...it's not "me." You can put me down as the biggest whiner on earth. I have a big kitchen with tons of storage, nice cabinets, new counters, quality floors, good lighting...and I still want to do a total makeover.
I have not shared a whole lot about my kitchen, because it's not my taste. It's all great, but I can't wait to change it. I would almost prefer a really dated kitchen that is falling apart, so it would have to be a priority! (Okay, not really.)
Here are some of the things I want to change...
I want this modern kitchen to have the look of an old farmhouse kitchen that will blend better with the rest of our 1940's home. I want it to be in blues and whites with French Country flair. I want to be able to display all of my ironstone, blue and white dishes, Bakelite flatware, and antique linens. (Do I sound like Veruca Salt? "Daddy, I want another pony.")
I'd also like to remove some of the upper cabinets and replace them with open shelving. I'm not sure about the color of paint for the cabinets, yet. I'm thinking of using a color for the base cabinets and white for the uppers, but it's going to depend on the flooring, counters, and wall color.
My "grand plan" for the counters (and my poor husband) is to find an old barn that is free to anyone who will take it down. I want (my husband) to use the old barn wood to make plank countertops for me. Sound crazy? I think it is, but it just might be crazy brilliant. Or, it could be crazy stupid. We'll see. We do have a nice workshop with a planer and jointer, so we'll be able to get the wood smooth and useable.
I am going to trade out the antique brass hardware for glass knobs and bin cup pulls.
I am also planning on removing the over-the-range microwave and (have my husband) build me a custom range hood. (I hope he's doesn't read this post and get stressed out at my honey-do list!)
The pot rack stays, though. My mom bought this for me as a housewarming gift and I love it. I do think a pretty chandelier would look nice here, but I use and love my pot rack, so it stays.
The framed chalkboard and stool are recent yard sale/antique store finds.
And in my recent stash of doors I found at a yard sale, there is one that will fit perfectly behind the table to cover the faux wood on the side of the pantry. The shutter was one I pulled from the basement just for these pictures. Usually, I'm staring at faux wood grain laminate over my grapefruit in the morning.
My grandmother's hand painted alabaster fruit sits in the antique balance I found at a yard sale for $20.00. I would love to have fresh fruit sitting out all the time, but I like my fruit cold, so it's always in the fridge.
Obviously, the table setting is just for the pictures, but this is the dinnerware we use daily. I purchased it from Ikea about five years ago. Sadly, I don't think they carry the floral pattern anymore. My two toddlers were a riot as I was setting the table. They both sat down and my three year old asked if we were having dinner (at about 10 am.)
I couldn't resist putting my tasty-as-they-look bing cherries in an ironstone bowl for the pictures. I love the fruit and vegetables that are available during the summer.
So, that's my kitchen and that's the plan. It's going to be a good long while before I'm able to execute my design, but until then, I am so blessed to have a really nice kitchen.
As a side note, my husband just came back from a mission's trip to the Dominican Republic where he saw true poverty. Most families there live in a small, one-room house with dirt floors and cardboard walls. He never throws that in my face when I talk about things I don't like about our home, but it was such a great reminder to me of how blessed I am and that I need to be thankful.
In the end, it's just stuff, just a room, just a house.
