Park and Oak

If you’re embarking on a kitchen renovation, you’ve got a lot decisions in your future. Paint and stain colors. Styles and finishes of cabinet pulls and knobs. Tile. Countertops. Island configurations. And, of course…appliances. In fact, choosing appliances is usually one of the first steps in the process since their specific dimensions dictate cabinet sizes and placement and virtually all other layout decisions.

It used to be you picked a refrigerator, chose black or stainless, and called it a day. However, there are options available now that allow you to blend the refrigerator into your kitchen in a way that highlights your beautiful cabinetry and other finishes and minimizes those hulking silver giants. The two options we turn to most frequently are integrated and panel ready.

An integrated refrigerator is indistinguishable from your other cabinetry. No vents or spacing, no special hinges. It can be difficult to even pick out which cabinet is the refrigerator when you choose an integrated design. We love integrated appliances at Park & Oak for their seamless look and prefer to use them whenever possible to let other design elements play a starring role and help the cabinetry look like finished furniture.

Panel ready (sometimes called “built-in”) appliances are also an option if you don’t want your kitchen dominated by appliances. With a panel ready design, you can still cover the refrigerator with a cabinet panel that matches your kitchen. However, you’ll likely still have a visible vent and hinges and the refrigerator door can protrude past counter-depth. With a panel ready design, the refrigerator is more easily identifiable.

Integrated

Where’s Waldo?? Can you find the integrated refrigerators in the Park & Oak kitchens below?

Panel Ready

You can see in these kitchens that while the refrigerator is covered by matching cabinetry, it is more easily identifiable.

Chinoiserie. (It’s ok, we can’t pronounce it either.) The term describes European interpretations of Asian culture and objects, and originated in 17th century, when European trade with China was flourishing. Europeans, tiring of the same old, same old, were fascinated by China’s foo dogs and dragons, nature scenes, lacquered furniture, and most notably and most recognizable of the chinoiserie style today, their blue and white ceramics with intricate patterns.

Louis XIV cemented chinoiserie as a foundational style of the French classicism era he is famed for, when, in 1671, he ordered the Trianon de Porcelaine built on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. It was almost entirely encased in blue and white tiles. Ever the trendsetter, his bold use of chinoiserie ignited a trend in Europe that lasted through the 18th century. Chinoiserie has waxed and waned in popularity since, but experienced a significant revival in the the U.S. in the 1930s during the height of the Art Deco period. And with the rise of grandmillennial and maximalist styles in the 21st century, chinoiserie is sought after once again.

What is sometimes overlooked is the lasting place chinoiserie has in traditional interiors. At Park & Oak, we love to mix the traditional with a touch of the modern or unexpected. Chinoiserie provides so many ways to do that without overwhelming a room. The blue and white ceramics that are the lifeblood of chinoiserie do so much to lend just a little bit of interest and pattern without overwhelming. And a hint of bamboo via a modern Chippendale chair adds just the right amount je ne sais quoi to a classic room. Do we ever indulge our inner maximalists? You bet. When we are entertaining we break out all the ginger jars.

Check out Park & Oak’s use of chinoiserie in the gallery below, and then shop some of our favorite interpretations!

Chinoiserie at Park & Oak

Shop Chinoiserie

If you’ve been following us for awhile, you have probably noticed how much we love using vintage and antique rugs* in our designs. There is no better way to make a statement in a room. Vintage and antique rugs can introduce color and pattern where there is traditionally no upholstery, or primarily solid colors, like a hallway or mudroom. They can anchor the furnishings in a living or dining room, and lend interest in any space leaning just a little too neutral. They will add softness in kitchens full of the hard lines of cabinetry and appliances and warmth in a bathroom. They are among our go-to furnishings.

But why specifically vintage or antique, and not a new rug? For us, a lot comes down to patina. We are always looking for ways to add depth and character to a room. Sometimes a new rug is necessary to tie furnishings together, or to add a specific texture to a space that is already full of collected items and personality. But if a room needs a little something to help it look lived-in and reflect the tastes of its owners rather than appearing as though it has just jumped straight off the pages of a catalog, our answer is frequently in the form of the patina from a vintage rug.

What kind of vintage or antique rugs do we look for? Most commonly, we use 100% wool, hand-knotted Turkish and Persian rugs. These are the rugs that frequently come to mind when one pictures a vintage rug. When searching for vintage rugs, be sure to look for reputable dealers. Many new rugs are now made with similar patterns to the age-old Persian and Turkish styles, but will lack the patina we love and are frequently made with materials that will degrade more quickly. We’ve included a selection of one-of-a-kind rugs below from some retailers we trust to help kick off your search. And if you need inspiration, the gallery below is full of Park & Oak designs that incorporate vintage or antique rugs. Happy hunting!

*We are sometimes asked what the difference is between “vintage” and “antique.” Generally, an antique is something over 100 years old; vintage is between 25-100 years.