Here is the link

Here is a link that might be useful: Christopher Peacock Kitchens

what's your favorite?

I like the Refractory Kitchen the best (the first image from the non-real estate pics), but also adore the wood floors with stained blocks on the diagonal.

thanks for sharing.

The kitchens are certainly very lovely. It is a very distinct look and I really like the marble with inset white cabinets. The only thing I wonder about is why the photos show such a lack of individuality - if I was having a kitchen designed at this price point I'd want it to look less cookie cutterish - that is just me, though.

Afr66 I was wondering the same thing. I have seen more inovative kitchens here that forum members have put together probably for the fraction of the price. I am not impressed. Some people are just impressed by a name I guess.

I don't think they are cookie cutter - I think they are classics. That collection of photos is predominantly the CP White Scullery kitchen. That is the kitchen many people take to their cabinet makers to copy. These kitchens, IMO, are timeless. Open any home magazine and a white/marble or white/soapstone kitchen will be in every issue.

I don't disagree that the kitchens are classic and beautiful. I just find they start to look the same to me after I've seen multiple photos. They, of course, do not look lived in (as they are staged) so that adds to the feeling of sameness among them. I love the white cabinet with marble or dark counter look but it seems to make up about 70% of photos in the home magazines these days so, in my mind, it tends to blur together after awhile.

Thanks for posting those. I love that style, but my favorites are the ones with some individual flair like the kitchen with the rustic chairs and the kitchen with the checkerboard wood floor. The other kitchens look stark because they're not lived in yet. The owners will be able to add their individual touches with beautiful china, flowers, glassware, even their toaster and coffee makers.

Great posting! Enjoyed looking at the pics. Agree with erika, love the style but prefer the ones with some individuality showing. I am finding that I am drawn more to the pics that have some kind of variation to them. The all white cabs with all white counters is a bit sterile looking. It helps when the island is done with some differentiation. Thanks for sharing those pics and any more you have are certainly welcomed.

The word is actually Refectory, which is another word for a dining hall, not refractory. The blog is rife with spelling and grammatical errors and incorrect stylistic attributions. It is interesting to see all those scullery pics on one place, though.

This was incredibly helpful for those of us who like elements of the Peacock kitchens but are trying to create an individual look. Thank you!

Since when is advertising allowed?

I'm afraid I was thinking the same thing as cocontom.

How is that advertising? Those links go to her blog...

I didn't think that at first, but have to agree after seeing the Swedish Gustavian post shortly after the Christopher Peacock post.

It's subtle, but if you click on the "about me" link in the blog, you find out that the OP can help you with certain decorating styles. I'm assuming for a fee.

i've seen quite a few peacock kitchens, both in person and pictures, and they always seem so drab and lifeless.

i mean, it's hard to find fault, because the materials are obviously the best money can buy, the design is well-thought-out and classic, the look is timeless and elegant while also casual and homey-feeling.

and yet....i'm left wanting something more. they're so safe and boring. so predictable.

quite a few people's kitchens in the FKB are just as nice as any Peacock kitchen and they were probably done for half the budget.

can you say overrated? i thought you could.

There are many, many people who post on these boards who also provide relevant home improvement services for a fee. The degree of subtlety that is employed to get that point across varies. But,I don't think Willowdecor has gone over the top in letting us know s/he's a designer. I also don't think that about any of the self-disclosed designers, tradespeople and other business owners who regularly post here. In general, I tend to get less unhinged by small business owners who participate in the community and share helpful information and advice than I do by blatant business reps who are clearly just hawking their products. JMHO.

I agree with edlakin, there are many kitchens in the FKB that are just as nice as a Peacock kitchen and were undoubtedly done for much less. But I love the style, and I don't really care how much other people spend on their kitchens. Timeless, casual, homey, elegant ... those all sound great to me.

I agree with marthavila, willowdecor hasn't advertised anything; I did see her profile on her blog but that's very subtle too. I welcome her contributions here as long as she doesn't advertise.

But I love the style, and I don't really care how much other people spend on their kitchens. Timeless, casual, homey, elegant ... those all sound great to me.

i love the style too. that's what's so puzzling. those kitchens have all the elements that i love, and yet i find them so bleh. soulless. boring. no interest.

