Time for a sit down and a cuppa?

Well, we have reached the end of your little visit and what better than to sit in the kitschen where it's always warm and cosy thanks to the Aga. Another time I will show you through my linens. Here are a few of them starched and pressed especially for the big day!
Buns and biscuits were baked too of course. Would you like one? Help yourselves.
(no that's not CK cutlery. Much older and much cherished originals!)
Of course there was strawberry cake. My early readers will know how I admire the pretentiousness of a triple layered cake!
I should start by apologising for the quality of the pictures here. The kitschen faces South West and is in full sun for most of the day - the lighting is therefore a bit 'all or nothing' and I am quite sure you will prefer the professional pictures! I am so excited to see them!
Here is the view you are all familiar with and ordinarily when I take this I am surrounded by piles of laundry, household paperwork, discarded school uniform, homework etc. etc.. The stuff of life that big kitchen tables were made for! But not today. I'm going to spin anti-clockwise (so you can get your bearings).
Ooh. Just a moment - do you see those yummy blue legs? It took me years to persuade hubby to let me paint our old dining table in kitschen blue! I'd like to mark the moment. Scrummy! Of course the top is still scrubbed pine. Very practical especially for jam making and easily covered in dotty dots for special visitors!
Another pause by the Aga. It is switched off every year from 31st May (gulp!) to 30th September. I miss it so much we tend to live off the barbecue as much as possible, even if a wet English summer means that we often end up having supper in the barn!
Want a closer peek at the overmantel? That's some of my utility china. I never set out to have a pastel colour scheme in here but somehow when you collect 1940's and 1950's china that's what you get. Ice cream colours. And I love them!
Of course there's some other bits there too. Our everyday Poole tea pot and various hand-painted plates and bits. And of course a bit of Emma Bridgewater.
Oh and I thought I'd show you this. I've used it since I was a student! It's my favourite oven thingy. Despite gifts of lovely pink Aga gauntlets and yummy spotty oven gloves, this is my piece of essential equipment. I'm lost without it! And it's so pretty too. So much work in a simple heat mitt!
Moving on! Doors off to the dining and utility rooms (the photographer wasn't allowed in there!). And the HUGE fridge. We did have one of those dinky little Smeg 50's fridges. But by the third replacement we asked John Lewis to take it away and never bring another and opted for a more reliable (and much more capacious) Liebherr instead. The Smeg looked so pretty, but we needed a fridge that would keep food cold. Really. You do don't you?
A quick peek into that corner and you can see the beautiful boy has his own kitschen too!
It oversails the dining room door a bit but heck! What's a few inches when you can have such a pretty play kitchen! The poster makes me smile too. It's from the wonderful Megan Price at Mr P.S.. So much of her work makes me smile I'd love to have the whole collection!
Keep going! We'll have a sit down in a minute! Can you just see on top of those cabinets? Not very good view of my Hornsea china. Summit and Summertime! Just love 'em. So tactile. A couple of very pretty Egersund casseroles too. Will have to get pictures another day!
That's the door through to the sitting room over there. And can you see that jolly pink cow?
That's my gran's Tonibell Ice-Cream Parlour tea towel. Happy memories. And on the counter top the tall yellow patterned tin is her biscuit tin. I've talked about that just recently in this post. These little things make me smile. I love to have them in our home.
Around the corner to the other side and more utility china!
It's the shapes as well as the colours. After the popularity of Clarice Cliff and all those piddling triangular handles of the 20's and 30's, here was china a man could get hold of. Jugs that are voluptuous and you can get a grip on to properly pour a pint of milk. There's melaware too. Lots of that in the cupboards for outdoor picnics in the summer. All mismatched of course. Much prettier that way!
On the top shelf you'll see three little pink mugs. Those aren't utility. Those are the ubiquitous recessed handled mugs from the Holkham pottery, R.I.P. 2008. Very sad.
Nearly back to where we started. The window wall. One of these cabinets hides a modern dishwasher. We had to do unspeakable things to the cavity wall to be able to install a modern appliance into the shallow 1950's base unit. But it was worth it to hide the machine!
A quick pause to see my bucket. Another smile of happy memories makes the drudge of kitschen chores much more bearable!
This is one of Gran's sweetie jars. I used most of them for my button collection but this one got away!
And here we are back where we started. Time for a sit down.
Have I shown you one of the nicest things of all about the kitschen?
Just look at that view!
Thank-you for visiting. I have really enjoyed showing you around. Only 14 days to go until my Blogiversary! Don't forget to pop back so you can join in! There will probably be more cake too! You need cake for a Blogiversary don't you?! t.xxx

Comments

Floss said…
Oh lovely, lovely, lovely. Thanks for the complete tour. I think what I like best of all about your house is that you don't feel you must stick to one style only. The kitschen is so much more wonderful because the rest of the house is not particularly the same. Do you understand what I mean?

