Kitchen Conundrum: Tyranny of the Big White

Ever since we bought our new, bright white refrigerator last spring, we've been thinking of how to rework our kitchen. Over and over again, the answer seems to be: white!

I've read that the vogue for big white kitchens may have been sparked by the 2003 movie Something's Gotta Give. Behold its starring kitchen:



I've also read that cabinet maker and kitchen designer Christopher Peacock is responsible for the white kitchen craze. Here he is in his "scullery kitchen." I never knew sculleries could look so good! This one is clearly for the upstairs crowd...wonder what the downstairs scullery is like?



But is a white kitchen a matter of fashion or lasting style? In June I visited the John F. Kennedy Historic Site in Brookline, MA. And what did I find there in the circa-1917 home? Rose Kennedy had a white kitchen!



I think white must go beyond style into function. White is easy to keep clean (because you can see the dirt); it goes with everything; it reflects light, making small spaces seem larger; and white appliances don't cost extra (unlike stainless steel). Even most of my modest apartment kitchens have been mostly white. It's kind of a default choice for a reason; kitchens are meant to work hard and last a long time, so it makes sense to choose something that looked as good in 1917 as it did in 2003 (and hopefully as it will in 2017).


(This is the kitchen from the tiny little 1920's bungalow we lived in in LA. Kind of a mess here, but it worked incredibly well despite non-fancy appliances and modest materials.)

Tranquil Pond

We decided to paint the guest room Tranquil Pond, a pale blue-green by Freshaire Choice, same as the front bedroom paint.



We were contemplating Naturalist Gray by the same maker. Even though it appeared to be a light, neutral gray, on the bedroom wall it turned into a washed out sickly violet (probably looks better in cool northern light rather than the warm afternoon sun that side of the house gets). Not exactly the atmosphere we'd like to create for any future lodgers we may have. I hope that Tranquil Pond will promote a, well, tranquil feeling.

Once I finished up the paint, I decided to wash the floor and wood trim. After some online research and consultation with experts (my mom), I decided to go with a slightly damp towel and a drop of Ivory dishwashing soap. There is so much controversy out there about wood floor care!! Pro water, anti water, must use this, must use that..... it all depends on what kind of finish you've got. If you have a new floor or a recently refinished floor, then you most likely have a urethane finish. Urethane is water resistant, so if you just use a bit a wipe it up right away, you're good. An old fashioned wax finish is a whole other animal though.

I've also been doing a little bit of research about the architecture/style of our house. I learned via the Capitol Hill Restoration Society website that we live in a daylighter house, a style that started to become common around 1920. This floorplan was built to be only two rooms deep, instead of the usual three, so more light would enter the house and there wouldn't be a couple of dark rooms in the middle. It was meant to appeal to middle class people who might have otherwise been looking for a many-windowed bungalow out in the suburbs.