Now that our English-inspired cottage kitchen is “finished”, let the merry Christmas festivities and memory making begin! This will be our first family Christmas in this home! In anticipation of wonderful new family gatherings and memories that will be made here, I want to share a little story about our kitchen design that you may not know.
We designed this space with memorable details inspired by the kitchen in the English Tudor home where we last lived together as a family. The last Christmas we had together there was in 2008, just days before we moved away (in a terrible snow storm!) on January 1 to begin new lives.
This makes me teary! Seasons change. It is a long story I won’t share in great detail as I’ve chronicled a lot of it on the blog.
If you’ve followed for a long time, you might even remember our English Tudor home as we lived there when my blog began way back in 2007! While our family never all lived together in one house permanently again, after my husband and I along with our second-grade son moved to Washington state, our two daughters eventually moved to Seattle to be closer to their brother and began new lives there, too.
Our oldest daughter Kylee and her husband Lance have since returned to the area in Oregon where we lived before, but the sacrifices our daughters and son-in-law made during that season to be near family as their brother grew up brings me to tears. As bittersweet as that season was in many ways, we were very blessed that our family remained close regardless of circumstances. And while we left our last family home, we’ve created other homes that each became a special backdrop for family times and memories!
Fast forward through many more changes, challenges, adventures, book writing, blogging and blessings, including two more moves in the following decade to now….
We are empty nesters now, just getting settled here in our “cottage by the sea” where we moved two years ago.
At the time we invited my parents to move here with us, we weren’t exactly sure how it would work for us all in this smallish home on a small lot. But we just trusted this move and home was the right decision and that somehow we’d figure it out! And we did.
This past year we went through a big renovation to rework our floor plan including a small addition. Now this home is a comfortable place for all of us to enjoy island life and the comforts of home. I will share more of my parents’ Tiny Cottage soon!
This brings me back to the story about my inspiration for our new kitchen! I designed the kitchen in original English Tudor back in Portland around existing elements to create a warm and welcoming space a budget! Previously it had been a smelly rat-infested space with raccoons on the roof, but I found ways to salvage what I could. Needless to say, we improved it greatly! It became a charming English-inspired family kitchen and the heart of our home where so many gatherings took place and memories were made.
While we’ve renovated two other kitchens I also loved since then, neither of them were quite right for my favorite English-inspired style from our Tudor.
When we decided to create a new kitchen here, there were many appropriate style directions I could have gone in. Ultimately, I was inspired to bring in my love of English-inspired design along with the related memories of our family home in Portland to this one!
Leaving our hometown, our family, and our English Tudor all those years ago was hard, but now with our new Englished-inspired kitchen I feel like I have a piece of that special season and home back with me!
Even though we didn’t replicate every design element of our English Tudor kitchen exactly, we created a similar feeling while also incorporating the style and features that honor this coastal home.
Now every time I see the warmth of our creamy white cabinets, the bin pulls on the drawers, our soapstone counters, the tongue and groove paneling, a nickel faucet at the white sink, a charming stove alcove, the brackets under our glass cabinets, the open shelves, the center island, the bookcases, the space for the kitchen stool, the toile fabric, I feel like we’re home again.
Of course, everything is not the same as it was in that last Christmas in our English Tudor! There are no kids living here day to day with us now. But our family is happy and healthy and building their lives and we have our first grandbaby on the way!
Seasons change, homes change, but the love of family does not.
In just a week or so, our three kids and two son-in-laws will return home. Not to the same English kitchen where we last lived together long ago, but to this new inspired one we created for family. Here in our English-inspired kitchen in our cottage by the sea, we are filled with gratitude that new family gatherings will take place, more Christmas memories will be made and old ones cherished. Our heart is here. This is home now.
I will for sure return to share more of our Christmas home and the Tiny Cottage, too.
This is so sweet Melissa. I have been reading since way back when and I, too, feel that familiarity from your old home. As I have shared before, your story of moving and uprooting is close to my heart as we did the same, leaving our home in California and moved to Virginia with our first born! It was such encouragement to hear your story then as I lived out my own. And now, years later, it is all still bittersweet. Thank you for sharing! And your home all set up for your first Christmas together is stunning. Wishing you all the best in this holiday season. xo
So good to hear from you Ashley, I’ve always appreciated you being here following through all of the changes and moves! It truly is bittersweet but we are glad to be “home.” Hope you are doing well! Thank you!!
Love what you’ve done to the kitchen! Do you have the name of the cabinet manufacturer?
Thank you! The were a custom cabinet through Husky I think is the brand?
I remember reading your blog back in 2014 when I first subscribed to the inspiredroom. I took away a feeling of hope,love and contentment for the home we live in.That I think is what you still share .A feeling of finding a home wherever we find love and staying in love.
Thank you, Amrita! So kind of you to comment. I’m so thankful to have this community of long time friends and many new ones, too!!
I’ve loved how you make every house a home through the years; but, this house and the view – swoon! Thank you for sharing!
That’s so kind thank you Peggy! We are happy to be getting settled in! We love it here. 🥰
I remember that kitchen, it was my very favorite! love this one too! Glad you were able to recreate it!
Thank you!! How neat to hear that you remember it! So long ago! I’m really happy to have some of those memories here 🫶🏻
I miss my (40 years of memories) English Tudor (1932) after 15 years away. We built (ourselves) a log cabin by the lake & surprises me how much “yours & my” kitchens resemble one another…once a “Tudor” always a Tudor, huh!! franki
That is so funny — I think you’re right!
It’s truly beautiful and I hope you enjoy it for many years.
What paint color did you use on the cabinets? I love it!
I am curious to learn more of your original story. Is there a way to access your original blogs?
Yes you can still see posts with the story, photos weren’t great from back then but here is one! https://theinspiredroom.net/my-old-english-tudor-house/
I love your comment that seasons and homes change, but the love of family does not. We have to move every couple of years, so that is good for me to remember. Your home is always an inspiration!
Beautiful English Kitchen!!!!
Love your home — would you share pretty blue paint color in your family room? Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thank you so much for the sweet comment, Jan! The blue paint color is Beach Glass by Benjamin Moore. Merry Christmas to you!