The gathering spot

I stumbled upon this image from pinterest today and was captivated. Love that this kitchen is all windows and no uppers with the most incredible windows. But, I really love the long gathering table instead of the traditional island. After being in a cabin for a week with 14 people (7 adults and 7 kids) who all like to cook and eat incredible meals - kitchen layout is very important. The sink isn't right next to the stove or fridge allowing for many cooks to work together without bumping into each other. There was more bumping this last week than one could imagine. I love that this kitchen breaks with the convention of a close work triangle and the island while at the same time creating a feeling of coziness.

My large family and I could be very happy in this kitchen.

Happy Monday.

Favorite casual entryways

It's raining today in Seattle and I was reminded of the importance of a great entryway. Not only for the water and dirt you track in (and those pesky kids shoes and backpacks) but also for setting the tone of your house. Entryways are probably the most used room in the house and the most overlooked. And remember, they are the first impression of your house.

Here are some of my favorite casual entryways.

This is one of my all time favorites. The mitered striped rugs, gold light fixtures, grass cloth walls and mouldings. Heaven for me. Not to mention the adorable dog.

I love the attention to detail in this entryway and the use of the space. The benches flanking a mirror on one side, and the dresser (to dump/hide your stuff) and zebra chair on the other. Don't get me stared on the mouldings and lighting. Lovely.

I love everything about this entry. It feels so welcoming and really tells a story about the people who live there. I'd like an invitation to dinner at this house.

This is also one of my favorites. A little more polished and sophisticated but still very casual. And that orange door.

A great classic craftsman style entry, but with casual ship lap and antlers.

This entry exudes warmth with the pine pieces, sunburst and oriental rug. The ceiling detail really adds to the causal feel.

Those beams and doors. Gorgeous. Love the white sofa as the contrast to the case goods and floor.

The leopard stair runner (love) and oriental rug, mixed with the collected art, tall armoire and blue and white ginger jars make this space visually interesting and welcoming at the same time. Styled differently, this entry could have made it into my more formal entry category. But as it is, it's eclectic casual.

Industrial french. So beautiful and ethereal.

The mix of the brick floor, ship lap, built-ins, antique bench dutch door, and iron railing makes this entry the ultimate in casual. Perfect for a climate that gets a lot of rain and snow. This entry reminds me of my mom - I think she'd love it.

This is my dream entry for a second house in the mountains. I love the large slate floor combined with the traditional french doors, built in bench and traditional mouldings. Then to give the room a little more texture and make it more casual, the use of the bead board on the ceiling. The finishing touch is the oil rubbed bronze hardware. This is how you use slate correctly in my mind.

So those are some of my favorite casual entryways. I hope you enjoyed them.

All images are from my pinterest.