We are at our final day of the kitchen makeover, and really, this is my favorite post. The before and after photos are fun and dramatic, but it's the smaller details that have made this transformation my all time favorite in our home.
Our kitchen makeover was not about demolishing the entire room and starting from scratch, making every little decision on counter tops, cabinet placement, appliance style/brand/color, etc, etc. It was about using what we've got and making it work. And, small as our kitchen is, I realized how many opportunities there were to make the space truly personal and unique to us, as well as increasing its function. So here we go - a list of some of the ideas I had along the way of how to personalize our kitchen without big spending.
Detail 1: Our pantry! This quote from one of our favorite shows, (Seinfeld), seemed appropriate on our food stash. No dramatic, weighty quotes for us; we wanna laugh! I refinished our Walmart-made pantry in Old White Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, same as our cabinets, and stenciled the quote in a taupe-y grey called French Linen, also by ASCP.
Detail 2: Blown up organization! Like most families, we've got weekly appointments to keep track of, a monthly calendar, a grocery list that gets added to daily, and some sort of meal plan for the week, (I truly am trying in that department). So to make use of the large pantry doors, I painted the insides in flat black paint, (which works exactly the same as chalkboard paint but is cheaper), and created a spot of organization for us to refer to. I keep track of everything in chalk and erase it when it's done or passed.
Detail 3: Painting under our cabinets! Our kitchen has no kickboard under the cabinets, so the space between the lower cabinets and the floor was super gross
See? And that stuff would. not. scrub. off. So, I sanded it smooth as best as I could and painted it the same light aqua that is on the kitchen walls, Spring Mint by Behr. I absolutely love having a snap of color down there. This is definitely something I'd do in another kitchen someday. So sweet.
Detail 4: Lighting! We replaced the previous kitchen light with an $8 brass chandelier I found at a yard sale. You can read here about how I refinished and installed this sweetie pie, (since that post, I have added another layer of color, slightly deeper than I had used originally. The photos below are the new color). We are so amazed at how this simple switch-out has made such a major difference in our kitchen! The lights from the chandelier dance on the walls and just make the whole room feel warm and cozy. A chandelier above the kitchen sink is a little unusual, but this one is really the perfect size for it. I wouldn't do anything bigger, and a chandelier this small wouldn't look quite right in a dining room. Plus, I can finally see! That old light was so dim it was a joke trying to follow a recipe or check the progress of a cooking dish.
Detail 5: Decorating with fruit and flowers! We go through a lot of fruit in this house and when I started running out of room in my fruit bowl I had to get creative! And Shire, my personal florist, keeps fresh blooms from our yard in the kitchen at all times :)
Detail 6: Hand towels! There can never be enough. These are some of my favorites, most of which were gifts, and I enjoy switching them out every few days.
The big picture:
This room sure came a long way! About as far as my muscles and patience would allow...
Thank you all so much for reading and for the kind compliments you've sent regarding this makeover! It was a very satisfying job; one that I am so grateful to have behind me! If you have any questions at all about my experience with painting our kitchen that I haven't answered, please don't hesitate to either contact me via email or leave a comment. I'll do my best to respond quickly!
~Chelsea
