a new look

Kitchen time!  We are mostly finished with kitchen projects (still hunting for a light fixture for the breakfast nook..gotta finish some painting...)  But it feels so good to be here.  Good to be done with the crazy parts.

  I walk downstairs each morning and pinch myself.

Kitchen before (well, we had already refinished the floors)

I like the antique brass hardware, warms the space up.  Knobs on top, pulls on bottom.

It's a big process trying to decide exactly where you want to spend your money,

and your (husbands) time.

There were a few ideas that didn't make it pass the chopping block, but all in all, I am loving the changes we did make.

 This little nook to the left of the refrigerator is one of my favorite places.
It's my baking pantry in a cabinet (idea ala pinterest)

I keep most baking supplies here as opposed to in the pantry.

The drawer on the right is filled with baking spices, 

and the drawer on the left contains all those baking gadgets

(measuring cups and spoons, mixer attachments etc.)

Below are my baking pans and trays. 

Organizing in this fashion has really streamlined my process.

 I love this little area in a ridiculous way.

I love that it's something one could implement in any kitchen.

View from behind the island.

I soooo appreciate how quiet the dishwasher is :)

(anything that lowers the decibel level in this house is a friend of mine!)

There were decisions to save or splurge the whole way through.

The faucet was one place I spent a little more, and I don't regret it a bit.

It's front and center in the kitchen and to me, like jewelry.

We saved on hardware (clearance find!), backsplash, and doing most work ourselves, 

but the other splurge was probably the countertops and again...we are so happy with the result.

It's a white quartzite stone with beautiful veining.

Between my wonderful (but messy/destructive) children, and my own kitchen habits,

I appreciate that it is durable and performs like a granite. 

Also loving....that deep single basin sink.

 David ran a new gas line, and my cooking dreams came true.  It's as wonderful as I suspected.

 Most all of the changes we made were cosmetic.  One thing I always loved about this kitchen was the layout.  It functions so well and has pretty little corners (like the glass cabinets) that keep it interesting.

Like most good things the kitchen was a combination of preparation (saving up our pennies) and right-timing (how long I dreamed of my own home again) and a large dose of blessing.  I feel the blessing part every time I walk into the kitchen.  It's super fun to dream and scheme and then to make it/see it happen.  Lots of satisfaction in the process for sure!

Now it's on to other projects, like actually hanging something on a wall.

In the middle.

I've been so lousy at documenting the house stuff.

I think it's because in my mind the "end" seems so far away, 

and some days it feels like we've only just started!

But progress has been made because the fireplace used to look like this:

David built a new surround that I like so much!

We replaced the black tile with carrera marble in a herringbone pattern.

The cabinet doors are gone, and in their place is a little surprise that David came up with.

The mirror slides open to reveal toys! the TV, (that we don't have yet).

It's one of our favorite features so far and it was the perfect compromise.

I didn't love the look of those cabinets when I knew we had this mirror that would fit perfectly.

That and we never, (I mean literally never) watch TV.  

         So David did a little research and found some industrial drawer slides. 

Of course even these pictures show we still have work to do here.

Finish tiling, paint the walls, touch-up stuff and ummm, get that TV.

Also, the floor is done!  We replaced all the carpet downstairs with hardwood.

That meant the living room, dining room & my future office/music room got new flooring.

I've mentioned it before, but the floor project was kind of brutal.

It's a bit like child birth though, because now that it's over, I can hardly remember the bad parts.

The pictures are a bit dark (it was cloudy) but we went with a dark brown stain and a satin clear coat.

I think the end result is lovely.

Here is a semi-before.  The fireplace had been finished, but the carpet is still there.

The hardwoods were a chestnut color.

And this view from the front door into the dining room shows how David had to tie in the new flooring to the existing.  He did top-notch work.  Now that the entire floor has been refinished, I cannot tell where the old and new floor meet.

 Next up...the kitchen.

To give you an idea of the general layout, the french door leads to the office/music room and to the left of it is the glass door that leads to the pantry.  To the left of the pantry is the dining room.  And behind that highchair is a breakfast nook.

 (door opens to deck)

The simple plan is this:  change everything.

Ha!  Close though. 

I really love the layout and we will keep the cabinets and of course the fridge I picked this summer.

But most other aspects of the room will be re-imagined. 

Wish us luck.

Also.

Did I ever mention that we were this close to building a house?

Yes.  We had scoped a lot, selected a plan and a builder. 

We got so far as to actually have two cashiers checks in hand and were in the final meeting

 with the builder to hold the lot and sign the contract.

And I just. couldn't. do. it.

It's a crazy story for another day.

But in the end...this house won out,

in all of it's short-sale glory.

And we knew from the very beginning (and budgeted cash for) the changes we wanted to make.

I remind myself of this often these days because when you are in the middle, 

it's hard not to let your mind drift to the "would have been scenarios".

You know, the ones where we would be living in a house that would reflect our ideas

and ask absolutely nothing of us.

Ahhhhhhh.

And yet, in an undeniable way, this is home.

eeeeee!!!

Three things:

1 - A few weeks ago, David and I started a conversation about different impressions we've had since moving into our home.  It was interesting to note that we've both received guidance and little nudges, if you will, in regards to this new stage in our family's life.  I especially liked his.  He said one night he went out to turn off the sprinkler, and while on the side of the house, in the dark, a strong feeling came, and the thought that he needed to make sure to create memories for his family in this home, and that he needed to be purposeful in providing traditions for our children to look forward to.  I love that, I love the mental image I have of that experience.

2 - Last week we visited the joco children's museum, and they have a play structure for kids built to resemble an old farmstead. It's complete with pretend chicken coop, laundry line, wood burning stove, and water that is pumped into the house via well.  The kids were having a blast playing and I was reading some of the signs around the exhibit.  To the best of my recollection, one was a letter written by the mayor (around the turn of the century?) to residents encouraging them, to the best of their ability, to make their homes clean and safe and beautiful.  And he particularly said that their children would benefit from those efforts.  And I chuckled, but kind of loved the idea that the mayor published that.

3 - I'm really excited about our little bathroom transformation.  We rewired for sconces, painted and hung a different mirror.  I say "we" but my only contribution to these projects are ideas and maybe some finishing touches.  (and lots of praise! "oh honey, you're amazing!") We've got a slew of projects on deck, and I'm totally embracing the entire process. (please remind me I said that in a few months when I'm going crazy)  But really.  I think the secret is that the dreaming and planning and hard work are actually the best parts.  Of course the end result is lovely, but forever and ever my memories are linked to process.  I do like to recall how beautiful I felt the basement in our first home turned out.  But even more I find we say, "remember when the Baileys and Ballantynes came over almost every Friday night and we ordered pizza and the girls talked nonstop upstairs while the guys wired the entire downstairs?"  Or, "remember that one time you and your brother were messing with a pipe in the basement and a gush of water shot straight out and missed baby Zach (sitting in his carseat) by six inches!?"  It's messy and imperfect, but there is a lot of magic happening in the middle, in the creation.

(the before)