Before And After: Kitchen Edition

Oh my kitchen, the hub of my home, the bain of my existence.  It's a love hate relationship.  I will need some decor therapy in here for sure.  A little organizational love will go a long way in mending the dysfunctional relationship we now have.  But for now,  just a simple look see. (thank you Dad for all your help during those crazy six weeks, so long ago!)

Original (ten days after the possession date)

We initially made a few cosmetic changes starting with  pulling out the faux header above the cabinets. 

A few small builds were done in the dining room kitchen area.  A small wall was created beside the fridge, as before, the wall just ended and everyone could see the back grate of the fridge sitting against the wall, from the dining room and living room. ???

The opening to the living room was enlarged approx. two feet, and a header was created with a small jut out on the right to create an opening.

It was my (pregnant with 2nd child-soon will be in labour) dream to have a house with extensive moulding and particularly crown moulding in the living room. What could The Agronomist say?  I was going to be going into labour at any moment.  The Agronomist did what any sane extremely intelligent man would.  He built a faux header.

Our Kitchen cabinets are how we know how old the house it.  They are circa. 1956, and are stainless steel, with chrome edging around the countertops.  A very cool look which everyone comments on when they see our home.

It is a functional kitchen and while rusting terribly in some places the cabinets are in good working order.

We will have to decide whether painting them would be worthwhile.

Today

A few years back we decided to repaint and if you look closely at the above photos, you will see a peachy color on either side of the window, while the original yellow remains everywhere else. I would like to say it is a very new and stylish paint technique, painting only around windows, but it's not.  Once again, I new I didn't like the color but left it, unsure of where to go with it, and now of course we hardly notice.

I need to figure out what color to paint, and have considered a warm grey, but now am looking at a white that matches the cabinets.  I find they look a little stubby hanging there mid-wall, and thought the continuous color might make the ceilings look higher?  I also need to figure out what, if anything I should put above the cupboards.  But these questions will be answered in good time.

Original

Today

The kitchen backsplash was tiled.  At nine months pregnant I was forced to decide on colors within a few days. I chose these tiles, thinking the butterscotch was an extremely pale version of the floor.  More like the color of the left stool you can see three pictures above.  I chose the tile while it was displayed against a black board.  

I walked in halfway through the tile installation, and realized it looked nothing like the color I had anticipated. I left in tears as any nine month pregnant woman should, could, and would.  

It took a long time before I came to terns having butterscotch pudding splattered in geometric squares across my kitchen.  And don't think I haven't looked up tile resurfacers a few times.  I figure I should be able to make it work... maybe.  Maple flooring was installed throughout the main floor.  I don't know if I would choose this for a kitchen again as we have been very hard on it. 

The header above the cabinets was removed, and over time the pot rack was hung (with very ugly pots which I would ask you kindly to ignore.)  Eight years ago my pots were all an incredibly shiny stainless steel.  Today, not so much.  The cabinet shelves  are uniformly eight inches both in the upper and lower cabinets.  These cannot be changed.  Thus any larger/taller pots cannot be stored.  The pot rack therefore stays.

I would never be able to  live without my beloved pot rack, I love it so much.  But generally there is too much going on in the upper hemisphere, potrack, fan, sink task light, with offensive cord, plus hanging baskets.  I need a cleaner look folks, don't I?  Or maybe shinier pots?  

Tomorrow the living room... and the "Blue Pooper" bathroom!

(Sorry if anyone was offended, but I'm a mom and this is my blog, and I can write poop if I want to : )

 xo

Dana