Markus Andrews

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    Benedetti Architects uncovers forgotten Victorian skylights inside BAFTA headquarters

    The Grade II-listed BAFTA headquarters in London’s Picadilly have received an overhaul from local studio Benedetti Architects, who raised the roof to squeeze in a new top floor while unifying its disparate interiors.

    Constructed in 1883, the building originally served as the Royal Institute of Painting in Watercolours and was adapted ad hoc over the subsequent years before the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) took over in 1976.
    Benedetti Architects was brought on board in 2016 after winning a competition to completely rework the space.
    Benedetti Architects renovated the BAFTA headquarters in London. Photo by Rory MulveyScrambling around in the loft as part of his research, project lead Renato Benedetti discovered two vast Victorian roof lanterns, complete with ornate plasterwork, that had been boarded up more than 40 years prior when BAFTA created a cinema in the space below.
    The practice’s pitch centred on lifting up the roof and turning the loft into a members’ area, with the two huge skylights being removed, restored and reinstated as the crowning glory of the new top storey.

    “BAFTA loved the idea although they didn’t think it was possible,” Benedetti told Dezeen. “But that’s exactly what we did and it has been the driver for the whole project.”
    The studio uncovered the building’s two hidden skylightsMoulds were made before the intricate plaster was carefully removed, allowing specialist restorers to match new sections seamlessly with the original design.
    Other than the roof lights, almost all the building’s original features such as flooring and staircases were lost as sections of the building were rented out by different tenants over its haphazard history.
    Under the bank of seating in the cinema though, the team found just enough of the original oak flooring to fit inside the new top-floor boardroom.
    “The long strips were quite damaged, so we cut them down to shorter lengths and laid them in a geometric pattern,” said Benedetti.
    Ornate plater mouldings were carefully restoredSimilarly, the remaining bits of marble from different schemes around the BAFTA headquarters were collaged together to create a statement countertop for the boardroom.
    The room is centred by an oval timber table, which the studio designed to feel “more friendly and less hierarchical” than a typical boardroom, complete with comfortable “wrap-around” chairs that can also be stacked.
    “We used a character grade of oak with big knots and imperfections, which I love,” said Benedetti. “It makes the timber more interesting.”
    The BAFTA boardroom is centred on an oval wooden table. Photo by James NewtonElsewhere across the building, responsibly sourced European oak was laid in a variety of patterns to cover floors and walls.
    For the main circulation areas such as the entrance hall and the stairs, the studio used an ivory-coloured terrazzo with brass trims peeking out between the large-format tiles.
    Brass accents are repeated throughout the building on handrails, trims, lighting and on the reveals around the lifts. “Here, the sheet brass has a slight sheen, a little lustre but not too blingy,” said Benedetti.

    Benedetti Architects chosen to refurbish RIBA headquarters

    The terrazzo, too, is flecked with gold-coloured specks that increase in quantity as the user ascends up through the building and peak on the members’ floor at the top.
    “The top floor feels like the culmination, the crescendo of the space,” said Benedetti.
    This same idea is repeated across the walls, with the lower floors wrapped in stained-oak slats punctuated by black acoustic panels while on the members’ floor, there’s a more refined profile to the oak slats and the panels are replaced by a brass mesh.
    The new top floor houses a members’ area. Photo by Jim StephensonTravertine is the final key element of the headquarters’ material palette, used in huge slabs and as fluted tiles as well as forming one of the building’s bars.
    “It has a great texture and it has been in use since Roman times, so it’s quite timeless,” the architect explained.
    The building’s trio of roof lanterns, including the two that were newly uncovered, now sit over the David Attenborough rooms – a members’ area that looks out across the tree canopy of St James’ churchyard.
    A red marble bar inspired the colour palette for the adjacent cinema. Photo by Thomas AlexanderThe furniture here was chosen by the architect in collaboration with Soho Home – the interiors arm of members’ club Soho House.
    To reduce heat gain and keep out harmful UV rays, the roof lights are integrated with solar shading windows by Dutch company Eyrise.
    “It’s an interesting new material, from the inside it appears to be clear, but from outside it looks almost black,” Benedetti explained.
    European oakwood panelling features throughout the interior. Photo by Jim StephensonThe members’ floor also houses a new intimate 41-seat cinema, its rich red colour palette informed the choice of red Italian marble for the adjacent bar.
    The larger original cinema was completely updated in partnership with Dolby, integrating a high-tech audio-visual system.
    Meanwhile, the Ray Dolby Room is designed as a versatile event space, where the conventionally wood-panelled walls and moulded ceiling can be quickly transformed into a space for 360-degree wall-mapping projections.
    The Ray Dolby Room can be used for 360-degree wall-mapping projections. Photo by Jordan AndersonBenedetti was recently named as the architect on another high-profile renovation in the British capital – the £20-million revamp of the Grade II-listed RIBA headquarters.
    Previously, the architect was one half of McDowell+Benedetti, which was known for innovative bridge designs including Hull’s Scale Lane Bridge and Castleford Bridge in West Yorkshire before the duo disbanded in 2016.
    The photography is by Luca Piffaretti unless otherwise stated.
    Jorda Anderson, Thomas Alexander, Rory Mulvey, James Newton, and Jim Stephenson.

