Kitchen Inspiration, Part 1: Subway Tiles Are Better Above Ground

Oh, hi there! I'm sorry I disappeared. It seems I took the summer off. Life got surprisingly busy for a while there, but I'm working on getting back into the blogging groove.

I spend a great deal of time thinking about kitchens. Oh, do I love to cook, you ask? No. Not really. I want to love to cook, but usually I'm so hungry and exhausted when I get home at night that I can't even contemplate the idea of cooking. Because cooking isn't just cooking - it's a time-sucking and energy intensive event. It's going to the store, acquiring ingredients, hauling them home, chopping/sautéing/simmering/baking them, serving them, then eating them, and, when it's all over, cleaning them and all of the dishes up. Seriously? No, thank you. Eating falls far too late in that chain of events. And I love to eat.

And so, to Seamless.com I go.

The thing is, while I don't necessarily cook on a daily basis, Matt and I do like to entertain when we can, and I also -- despite the not cooking -- seem to spend a lot of time in the kitchen every day... making coffee, dealing with mail, assembling whatever Seamless.com has delivered, doing the dishes, wiping off the counters, replacing the sponge.... etc. etc. etc. I also find that, for whatever reason, when gathering, people tend to gravitate towards the kitchen regardless of how messy or tiny it is.

And so my thoughts are: Cooking? Eh. But kitchens? YES!

I love kitchens. Adore them. Dream about them. Want to live in them. Etc.

Which brings me to our kitchen. It's in desperate need of a renovation. It's super charming in that old, New York apartment galley kitchen kind of way, but it's not the kind of kitchen that inspires kitchen envy and causes hyperventilation. There is pealing wallpaper, track lighting that burns out weekly, ancient appliances and a sink that reminds me of camp kitchens.

We will, at some point, renovate, but I find decisions of this sort extremely difficult. There are so many fabulous options out there, how could you possibly decide on just one? It's much more fun to dream than to actually execute. In the dreaming phase, there are no price tags or finding contractors or measuring space... there's only big ideas and space for kitchen islands and the possibility of floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening onto terraces.

Over the next few weeks, I will share with you some photos of kitchens that I find inspiring for one reason or another. Today's focus will be on subway tiles. Economical, clean, modern. There's something very delightful about them. A beauty in the utility. They're meant to be juxtaposed against windows and light - not underground. You can be playful with them, through pattern or grout, use them to create a wash of color or to create contrast. You can dress them up or dress them down. They're useful and above all, quite beautiful in their simplicity.

Scroll down to see 10 of my current subway tile crushes. Which images do you like best?

Happy Monday and have a happy week!
KK

White tiles with dark grey grout. Kitchen by Ali Cayne. Featured in Domino Magazine.

White tiles with white grout. Via Lonny.

White glass subway tile. Who is the designer??

White tiles with white grout.

All white with white grout. Stephanie Jean Design & Monika Hibbs of The Doctor’s Closet.

Subway tiles with grey grout. Designer Susan Greenleaf's San Francisco kitchen.

Herringbone pattern. Kitchen by Von Fitz Design.

Herringbone pattern. Kitchen by Emily Hewitt & Associates.

Subway tiles everywhere! With grey grout. Cabinets by Crown Point Cabinetry.

Subway tiles inside the cabinets! Kitchen by Jamie Blake of Blakes London.