Kitchen Clarity Adventures in Kitchen and Bath Design

I came across this Cotswold cottage kitchen on Remodelista today. Here’s the cottage, to set the mood:

Cotswold Cottage via Light Locations

And here, the cottage’s kitchen:

Cotswold Cottage, Light Locations via Remodelista

This  is what Remodelista has to say about it:

A simple recipe for a serene kitchen: Carrara marble counters, white subway tiles, rustic timber cabinets, and plenty of white crockery. And to add a note of modernity: metallic Artemide lights.

Oh, really? Does that kitchen look serene to you?  Multiple levels of open shelves in a variety of depths, thicknesses, and materials, a flock of high-tech lamps erupting from the wall at about eye-level, rustic grainy cabinets, beadboard,  beamed ceiling – it’s a lot of things, but to me, serene is not one of them.

Now, I agree  – white subway tiles and Carrara marble can be serene. Y’know I think that’s been done a few times, here and there:

Dianne Keaton's Kitchen via AD

Victoria Hagan's Kitchen via AD

Here's one I posted earlier ...

White marble and subway tile can be serene

And what about that so-called simple recipe to :  “Steal this Look” ? I think if you really want to steal this look, you first need to get a centuries old Cotswold stone cottage (or look-alike) with walls a yard thick, exposed beams, and plenty of original character. Then take each of  your favorite design trends from the last few years and put them all together  in the kitchen.  Stir.

What’s your opinion? Is this eclectic and individual? Or is it a trendy muddle?

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