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    EBBA Architects designs sculptural pop-up shop for Rotaro at Liberty

    London-based studio EBBA Architects has channelled the environmental ethos of fashion rental platform Rotaro for its pop-up boutique at department store Liberty.

    The project aimed to show that beautiful and interesting spaces can be created for temporary use, while still considering the environmental impacts of materials and construction.
    “We are very aware of our environmental impact and we believe design should speak to this, while also trying to make a unique experience for the visitor,” EBBA founder Benjamin Allan told Dezeen.
    EBBA designed a pop-up shop for fashion rental platform Rotaro”Rotaro is all about fashion rental, as a response to waste in the industry,” he added. “Circularity is key to their ethos and we wanted to connect to this, both in the use of material and form.”
    Bringing definition to Rotaro’s space within the wider store, EBBA has demarcated the area with a pair of substantial columns, each with an elongated, semi-circular cross-section.

    “The position and shape of the columns create the sense of walking into an entirely new space within the historic context of Liberty,” said Allan.
    The studio demarcated the area with a pair of substantial columnsEntwining the two columns, a pair of metal rails have the dual function of creating a display area and introducing a sculptural element that further defines the space, with soaring, free-form curves.
    “The two rails rotate and wrap around each of the columns, while also simultaneously responding to the opposite rail, a bit like a choreographed piece,” Allan said.
    Cork is the project’s primary materialContinuing the theme of duality, just two key materials have been used in the space – cork and metal.
    EBBA was influenced by the work of artists Donald Judd and Carl Andre and their elevation of humble materials through detailing and construction.
    A pair of metal rails have a dual function”We always look to push the potential of a project, to make the most impact through the simplest of means and also address the need to be economical,” Allan said.
    “Essentially the design revolves around only two materials which, working together, give a sense of regularity in the layouts of the blocks, combined with the sculptural forms of the rails.”
    Curated garments hang from the railsCork was used as the primary material, cladding the two columns and creating the backdrops that zone Rotaro’s area.
    EBBA aimed to use a material that had an environmental quality, while using the standardisation of the blocks to set parameters for the design.