I actually think that your tour this week may be better than the final magazine article, but that won't stop me buying the magazine when you finally tell us it's out! (And that will be no mean feat here in France.)
Shabby Chick said…
Beautiful kitchen! Love the sandcastle bucket to keep your cleaning bits in :)

Mel xxx
Anonymous said…
Wow, your kitchen is fabulous, a true inspiration! I just loved that post with all the gorgous piccies, looking forward to more. xxxx
A Thrifty Mrs said…
We have the same cutlery.
And of course you know how much I love that utility china, those colours!
I am going to help myself to cake and I shall be back in two weeks to fill up a pretty pink plate with even more.
Bobo Bun said…
All spinny and dizzy now so I think I'll have one of those fairy cakes please.

Kitchen definately my favourite - I really miss our big room we could all sit in, now have small cottagy rooms. 50's units are to die for.

Lisa x
LissyLou said…
Your kitchen is so gorgeous, and yum, yum, and more yum to that triple layer cake!!

Very childish i know but my word verification is Fartzi (made me giggle)
fern said…
This is my favourite room as I'm LOVING the eye candy of your utility china.
We could have fun playing snap: I have lots of Woods Ware and Meakin Glamour. I gave away most of my Greydawn and Rosedawn though, I'm running out of room.
Are you uploading these photos to Flickr so I can have a closer gaze?
S
xx
claire said…
Now I'm torn - your kitschen could be my joint favourite room with your beautiful boys bedroom :)
I've absent-mindedly eaten a whole pack of biscuits while scrolling down and drooling!!
I love utility china. I have quite a bit of greydawn, I like that it goes with other stuff - eg the CK china I got for my wedding looks fab sitting on top of a larger johnsons bro plate....
And before I stop rambling on - you are officially the best mummy in the world...your mini kitschen nearly had me in tears of joy (and jealousy!!!)
:) thanks so much for sharing x
Sarah said…
Loving all those pastel colours - a truly fab kitchen!
x
Rhiannon said…
I don't know where to begin its just all so lovely. And was that a kenwood I saw hiding in the corner of one of the photos?
xxx
Carole said…
I love your house! Especially the kitschen!!!! I too have greydawn (enough to open a tea shop) and some green, rose and golden (a bit to deep a yellow for my tastes) dawn too. I love its voluptuous, fluted shape and the fact you can pick it up for peanuts. I live near Gt Yarmouth, and I was told by someone who was living here then that the town's landladies had it by the ton in the local guesthouses. I have my husband well trained to say "There's some pretty blue china there," not "Oh, look, there's some greydawn for your collection" or the price goes up! I see you also have a Woods Ware Iris teapot >envy< - gorgeous! Thanks for the lovely tour over the last four days.
Kris said…
Love your kitschen. The ice cream colors make the space both cozy and fun.

Kris
You have such a wonderful kitchen or should that be 'kitschen' I could eat cake and drink tea all morning along with a good old chat! Plus it's full of such gorgeous things though for me the ones with memories are the most precious!

Have a lovley day,

Nina x
Elma said…
MY favorite room. It was all BEAUTIFUL!! Thanks so much for the tour:)
I just adore your kitchen, esp all the ice cream shades.

Victoria xx
Eartha Kitsch said…
Your kitchen could not be any more perfect. I think I'd stay in there all day (half of it playing with the tiny little kitchen).
madhu said…
THANK YOU!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog and going through your pictures.
Niki Fretwell said…
Hi T!
Am I allowed a favourite room? Is that fair??...I LOVE your kitchen! And everything in it!
Now about that cake...(having seen a tantalising glimpse of it on my Birthday card! ;-))

Niki x

(I have a cream Smeg fridge and its the best appliance I've ever had...I bought it with the profits from my shop when I closed it and wouldn't wish to be without it...)
MarmaladeRose said…
I've enjoyed each and every one of your beautiful rooms. Thank you so much. I bet you get to see the sun going down when you're finishing the evenings washing up.

