanks and have a great day!

~Karen~

xo