DIY: Kitchen Cabinet Remodel!

I have been absent because of a recent and huge DIY project.  Yes...I painted my kitchen cabinets.  All of them.  In Cece Caldwell Chalk Paint Seattle Mist.  It was an incredible experience and I am thrilled with the outcome.

(Vintage-look stools at the island from Overstock.com - purchased last year for $70.  That was for BOTH and even included shipping.  Overstock.com is the BOMB)

Last year I added bead board around three sides of my island and the ends of my upper cabinet and one lower cabinet.  Of all the things I did in this kitchen, the fitting in of the bead board was the most challenging.  Pieces had to be cut carefully, there was lots of sanding - it was a long process mainly because I had never done it before and had no idea WHAT I was doing.   I purchased the bead board at Home Depot for a total cost of $140.  It has given the island and ends a much more substantial and custom look.

Last year I also added new handles to all of my drawers - 14 handles total at $5 a piece from Lowes for a total of $70.

And see those bun feet?  I installed those too - it gives the cabinets a more custom look.  They were each $5 at Home Depot and I installed 6, for a total of $30.  I still have 3 more to set in but I'm happy with the ones that are in now.

The way the light from my kitchen window hits the cabinets make them seem like they are glowing.  That is the beauty of chalk paint.  You get the chalk paint color but also whatever was underneath - they appear very layered and aged, which is the exact look I was going for.  The bottles that you see are all vintage and from various flea markets over the years.  The grey window is OLD and from a friend.

I removed the small cabinet doors over the microwave and instead filled the space with a dozen old bottles, collected form all over the place.  We never really used this space for storage because it was in an awkward place to access so turning it into a display worked great.  I love the contrast of the clear/blue/green bottles against the aged grey chalk paint.  The Schwepps box is vintage and from my favorite Napa antique store, Antiques on Second.  The Green Valley sign was painted by a local artist on reclaimed barn wood; I purchased it 2 years ago and love how it captures the spirit of where we live.

This is the window over my sink.  I made the over sized valance from burlap and then appliqued a piece of an antique feed sack from Lancaster County, PA (which is where both of my parents grew up).

 

My multi layered and very ornamented chandelier in the eating area.  It's "garnishes" change with the season and is my favorite part of the whole kitchen.

One thing that was a hugely helpful purchase and is not pictured here were the chrome slider shelves by Rev-a-shelf, sold at Lowes.  We bought three units priced at $100 each and they are AWESOME.

The system we bought looks like this:
 

Totally worth every penny.  Next month I am going to add 4 more to my kitchen island.  Seriously, if you don't have these you need to get some.  Also, they are simple to install.  Read the instructions carefully; I actually watched a youtube video on how to install and it was hugely helpful.

Finally, I was sick of my two trashcans in the kitchen - one for recycling and one for regular trash.  They were constantly moving around and the latch on one of them had been broken for awhile.  So I invested in a really strong trashcan that looks like a piece of furniture in our kitchen.

 
 I purchased the Simple Human Recyclers and we love it.  If you can love a trashcan, that is.   I purchased it at Bed Bath and Beyond for $150.

So the total cost breakdown for my kitchen redo is as follows:

Bead board (added 1 year ago) - $140
Cabinet Hardware (added 1 year ago) - $70

2012 - $210

Cece Caldwell Chalk Paint in Seattle Mist (2 containers) - $78
Semi Gloss Polyurethane (2 containers) - $34
Foam Brushes - $20
Rev-a-Shelf chrome organizer units (3 units) - $300
Wood bun feet for cabinets - $30
Simple Human Trashcan - $150

2013 - $612

TOTAL KITCHEN CABINET REMODEL PROJECT - $822

For $822 I am thrilled with my kitchen.  Yes, I need to get new counters but that will come with time.  I LOVE the color of the cabinets.  I love my new shelves and trashcan and decor - I literally would not change a thing.

Next up...my kitchen table and chairs redo.  I had to - I was on a major painting binge! 

A Little Sparkle?

I would LOVE to do this on our backsplash...

You see a lot of tiled backsplashes but rarely something like this, right?  Looks easy enough to tackle.

And here is another use of sparkle in your home: the penny floor!

I have always wanted to do this.  But maybe in a small room, like a powder room?  Anything larger feels a bit overwhelming.

So think about adding a little sparkle to your otherwise utilitarian surfaces!

I've been working hard on our kitchen.

First, I stained everything with a grey wash; it looks SO awesome.



Then I replaced all of the drawer pulls with vintage-look pulls. I've always wanted those and now I have them :)



Third I added bun feet to make the cabinets look more custom - it definintely helped.

Now I am in the middle of adding beadboard to all of the outside panels and to wrap the whole kitchen island. It is a multiple step process: cutting the boards to fit, then adhering with Gorilla wood clue and finishing nails, and finally staining the boards.


Final steps include a new kitchen counter (most likely in granite), most likely a new sink (looking at farmhouse/apron sink models), lighting over the island and maybe a tile backsplash (not sure yet).