    EBBA Architects transforms former jellied-eel restaurant into eyewear store

    “We chose blocks of a specific dimension that could then be adapted to create both the walls and the columns themselves,” Allan said.
    “The cork is a natural material that has an inherent warmth and depth, while also being incredibly versatile and easily recycled,” he added.
    Texture characterises the pop-up shopBrushed stainless steel was used for the metalwork, with each rail comprised of a single piece of metal that was bent and sculpted to wrap around the columns.
    This rail’s curving form relates to the idea of circularity in Rotaro’s business model, while also bringing an adaptability to the space by allowing the garments to be shown in a variety of ways.
    Brushed stainless steel was used for the metalwork”The primary purpose is to display the continuously updated collection while also adding a sculptural aspect that helps to create a sense of space,” said Allan.
    Within the ornately-detailed Liberty store, the project offers a bold, contemporary response to the interior, while finding common ground with the wider building.
    The rail’s curving form relates to the idea of circularity”The tones and textures in the warmth of the cork, tie in with the timber and natural colours of Liberty’s interior spaces,” Allan said. “Detailing and decoration in the original columns relate to nature and vegetation, which also tie into the use of cork and its qualities.”
    Because the Liberty building has Grade II listed status, no fixings were allowed into the building fabric.
    “The benefit of the lightweight cork material meant we could also adapt the Rotaro space with minimal impact on the wider building,” he added.
    Cork was chosen for being lightweightTo create a plinth that provides a flat surface for displaying objects, EBBA used the same semi-circular form of the columns, but flipped onto its side.
    This element has been given an ultramarine blue coating to add a sense of playfulness and catch the attention of visitors, using one of Rotaro’s key colours to connect with the brand’s identity.
    A semi-circular plinth features an ultramarine blue coatingWhile the space has been designed as a pop-up, EBBA worked – through the quality of the materials and the construction of the walls and blocks – to give it a sense of permanence.
    “All of our projects aim to achieve a quality of permanence through the use of natural materials and the detailing of the construction,” Allan said.
    “We believe that this level of quality helps to create a design that feels purposeful, even for temporary uses.”
    Other recent projects by EBBA Architects include a shop for Cubitts in an old pie-and-mash restaurant and a house extension with brutalist-style materials.
    The photography is by James Retief

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    Barbie and Ken unveil bright-pink lifesize dollhouse in Malibu

    Rental website Airbnb has unveiled Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse, an all-pink California mansion with an outdoor disco, infinity pool and Western-themed bedroom.

    Located on the oceanfront in western Malibu, California, the lifesize dollhouse is being rented out by Barbie’s partner Ken via an Airbnb listing written as if by the doll himself.
    “Kendom Saloon” welcomes beach house guestsThe house, which was previously listed by Airbnb for Barbie’s 60th anniversary in 2019, has had a recent update to give it more “Kenergy” and mark Barbie making her live-action debut in the Barbie film starring Margot Robbie.
    “We all have dreams, and Barbie is lucky enough to have a house full of them,” Ken said. “But now, it’s my turn, and I can’t wait to host guests inside these one-of-a-kind – dare I say, one-of-a-Ken? – digs.”
    A cowboy-themed bedroom nods to Ken’s styleThe large oceanfront house features a pink bedroom decorated with cowhide rugs, cowboy hats and horse-printed throws as well as a closet from which guests can borrow Ken’s fringed cowboy shirts and his guitar.

    Some of Barbie’s clothing, including the iconic high-heeled pink shoe with a fluffy feather decoration from the movie, also hang in the closet.
    Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse is located by the beach in CaliforniaAt the centre of the building, on one of the house’s many terraces, guests can make use of an outside disco dance floor in pink, purple and yellow with its own DJ deck.
    “I’ve added a few touches to bring some much-needed Kenergy to the newly renovated and iconic Malibu DreamHouse,” Ken said.

    Barbie lists Malibu Dreamhouse on Airbnb

    The Dreamhouse also has a bright-pink outdoor lounging area, an outdoor gym – complete with a barrel filled with “beefy body brine” –  a pink outdoor kitchen with a barbecue and an infinity pool.
    Other details that nod to Ken’s takeover include a Western-style swing door, decorated with an image of a horse and the words “Kendom Saloon”, and a crossed-out “Barbie” sign above the outdoor kitchen that now reads “Ken”.
    Guests can disco outdoorsGuests can enjoy nearby activities such as shopping, surfing and roller blading on the boardwalk, and will also get to take home their own set of yellow-and-pink Impala skates and surfboard.
    Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse will be available to book for up to two guests each on July 21 and July 22, 2023, with bookings opening on 17 July.
    An outdoor gym features weightlifts and “body brine””All stays will be free of charge – because Ken couldn’t figure out how to put a price on Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse – after all, Ken’s thing is beach, not math!” Airbnb said.
    The company will make a one-time donation to the charity Save the Children in celebration of the Barbie movie.
    The film was recently in the news as it made “the world run out of pink”, while a recent book explored Barbie’s Dreamhouse through the ages.
    The imagery is by Hogwash Studios.

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    Loewe ReCraft store in Osaka finds ways to let leather live on

    Fashion brand Loewe has opened a store in Osaka that, for the first time, is specifically dedicated to the repair and preservation of its leather goods.

