The kitchen is the most important part of my house.  Always.  Our current kitchen is the worst of the worst.  I think there are apartments in New York City that are bigger than this kitchen.  Given that I have a growing collection of vintage bar-ware, kitchen ware, plates, etc. this really needed to change.

Despite how tiny the actual kitchen is, there is all this extra room on the other side of the counter that is not being used very well.  We've stuck a table and bench in the corner, but it could be so much better with a counter stretching into it and the other side open into the dining room.

As you can see, there are a lot of things that need to change.  The priorities are:

1. Open up the kitchen onto the rest of the house.

2. Increase storage but also keep it looking really clean and simple.

3. Make it functional for all of us to work in the kitchen at the same time.

Here's the plan:

1. Remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room and push the kitchen a few feet so it's the same length as the dining room (there's currently a three foot gap).

2. Create a pantry space for storage so there doesn't need to be overhead cabinets in the kitchen + a spot for a second oven, second sink & dishwasher.  

3. Create an island between the kitchen and dining room so there is ample work space all the way around the counters.

I'm dreaming of opening up the kitchen and having an island between the kitchen and the dining room.  And that brass hood?  Are you kidding me?  I'm having a brass hood for sure.  In talking to Mr. Hedin, it's actually way more affordable than it looks.  We can purchase basic hood mechanics and hang them up.  Then we can have a metal worker bend a frame and hang that from the ceiling around the basic mechanics.  (This is why you marry a contractor ladies.)

I want the space to feel really open and light while maintaining some element of mid-century.  The ribbon windows will help to bring light in without staring at the neighbors house.  Having the room open to the rest of the house should help with the rest.

This is a room that I plan on spending loads of time.  So I'll be putting loads of thought into this space!  I can't wait to show you the next steps.

xoxo, ali

Shop the look

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The first thing Mr. Hedin and I thought of when we started dreaming of our new house was the Parker Palm Springs.  We love the Parker.  We love going into Mr. Parker for a Manhattan.  We love wandering the grounds.  We love the vintage vibe of the whole place.

I have pinned one million images from the Parker, Emily Henderson, and my latest idol, Sarah Sherman Samuel.

Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan home images

We've stolen ideas from all of these fabulous designers to make our dream house.  The most important - the showstopper - the centerpiece - will be a freestanding fireplace of some sort.  I'm hoping against hope that it looks like the fireplace in Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan's house.  Our energy codes in Washington State are a little fussier than they are in New York which means it can't be totally open like this.  

Despite our architect visibly sighing when I said this is what I wanted, he's come up with some ideas that will work within the rules.  It's going to be awesome.  

Parker Palm Springs image via Parker website

image via Sarah Sherman Samuel

We will have about 800 windows on the backside of the house and everything inside will be painted white.  I can only hope it reflects the light the way this A-Frame reflects the light!  The pictures of us will be so pretty. Let's be honest, you don't design a house that you can't take a good photo of yourself in.  White walls for the win.

image via Emily Henderson

I'm really drawn to these spaces that echo the 1970's aesthetic.  I'll be bringing in loads of color but only in accents and wall hangings.  The walls, floors and basics will be neutral colors so I can change my mind a lot because you know I will.

xoxo, ali

The Hedin family has decided to embark on a major massive remodel project.  By major and massive, I mean we have to move our of the house and we don't get to go back into it for almost a year.  All of my fingers and toes and ankles are crossed in hopes that it will be done in less than a year.  But we all know how big projects go...

The original house was built in the late 1940's early 1950's and has some elements of mid-century modern (which we love) but not enough elements to be actually cool.

Ugg, the front door.  Let's start with the front door I guess.  It's ugly.  I believe they painted it red to sell it because the color has faded dramatically since we bought the house.  The windows are awesome.  The shutters on the side?  The curvy everything at the front?  No thank you.  This all has to change.

The front entrance has a front door that pops you into a small entry area.  When the front door is open you are held within a small four foot area that's a little tight for greeting people and taking coats.  When friends come to get their kids from playdates there's a weird thing where you have to get the door open, then closed to get the children from down the other hall.  It's awkward at best and it makes the front entry seem really tiny even though it isn't.  

That curve though.

There's the front door on the left and this is the hallway from the kitchen to the bedroom "wing."  I have adored that white wall on the right because the light it bounces is fantastic. Otherwise, it divides the living room from the front hall and it's kind of awkward.  Note the bag on the top?  It's become a perfect storage for coats and it makes me crazy.

