Oh, lest you think that nothing at all has been done, I'll share this one little photo of the very healthy poinsettia that I've been trying to kill since January 25.
John took an extra sheet or two of a fitted pine board look paneling I had hanging around and placed it on the ends of my cabinets. They had been very ratty looking and this was something of a help. Sherry at Edie Marie's Attic had suggested it. Oh yes! I take all blogger's suggestions very seriously. You can see how terrific Sherry's kitchen looks on her sidebar. (She'll have a new kitchen very soon as she recently sold her home and is in the process of moving. Hi, Sherry!)
I keep telling myself that when I find my dream kitchen I will know. When my Country Living magazine arrived for February or March, I thought that I recognized what I wanted and understood the direction I was going in...until. Until, Linda at Restyled Home posted a link to one amazing kitchen just this week. Talk about fickle. I'm all over the place.
Anyway, you can check it out on Linda's A Kindred (Kitchen) Spirit. But see, Linda knows that she wants her kitchen to be "pretty." Pretty? I like pretty. Why wasn't I headed more in that direction? Maybe it's because I've been thinking that pretty and fussy/frou-frou were synonymous. They don't have to be, though, right?
So let's talk. Are you in the kitchen of your dreams right now? Would you like to make some changes? What would they be? Go ahead, tell me all about it. I'm all ears! Oh, and do you like pretty?
Edited to Add: Editing to Add is such a nasty thing to do to my readers. I apologize. I had wanted to show the kitchen that I found in the CL magazine, but could I find it online? No. Could I find the actual magazine? That would also be a "no." But with morning's light, I found it quite easily and so am popping in a few photos to discuss.
So this is the February 2010 issue of Country Living. When I saw this photo, my heart rate increased a bit. Now that I look at it, I'm not sure why. I'm really trying to analyze what I like and what I don't. For example, I dislike the floor. I dislike all that open shelving at the top of the cabinets. I dislike the texture of the glass. It would probably be easier to say what I like.
I like the color of the cabinets and I like the streamlined counters. So here's my lightbulb moment: I could paint the cabinets almost the same color as my deck. Apparently, I really like that color. I could clean off the clutter. Okay, I'll start with clearing clutter and get back to you. Some day. Not today. Not tomorrow.
Enjoy your Saturday, but don't forget that, prior to this last bit, I asked a question or two. ;>
Oh Vee, You have opened a real can of worms here....my kitchen and I are at real odds. But, we are opting to put in windows and get the tax credit instead. Sigh....
ReplyDeleteGotta run...but I am with you in this dilemma. What to do, how to do it, how to pay for it. All of these things are the things that keep me in the same old kitchen.
Becky K.
Oh, I love my kitchen. It was one of several, okay, many, reasons we bought this old house. It is large and practical, not too over-the-top, and baker friendly. Lots and lots of cabinets and counter space. I gained at least ten pounds the first few months we lived here because of all the cookies I baked.
ReplyDeleteWhat I instantly liked about it was that I could tell it was designed by a woman. The day we moved in, a good friend came to help us unpack and she, also loving the kitchen, put everything, which was a great deal, everything away. I have never had to move a thing in the five years we have lived here. Lots of windows, a door to the deck, some pull out drawers . . .
The one thing I long to change is the kitchen sink. I know, I know - everything but the kitchen sink. In our old house we had a very deep and very wide kitchen sink with a small sink beside it, and a long handled faucet that clipped off for a wider span. Yep, I need a bigger kitchen sink.
We are decidedly NOT in the kitchen of our dreams right now! It is a nightmare! Our solution? A granade would be the first step. BOOM! It would probably function better after that. Of course, we are in a rental! Obviously, the one who designed it must think that McDonalds is fine cuisine and actually doesn't cook. Or have any decorating taste either.
ReplyDeleteNext month we WILL be in the kitchen of our dreams! All I can say at this point is you'll have to wait for all the pictures later on! Ha!
Hi Vee,
ReplyDeleteI'm going through the very same thing. I love my kitchen, but it needs some work. I need to paint the cabinets and replace the countertops, knobs, etc. I'm also having the same problems as you deciding exactly what I want and i won't start until I know exactly what I want. I like pretty as long as it's not too pretty for my hubby to enjoy. I like English country, 50's retro, etc. So you can see how far apart I am on making a decision.
Hugs,
Vee
I like the layout of my kitchen and sort of like the decor but I'd LOVE to change a few things. The colour of the cupboards for one ... I'd like them painted white or at least pickled white. DH wants them painted dark. I'd like a butcher block counter top. DH wants black granite. I want an over the stove microwave so I can get rid of the open shelf that I constantly bang my head on. DH thinks it's too expensive. See my problem??? In the meantime, I'm trying to keep my kitchen as light and airy as possible (did I mention that I get no morning light??) until I can convince him to do things my way!! :)
ReplyDeleteKeep a file with all the kitchens you like and eventually you'll come up with your dream kitchen ... the cupboards from this one, floor from that one ... along with a few of your own ideas. I'll be waiting to read about your fabulous kitchen! xo
I happen to love a clutter free kitchen look. When I look at pics of kitchens with stuff on counters, and all over, it makes me nervous. :-)
ReplyDeleteMaybe just eliminating clutter will do a lot, to raise your kitchen-love. Even without any other re-doing. Plus, it's really easy to do. If one is determined.
