French Dressing for Kitchen Nook
When Sue and Bob Van Brocklin first contacted Emery & Associates about some help for their family room, they also mentioned wanting to re-paint the kitchen. After talking with them at length about their interests and their favorite colors, it became clear that they were passionate about travel, especially in France, cooking, entertaining friends and family, and the colors blue and yellow. The kitchen nook “before” did not really reflect those interests:
Sue had a large collection of Souleiado table linens, which were inspired by the traditional “indienne” patterns first printed in the south of France in the 17th century. When I came upon a Robert Allen Fabric in bright blue and yellow called “Les Jardins,” it inspired me to develop a color scheme that would pump up the volume, so to speak, in terms of color for this space, and also make it easier for Sue to incorporate her colorful French linens and other accessories. A striped fabric and cording for pillows in the corner would add a bit more coziness, so I added them into the mix: 
We changed the wall color from an pastel blue to a warm yellow, and re-upholstered the banquette cushions in the new fabric, with contrasting sunny yellow trim. We used indoor/outdoor fabrics on the striped pillows, pillow trim, and banquette cushion welting, for added wearability. The kitchen nook is now more inviting, and reflects many of the homeowners’ favorite things.
Welcome to Provence!
There are 6 Comments to "French Dressing for Kitchen Nook"
Kathia, the redo design on this kitchen is smashing! You really listened to the clients, and managed to bring Provence into their kitchen without Kitsch! It makes me want to grow sunflowers. Tres jolie. Fantastik, encore.
Judi Cleghorn
North Heron Interiors
Lakebay, WA
As a client of yours, Kathia, I’m impressed with how your imagination led you to create the elegance of color in fabrics and sunflowers. You’re also an impressive photographer.
Nathan
The change in wall color really started the ball rolling and the uplifting color “punch” is just perfect. The room now smiles and says, “Hello, there!”
Je me sens bien dans ma peau dans ce coin! Merveilleux! Vive La Provence!
Je me souviens du temps quand j’habitais en Provence. Les couleurs sont vrais arlesiennes.
Kathia,
Your most recent blog post on the living room redo in this home, illustrates the extension of the palette and “identity” which you originally established here in the breakfast nook. I was referred to this post by the most recent one with particular interest in how you interpreted the owners love for all things Giverny.
As a professional artist and sometime decorator (who needs you desperately), I thought that the interpretation of the splendiferous colors of Giverny would be extremely difficult to interpret in an environment intended to feel “restful” as well as exciting and edgy as the Giverny contrasts can be. The mere saturation of color and judicious use of same is a major accomplishment which I believe you have accomplished in this home. Even more impressive is the ability to continue the theme throughout the home without allowing the design to interfere with the day to day enjoyment and experience of the home–the design sets the stage very cleverly for the Provence feeling that you were working to achieve. Most impressive! It is no wonder that so many clients entrust you with major decisions regarding their life spaces.
Thank you so much for sharing your process and sources, as well. This is most helpful to those of us who do not live in the Portland area but wish to make use of your ideas.
Having been to Giverny, I would love to replicate the wonderful feeling experienced there and have never seen anyone interpret that home without having the design overtake the home. I so love what you did and appreciate the sophisticated color decisions that you made along the way.