    The opening of Loewe ReCraft continues the “obsessive focus” that the brand has had on leather since 1846, when it initially launched as a leather-making collective.
    The store is set inside luxury department store Hankyu Umeda, and – thanks to the presence of an in-house artisan – is able to offer maintenance services ranging from re-painting and stitching to the replacement of handles and eyelets.
    The store is exclusively used to preserve and repair Loewe’s leather goods”The launch [of the store] builds on Loewe’s ongoing commitment to the longevity of its handcrafted bags,” explained the brand. “It’s about the joy of craft beyond the new; it’s a commitment to breathing fresh life into long-cherished possessions.”
    The store’s open facade allows for uninterrupted sightlines through to the interior, which has been decked out in natural tones and materials.

    Dotted across the recycled-wood floor is a trio of chunky consultation islands, each clad with glossy emerald-green tiles sourced from Spain.
    Thread, cutting tools, and leather swatches lie behind a glass windowThe longest of the three islands has a thickset countertop made from limestone and wood.
    It features a series of inbuilt flat trays from which customers can select straps, charms or studs to customise their items. Monogramming services are also available.
    A window in a tile-covered wall looks through to a small repair room that houses a sewing machine, various cutting tools, swatches of leather, and a rainbow of different threads.
    Loewe bag models with surplus-leather patches and pockets will be for sale in the storeAnother tiled wall at the rear of the Loewe ReCraft store showcases bags crafted from leather left over from Loewe’s past collections, which customers can purchase.
    Limited editions of the brand’s signature Basket bag are also available to buy, updated with patches and pockets made out of surplus leather.
    As well as leather items, Loewe also makes clothing, accessories and pieces for the home.
    Earlier this year the brand released a pair of trainers covered in shaggy green raffia, emulating the appearance of grass. It also collaborated with French metal artist Elie Hirsch to produce a series of bulbous pewter and copper jackets.

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    Atelier Caracas imbues apartment in Caracas with 1980s industrial edge

    Interiors studio Atelier Caracas has brought industrial influences and offbeat materials into this apartment in Caracas, designed around the restrictions posed by Venezuela’s recent political and economic crisis.

    Set in the capital’s Campo Alegre district, Apartamento N.1 belongs to a relative of Atelier Caracas co-founder Julio Kowalenko, who gave the studio a rare carte blanche for the renovation of the 400-square-metre interior.
    Atelier Caracas has renovated an apartment in Caracas”He’s a corporate, traditional Oxford type of guy,” the duo explained.
    “We said to ourselves, there are two ways in which we can approach this project,” they added. “We could either play it safe or go nuts.”
    Ultimately, Kowalenko and his co-founder Rodrigo Armas used the opportunity to experiment with applying industrial design principles at an architectural scale and enhanced the apartment’s loft-like qualities in a nod to the architecture of 1980s Los Angeles.

    Overhead lights are mounted on a system of perforated metal sheets”We’ve always been fascinated with a sort of robotic, mechanical aesthetic that accompanies 80s LA architecture,” the studio said.
    “This popular mechanics approach, as we call it, can be seen in the early works of Frank Gehry and later on in the experimental houses and appendixes of Eric Owen Moss and Morphosis among others,” the duo added.
    “There is a finesse in this artisanal slash industrial approach, which we always like to pay homage to in our designs.”
    The same sheet metal was also used to form room dividersThese influences are seen most clearly across the home’s experimental material palette.
    The studio decided to completely expose the raw concrete slab structure of the ceiling, celebrating it with a textural finish rather than hiding it away.
    The duo avoided the use of pre-fabricated components, instead carefully designing the majority of the elements themselves.
    The kitchen is fronted with unfinished wooden panelsTo preserve the integrity and simplicity of the ceiling, the lighting is mounted on a black-coated perforated metal structure – a reference to the 1980s aesthetic and custom-designed for this apartment by Atelier Caracas.
    The studio also utilised the same perforated sheet metal to create a number of versatile room dividers that break up the largely open-plan space.
    Set on wheels and attached to the ceiling via matching rails, they can be easily moved around to separate the kitchen from the living areas.
    “Microperforated sheet seemed a clever option to generate both permeable and ephemeral separations between private and public spaces within the apartment,” Atelier Caracas said.