My kitchen has a lot of knicky knackies because it is the only room that really is MINE, ALL MINE! :)
ReplyDeleteI love our kitchen cabinets, they were originally dark but the young couple who had this house before painted them a cream (almost butter yellow).
We're now in our fifth year of living here and only now have to put another coat of paint on them.
If you do paint, keep the paint for touchups!
Hey Vee
ReplyDeleteLet's see I adore The Old Parsonage, they'll have to drag me out one day. I'm so in love with my Hoosier that holds center stage in our kitchen. But the rest of the kitchen - let's say I deal with it. The windows look out into the back yard a rel plus (especially now that everything is in bloom), but they have to be propped up with a rod to stay open. There isn't enough counter space to work on - I have a 24" x 24" space after the coffee maker and the microwave, beside the spot reserved for dirty dished. But it's the most used room in the house. So do I love my kitchen? No. But if I were to re-do it, I'd go vintage everywhere. Being an Old Parsonage the kitchen had several make overs by "non-professionals." But it all make our house a home.
Enjoy your week!
Leann
My kitchen was a far cry from my dream space. We have been remodeling our kitchen for about 6 weeks now. Its a slow process, but hopefully it will be exactly what I want. I am going from dark and not so practical to organized, open and light. We are paying for it as we go, working on it in stages. I have been collecting some necessary things as I find them on sale or clearance from Lowes and Home Depot. We got $1500 of hardwood flooring for 650.00 just by going with a similar color to what we wanted and purchasing it on clearance.
ReplyDeleteJust updating knobs and a coat a paint can be a great and inexpensive fix for a quick update.
Enjoy your weekend!
I had my chance 6 years ago when we were building. I picked out what I wanted...antique white cabinets with a country look and dark barn board fir flooring. Now I refuse to look at kitchen magazines...since I don't even want to question what I chose. There's lots of things I love...like huge windows & pull-outs with great storage...tons of counter space. I'm hoping I'm still happy in ten-fifteen years!
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't look at even the pictures you posted or read the comments, BUT I love to look at kitchens and houses and floor plans and ... So this post will take a while to devour. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI have been at my mom's for the almost a year. While the kitchen isn't perfect or beautiful, it is fairly easy to work in and makes cooking almost fun. At home (which is where I will be soon), the kitchen has become impossible (long story). I have some vague ideas, but nothing as concrete as actually decorating.
PS: Yellow and blue - either kitchen and/or dining room. ;)
ReplyDeleteMy kitchen is pretty small, but it's a good size for me. It will never be clutter-free, which is just as well because the clutter helps cover up the Brady Bunch rust-colored Formica countertops. That's the part I dream of changing. I'd love to have concrete countertops with a glass-tile backsplash. I can dream...
ReplyDeleteWe designed our kitchen 11 years ago. Our previous kitchen had 70s dark wood cupboards which I didn't care for. So, the first thing on my list was white cupboards. We get a lot of light in the kitchen, so it is always bright and cheerful. For the most part I love it. I would have to say I like pretty.
ReplyDeleteHi Vee,
ReplyDeleteJust stopped by tonight to say Hi, and enjoyed reading all of this weeks posts, as I have not been on my computer at all this week. My dh has offered to take me to the dr. lol. Just been real busy.
I am so glad you were able to at least get a photo of the kitties, hope this truce continues.
I also enjoyed very much of you sharing your family time on Easter. I so enjoy seeing families spending time together especially at Holidays.
As far as the kitchen goes I am thankful for mine, but like most of us girls would like to change a few things, especially when I visit bloggers and see their ideas. It doesn't hurt to look though.
It is so refreshing to read a blog with such honesty, and wit.
Have a blessed Sunday.
Hugs, Sue
Love the kitchen Mr. B remodeled for me, however, because prior to our purchasing the house, they added a back room, and took away any window in the kitchen..so we have no natural light. Blech..but, now we're thinking about a sky-light-tube-thingsy..neighbors put one in and it's GREAT! So..yeah..someday!
ReplyDeleteHi Vee
ReplyDeleteWe did a total kitchen re-do in the late 80's..new floor (ceramic tile) new cabinets (oak) new counter tops (ceramic tile) all new appliances, of which we've had to since replace the stove, microwave and refrigerator one more time. It now looks a little dated, but I would not want to go through the hassle or expense of another kitchen re-do, so it will have to "do" :-)
Thanks for answering my e-mail ..didn't mean to add to your burdens right now with my complaints and reminiscences, but I guess your post had hit a sensitive spot.
Vee, I was tickled to read your sweet post about the art show. I am taking a few minutes to blog before getting ready for the week long church conference.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have blogged about my kitchen. When we moved into this house the countertops were peachy pink and the walls were covered with blue and pink flowered wallpaper. Not exactly my taste. (Pretty? no.) So with a lot (and I do mean a LOT) of primer and then paint, it is now my dream kitchen. As for the paint job, third time's a charm. We had the paint mixed three different times before it was right. I now have "La Trattoria"... a very Tuscan style glazing in a golden tone which gives the very large room a warmth and glow. I did the work with a rag and glaze, and it took most of a day to finish just the glazing(large kitchen.) We had the peachy-pink formica replaced with a grayish/tannish flecked Corian. We also tiled the backsplash ourselves... I laid out the design and, yes, I ran the wet saw while hubby placed the tiles. And it at least did come with hardwood floors. I still have multitudes of white cabinets, which will someday be replaced by natural wood I hope. But for now the white works. Good luck with yours!!
Blessings,
Christi