A Kitchen Makeover

    My kitchen was the least favorite room in the house...I barely ever photographed in there. Hence why I couldn't show much of a before picture except for these images I shot after I did start working on it.

Kitchen was designed and planned out by me, about 8 years ago. I picked everything out for it... but it was never entirely finished. Installed yes, but never really finished. I guess back then I knew what I wanted my kitchen to look like but never got to it. Walls were painted a sage color, cabinets from Lowe's Hardware store were installed but nothing was improved on them. Wall cabinets looked more like boxes hung on a wall.

The past two years I have been going around, room-to-room, updating and painting everything and finishing if need be. The house is 70 years old with lots of charm, and I love it. And after painting the living room and dining room last year... It was time to head into the kitchen and tackle it. I dreaded it, I assure you... Thinking about going in there and getting a start on it was overwhelming. Hence I dragged my feet getting to it! 

But I finally did, this October! I painted the ceiling and walls first in eggshell white. I added trim to the wall cabinets myself. I took down the four wall cabinet doors that I wanted made into glass doors. Then I started painting wall cabinets, section by section. I did take my time, since I had to squeeze in this project with the rest of my work so I tackled the cabinets, a section at a time. Wall cabinets were painted first. Then on to the counter and last, my kitchen island. I used Amy Howard's One Step paint in Bauhaus Buff for my cabinets. I painted throughout October into November. I wanted it done before the holidays rolled around. 

After painting and drying, I also waxed and buffed the surfaces since this is a kitchen and should expect some wearing and cleaning. So I wanted to make sure it will be easy to clean.

Details on trim and cabinet doors were enhanced with dark wax after I finished with light wax.

A local talented carpenter fixed my wall cabinet doors and turned them into glass doors including detail so now they look like windows. I LOVE them!

My island includes a glass top stove and oven. The flat glass top carries on with the rest of the counter top space.

Staying true to my interior style with all whites and hints of red included in pieces like these, ceramic cutting boards and rolling pin, that doesn't just serve their purpose but are also a decorative. 

The necessary sponge and bar cloth are now nicely tucked away in a wall pocket I hung behind the sink. Wall pocket is a upcycled galvanized metal wall planter that I painted in white and added a vintage type graphic I found on the Graphics Fairy blog.

I extended my widow sills with reclaimed wood, that I left in their original wood tones.

In cold winters, candles add warmth with their soft glow and I do keep a good stash of them. I placed the taper and long candles in this old galvanized bucket on my window sill right next to a candle holder. 

Second window sill is my kitchen garden, with pots holding herbs such as mint and rosemary. 

My recent  IKEA finds are a stool that helps me reach all the pitchers and serving ware collecting on top of my wall cabinets and another large white pitcher that will come in handy any time I am ready to display florals. 

In the end, I wanted a kitchen where everything was within reach even while displayed. 

Vintage mixer and the kitchen tool holders were both thrifty finds that I absolutely love.

Towels are no longer hidden away in a drawer. They are now behind a glass door collected in a wire basket.

It took me a month to work on the kitchen but it was worth every moment and every late night, I spent painting. Now I enjoy any hours spent in the kitchen more then I EVER did. Perhaps I have even been coming up with reasons to be in there more.

I have to thank my dearest friends, Cathy and Melanie at Market Street Artisans, the local Amy Howard's paint retailers. They were the most helpful and supportive, and I couldn't have done this without them. I love what they do and I spend a lot of happy hours in their workshop, downtown. 

I hope you like my new kitchen, my new happy place and thank you for coming by my blog.

Ciao, ciao!

Sonia