    Atelier Caracas models Venezuelan day spa on 2001: A Space Odyssey

    The early stages of the apartment’s design kicked off in 2017 when Venezuela faced intersecting economic and constitutional crises.
    Inevitably, Atelier Caracas says this “difficult period of turmoil” also impacted the availability of materials.
    “There was a scarcity, which in turn led the studio to a never-ending investigation on how what was available could be used differently,” the duo said. “The main goal was to make high-end architecture with simpler materials.”
    Triangular cut-outs serve as door handles for the kitchen frontsThe simple white terrazzo floor – used almost everywhere across the apartment – was produced on-site and chosen for its cooling properties in the city’s tropical climate.
    “Even in high temperatures, it remains fresh and cooled,” the studio said. “Also, the reflective quality of this material was a key factor for bathing the spaces with the natural sunlight coming from the windows.”
    The kitchen is fronted with unfinished wooden panels, decorated only with geometric cutouts that double up as door handles.
    Terracotta floor tiles were repurposed for the wallsMeanwhile, the wall that borders the living room is finished in terracotta flooring tiles from a pool supply store.
    “This type of terracotta is usually found on pool terraces and public areas of middle-class Venezuelan residences,” Atelier Caracas explained. “Nowadays it’s considered to be a kitsch or outdated material.”
    “Contrast between refined and low-tech materials can generate new narratives on what luxury can be. We believe that luxury lies in the way people inhabit their spaces, and not in the number of flamboyant finishes.”
    White terrazzo floors help to reflect the lightIn terms of line and form, the apartment playfully mixes linear grids and diagonals with rounded corners and arches.
    “Monotony and routine can, sometimes, cause a stagnant state of contentment that we like to disturb through our designs,” the studio said.
    “We like to think that architecture should be uncomfortable in some sort of way, by pushing people out of their comfort zone, one can really redefine humans’ relation to design.”
    This same philosophy also inspired one of the studio’s previous projects in Caracas – a day spa modelled on Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
    The photography is by Outer Vision.

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    Dog-friendly London club refurbished with giant 3D dachshund relief and Hockney artworks

    Dog-friendly private members’ club George in London has been refurbished by restaurateur Richard Caring with David Hockney murals and Mayfair’s largest dining terrace.

    The revamped club was designed to be dog-friendly throughout as well as displaying a large collection of dog-related artwork.
    British painter Hockney created a mural for the dining room that sits alongside other original works of his, while London sculptor Jill Berelowitz has crafted a giant sculptural relief of a dachshund on the stairs descending to The Hound Club in the basement.
    A bespoke David Hockney artwork fills a mirrored wall panel at the George clubGeorge was designed to be “a home away from home” for its members and their pets, Caring told Dezeen.
    It was painted navy blue and features expansive navy awnings over an outdoor dining terrace that is the now the largest in Mayfair, providing space for guests and their pets.

    London sculptor Jill Berelowitz crafted a giant sculptural relief of a dachshundNamed after the club founder Mark Birley’s own dachsund, the George has been refurbished as “an oasis for both members and their four-legged friends –  continuing its legacy as London’s most dog friendly club”.
    Served from the revamped open kitchen, which has been clad in copper panels, a menu of snacks has been curated just for the canine guests, which includes “dog caviar”.
    The richly decorated interiors were painted a dark navy and furnished with bespoke furniture made in-house by The Birley Clubs’ design team.
    Paintings hang in mirror-tiled panels of the dining room, under a mirrored ceiling recessA circular bar, embellished with ornate metal work, separates the two dining rooms. Metal latticework cornicing echoes the level of decoration and detail throughout the scheme.
    Artworks hang in mirror-tiled wall panels, below similarly mirror-tiled ceiling recesses.
    A private dining room seats 16 and showcase works from Hockney’s iPad series, such as his 2011 work The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate.
    The main bar of George features high stools and intricate metal latticeworkBerelowitz’s dachschund sculpture dominates the main stairwell. The work was cast in bronze and patinated to match the club’s interior palette. The sculpture measures five by three metre and weighs 1.5 tons.
    The navy ground floor area leads to a burgundy red basement that houses The Hound Bar. An Art Deco theme dictated the use of antique brass and fluted mahogany panels for the bar.
    More mirrored glass has been used on columns and doorways almost to the effect of a hall of mirrors, creating an after-dark, subterranean feeling.
    The Hound Bar is a dark and dramatic subterranean space in the basementHighly polished mahogany was used to clad the vaulted ceilings and the same fluted panels from the bar were repeated in niches and around seating areas.
    Caring, who designed the interiors of George with his team, previously commissioned Martin Brudnizki Design Studio to renovate his other London club, Annabel’s, in 2018.

