Design Rocket

Captains Courageous in the Kitchen: A facelift for a work horse.

We have begun a  kitchen remodeling job. In and of itself, that is no big deal. People do them all the time, because, well, kitchens are pretty important and we spend a lot of time in them. Might as well like them. A lot.

In the last almost 30 years or so, this will be our third kitchen re-do, the second at this house. The first one at this residence was when we did our first major addition. Back in 1993-94, we turned a 3 bedroon 1950 ranch, into something of a 5 + bedroom cottage of sorts, adding a second floor, a sunroom a family room and a basement studio for me. The kitchen was redone in the process and with (at that time anyway)  two active sons, we wanted clean and bright and practical. 

Since then we have added another son and another additon of a new two story wing on the house. That work was begun  in 2001. Oh, and we added a dog, too. And the kids got bigger and more active. And they ate more and spent more time in the kitchen. And they even started cooking. Yowsa! Fast forward to 2011 and our once spanking new kitchen has had enough of us and we have had enough of it. It's getting a facelift. 

If you think we hate the thought of moving and would rather remodel, you would be right. And if you think we will be in this house until we move into assisted living sometime  in the distant (we hope) future, you would be right again. We're stayin' put. But staying put does not mean that things don't change. In this house they change all the time. Don't blink; you might not recognize the place.

So here are the pictures of the old kitchen. I am thinking of beginning an entirely new blog just for this process because this time we are doing something special: we are having the remodel done by an artist, Richard Dunbrack of the Theiving Magpie (along with a little collaboration by yours truly).

Stay tuned to this channel and buckle your seat belts. Rich is going to figure this out as he goes along. After watching the process, you may get inspired to have your own remodeling adventure, too, or you may think to yourself, "No way. I'm leaving well enough alone. How does she live in such chaos?" 

Didn't you know?  Chaos is my middle name.

 

1950s Heaven on Earth. Or at least in Brooklyn.

Bruce Buck for the New York Times

Oh. My. God. I have found nirvana in decorating. Or, perhaps I should say, someone else's decorating. And--he's a yougin' with the instincts of a Boomer.

I am referring to a Mr. Cullen Meyer, who has been collectng the 50s and everything kitschy associated with it, since he was 12. And he does it to the Nth degree, which, if you are going to go whole hog on the 1950s, is the ONLY way to go.

Check out this profile of Mr. Meyer and his style by Steven Kurutz in today's NY Times. And do yourself a BIG Favor: look at the slideshow of the rest of the apartment. It's to die for. Which I guess actually did happen beause it had been in the same family for generations, untouched, so I guess someone really did have to die before Meyer was able to move in, no disrespect intended. Well, at least the spirit of the former occupant can take comfort in knowing that the current resident embraces the period with gusto!

Were I Mr. Meyer, I'd get in touch with Theresa Caputo of Long Island Medium just to find out what the spirit has to say. He or she might even have some decorating tips.