Home is where the food is? For those of us who enjoy looking through home design blogs or flipping through decorating books and magazines for hours on end while we try to dream up our own perfect additions and creations, we have all seen the oriental rug in a kitchen look. It is one I am still not completely sold on because while I LOVE the aesthetic, a kitchen (at least say, my kitchen) is known for getting a bit well, gross. What happens in the sink should stay in the sink but that is a best laid plan and at least in my busy sink moments of trying to do things while my baby calls for something else from his high chair, I find that the floor in front of the sink can take quite a beating (hello spills, splatters, and breaks) and some rugs do not seem like good candidates for taking this kind of abuse. Okay, I am being a bit dramatic. But I love rugs. And again while I LOVE the look of the antique oriental rug being next to the sink in the kitchen, I think it should be a very well-thought out move. If you are not constantly cooking and cleaning after cooking, I think the situation is much less risky. Only you know all of your kitchen habits and behaviors and only you can know if having a nice rug down will be something that will be worth the aesthetic boost in a very comforting place of the home. If you are thinking the look and the lifestyle of having an oriental rug down in the kitchen is definitely for you, I highly recommend this montage on stylecarrot.com as it completely lends itself to the ultimate inspiration with a wide array of types displayed. Below are my top two favorite kitchens mentioned in the post and my ONH picks for sourcing rugs just like the ones featured!

 1. Runners for elongated kitchen. 

 

2. Area rug size in the middle of the kitchen. I am in love with the Elle photograph below of Ginnifer Goodwin in her kitchen with a lovely antique rug underneath her feet. Her kitchen looks modern and subdued, but most importantly   a mixture of stylish and cozy. I usually gravitate towards a bright, white type of kitchen but I love how sleek this one is and I feel like the rug is rather unexpected but adds the homey feel. Immediately reminded me of a couple pieces we have that I love and I had to share them!

 

That's it for this week -- hope everyone is enjoying the weekend in their rug-more or rug-less kitchens! xoxo, Melissa

Oh how life can get so hectic when you have kids, or maybe even when you don't? Everything on the to do list takes weeks to get done, you find yourself with one hour per night of "down time" and well, days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months and everything just feels a little bit crazy, like an out of body experience. In comes a nook space of the home. Not every house has one but you can always improvise and craft one of your own. I remember turning this strange closet type of open space in a small town small apartment into a little reading oasis when I was in my early 20s and it came complete with pillows galore, a curtain slung up as a barrier and while it wasn't actually very pretty, when I look back into my memory of it, it was as bohemian chic as a college girl on a tight tight budget could get. Even if all you have is a bedroom to work with, create one corner into a relaxing nook and have that nook be your safe space when you come home from a hard day's work -- a space where you can cozy up into and just breathe away the stress of your day. So here is to planning a nook space and below is an image I found from Domino Magazine of what appears to be the coziest nook ever -- indoor hammock, hello? And while we do not offer hammocks (yet) in our shop, the rest of the key pieces immediately reminded me of some Old New House beauties so I had to share!

1. Eames chair of course! Whether it is a rocker or not, an Eames chair is cozy and aesthetically pleasing / versatile. It is a win win of a timeless chair.

2. An old trunk with character. Dave and I are huge fans of trunks and chests, especially the more unusual or unique ones. I could so see our early 20th century Indestructo trunk as a coffee table or an accent type of table in a nook any day -- perfect for stacking books / magazines / a plant + treats on top of and storing warm blankets inside of. 

3. Accent pieces like the many featured in this home. Globes, knick knacks, art on the wall, a little table, you name it - we probably have it + below are some of my picks. 

 

4. Mid century style rattan chair. I have recently gotten really into rattan and wicker and while the sheepskin rug concept is not totally for me, I definitely love the look + have been sourcing creamy knits and quilts instead to use as accent pieces on chairs like this one.

Having fun with the inspiration but now I need to go get to work on my own nook -- the ideal area I have in mind is at the moment has been taken over by our animals so it might be awhile!

 

xoxo,

Melissa