Fabulous Country Decor

Start your country decor collection with these 10 fabulous items. As you'll see from the images, you can use them decoratively or for storage. The add such a warm, comfortable touch. If you're handy, you can buy new items and distress them to make them look rustic and well worn. Swing by the showroom, our Etsy Shop, or Ebay to see what we're featuring.

Pewter trays. You can gather collectibles on a cocktail table, use them in a tablescape, gather toiletries together in your bath, and so much more.

Natural elements like these balls, are great to fill a basket, bowl, glass apothecary canister or just position on a shelf or table. The texture and neutral colors are ideal for county and coastal decor.

Ladders can be used as decor on walls, and as shelves in nearly any room. Find the oldest most paint encrusted that you can, and enjoy the patina. Create one from a new wooden ladder if you have time!  Vinegar and steel wool mixed in a ball jar and then wiped onto bare wood, creates a gorgeous blue-gray hue.

Wooden spoons are practical and pretty in the kitchen. These are stunning, handmade spoons and look fabulous mounted on a kitchen wall.

Wicker baskets go with everything!  There are so many styles, materials and shapes, that you're sure to find one that you adore.

As a shelf, decor, for storage or display, Wooden crates are the perfect country element!

Wire accessories are for every room. Collect natural elements in a few for your family room, use one for laundry, tuck one under a desk as a trash can, and gather your cooking utensils ans fruits in a wire basket or cannister in the kitchen.

I love wooden cutting boards. You can find them in nearly every wood species, fabulous shapes, and stand them upright to display, or leave flat on the counter for cooking.

My go-to planters are terra-cotta pots. They're classic indoors or out.  An aged pot with a stencil, makes a beautiful herb pot on a dining room or kitchen windowsill.

White Ironstone is a favorite collectible and graces the shelves of many country dining room curios, and kitchen displays.

Kitchen Remodel MUSTS

When you're ready to redo your kitchen, there are a number of things you should consider so your investment in cost and time is done right.  It's worthwhile to meet with a kitchen designer so you can maximize your space, your budget, and get enduring changes without skimping on what's important to you.   If you do a remodel and don't include a feature that you didn't think about, you'll regret it. Understanding materials, care and maintenance, technology and even trends are important both short and long term.

In a typical kitchen remodel, regardless of whether the budget is small or large, your percentages for spending will look something like this:

8-10% Electrical & Plumbing
14-16% Appliances
16% Walls, ceilings, floors, doors and windows
29-30% Cabinets and hardware
10% Counters
22% Planning, design and installation

You should visit showcase homes, model homes, showrooms, and think about the pros and cons of your existing kitchen.  You might find that you love specialty appliances like wine centers and pot fillers, but when you consider the cost, amount of use, and space required, they may not be worth the splurge.  Some things that you might think are over-the-top but are value added in the long run are second sinks, finished cabinet ends and shelves and drawers on full extension glides. In the Carlsbad kitchen above, I was able to include a host of useful appliances, carefully placed and concealed for a luxurious end result. Every cabinet was detailed to provide maximum use of space and finished so they blended seamlessly with the furnishings in the adjacent rooms.

Appliances can be tricky to select. Sure stainless is cool, but can you get features you like without the up-charge?  If you're  planning to conceal them, Do you need a professional grade appliance and the changes in counter depth, venting and ductwork that are required?  Is a dishwasher or refrigerator drawer a pro or a con? What refrigerator style works best for you and do you need to sacrifice interior space for an in-door water dispenser?  New cooktops offer fabulous features so be sure to check out options like induction.

Counter top materials get better every year. Granite is NOT the luxury surface it used to be. Quartz has many PROS and few CONS over stone, and the appearance is often more beautiful. Solid surfaces have new styles and benefits and the costs are often more reasonable than stone. Integrating sinks into counters is a huge plus. Combining counter materials like Cynthia Ryan did in this modern space is stylish and functional.

Don't forget to add space for recycling and composting.  Most areas of the country are actively participating in programs now, and more will make it mandatory for household food waste. 

Good lighting is KEY in every kitchen. Know local codes for lighting and be smart in using good, correctly lamped (the right bulb) fixtures. Understand the value of LED, florescent and even incandescent lighting and which works best in specific places in your kitchen.  Technology is your friend in lighting design and control, and a small investment enables a money savings and aesthetically fabulous long-term results. These Arts & Crafts fixtures are all warm LED and toe kick lighting accents the cabinetry around the peninsula serving as guide lights.

Know that there are  many flooring options and learn which is best for you. Wood, porcelain, vinyl, cork, ceramic and even linoleum have PROS and CONS for performance, durability, cost to purchase, install and maintain.  Wood is $8-40 per square foot installed but has performance and care drawbacks. Porcelain is $11-25 per square foot installed but colder underfoot. Cork is warm and $10-20 installed but does need occasional to coating. Linoleum has the best value at $4-8 installed, with beauty and design like never before, but seams are a must in large spaces.

Cabinetry is the usually the most expensive part of a remodel. Is wood better than laminate? Can you upgrade your look yet lower costs with veneers? Should use a custom fabricator or buy manufactured?  Understand the finishes and what will be more durable for your type of use. Antiquing and distressing is beautiful but not always worth the splurge. Consider that open shelves may be easier and better than closed door cabinets.  Be SURE that your interior fittings work for your lifestyle.

Plan a layout BEFORE you buy anything or demolish what you have. It may be better to change the position of your plumbing, gas lines and dedicated oven and fridge receptacles. It was key in this Coronado kitchen for me to relocate the gas line  for ideal work flow and a balanced kitchen. 

 Don't start without having all of your products in hand. Finding a sink you love only to find that it's back-ordered for weeks can wreak havoc with your life and the rest of the kitchen project. 

Chicken Wire 101

Despite the name, chicken wire isn't just for corralling poultry. There are some great household and garden uses for every style and budget. A few of my favorites are for cabinet door inserts and keeping my dogs from walking through the iron railings when they were puppies. After doing a bit of thinking to  devise some casual storage ideas for my client's country kitchen I found a few more uses for chicken wire!  

For storage in the kitchen, and a different one for the entry and another for her office, I made 2 thin frames and stapled the wire so it was sandwiched between them. All of the frames were alder stained or distressed to match the decor of each room. You can also simply staple the wire to an existing frame for a more casual look.

Other ideas:  

A place to dry artist's brushes and craft supplies

A tool rack

Cut to fit a planter and placed on top of the filler so your stems stay put

On top of a trellis or pergola so your vines don't climb through

Replace the doors of an armoire to create an open curio