You know, I'm not even so sure that Gina is a designer! If anything, her blog is an enthusiastic platform for sharing about design, especially Swedish design. In it, she even mentions her own reno projects and gives alot of press to other designers, including Peacock. But nowhere does it impress as an electronic business card for use in promoting her own design services. I'm thinking maybe there's been some jumping to confusions on this one. (At least I hope so.) And, if that's the case, Gina, please accept our apologies and welcome to the GW Kitchen Forum!

On the Peacock kitchens, I agree with all that's been said. They are gorgeous, elegant, classy AND soulless! There's no doubt I've been heavily influenced by the Peacock movement in kitchen design. Heck, I'm going for white cabs, soapstone counters, hardwood floors, etc. But I'm also planning on adding some real colors and diverse textures, and all kinds of other artful touches to the room so that you know it's Marthavila's kitchen -- not a picture perfect showroom. (Once again, at least that's what I'm hoping for!) :)

I, too, didn't see an ad for anything or anyone and we can just enjoy looking at and talking about the kitchens. Many are too cold and spotless for me...I actually favor the one with the green hood (although hate the gloppy corbels and would've chosen a different color than the green) --But anyone who's seen my kitchen wouldn't likely be surprised at that choice. I also like the white ones with more natural wood to add some warmth and texture. Others are extremely classic, doing the black and white thing, so the owner can add the soul with personal elements and the people it holds. A few pies cooling on the counters would help a lot... :-)

Pictures from real estate advertisements are still copyrighted. You are re-posting pictures from relatively famous sources_(the kichendesigner and from House Beautiful) - I'm guessing without permission.

You might want to review copyright and gaining permission from the original creator of a work as it applies your specific the internets with your lawyer.
It can be argued that you are robbing the original photographers and designers of income.

As you gain more notice, you don't want their lawyers noticing you.

Don't many of us post pics from House Beautiful and other magazines to show kitchens that have inspired us. I seem to remember a whole thread of pics from magazines. If having a blog that copies pics from different sources on the internet violates copyright law than I guess most of us will be contacted by an attorney at some point for the inspiring pics we've shared in our postings.

Between the lawyers coming after us and our early deaths from granite, the GW is becoming a dangerous place :-

I know Gina (and Hi Gina - hope you're enjoying your summer at the beach!) - heck, I'm the one who told her about GW and the finishedkitchensblog! She is NOT a designer, just a very enthusiastic lover of home design and home furnishing who enjoys offering to help others. To be fair, however, I wasn't sure if she was posting to share the pics or posting to share her blog. Either way, I don't think there's anything taboo about either - self-serving, possibly, but illegal/otherwise wrong, no.

As for the Peacock kitchens, I agree w/ the others above - they're not my thing because, IMHO, they are too formulaic and overly copied. For me, the kitchen has always been the SOUL of my home so I need it to reflect our family, not a magazine spread, and for me that takes more than just accessories. Again, just my opinion :-)

Heck, if we all agreed on the perfect look for our kitchens, we'd never have the great threads to follow like we do on GW!!

eek, I'm always posting inspiration pics here on GW. I thought the copyright only applies if they are being re-used for a commercial purpose, but I could be completely mistaken.

okay... don't know if she was advertising or not... I did appreciate the pictures of the CP kitchens. Just for anyone who is interested, check out this blog spot. I LOVE it! This woman is amazing. I learned of this last week on GW .... someone posted her blogspot because she had a "something's gotta give" article on her blog. It is still there toward the bottom. Lots of other nice photos, including a LA house from a movie set with an amazing and very modern kitchen. I have saved this blogspot in my favorites because it is eye candy for me. hope you enjoy it too.

Here is a link that might be useful: fabulous blogspot

Thanks for posting that, mama! I found that blog long ago when I was looking for SGG type kitchens, and now she's done another column on duplicating the SGG look. Did you notice that she critiques a kitchen that belongs to a GWer?? She gives her a B because she didn't care for her dining table.

Copying the photos into your own site and using them to illustrate design articles in your blog that is then featured in the Washington Post is not fine unless you have permission to use the images.