All in all a very lovely and well loved home.
Anonymous said…
So much loveliness all under one roof. I am learning to live my jealousy of your creative mansion cottage, the doctor says I must visit your blog regularly and breathe deeply until the overwhelming feelings of I want one NOW pass.
aneela x
Kristy said…
Love the sandcastle bucket.That type of plastic always reminds me of Bandalasta ware.
I have quite a collection of Johnson Bros too.We use it everyday.I am amazed how resiliant it is.It goes in the dishwasher too which is great. I even dropped on the other day on our stone floor but there wasn't so much as a chip!
I also have a collection of Woods Ware but that's stored in the cellar.Along with my vintage floral china.Just in case I change my mind one day!
BusyLizzie said…
Thank you for visiting my blog! Would love to come to Norfolk one fine day..... I LOVE the piccies of your home.. very jealous of those 50's Kitschen units!!!
Lizzie x
Carol said…
Oh how I have enjoyed that tour.
Your kitscheb reminds me so much of my Mother's 1950's kitchen, happy days!
Like you, two Smegs later and lots of very thin plastic replacement parts...I finally sent the Smeg rocking and rolling and got myself a much bigger and more reliable fridge/freezer, my cream Smeg looked the part but never worked properly from day one.
I cannot turn my Aga off as I have no back up - apart from the oven we take camping...I think I would miss it too much anyway.
BB's kitschen is fab too, I can see one of those going on the Christmas list!
Love all the yummy colours you have used. My long suffering has given up the ghost, he never is quite sure what I will paint next.
Cx
Sal said…
It's all so fabulous..the colours are gorgeous!
I have a kitchen table that is crying out to be painted..but dare I? ;-)
Attic24 said…
Teena your home is absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous, I have soooo enjoyed the tour this week, have LOVED it in fact.
Thanks for coming to the Attic and leaving me such wonderously funny comments, i really appreciate more than I am able to say.
Loe to you
Lucexxxxxxxxxxxx
bex said…
thankyou for doing the tour of your beautiful home!! its been amasing!!!your house is inspiring!!
x
Simone said…
You have a beautiful and inspirational home. Thank you for the tour!
I haven't seen your blog in a few weeks and I see that you are showing your whole house. I love the kitchen and can't wait to see the rest!!!
myminimocs said…
i would live in that kitchen!!!
Lark said…
Awww, so, so great Teena, you should be a stylist, missus!

Allison xx
Laura said…
You certainly have a beautiful kitchen! I can see why you enjoy working there. The colors are so happy!
Oh..this nudged quite a few memories for me... It is so evocative of our kitchen in the 60's...the pastel china and that cutlery.. I swear we had the same..
I had one of those cream Smeg retro fridges and have to thank Mr C for killing it.. as now we have a AEG which keeps food cold and has lots more room!
Can I order one of those cakes please.. triple deluxe!?
I didn't believe the tour could get better but it did.. and how!
Michele x
prettyshabby said…
ooh I've loved seeing all your house! You have one of those blogs that I want to peek around the corner of the photos and see a little more and now you have let us take a peek and it's all gorgeous, like a bowl of 1950s ice cream! Thanks T ! x

ps..can you help me with a little query please? I have been hunting for checked floor tiles like your kitchen ones for donkeys years,only in red and cream..have you any ideas please?
Shannon said…
Thank you for the tour - what a warm, happy room. Full to the brim with yummy colors and sweet eye candy!
A time to dance said…
...your kitchen is to die for...(so is that cake....)...so many lovely lovely things to look at and so tidy...my eyes are greener than a green thing
dottyspots said…
Wonderful pictures - your kitchen is beautiful!
I just found your blog from visiting another blog. Wow!!! This is just the most amazing and gorgeous kitchen. I am green with envy as I type. I just love the colors, how roomy and open it is. Just love it!!!
Jackie said…
I just thought I'd pop in and say hello. I see you live in Norfolk and I am totally newly in love with Norfolk after a few days there recently.
I smile when I see Melamine. I grew up with a lot of it around as my Aunts worked for the company.Still have a sizeable collection. I refused to drink out of it and even on family picnics I insisted there was a china cup for me!
Those cabinets are gorgeous! Your collection of cups are a envy of other kitchen. There are new Smeg Fridge with retro colors.