Home Renovations: Kitchen

Remember this kitchen?

Would you believe me if I told you it is now this...?

I've been meaning to post the trials and tribulations of our house renovation project in an elaborate way, but cannot seem to find the time to get there, so here's a quickie version.

We finished at the tail end of the summer, moved in September. The details that went into this are far from just the finished products you see in the picture.  Remind me to wax poetic sometime about the custom cabinetry work, the 45-degree kitty corner challenge, the ceiling plaster swirl matching and many more challenging fixes along the way. Let's just say, the beauty of this room to me is not in the finished product as much as the time and care that went into making it look like this. A job well done by all who helped.

I'll throw up some more "Before/After" images from different rooms and note anything significant that went into each. By far the kitchen was the biggest effort, but there were lots of other notable challenges along the way.

RL Puffer Hunting Vest

I tried to put it out of my mind, but I can't resist. There's a lot going on with this hunting vest by Ralph Lauren.  But I mean that in a good way. It has juuuuuust the right combination of 2 trends currently on the radar right now- the hunting jacket/vest and down-filled vesting.  Here's the pro's for me:

• Not too puffy and a slim fit despite the quilting and "heavier" details like the field pockets.
  

• The use of materials- cotton quilting, corduroy accents, leather shoulder patch and neck roll strap- are complimentary.

 

• The absolutely fantastic plaid lining (I think Mr. Wastler from all plaidout would approve.)  

The  Bottom Line: The choice of colors in high and low browns and tans (combined with the mix of materials) really play nicely together in a great Fall layer.

From the Archives: If the Shoe Fits...

So I picked myself up a new pair of dress shoes to compliment my wardrobe. I had been looking and looking for just the right pair of dress shoes in a nice, walnut-like color and, after trial and error with some pairs, I got lucky.

I was returning a pair of this "error" variety that I had ordered online to a brick and mortar location, and lo and behold, these Bostonians jumped out at me. They are their "Fremont" model in brown (I would call it a "walnut" or "oak" even). I had not seen them in store before (believe me, I would remember). So I tried them on, and jackpot. The right color, the right look, and- most importantly- the right fit. They go great with navy and gray suiting and are a great addition to any wardrobe.

Upon browsing some more of Bostonian's other offerings I also caught site of my next pair of true Oxfords. By "true Oxford" I mean the vamp (tongue and "upper" of the shoe) has only a slit where the laces attach to tie the shoe versus 2 separately stitched pieces of leather attached to the vamp. That type are called "Bluchers"- like the above Fremont model I purchased. A lot of companies today market shoes as Oxfords, but in reality they are Bluchers ("open laced"). Here's the "Canton" model I am considering. See how the vamp (upper) is one piece with the laces going through it? That is a true Oxford and not a Blucher. You may also notice I have a thing for details on my shoes. While neither of these pair are full out "brogues" (think wingtips), I do prefer a little detailing to give the shoe a little oomph. The first pair- the "Fremont"- has a little more to it beyond just the cap toe being perforated. But the sleek look of the black "Canton" Oxford model is not lost with lots of detail- minimal perforations on the cap toe and along the side accent this great looking shoe, but do not overwhelm the beauty.

The best part? Bostonian makes these quality shoes for anywhere from $75 to $130. For a good dress shoe, that's cheap. How long they will last remains to be seen, but they do have a sole that seems ripe for replacing in the future so I just have to keep the upper nice (read: shoe shine periodically). You can find them at Bostonianshoe.com (powered by Zappos) or any of their affiliated partners. You can also find Bostonians at their eponymous brick and mortar stores or department stores like Macy's carrying their line (click on the "Where to Buy" tab at the Bostonian website for a store location near you). Many of these sites and stores I am sure will also have some discount, coupon, or other deal at any given time (I got $10 off at the time), so the price point may be even sweeter.

Remember, if the shoe fits, it doesn't mean you should buy it. Think about the fit absolutely, but also make sure you are getting a style you like and one that wears well both in style and color with whatever clothing with which you are trying to pair them. Lastly, the quality makes a difference. Pick up a decent pair like these Bostonians or even Florsheim, Johnston & Murphy or Banana Republic for fair money. You can also go high end on the likes of Aldi or Ferragamo, but then you are talking an entire other post on price vs. quality and I am out of time.

Originally posted in Spring, 2009