other people's kitchens

With a doily factory full of sewing to do, as-yet-unplanted flower pots outside and an overall lack of interest in the nearly life-size dust bunnies which are now shadowing me around the house, this seems like the ideal time to take a break and explore some more of Karen's home. You know, where things are tidy and neat and vintage.

The Kitchen

This is the photo that started it all. Karen sent it to show me where she was using some pillows I made for her, never suspecting I'd end up driving a virtual tour bus through her home. Everybody wave at Karen as we go by!

I love the vintage details in Karen's kitchen including these cookie jars and canisters and I can only imagine how much fun she had finding all the right pieces -- the hunt is half the fun, isn't it? The cherry canisters are my favorites although the Nestle hot chocolate tin is a close second. Did you notice the chicken wire in place of panels on the cabinet doors?

Here's Karen's vintage tablecloth stash, stored where she can enjoy them even when they're not in use. She uses hers and I use mine too. If you look closely, you can see all of the switchplates have been covered with vintage wallpaper.

The Laundry

Even Karen's laundry room has been thoughtfully filled with vintage finds, from vintage canisters stacked high on the cabinet tops to the tiny vintage porcelain plate hanging over the framed cover of a vintage Good Housekeeping magazine.

More vintage prints and magazine covers and one of Karen's 27(!!) embroidered vintage samplers, all of which are on display throughout her house.

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The Hoosier Nook

And now, please take a deep breath because we are headed to see The-Hoosier-That-Was-That-Color-When-She-Bought-It. I know! Can you believe it? Lucky Karen!

This little nook was originally destined to become a computer work area until that fateful day when Karen came across this Hoosier cabinet which just happened to fit into the space perfectly ... size-wise and style-wise.

Proving inspiration is everywhere, Karen got the idea for this hankie jar from an eBay seller who told the story of her grandmother who kept a jar of hankies by her front door so visitors could choose one as a gift when they left. Karen's hankies are from her Granny too but they're staying put for now.

While waiting to be hung, framed pieces of vintage fabric sit above a vintage coat rack from an old school. They may have to wait a while longer because they look good right where they are.

 

One more sampler

 

Thanks for joining the tour today and please watch your step as you exit the bus.

 

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All photos were taken by our industrious homeowner and vintage collector, Karen. She has been into vintage for about 5 years.

Her ebay seller i.d. is PIESAFE.

 

Kitchen curtains are vintage and were altered to fit.

Found at the International Collectibles and Antiques Show in Charlotte, NC.

Laundry room rug from The Land of Nod.

Laundry room curtain is a shower curtain from Anthropologie.

Here's more info about vintage Good Housekeeping magazine covers.

Karen soaks her vintage samplers in Restoration, available at The Stitchery.

Vintage wallpaper from eBay store Rosies Vintage Stuff.

Wallpaper is decoupaged onto switch plate covers by etsy shop Fondue. 

Yellow cuckoo clock in Hoosier Nook is from Urban Outfitters.