To have a pile of clippings (mag and internet) for your personal use is fine. For you to use one or more of those images to illustrate something to your next door neighbor is fine. I guess you could argue that we are all just your cyber neighbors. I don't think it would work... but then again, I don't think any mfg is going to come to you with a cease and desist order. They'd go to gardenweb.

The photoshops of tiles as backsplash are fine - "a derivitive art work" is always ok. As far as I know, making thumbnails or showing low res images as a "preview" is fine.

What I do most often is show the product image from the mfg or sellers site and link to a seller - probably not fine and I'd certainly cease and desist if asked (aka "when caught").

Wow- Thanks for all the comments! I am surprised by how many and the tone of some. It was not my intention to advertise in any way. I am not a designer, but have often been told I could be by friends and family. I do not charge for services, but am an enthusiastic lover of design and decor, hence the blog. As far as self promotion I really do not need to do that on this forum. My blog was just selected as a "must click" by The Washington Post.
Over the past three days more than 3000 people have visited my blog. Thanks to mnhockeymom, I found and read this forum often and have found it invaluable in my own renovation project. As a result of the Washington Post endorsement, another blogger friend emailed me this morning as suggested I post some of my more popular blogs on this site so others could see the photos. I sincerely thought others would like to see what I have been searching, saving and cataloguing for several years. To those concerned about copyright issues, it is common practice in the blogging world that as long as you reference and give credit to the photos you share, you are not breaking copyright laws. I hope you will continue enjoy my comments and blog postings. And, when my renovation is finished, the photos of my Swedish/Christopher Peacock inspired Kitchen and Butler's Pantry. PS- Kristin - hope you are also having a great summer!
Wishing you all the very best,
Gina

Hi Gina!

I've bookmarked your blog after reading through much of it, and I look forward to more content. I can't wait to see your finished kitchen. Are you blogging the progress too? That's always fascinating to me.

I look forward to seeing more of your contributions here on GW. Good luck with your kitchen project!

Erika

Thanks Erika, on my blog there are two links that you will enjoy the first is Cote de Texas - Joni is a wonderful, generous and gracious designer from Houston who profiles the most spectacular homes. She recently did a posting on SGG. Also go to April and check out her "Stalking the Wheats" Posting. It is my favorite of all times. Also click on Surroundings, Linda is a designer in Boston who did the original SGG post that was so popular and ended up getting interviewed and her blog was featured in the New York Times. She has profiled many movie set "houses". For some real interesting renovations click on Ferret and Hound, Claudia and her architect husband are creating some wonderful things together.

bmorepanic - Thanks for reminding me to be more diligent in my record keeping and cataloguing of my on line photos. You do bring up good points.

Erika, Marthavila, Pluckymama and Rhome410 - Thanks for being half full thinkers! The world needs more like you!

I also bookmarked your blog. It is really great! Thanks for taking the time to share your pictures with us!

Gina, I really appreciate your enthusiasm for design. Here, you've not only researched, studied, analyzed, categorized, written, formatted and published your findings but you also take delight in freely sharing some of those findings with others. IMHO, that's the best of blogging! Like others, I have already bookmarked your blog and I sure hope you continue to share your treats with us on this forum. BTW, in looking at the photos of Swedish kitchens, I especially adore those crossed-transom glass cab doors and those wonderfully checked and skirted Bellman chairs. As if my head is not already swimming with choices, these could seduce me into expanding my wish list . . . hmmmm. Thanks! (Or thanks?) LOL!

Erika - Thanks so much for your kind comments. So funny! I also love the X cabinets. I will be putting them in my new kitchen, and I have skirted Bellman Chairs! LOL!

I am putting in the link to Kvanum Kok in Sweden - They have wonderful Kitchens worth viewing. And, lucky for us they are opening showrooms in Florida and San Francisco.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kvanum Kok

willowdecor,
I was one of the half empty group... just wanted to say that I am officially embarrassed for judging at all, but especially for misjudging. Please accept my apologies. Also, thank you for your explanation of decorator's blogging which is a new world for me (and a very exciting one which I am sure will exhaust mass amounts of "free" time!!).

meh. She could have started the thread inviting people to look at her blog and been more transparent. Bloggers get page hits. Bloggers that get a lot of page hits get advertising income. Bloggers that get adversing income sometimes get book deals. I think it's fine to have a blog and want to promote it. I just think the original posts should be more clear. I also think speaking authoritatively about styles/materials should include some level of accuracy.

