this is what i'm after

Photo from this glorious blog.

white

I am determined to have open upper shelving in my kitchen--I just love the lightened look of it and I think it would be great (and cheap!) in my house since you see the kitchen as soon as you walk in the front door. It requires lots of organization, which I am prepared for, and some visual unity. In order to achieve that I am thinking I want all of the dishes that will be displayed to be white. I love the look of lots of white--you can mix traditional and modern lines together and still have a cohesive look.

I have white dishes now, a really cheap set I got at the grocery store when we bought our house almost five years ago, and I still like the look of them but they are stoneware and they have those silvery flatware marks all over them. Plus the cereal/soup bowls are enormous and I don’t like that. I hesitate buying anything new because I am trying not to accumulate more stuff. I think I might go through all of the myriad serving pieces I have that I never use and put them on craigslist and put whatever money I make towards a new set of dishes. Now it’s just deciding which ones to get. Lots of options at all different price points. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far.

Top Row
Wedgewood Eternity
Pottery Barn Great White
Crate and Barrel Madison
Denby Bone China

Second Row
Gibson White Elements
Crate and Barrel Essential
Rosenthal Loft

Bottom Row
Martha Stewart Montmartre
Pottery Barn Caterers
Macy’s Cellar Whiteware Rim

our garden

I have so much catching up to do on the blog...lots of fun pics of things we have been up to for the last few months. But I couldn't resist posting these pictures of our beautiful garden. I can say that because I play absolutely no role in its design or upkeep...that is all Matt. Doesn't he do a fabulous job?

I love these green pots and the way the poppies grow up around them.

The garden gate.


The peonies are beginning to blossom!

Broccoli.

And grapes!

And, of course, the roses.

The inspectors.