Yesterday we visited the San Francisco home of Esprit cofounder Susie Tompkins Buell whose retro kitchen is peppered in bright green. One thing we’ve learned from her setup: don’t be afraid to mix and match but stick with a controlled palette. Here, a tour of the room and a breakdown of the key elements for recreating the look.
Above: Stacked white dishes and a row of vintage green wares on open shelving.
Above: A sink with a view–admittedly, this one is hard to replicate.
Above: Buell makes smart use of small spaces: knives are stored on a wall and coffee and tea things have their own dedicated shelves.
Above: Schoolhouse Electric’s Harding 6-Inch Pendant Lamp comes in 7 different metals for $185; the 6-Inch White Fitter Lampshade is $79.
Above: A kitchen clock similar to Buell’s vintage design: the Fluorescent Neon Green Wall Clock; $49.99 from Daft Gadgets.
Above: Buell uses a trio of vintage French rattan barstools at her counter. For something similar, Bed Bath & Beyond’s Paris Bistro Barstools in Ivory and Green are $124.99 each. Barstools in other colors are available through TK Collections and French rattan chairs in green are $149 each at American Country Home Store.
Above: Corian, a solid counter surface made from a durable, nonporous acrylic polymer, comes in more than 130 colors and various pattern options (note the slim black stripe running along the side of Buell’s counters). For more on Corian and other counter options, see our post 10 Easy Pieces: Remodelista Kitchen Countertop Picks.
Above: The Alvar Aalto Vase in apple green resembles Buell’s vase fillled with daffodils; $175 from All Modern.
Above: The KitchenAid 24-Inch Dishwasher, Architect Series II is $1,799 directly from KitchenAid.
Above: The Claro Cake Stand is made in Poland from hand-blown glass. The stand is $59 and the glass dome is $39 from Pottery Barn. Looking for a vintage cake stand? There are good options on Etsy.
Above: For a hit of color, the Emile Henry Pitcher and Pie Dish, both in green apple, are $60 and $40 respectively from Emile Henry.
Above: For an understated tropical touch, a white Porcelain Pineapple, 6 inches in diameter and 13 inches high; $55 from Furbish Studio.
Above: Nespresso’s U Espresso Maker with Aeroccino Plus Automatic Milk Frother is $199.95 at Williams-Sonoma.
Above: Custom blinds in 2-Inch Basic Wood and 2-Inch Bamboo are available at The Shade Store starting at $79 and $89 respectively.
Above: The KWC One Handle Pull-Out Spray Kitchen Faucet in polished chrome is $407.40 from eFaucets.
Above: The Magnetic Knife Bar is $49.95 and a set of 12 Wüsthof Gourmet Knives is $179.95, both from Williams-Sonoma.
Above: The Wood Gallery Single Opening Frames from Pottery Barn are available in black or white with a white mat, or in espresso with an off-white mat. The frames are currently on sale for $16 to $56. For more frames, visit 10 Easy Pieces: Gallery-Style Picture Frames.
Above: For heating water for coffee and tea, Buell uses a Breville SK500XL Cordless Electric Kettle; $79.95 from Casa. For more options, see 10 Easy Pieces: Electric Tea Kettles.
To tour the rest of Buell’s apartment, see A Home at the Top of the World, San Francisco Edition.
Looking to live with more green? Peruse our Green Room Gallery.
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