La Storia ~

I am SO excited to learn that OUR kitchen will be featured in the gorgeous national publication ~ ‘Beautiful Kitchens‘ ~ I’m already making the ‘to do’ list (do you make those lists?) for our July photo shoot! What an honor! Sweet!

And…sometimes…things in life…come full circle…This is one of those times for me! And I confirmed the facts this morning! Once a news reporter….always a news reporter!

In 1998…When my husband and I first planted the seed of thought…for a move from our Woodinville home…I started an ‘Inspiration file’…Do you do that? Anyway, there was an article in Traditional Home Magazine which featured this gorgeous, classic, kitchen…that I simply fell in love with. After some digging…I found the old article!

I loved the ‘Manor House’ feel, the contrasting colors (I’ve always loved black and off white)…the stainless appliances…glass front cabinets…all of it. I thought if I could have ANY kitchen…it would be this!

Fast forward to 2003…we sold two homes (one on Puget Sound)…to purchase a home…on a lot …on the lake! We would technically ‘remodel’ the existing house….taking it down to the studs and adding on nearly 4,000 square feet! I worked with our architect to design the layout…and became the contractor and full time designer before the ‘hardscape’ and sheet rock ever went in. So the kitchen design was up to me…and I used the article I saved back in ’98, as inspiration!

I was delighted, that around the same time, my ‘inspiration kitchen’ reappeared in a 2003 article in Beautiful Interiors…the Designer ~ Michael Berman…( he pulled it together in 10 weeks for a showhouse!) I would take these pages with me…when searching for everything from  stone, to paint samples to cabinet knobs….to newel posts! The two kitchens are actually quite different…but it was the ‘feel’… that I loved so much! I used to joke, that I wanted to build a ‘European Country Manor Home’….in Juanita!

Fast Forward ~ I was approached about a possible article on our kitchen for a national magazine…a scouting photo shoot ensued…and now, two months later, I learn that OUR kitchen will be featured in the ‘Beautiful Group‘ publication…’Beautiful Kitchens’…the publication with the ‘inspirational Kitchen’ I first laid eyes on…and dreamed about…more than a decade ago!  So Cool….So grateful…So psyched! Thank you Bonnie and Beautiful Kitchens!

I’ll keep you posted.

Ciao,

Monica

Photos ~ Traditional Home

Beautiful INTERIORS