Why Were Galley Kitchens So Popular?

Historic galley kitchen, via The Victoria & Albert Museum

It's been almost a decade since we moved into our mid-century home in a historic neighborhood of New York City. Before we moved in, I had the floors refinished, walls skim-coated and painted, light fixtures updated, and the bathroom gut-renovated. But I didn't renovate the kitchen. I was grappling with a decision whether to leave the galley-kitchen footprint intact or to bring down some of the walls for an open concept kitchen and I wanted to live with it for a while.

The Artful Home: Artwork in Interior Design

The most important thing in making a house a home to me is artwork. Almost anything can be "art" if you find it beautiful. The piece over our dining table was painted by a Queens street preacher giving a sidewalk sermon on "grace and resurrection." The bright colors and energy set the tone for the decor in our house. Here's a look at more of the art that inspired our home renovation.

Kitchen Design: Think of Each Run as a Vignette

When I decided to open up some walls for our kitchen renovation, I knew I'd have to consider the design carefully from every angle. What would be the first impression when you entered our home? How much kitchen could you see from the entryway? Sitting on the sofa and gazing over at the kitchen, would I be looking at a sinkful of dishes? A hulking stainless steel appliance? On the wall of the sink elevation: Did I really need wall cabinets, which would block the line of sight to the window? It pays to consider every elevation as a vignette. These are the considerations that gave shape to my kitchen design.

This First 3D-Printed Home Took Just 10 Days to Build

via Zillow

Can a 3D printer that produces cement walls crack the code on affordable housing? Imagine a giant printer that squeezes out row after row of cement as it traces the footprint of the home, building out all the walls, both internal and external. A two-person crew is there to watch and troubleshoots errors as the skeleton of the structure goes up over a period of eight to nine days. Then the machine backfill walls, as the crew installs anchor bolts and assembles pre-built timber pieces for the roof. When the structure is complete, finishers come in to finish walls, paint, apply siding, and roof, while a third crew installs fixtures and appliances. The method is said to be stronger and more durable than wood-frame construction house at half the building cost.

Drab Kitchen Colors: A British Invasion

Bespoke craftsman kitchens of DeVol and Plain English, and the latter's off-the-shelf brand British Standard, have been gradually weaning us off our white open kitchens in favor of neatly milled and kitted-out snugs. Leading the sensory seduction has been color: golden ochres, muddy pinks, green-y grays, and moody blues. They are hues that would have looked right at home in Great-Great Grammy's Victorian farmhouse, though this time around they feel fresh and modern. Let's call them "the drabs."

Is the Pink Bathroom Back?

via Yellow Brick Home

Anyone who has ever renovated an old home has likely encountered "the pink bathroom." It's often the first thing you see hit the dumpster in home renovation shows. The once-ubiquitous fixtures are lined up like pastel tombstones in architectural salvage yards everywhere and can be had for a relative pittance. But not for long! Savvy renovators are snapping them up. Repurposed in a more modern context, pink console sinks look especially fresh and new. Could we be on the cusp of a return of the pink bathroom?

How to Fix Laminate on Furniture and Countertops

Our pedestal table has survived three moves and two renovations—and in the process experienced some hard knocks. It wasn't in perfect condition when I found it on Craigslist. I paid $175, if memory serves, and there were dings and scratches on the pedestal base, which I sanded and painted. In the last move, though, the laminate top was gouged in a very prominent spot. Strategically placed candles got me through. (I do love these colorful candles that I found at Designer's Guild in Chicago!) But was there a permanent fix for this chipped laminate? I did some research on how to repair laminate and found a product contractors use to fill seams on laminate countertops, called, fittingly, SeamFil. Here's how it works.