Saturday, January 30, 2021

The Chinoiserie Kitchen

Jim Dove - House Beautiful

 

This is absolutely incredible. Palm Beach kitchen designer Jim Dove uses de Gournay wallpaper as a statement wall in the kitchen including as a backsplash. It is completely covered in museum glass for splashes and grease. I personally would much rather put my money into gorgeous wallpaper than a backsplash. 

This is a great idea for an open floor plan like this where the kitchen goes right into the dining room. I also love the coral painted backs of the bookcases and all the brass. 





24 comments:

  1. This is so beautiful. If I see subway tile one more time I will scream.

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  2. I love the idea behind it. Even like this kitchen a lot although it's not meant for people who use the stove on any regular bases.

    For one, there are those open shelves on each side of the stove. Glass, no less. Looks great, no question about it. And as clever as covering the backsplash with glass is, you know that soon enough there will be humidity between the glass and the wallpaper. Maybe a bit of buckling. Your husband will tell you, I told you so. And you'll tell him, you won't know it til you try it. Except sometimes even knowing things isn't enough from stopping you from doing something you just have to do. At least once.

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    1. I do not see a problem with the wallpaper and glass and researched this and it's fine. My late husband will probably not have an opinion.

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    2. Beth, what about the 'glazing' of paper that was mentioned in the flamingo papered bath? Wouldn't that work better for cleaning etc? I think the glass would be 'streaky' and hard to keep clear.

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  3. Whew! I almost had a heart attack when I first read they used de Gournay wallpaper as a backsplash, but then I calmed down when I read on and learned that it's covered in glass to protect it. It's gorgeous and a beautiful alternative to the usual marble, granite, or subway tile.

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    1. I think it's a great alternative. Wondering if this might work in mine.

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  4. Hope there’s a butler’s pantry that we can’t see! Where do you put all the stuff you actually need in the kitchen? I agree, it’s a kitchen for someone who doesn’t do much cooking. But, it IS drop dead gorgeous! Love the coral paint in the cabinets

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  5. This is gorgeous, but definitely not a kitchen for a cook. And I agree, that there would be buildup of moisture or buildup of SOMETHING behind the glass. Otherwise, you would see this idea more often because the result is so beautiful!! As it is, I am eying the stone behind my range and wondering if I should immediately walk over there and clean it! I have sure missed having a housekeeper during the pandemic and look forward to someone helping with the cleaning when this is mostly behind us---if ever.

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    1. I Googled this and found dozens of articles and examples. There is no problem with wallpaper under glass in a kitchen and it is quite popular in Europe, Australia, and elsewhere.

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  6. The latest trend is to have two kitchens. One for show and "entertaining" and another for actual cooking. I think this is getting ridiculous!

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    1. If I ever have two kitchens I'd love to have a "summer" kitchen which is mostly an indoor/outdoor set-up, smaller than the main one inside. They used to have them in the South back when there was no AC and they still have them today in parts of Southern Italy where people hang out and dine outdoors most of the time.

      So nice to be frying and grilling up a storm all out in the open air without worry of major clean-up, filters and vents, etc, etc. I actually don't cook certain things now because I don't want the hassle of cleaning up but it would be a liberating experience.

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    2. Many of us in Florida have an outdoor kitchen just as you are describing. I use my range indoors VERY infrequently. There is no reason to heat up and mess up the house. My indoor kitchen is really more for show and storage.

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  7. This is exquisite. Sometimes, perfection has to trump practicality.

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    1. It is gorgeous and with the glass practical as well. I don't cook in my kitchen anyway.

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    2. Me, too! Only for holidays. Both our homes have granite counters and back splashes (attractive but wouldn’t have been my choices yet are in excellent condition). Have been obsessing about this ever since you posted it!

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    3. I am not a fan of granite or quartz personally - I would love to do marble and wallpaper like this in my kitchen at some point. I did very expensive quartz in the Sarasota house and it looked like plastic.

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    4. I have never thought quartz produces the same effect as granite or marble. This kitchen has it all. The bookcases in my favorite color, coral,are wonderful and that wallpaper is original and stunniing

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  8. The 2 mirrored doors on either side of the range would be my guess that there is a wet kitchen.

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