I just bought these vintage look barstools off of overstock.com.


$67 for BOTH and FREE shipping. Can't wait til they arrive later this week.

Green!

Loving this glossy green kitchen island. I am totally confident that my husband would not be on board with this in our kitchen that we are designing...but I still love it :)

How to Design a Kitchen...when you've wanted one for a REALLY long time...

SO. This is the year. The year that we gut and redo our kitchen. I have wanted to do this for the 4+ years we have been in our house and my husband and me put together a budget/savings plan for the next 10 months or so to make it happen THIS year. I can't even express how excited I am about this.

Of course, it is all contingent on NOT blowing our monthly budget so that we can save enough to actually DO the kitchen.

All of this excitement gives way to a new reality however. Hmmmm...what exactly do we want in this new kitchen of ours? What to do when we DO NOT agree on cabinet colors or design? Change the footprint of the existing kitchen or keep it the same? Knock down some walls? Make a two-tiered island or create a peninsula?

They are at least enjoyable questions to research and answer, but this is the kind of remodel that we will do ONCE...and I really want to get it right.

So postings here will be a little heavier on kitchens this year as I try to fine tune what appeals and works for our family.

If you have ANY suggestions/ideas at all I would love to hear them. What worked for you? What helped you make choices for your kitchen? What are some products that you really love and couldn't live without in your kitchen? Bring it on - I am all ears!

My Chandelier

I get a lot of comments when people come into my kitchen about my chandelier. By itself, its nothing special. But draped with the bits and bobs I have found over the years (ie: garlands from Tibet, small glass lanterns, ivy, lampshades that I have made and also purchased from Anthropologie, Christmas ornaments that don't quite make it back in the ornament box...you get the picture), it becomes much more than just a light fixture - it becomes the focal point of our kitchen.

I love it.

Lovely Kitchen

Well, there it is...my current dream kitchen:

The chandelier really makes the room for me. Then the aged farmhouse table with stools, that gorgeous floor, the cutglass in the cabinets, the LIGHTING in the photograph - it just all comes together beautifully. And for that reason, this kitchen is my current favorite. Ahhhhhh...bliss.

Purple Kitchen

When was the last time you saw a purple kitchen? Make that a purple kitchen done beautifully?


Well...here you go! Gorgeous purple cabinets, clean open shelving, stainless steel appliances and table and chairs. I am swooning over here. Seriously, those cabinets are killing me.

Just a little something for your Tuesday :)

PS: I am in LOVE with Pinterest. Have we talked about this yet? I spend WAY too much time on there. If you are in love with pictures and inspiration and color and all of it, head on over and apply for an invitation. You'll be glad you did. Also a little sorry - you will soon become the most ineffective person ever :).

Happy Dining

I am in love with this kitchen. The floors had me at "hello". The plank table with the black and rope chairs, the red cabinets...and then the greenery. Its just looks like such a happy place to cook and dine. Love it!

And I feel badly - I don't have the reference for the picture anymore...sorry :(

White Vintage Kitchen

(image courtesy of blog House of Bliss)

I love all of the elements of this kitchen...found vintage pieces, beautiful chandelier, great light, open shelving, a large clean worksurface and what appears to be an exposed (albeit painted ) brick wall.

Breathtaking. Love all of it.

Kitchen Tour - Sarah G

It was such a treat to visit my friend Sarah G and shoot her delicious kitchen...

Sarah has put a lot of love and work into her kitchen (indeed her entire home) and it shows. In fact, her kitchen positively glows with warmth and charm. When I asked her to sum up her kitchen in 3 words she replied, "Clean, Open, Modern Country". After spending time in the space, I'd have to agree.

(Farmhouse table purchased from Old Town Furniture in Vacaville, CA; Chandeliers from Ballard Design)

An abundantly long old farmhouse table, well equipped for art projects, sewing endeavors or a good meal with her family of 7 and friends anchors the dining area. Sarah says that what she loves most about her kitchen is "the giant table because it can really take the abuse of my 5 children. I also really love my chandliers. Another favorite is my collection of salt and pepper shakers and my new curtains".

(Curtain fabric from Waverly Fabrics; print called "Small Talk Black Bird")

Old vintage windows line a wall adjacent to the vaulted ceiling. And notice that the ceiling is beadboard? Love it.

Sarah painted ALL of these cabinets herself (in their former life they were regular stock oak cabinets). And having been in this kitchen I can attest that there are a lot of cabinets. SO much work and elbow grease...

But the black painted island, contrasting lower gray cabinets and upper white cabinets make for such a lovely combination. She did a fantastic job. The time she put in was worth it!

Rustic Kitchen

I am loving this kitchen...

The ceiling..., the hearth, the long well used farmhouse table. All of it.

(Image courtesy of bright bazaar)

Turquoise and Red Kitchen

Did you know that the color combination of turquoise and red is my favorite? Which is probably why this kitchen speaks to me so much. The chandelier and sparkling white cabinets don't hurt either...
The whole set-up is perfection in my book.

(Images from a beautiful blog known as House of Turquoise)