    Monumental Damien Hirst sculptures feature inside Bacchanalia London restaurant

    He also worked with Martin Brudnizki Design Studio on the launch of Bacchanalia London, which features monumental sculptures by Damien Hirst.
    Other restaurant interiors recently featured on Dezeen include nearby 20 Berkeley, also in Mayfair, where Pirajean Lees has created an Arts and Crafts-style interior, and an intimate cocktail lounge in Austin, USA, by Kelly Wearstler.
    The photography is by Ryan Wicks and Milo Brown.

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    Studio Kiki imbues Carlotta restaurant interiors with “old-school glitz and glamour”

    Design firm Studio Kiki has created warmly-lit interiors for an Italian restaurant in London to mimic the decadent but familial atmosphere of a 1980s Italo-American trattoria.

    Located on Marylebone High Street, Carlotta is the latest project by the Big Mamma restaurant group. Studio Kiki, the group’s in-house design team, created its interiors to capture a sense of “old-school glitz and glamour”, it said.
    Carlotta is a restaurant on Marylebone High Street”[Carlotta is informed by] Italo-American neighbourhood restaurants in the 1980s, where the likes of [singer and actor] Frank Sinatra and friends would swing by for a bite to eat or a nightcap, and know the waiters’ names,” the team told Dezeen.
    Visitors enter the trattoria through a burgundy facade emblazoned with neon signage, which glows above clusters of spindly tables and chairs positioned for al fresco dining.
    The bar is defined by glowing sources of lightInside, a gilded bar is concealed behind a red velvet curtain. This space is defined by high stools upholstered with geometrically patterned textiles and a curved marble-topped bar clad with illuminated ribbed panels sourced from New York.

    “We wanted the bar to glow and have a back-lit element, so it feels incredibly welcoming as soon as you step inside, making it the jewelled centrepiece of the restaurant,” explained Studio Kiki.
    A psychedelic-style carpet adds a touch of humour to the main dining spaceBeyond the bar, the main dining space is draped with golden festoon curtains that take cues from 1950s Milanese casinos, and also features a psychedelic-style carpet covered with swirly flowers.
    This was informed by the 1998 film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, a black comedy road movie based on the book by journalist Hunter S Thompson, according to the designers.
    The basement includes a mirror-striped ceilingIn the dining room, curved metallic chairs and burgundy banquettes finished in knotted leather hug small circular tables made from dark wood and dressed with sculptural lamps.
    “[Throughout the restaurant] we liked to ensure each table has its own source of light, which can come in various forms whether that be architectural lighting, back-lit tables or a handmade cordless table lamp,” said Studio Kiki.
    The main dining space also includes arrangements of framed photographs. Among the collection are retro wedding pictures from Italian weddings of the design team’s own parents and grandparents.

    Pirajean Lees creates Arts and Crafts-style interior for Mayfair restaurant

    Downstairs, a “midnight blue hideout” forms a subterranean drinking den, complete with a 1980s-style mirror-striped cavernous ceiling, eclectic crockery and an open kitchen.
    Bathed in bright red light, the bathrooms are equally playful – a haloed Jesus effigy was positioned atop a font-like basin, while slatted mirrored walls reflect the ceiling’s oversized chandelier.
    A Jesus effigy crowns the bathroom basinCarlotta joins a number of other recently designed eateries with decadent interiors.
    These include a pop-up cafe at London’s Harrods department store by Italian fashion house Prada and a bar and restaurant in Canada with rich colours and leather upholstery informed by author Truman Capote.
    The photography is by Jérôme Galland. 