Well, I think the fact that her screen name is willowdecor, and the URL that she posted is willowdecor.blogspot.com makes it pretty transparent that the link was to her blog.

Some of those Christopher Peacock kitchens do look rather soulless, but they are not staged in any way -- no dishes in the cabinets, no art work on the walls, no window treatments, no stools, food, etc. I think if you gussied them up, they'd look quite pretty.

histokitch, I agree with you to a point. Yes, jeannie_kitchen, her GW screen name and URL/blog name match so it was somewhat transparent. It's just that the original post (as well as the Gustavian one) were without any introduction of purpose so it left one to wonder what the point was. Because I know Gina, I gave her the benefit of the doubt that she doesn't post often here so she isn't used to the conversational nature of the posts/threads, AND she was also probably busy and scattered so she just put the posts out there in what appeared to be a format that resembles those of the self-promoting vendors and others who are pushing their ideas, products, and services for their own benefit. I will also admit that I did briefly ponder whether posting her own blog would generate revenue for her because of the increased hits to it - Gina is very enterprising but I don't want to believe that that was her ulterior motive. In the end, she took some criticism for her posts, earned or not - live and learn, I guess.

My only comment on bloggers generally (and yes, a dangerous overgeneralization, I know!) is that many of them are just average folks who by the grace of the internet have managed to make themselves an "authority" on a certain subject/thing and that's a bit concerning. Being passionate about something and reshuffling information gathered from other sources doesn't make one an authority and the internet seems to blur those lines. Nevertheless, many of them provide great information in one spot which saves plenty of us time from our endless surfing :-)

@mnhockeymom, great post! Very thoughtfully worded. Thanks for saying what I was thinking yesterday when I first saw the two posts from Gina (and her brief responses on three other threads, where she also posted a link to her blog).

Also thanks for being something of a "referee" on this discussion, as it was starting to take what I perceived to be a negative turn. That may just have been a knee-jerk reaction on my part (if you knew me, you'd know I'm not a "glass half-empty" person). The point is, even though last night I decided to take a break from this forum for a while due principally to this thread, it turns out I couldn't stay away! It's really too informative, not to mention entertaining.

Good luck to willowdecor on her blog. By the way, 5 of those 3,000 hits were mine! One per each of her posts, for no other reason than I'm a compulsive follower of links.

Misunderstandings occur so easily on this internet medium. Unless someone's motivations are glaringly obvious or stated, I try to give people the benefit of the doubt.

mnhockeymom, you make some really great points. I hope everyone realizes that anyone can have their own blog, and they may be no more of an authority than the next person. Some of the things I read on the designing blogs I find downright silly, but I enjoy reading about other people's perspectives on style.

Angelina, glad you didn't stay away for long! :)

mnhockeymom - if you come back to this post, can you do me a favor and email me at malhgold at optonline dot net. I have a question for you. Thanks!

Leslie

To many posters: Thanks for the positive comments. To the stalwart naysayers: if I wanted to disguise myself and try to secretly plug my blog why in the world would I chose my user name to be the same as my blog? Wouldn't a person like that choose a different user name so as not to arouse suspicion? Sorry to disappoint, but I really just wanted to show the Kitchens. I am also attaching a link to another blogger who has done a great job of finding photos of CP kitchens too. Time for all of us close the book this - I for one will not be posting on this thread again.

Here is a link that might be useful: More CP kitchens

I was pretty much set on a Christopher Peacock type kitchen and was planning white cabinets, soapstone counter on perimeter, butcher block or cherry island and natural oak flooring. I plan to install radiant floor heating (not electric) and now have been told that I can't do an on site wood floor installation and will need to do engineered wood. The reason for the radiant heat is to correct a heating issue in this part of the house, so this is non-negotiable. The house was built in 1936 and has white oak flooring in a natural oil finish. Can I get an engineered wood floor to look and wear like these? If not (and I want the Christopher Peacock look) can I use a stone floor with soapstone counter. I was thinking of a noce colored travertine. I can't picture it! Any thoughts?