A Dutch Kitchen

I can't decide if I like this kitchen or not.

I've always loved the idea of a clutter-free, minimalist, all-white kitchen (although how one can maintain this with kids, I don't know??) but this one -  a newly renovated apartment in Amsterdam by Hofman Dujardin Architects - seems a little too stark for my liking.

Yet I love that the large central island is the kitchen, plus the amazing floor-to-ceiling windows, the comfy looking dining chairs, colourful table centrepiece and the timber floors.

Images via The Contemporist

But I'm not sure about the light. It's as if some weird spider-like alien is about to land.

What do you think?

Dining Tables

I’ve been thinking a lot about dining tables recently – mainly because we will be moving out of our house in about two months and I want to make sure the dark timber floorboards of the original house are kept so they can be reused.

Initially I wanted to have a long, trestle-style table made from the floorboards for our entrance-way but am now wondering whether or not to get a 10-seater dining table made as well. How cool would that look? These are the floorboards - which actually look darker in real life - from which we could get a mirror frame or photo frames made as well.

This Queens Park Residence in Sydney by CplusC Architects and Builders had this Kauri pine table custom-made from floorboards of the original home which looks great against the darker timber throughout the house.

Credit: The Contemporist

In the meantime, I have been looking around at other possible dining tables we could purchase, such as these French rustic tables from Rust up at Avalon on Sydney's Northern beaches ...

I also quite like round dining tables which are cosier and great for ensuring everyone can take part in the one conversation. A beautiful dining nook in the home of Mara Murphy from Dutch Door Press.

From Design*sponge

Or modern ones, like this one from eco-friendly Australian designer furniture Jardan ...

Or this one from Designs in Timber from Tasmania ...

Or this one, called 'Hugo', from Australian designers Norman + Quaine at Living Edge - which actually looks terrible in this picture and much nicer in person!

Oh, the choices!