The living room is huge.  Huge huge.  It's been so fabulous to have such a huge space.  That fireplace was one of the things I loved when we first walked through the house because it is so decidedly vintage.  Turns out, however, if you want to arrange furniture around a corner fireplace you've got to get really creative or ignore the fireplace entirely.  I've chosen option 2.

There's also the quirky trick of getting into the backyard.  Do you see it through those windows?  That huge backyard is accessible through a small door that's right where that carpet is on the left.  Wouldn't it be amazing to slide open all of those windows and access the yard? Especially on the gorgeous days of summer we have in Seattle.

The dining room shares the same issue as the living room; no access to the backyard.  But more importantly, look at how that kitchen is hidden behind the swinging 'saloon' door and you literally can't see anyone from one room to the other!  For someone who lives in the kitchen, this is really annoying.  

Speaking of annoying.  Here's the kitchen.  I don't know if I need to say more.  If you follow my blog regularly, or know my app Weeknight Society, or have been to my house ever - you know that I love to cook.  This kitchen is a real pain in the ass for someone who loves to cook.  

This room needs loads of work - a configuration that's more useful for entertaining, a stove that's powered by gas, removing upper cabinets so you can see more clearly, and a whole lot of cosmetic changes.

Our backyard is pretty open since it backs up to a golf course.  So the front yard has been made more private with this fence.  It's great for keeping the dog in when you need to, but we moved into this house because we love the neighborhood, we love the neighbors, we love that our friends walk this neighborhood regularly.  The fence has made it hard for them to know when we are home - and we feel so isolated from the neighbors playing football in the street.  I love those trees on the fence, but otherwise, it's got to go.

Mr. Hedin and I are so excited to get started on this project.  I'll post once a week on the inspiration, the direction we're heading, the design (!) when it's ready to share, and every step along the way as we bust out these walls and make this house a real party house.

xoxo, ali

Make this today, serve it today, or tomorrow, or next week.  It's always a party with a good cheese spread and a glass of wine.  

CB2 Fork

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Serrated Bread Knife from Sur la Table

Click here for the full recipe

Spoon from Crate and Barrel

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Kitchen Aid Hand Mixer from Williams Sonoma

I may have mentioned this before, my son is a picky eater.  But the irony of him is that he isn't picky in the traditional sense of what picky eaters eat - he loves a lot of foods that are full of flavor and a little bit weird.  Like oysters.

Lunch is a struggle.  You can't pack oysters in a lunch and he doesn't eat most things that would be considered lunch foods.  I started filling muffins with all kinds of healthy options and packing them in his lunch - and we have a win.  He loves that he gets a muffin for lunch.  I love that it isn't just a bunch of sugar and there is some hint of protein packed into these.

Loaded Berry Muffins

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1 egg

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1/2 cup quinoa, cooked

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons wheat germ

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup berries

rock sugar {optional}

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Oil an muffin pan and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine sugar, coconut oil, the egg, yogurt, quinoa and vanilla and mix until completely combined. Add dry ingredients and stir until just combined. With the mixer running, slowly add milk and mix only until everything is just combined. Stir in berries.

Divide batter evenly across the 12 spaces of the muffin tin and sprinkle rock sugar over the top {if using}. Bake 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven until a toothpick stuck in the center of the muffins comes out clean. Let cool slightly before serving.

One of the hidden bonuses of working with Pop Secret popcorn is that they sent boxes and boxes of popcorn to make sure I had enough for the Oscar Party Photo shoot.  We used tons of the popcorn for the shoot and we still ended up with tons left over.  What to do, what to do?

I made popcorn bars.  But these aren't just any popcorn bars because I used Pop Secret's Cinnamon Roll Popcorn in the bars.  Epic.

Last month my girlfriend and I were out to a boozy lunch and we decided to host an Oscar Party - we've even figured out how to project the show on a big screen in the Fire Station!  

But what to serve...

Nothing goes better with movies than popcorn - and I love popcorn.  I worked with Pop Secret to plan a fabulous popcorn bar with delicious flavors and dreamy mix-ins.  I literally can't think of a better way to watch the Oscars and hang out with the girls.  Except for the cocktail - that's coming later this week!

The fun part about a popcorn bar is popping up a few flavors of popcorn {I popped Double Butter and Cinnamon Roll} and filling bowls with loads of your favorite candies, nuts, etc.  We even tried a few savory things and they were delicious.

How are you celebrating the Oscars?

Popcorn c/o Pop Secret

Photography by Alexandra Hedin

Styling by Jenny Batt

Anyone who says it takes a lot to make a party fun has never had tequila shots.  Line up a tray and watch the fun begin.  The only catch is that you MUST MUST MUST have good tequila.  Bad tequila = a headache which  is not a good time.