I talked about our process last post and everyone wanted to see the kitchen. This is for Linda at Restyled Home.
I’ve been in my studio going on twelve years. It is about 7 miles from my home and is an old building built originally in the 1920’s as a furniture store. I think it looks like an old school house. The back portion is my kitchen and is a pretty large scale space. I like order (my wife doesn’t believe that) and items handy and at the ready. These are more set shots of my kitchen (which appeared in Country Home about nine years ago) and I know you were all hoping to see the “seemy underbelly” of my operation but I liken that to removing the curtain covering the Wizard of Oz.
I like white and have assembled my collection of ironstone pieces over the last 15 years. The cupboards are IKEA and the floor is southern pine which I have since painted a rich chocolate brown. Directly center in the back is my cook top. Off to the left (out of site) is my alley of appliances and a vintage lab sink with a stainless counter top. Next to that is a double oven and a side by side refrigerator all in stainless. For this picture I was very rigid about keeping everything white but I do infact have many other colorful things in my space. The round dining table acts as an island (I now have a square table here on wheels). One of my favorite pieces of ironstone is the large urn on the open shelves… it was a gift from a friend who deals in ironstone and it means “the world” to me.
We prep a great deal of food in this kitchen and there can be up to three our four people working in here at one time. I have created several work stations and we also have two spaces where we can have a dining table which depending on the current project gets moved from place to place. I also have a butler’s closet of my very favorite things that I use in many photo shoots.
Here is a shallow cupboard for my collection and multiples of small white items… from mini pitchers to salt cellers, to dipping and sauce boats. It was orignally designed with an old screen door but I missed seeing the shapes and stacks of all the dishes. Another old door creates a drop down table that we often use for prepping all kinds of foods. Opposite of this is a large old cupboard with a arched window filled with more white dishes like cakestands, platters, compotes and pitchers.
This has been a great and versatile space for us over the years. We use it not only to create foods, but also as a shoot space for photographing a kitchen set. It is in need of some comsmetic uplifting which will come in time… but it is a beautiful space filled with light and the things I love and where we spend most of our time.
One of my favorite kitchen cleaning tips: make your stainless appliances look fresh and fingerprint free by applying WD40 with a soft cloth and lightly buffing… you won’t believe the results. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY KITCHEN? Send me some of your kitchen ideas and pictures.
February 10th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Love it! I love the versatility of the monochromatice scheme. It must be so fun to jazz it up with the colours of each season!
Some questions:
Are the countertops butcher block?
What is the rest of the lighting in the space? Vintage fixtures/repros or modern?
What do you do with all of the food that you make?
How does it compare with the kitchen in your own home?
LOVE that Wd-40 tip! My stainless appliances drive me crazy! I want to switch out to a vintage repro fridge, at least (think Robin’s Egg Blue Northstar or Smeg), but ooohhh the cost! In my dreams, I think!!
Thanks for inviting us in…what will you show us next?
February 10th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Years ago I tore out the pages in Country Home Magazine of this very space. That is when I became a HUGE Matthew Mead fan! I love the purity of the all-white, those fantastic open shelves and all the ironstone, which I must admit I’m coveting. Love this type of subject Matthew.
February 10th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Love the kitchen. So clean and beautiful. And thanks for the WD40 tip!
Blessings
Lisa
February 10th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Just love it - Perfect space.
I too used Ikea cabinets in my own kitchen and they are so versatile.
I love this space!
February 10th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Stopped by via Linda and just wanted to say I adore your kitchen. So clean and fresh and uncluttered! Thanks for showing us!
February 10th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
I found your blog via Restyled Home. I love your kitchen. It looks so calm and peaceful. Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to read more of your blog.
February 10th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Wow this is gorgeous!!! I am from Australia and found you this morning from Restyled Home…So glad I did…Take care Cathy
February 10th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Wow. It’s so clean! It looks like a really nice and calming space….Love the table
February 11th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Hi Matthew! I love, love the cleanliness and airy quality of this kitchen space!!! Although I must say if I were cooking here it wouldn’t look this good for long! (messy cook!!!) I just recently started collecting white pottery pieces (nothing expensive) and have done my dining room in pale gray, black and white!! I’ve always been a fan of your style/tips and was happy to see your Halloween publication!!! Very good one! I HOPE YOU ARE PLANNING MORE publications???? Thanks for sharing with us! Sincerely, Jeannette
I found your blog via Restyled Home also and must now go and check your past posts; so glad to have found your space!
February 12th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Two pictures. That’s it? Not enough. I want to see more. Love the white.
February 14th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Your kitchen is so fresh, warm & comfortable. The ironstone collection on display is perfect. I am sure the chocolate floor enhances the white pallet even more. Your space is truly inspirational.
January 26th, 2010 at 11:58 am
I think I first came across your blog via a link on Twitter.. Fancy the content I have seen so far and will definitely return to read more later. By the way, are you on Twitter?