Tuesday, May 26, 2020

The Chinoiserie Kitchen

Debi Davis

I had a crazy busy but wonderful weekend. I spent Sunday looking at neighborhoods in Venice and decided conceptually what I want which is the complete opposite of what I live in now. I have a large house and large yard and am not close to downtown Sarasota. I want something small and very chic and close to the heart of Venice.

And yesterday I directed from 1000 miles away clearing out what's left in the Alexandria house so I don't have to return for closing. Luckily my daughter Kate is nearby there.

And I am starting to put together ideas for my new house. I love this kitchen. I love an all white kitchen - I always have. These lucite counter stools are amazing. And that kitchen hood and the blue and white Chinese porcelain. Wow. Any guesses on what the countertops are?

A smaller house is much more my style. Golf Guy is a McMansion away from the city fan and I like something small and historic and very close in. I lived in Georgetown in DC during law school and for the past 20 years lived in Belle Haven in Alexandria. Moreover, too many guest bedrooms encourages too many guests! (Especially when you live in Florida)

14 comments:

  1. Marble? It's hard to say for sure what the countertops are, but it looks like marble.

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  2. Sounds wonderful. Good Luck with your move, never been to Venise but only a couple hours or less away so will check out. I have a chinoiserie kitchen in our home in Bonita Springs. Would be happy to share pictures.

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    1. I like Bonita Springs. I believe we chatted in the past and you shared pictures with me. Didn't you repurpose vintage Chinese Chippendale cabinets? I recall it was fabulous.

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  3. Always good to know what you want. I hope you find it! Right there with you about guests. In our modest 5 bedroom house, we have 1 bedroom. On purpose. I never saw the fun in being someone else's vacation hotel. For you, a return to the dressing room vs a closet?

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    1. Unlikely on the dressing room, as the master bedrooms here generally have 2 walk in closets, and I will use the second bedroom as a guest bedroom and the third as a study.


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  4. I'm with you on the too many guest rooms in FL thing. Ugh. Also on the need for smaller and closer in to town thing. McMansions make me itch on so many levels. Give me a cute little shack on the beach anytime—with marble counters, of course! (But then, I love the patina of marble, even better with use and age. These don't look like marble to me. No visable veining.)

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    1. Exactly - the things you do for love, or what passes for it. This next house will be for me. I have always wanted marble - why not?

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  5. Venice Snow Bird
    Venice has some fine old homes on Venice Ave, and another that runs parallel (am losing it--can't think of the name of the street but is actually the main drag and full of gorgeous homes of all sizes)
    Anyway, the counter looks like marble to me as I have a honed marble counter top here in VT that has not veining or shine as I like neither on countertops and had it honed so it looks like soapstone rather than marble.
    Good luck with your search. I love Venice for it's small town feel, but its proximity to Sarasota with all the culture available there.
    Actually both the Venice Theater and new Symphony venue at high school are beautiful and amazing for a small town.
    B

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  6. It might be quartz. My son's countertops are identical.

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  7. Could be quartz or marble. Picture does not reveal enough to say for sure. Have you had a look at white granite? Also a beautiful stone. Sarasota is nice and would be my choice of the two. The traffic in the Naples/Bonita Springs area is outrageous in the winter! I could not do it.

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    1. We looked first at Naples and it was not for me for many reasons, although very pretty. I was starting to look at white granite - I used it in the laundry room and really like it. I used quartz in the kitchen and master bath and have mixed feelings.

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  8. Could be Quartzite. I put that in my newly remodeled (white) kitchen. Love the look, make sure it's sealed!

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