Visiting The Asher's Summer Cottage

Once in while you enter someone's home and you feel like you have been there before. So warm and inviting, you immediately feel relaxed and comfortable and think "Yes, I am finally home!" Many summers ago I was fortunate enough to meet some new friends from Canada who summer with us. They invited my family to a party at their home to celebrate Canada Day. That's when I first came upon The Asher's Summer Cottage. So sweet and perfectly nestled into its setting it took my breath my away. Sadly, the party was outdoors (as I was secretly dying to get in) but my new friend and I shared a love of decor and she graciously left her guests to give me a tour. She has again graciously let me inside her home so that I might share it with you.

You arrive via a wonderful antique brick pathway. Today I will share with you the family room and the kitchen. Please bear with my novice efforts at photography. The house is far more beautiful than my amateur photos can capture.

The kitchen is a lovely room flooded with sunshine. Casement windows and wide oak floors add to the cottage charm. Notice the marble topped antique bakers table, the custom built in banquette and floral embroidered pillows.

Opposite the dining table used to be a wall which closed in the spaces. They opened up the wall an repaired the two sided fireplace using antique bricks, which they washed in white. I love the slipcovered chairs and teal antique pantry cupboard.

The kitchen has such lovely aged surfaces. Custom cabinets are glazed and finished to resemble aged driftwood or wood bleached by the sun. All counters are covered with antique carrara marble. Edges are chipped and worn and the marble has a lovely patina. The center island cupboards are painted and distressed black and topped with a huge marble slab. Because antique carrara marble of this size is nearly impossible to come by, they were able to find a piece that was tea stained and aged to match the perimeter antique counters.

Here are close ups of the cabinet glaze and the antiqued aged marble.

The kitchen from the opposite side. Beautiful French Doors lead out to an antique brick patio.

Notice the lower baking counter to the right of the stove. A perfect baking area for our children, who were making cookies to sell at the Village Fair Bake Sale. Isn't this what kitchens are for?

Spectacular casement windows open to lovely gardens beyond.

The family room is filled with slipcovered sofas , painted tables and antique pine. An accent wall in painted a pale, robin's egg blue. This adds to the tranquil feeling in this space. A wall of french doors opens to a screened porch. Handmade pillows are fish prints done each year at the Fair by her son. Framed antique boat blueprints, linen roman shades and sisal rug complete the look.

A warm and wonderful space for a warm and wonderful family. Thank you for letting us take a peek inside!

Lighting in the Christopher Peacock Style Kitchen

Many of you have emailed me asking where to find some of the non cabinet elements of a Christopher Peacock Style Kitchen. Let's look at some of the lights that are so popular in the these kitchens:

House Beautiful photo

House Beautiful photo

MLS photo

You often see hanging shade pendant lights as in the photos above from House Beautiful and MLS. These lights are from Vaughan Lighting.

Vaughan Lighting

Vaughan Lighting

The top light is called the Menton Hanging Shade the bottom and the Nickel Hanging Shade from Vaughan lighting. Both are only available to the trade.

Shades of Light

The Kensington Pendant is a wonderful copy available from Shades of Light. A bargain at only $279.

MLS Photo

Studio Pedrazzi Architects and Design

MLS Photo

Here are more industrial lights. The top lights are most likely from Circa Lighting, the bottom ones may be vintage.

Circa Lighting

Circa Lighting

These two lights, top, Country Industrial and bottom, Yoke Pendant, are both from Circa Lighting.

Restoration Hardware

The Benson and Harmon Pendants are more affordable options available from Restoration Hardware.

Here are some School House Pendants. These are very easy to find from both the higher end lighting manufacturers or the more affordable manufacturers.

Restoration Hardware

Shades of Light

The first is from Restoration Hardware, the second from Shades of Light , both very affordable and classic in styling.

Making a subtle change in your own kitchen by adding classically styled pendant lights is just one way you can get a step to closer to one of America's most copied kitchens.

Elements of a Christopher Peacock Style Kitchen

A sincere "Thank You!" to the Washington Post for including this post in your Blog Watch, July 24th, 2008!

In my quest to revamp my kitchen and pantry, I have studied countless Christopher Peacock Kitchens for inspiration. Because Christopher Peacock limits images which can be copied I was able to locate some of his work via Real Estate listings in Hampton, NY and Greenwich, CT. All the pictures below are from real estate listings which noted that the kitchen was designed by Christopher Peacock.

The signature Peacock White Scullery Kitchen. Counters are carrera marble with a white subway backsplash. Notice the pot filler behind the stove and high arc faucets. The pendant lights are usually hung in twos or threes. These lights are from Circa.


Another signature Peacock white kitchen. Cabinetry is inset and counters are soapstone. This kitchen also has High arc faucets and pot filler. Note that the stove hood design is similar. Also notice the notched corners on the island, both are signature Peacock styles. One interesting feature of this particular kitchen is the sink in the center island. I read an article where Peacock mentioned he does not generally prefer to have a sink in this location. He said he liked the center island sleek and unobstructed.




Another carrera marble kitchen. I love the darker wood floors with these cabinets, versus the lighter floors above. Notice the faucets are also high arc and brushed stainless. These particular faucets are KWC Systema style, very pricey. Also notice the ice box style hinges and latches on the doors. This kitchen has inset stainless steel drawers. I am not a fan of these, as a mother of two, I just could not keep them fingerprint free.


Here is a lovely Peacock kitchen in the Hampton's. These floors are not wood, but a lovely slate - very pretty. I love the butcher block and marble island. Notice the glass front subzero refrigerator. I love the color of this kitchen and the multiple surfaces; marble, soapstone, slate and wood.


These two pictures are from a Peacock kitchen that is in a new spec home in Greenwich. The floors are amazing! Notice the marble and soapstone counters; and classic bin pulls and latches on the cabinets. I like how you can see the microwave in the bottom right photo, but when you enter the kitchen it is hidden on the side by the refrigerator. Inset cabinetry, pot filler, subway tile - seeing some trends?



Here is a different style Peacock kitchen. This is from an older home. I think probably a kitchen done by Peacock before his White Scullery Kitchen got so popular. Notice the heavier mouldings on the door and corbels. Notice the apron front sink, classic white school house pendant lights and large wood cabinet knobs. I am not a huge fan of the green hood though.



Here is another one from the Hampton's. I love the warmth of this kitchen. Although a white kitchen, it does not have the starkness of some the others. The backsplash behind the stove is lovely. It is small marble bricks with an inset arch; nice touch. The ceiling and the fixtures lend a more rustic feel.



This kitchen is obviously more formal. I love the X cabinetry. Pendant lights, ice box latches, bin pulls, marble and soapstone complete the look. Another notched corner island with a rectangular sink.

All above photos MLS

Here is the final kitchen from the real estate listings, notice the backsplash behind the stove. Here they use a solid piece of marble - you really get to see the veining in the stone. Also note the center island with sink and wood top. Perhaps clients do not always agree that a center island should be unobstructed.

These two final kitchens are the only images from actual Christopher Peacock ads. The first kitchen is called the Refectory Kitchen. I love the pendant lights, similar to the lights in one of the kitchens above. In the second kitchen I love the backsplash behind the stove. The use of subway tile and then marble surround is beautiful and elegant. I love the way they flip the backsplash design on the side counter and use the marble surrounded by subway tiles. Notched center island again, marble counters, square style hood, bin pulls and latches. Classic and beautiful. No wonder its one of the most envied and most requested style kitchen in America today.