Thrifty Threads At Home - Kitchen

As many of you know, I recently moved to a new apartment.  The circumstances surrounding the move were admittedly unfortunate, but I couldn't be happier with my new place.  This apartment has such charm and character, with small details that really make it feel like home.  Over the next several weeks and months, I plan to post a series of installments to share my new place with you.  I hope you enjoy! 


KITCHEN
     
      Approximate Size: 160 square feet
     Number of Windows: 1

The kitchen could easily be my favorite room in the entire apartment.  Because the layout of the apartment requires you to walk through the kitchen in order to access any of the other rooms, the kitchen truly feels like the heart of the apartment.  And although there is only one small window in the kitchen, the light from the other three rooms pours into the kitchen, brightening up the space.

 

My dishwasher -- a real treat!

The kitchen is also the room where the apartment's 1920s details seem to be the most intact.  When the realtor showed me this apartment, she mentioned that the landlords had considered demolishing the china cabinet when renovating this unit.  The realtor convinced them that the cabinet was an added value, and she finally talked the landlords into leaving it in the unit.  I'm so glad she did, because this gorgeous cabinet works as a focal point in the kitchen, in addition to providing precious storage place. 

These first two shelves house my favorite kitchen decor items, including a trivet with Philadelphia landmarks

Lesser-used items are stored on the top two shelves

This plate was a gift from my parents, who have the same plate displayed in their home.

A find from the used bookstore: Good Housekeeping's Book of Menus, Receipes, and Household Discoveries. c1922.

Vintage sign - a $2.99 purchase from Goodwill 

This used to house a built-in ironing board.  It now serves as a broom closet

Citrus fruits have always been one of my favorite design motifs, especially for the kitchen.  Surrounding myself with pictures of lemons and oranges helps to create an environment that feels fresh, clean, vibrant, and cheerful.  I already owned several pieces of citrus-themed artwork from my prior apartment and have reused those pictures to decorate the breakfast nook.  Expanding on the citrus theme, these three lemon prints were a special purchase for the new apartment.  Each of these pieces is actually a label from lemon crates shipped during the 1930s-1950s.  At $20 per print, this artwork was relatively inexpensive.  By framing the prints in economical standard size frames (12"x16"), I was able to avoid the expense of having custom frames created.  I did splurge on the premium textured mats to accentuate the colors in each label, but even so, the cost to purchase, mat, and frame these three prints was less than $150 in total. 

Shipping labels from the 1930s-1950s

Furniture and Decor:

IKEA: 

• Leksvik Drop-Leaf Kitchen Table in Antique Stain
• Ingolf Chair in Antique Stain

Thrift Store:

• Chartreuse green lamp ($7)
• "Dairy Made Ice Cream" sign ($3)
• Glass milk bottles ($.25)
• Copper coffee pot ($5)
• Good Housekeeping tin ($2, top shelf)

Antique Stores: 

• Lemon shipping crate labels
• Vintage "Autowate" food scale
• Vintage "Lightning" Ice Cube Breaker 
• Assorted small tins

Other Items:

• Villeroy and Boch Noah's Ark plate from Design Naif
• City of Philadelphia trivet (similar)

 Thanks for allowing me to share my kitchen with you!
  If you are curious about where I purchased any items not listed above, please let me know.