One of the things that struck me first when we unpacked in our new home (almost three years ago) was how much the kitchen resembled the one in our old place. I mean, it was almost identical to the one we just redid – here we were back at the start again… But upon closer inspection the units were solid wood and the sink was infinitely more beautiful and, with plans afoot to eventually renovate the kitchen entirely in the coming years, we pretty much decided to leave it as is.
BUT the second thing that struck me was how much I missed the proper breakfast bar. Whilst there was some intention of a bar, there was a distinct lack of anywhere to put legs and that poses a problem for comfortable breakfasting. Open shelving with a toddler, it transpires, is not a sensible storage solution either. So it was decided that a more practical fix should be found…
The first step was to enlist the help of the kitchen company to knock out the shelving and board up with MDF ready for the tiler to come in. After much deliberation and fawning over pricey encaustic tiles I stumbled upon this arabesque design from Tons of Tiles which was infinitely more budget friendly (think around £100 for this space). We went for a mid grey grout and the space was immediately lighter and brighter.
Finishing touches were a couple of new bar stools, some prints for the wall and, more recently, the final piece in the puzzle, the wall mounted paper dispenser I had been hankering after since the project began. After many dead ends directing me to out of budget options I happened upon this guy for £60. The company kindly offered him to me and I very happily accepted. In all honesty I worried the quality might not be up to scratch but, you know what, it is absolutely perfect. The only issue arising so far are the ‘customer’ complaints when my weekly menu is out of date.
And that’s pretty much it. I did not DIY so I have no instructions for you but I DID hang the paper dispenser (and that is truly so simple no step by step is needed). Perhaps learning to tile should be next on my lockdown list – have you ever tried it?
This post may contain affiliate links and gifts
ROOM DETAILS
arabesque tiles – Tons of Tiles
victoria bar stools – Cult Furniture
kraft paper roller – Cotton Ball Lights
weave basket – I Am Nomad (ON SALE)
owl vase – Graham & Green
serving pot – Marimekko
fruit bowl – Anthropologie
olive oil – Hellenic Grocery
blames high chair – Ikea
wooden plaque – Not on the Highstreet
prints & frames – Desenio
