Welcome to the Sweet Laurel Cottage’s Kitchen!
The heart of the Sweet Laurel Cottage is the kitchen. Literally. The whole house is built around it, and in the best way, it’s totally overkill. The kitchen is about 600 square feet, has not one, but three ovens, and twelve foot long island. When Laurel and I first started discussing the vision of the cottage, we knew the kitchen, dining room, and living room would be a large open space, inviting for Laurel’s family, and visitors and classes as well. The kitchen in the cottage is ready for filming video content, testing and shooting a cookbook, hosting intimate classes, and still cozy enough to be a family space.
The guiding style of the home was Sussex meets Santa Monica. We wanted there to be an English garden quality, while still feeling relevant to the laid back beachy vibes of Santa Monica. This meant an abundance of light, lots of layered textures and patinas, and an airy color palette. We also wanted there to be thoughtful touches and surprises – Nick’s (Laurel’s Husband) espresso bar built into the pantry cupboards is one of my favorite moments. It has a Caesarstone counter, knock box, and filtered water hookup for perfect espresso shots.
At her old apartment, Laurel had a not-exactly-street-legal commercial oven which cranked heat and would burn you if you glanced at it. Which is to say, Laurel expects BTUs out of her ovens and stoves. But, we also needed pieces that fit into the aesthetic – this isn’t an industrial kitchen space. I once heard someone refer to hardware as a room’s jewelry, and I love this idea – the hardware needs to add a pop. Cafe Appliances was a superb balance of performance and beauty. The white and bronze finishes layered in perfectly with the pale green tones, stone textures, and brass details. Better yet, the appliances produce results in really thoughtful, user friendly ways. The ovens are ready for a smart home and can be preheated remotely, the convection mode makes baking quick and efficient, and having hot water heating up from the refrigerator’s filtration system for the perfect cup of tea are just some of the features we love about these appliances. Also, this is Laurel’s first dishwasher that isn’t her pair of hands. This is a game changer for her, especially since the dishwasher is powerful enough for her roasting pans but gentle enough for her mother’s china.
We used Caesarstone in the Sweet Laurel Cake Shop and fell in love with it’s durability and beauty. After watching our baristas knock, spill, and put the surface through a battery of real life tests, we were blown away by how it held up. We knew it would be not only a gorgeous choice for the Sweet Laurel Cottage, but basically indestructible. We chose Stratuario Nuovo for it’s fine veining and stone-like appearance. For the dramatic waterfall at the end of the island, it needed to be something with impact – plane white just wouldn’t do. I especially love how it looks next to the brass fixtures – such a timeless combination.
The corner banquette has been on Laurel’s wishlist for years. Having a cozy spot for family meals or a quiet cup of coffee was necessary. After working with Room and Board on The Kitchy Cabin, I knew there timeless aesthetic would help the home feel a bit more modern, and not like a grandmother’s doily covered cottage. We used their gorgeous pieces in the Living Room and Dining Room (blog post coming soon!), and mixed in their Bay Counter Stools in Walnut, Ventura Round table, June chairs in Tatum Natural, with custom pillows in Trip Oatmeal. The rich wood tones add some warmth against the pale green and stone tones throughout.
Throughout the house, we installed a white oil rubbed Herringbone Faber floor, by Du Chateau. We used Du Chateau in the Sweet Laurel Cake Shop and love the texture it adds to a space – we immediately felt transported to old world Europe, and loved how it grounded the space. Herringbone has been on our wishlist for a while, and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.
The color of the kitchen was a constant conversation for months. At one point we thought a bone/beige tone, maybe navy, maybe a rich emerald? After painting gigantic swatches on each wall, we settled on Light Pine by Dunn Edwards. I’ve worked with Dunn Edwards on my last three design projects, and love the depth their hues have. They react to the light in a beautiful way, making a space shift it’s atmosphere as the day progresses. The soft green is delicate with just a touch of grey in it, so gives it some softness and totally transformed the Ikea cabinets we used throughout. I hope you guys enjoyed the kitchen tour! I can’t wait to share the rest of The Sweet Laurel Cottage with you, and please look out for the classes we’ll be hosting, coming soon.
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