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    11 Things I Bought for Our Kitchen (Decor and Organization)

    This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy here

    We’re still waiting on some of the final finishing details in our kitchen (so if you spot anything that doesn’t look finished, don’t worry!). I’ve been trying to finalize some paint colors for the painters so I’ve been working on that, but meanwhile, I couldn’t wait to pull out a few things I’ve stashed away for our kitchen! I’ll share a few of them today!
    The good news is we will probably be able to “move in” to the kitchen this week, even though there will still be some details to finish as well as projects still going on around the house (such as our deck, living room / mudroom / entry / stairwell paint, new wood stair treads and flooring upstairs, plus the Tiny Cottage!).
    If you’ve missed any my last remodel update you can see that here.
    I’m guessing we’re a few weeks out from the contractors being officially “done” and then of course, more fun parts will begin for me! I can’t wait to decorate and put plants in our garden :). I’ve been collecting some vintage dishes that I can’t wait to display in the kitchen and have even bought a few plants for the backyard.
    Today I’ll share some of the items I brought in last week and I’ll share the vintage items once I get them in the kitchen.
    Blue Hobnail Glasses /// Sage Hobnail Glasses (or here are similar hobnail glasses on Amazon!)
    1. Hobnail Drinking Glasses
    We needed new drinking glasses and I couldn’t resist these beauties! I’ve always loved hobnail design and the colors were perfect. They look like seaglass! I decided to get a combination of the blue and the sage colors. There are also similar glasses HERE on Amazon with great reviews!

    2. Over the Sink Roll Up Dish Drying Rack
    This is such a clever drying rack, it works with our farmhouse sink and will be handy when we want to hand wash items or just need to set something, maybe a towel or plant or anything that needs to drip dry! It rolls up and can be stashed away when not in use.
    Over the Sink Roll Up Dish Drying Rack
    Natural Wood Dish Brush // Dark Brown Wood Dish Brush
    3. Wood Dish Brushes
    I always love having wood brushes in the kitchen, I couldn’t decide which one to get so I got both a natural and dark brown.
    Natural Marble Tray
    4. Marble Tray
    We use small trays like this all the time, so I knew we’d love this one. This is marble, another I’ll share below is resin.
    Resin (marble look) Footed Tray
    5. Resin (marble look) Footed Tray
    Woven Rattan Trays
    6. Woven Rattan Trays
    We bought these woven rattan trays to be able to carry food or plates upstairs during the remodel. They are wonderful, so sturdy and just the right size. We’ll use these all the time for serving, so they will be a great addition to our kitchen.
    Plate Holder Easel Display Stand // Sailboat Plates
    7. Plate Holder Easel Display Stands
    I was looking for easel style stands to be able to display plates, platters or books. At first I thought the finish on these would be too bright, but once the plate is on it, they are really pretty! I bought a bunch more in a couple of sizes.

    8. Sailboat Appetizer Plates
    My husband bought me these darling sailboat appetizer plates locally (but we found them online here, too!). I will use them at the table but they will also be adorable for decor. We can’t wait to mix and match all of our pretty dishes to display (and use!) in this kitchen. Stay tuned for another post on that!
    Bamboo Drawer Organizer Set of 5 // Long Bamboo Drawer Organizers (stackable)
    9. Bamboo Drawer Organizers
    I found these bamboo drawer organizers that come in a variety of sizes so you can mix and match to fit your needs. I can’t wait to get our drawers organized! I got this set of 5 in different shapes, and a set of 2 long dividers that can stack (see photos below).

    Tray Organizer
    10. Tray Organizer
    These will be handy to set up cookie sheets or baking pans in a cabinet!

    11. Patterned Animal Bowls
    I love these little bowls I had shared in my recent “pretty kitchen accessories” post! We use little bowls for all kinds of things, so I knew these would get a lot of use. They come in a set of 4 with a bunny, frog, bee and squirrel (2 reddish bowls and 2 blue).
    More on The Inspired Room:
    A Sense of Place: Designing Our Forever Family Home by the Sea (+ kitchen update)
    Charming Kitchen Faucets (4 We’ve Had and Many More)
    The Beauty of Soapstone Counters (+ why we chose them for our kitchen)
    16 Simple Ways to Decorate Your Home for Summer More