Home Tour: Kitchen

This is what the kitchen looked like when we purchased the house.  Very traditional and similar to what both of us have been living with in all our other homes.  It was the first room we knew we wanted to renovate.  Back in August I was still up in the air about painting the cabinets.  It doesn't seem like all that long ago, but time has been flying by so rapidly these days.  I'm happy to say that two months later the kitchen is nearly finished, and I wanted to show it to you.

We decided to paint the cabinets after all.  The look I was trying to achieve was crisp, yet a little rustic.  Although the house has a lot of natural light, the back corner of the kitchen seemed a little dark and I thought the lighter palette would reflect the light better.  The cabinet color is Benjamin Moore's Chantilly Lace, and on the walls is Classic Gray.  The two are very neutral colors and seem to compliment both warm and cool tones.  We changed out the tile with a simple subway tile with dark gray grout.  We waffled on the grout color for a while, but I really think the darker gray gives it some dimension and breaks up the space a little bit.  The other major change was the stove top.  Although you can't see it in the original picture there was a flat surface, electric stove top.  There was a gas line already connected so all we had to do was change out the stove top to a gas unit. 

At first I wasn't too sure I would like this desk and butlers pantry.  It could easily become a junk collector.  The good news is there is plenty of space to organize office supplies, recipes, and bills and I've used it quite a bit.  As of now, this stool is my chair.  It serves two purposes: It slides easily out of the way when I'm not sitting at the desk, and I need a stool close by for all the hard to reach items on the top of the shelves.  I might eventually change it, but for now, it works.  

The bar stools are perfect for the large island.  They match the rustic look and when my favorite girls come over to visit, the height adjusts so they can sit taller.  The paint on the island is a darker color called San Antonio Gray.  It's in a glossy finish with the intention of keeping it cleaner from shoe marks. At least less noticeable.

The hardwoods already existed in the kitchen, but they were a yellow pine color.  Since we added hardwoods in other areas of the house we had the opportunity to sand the existing floors and stain them darker.  The darker color blends well with the neutral color scheme.  

One of the last finishing touches for now was the hardware. With the cabinets being white it's important to have knobs and pulls to keep them from getting too dirty. We are messy cooks, and since we often make chocolate cookies we didn't want to end up with cocoa all over the cupboards.

I say that the renovation is nearly complete because eventually we'll change out the countertops, the light fixtures, and possibly the sink. All big decisions that need a little seasoning before making the purchase. In the meantime, it's perfect. Mostly, I love the transformation, and I think the kitchen is going to be the hub of the house as it is in most homes. What I love most about my parents' home is that everyone gathers around the bar. Laughter, tears, and everyday life takes place around the bar and I get the sense that my new kitchen will be no different.

JUMP TO
New Home
Home Tour: Mud Room
Home Tour: Study

The List to Make It Official

Moving really puts life into perspective for you.  You begin to identify what matters most.  For weeks cc and I have been living in limbo as we prepared to sell one house, and made a few changes on the new house.  Every time something important happened we'd look at each other simultaneously and say "it's official, we've moved."  The list keeps expanding. 

1.  It's official, the coffee pot, latte machine, beans, grinder, filters...have been moved.  

2.  It's official, we now have wireless internet.

3.  It's official, the t.v. has been connected just in time for football season. (Go Huskers!)

4.  It's official, the kitchen is set up.

5.  It's official, the first batch of Great Aunt Linnie's cookies have been made with the girls.

6.  It's official, our first letter arrived in the mailbox.

7.  It's official, the new mattresses are here.

8.  It's official, the rocker has been placed on the front porch.
9.  It's official, the rugs are on the floor, which means painting is done.
10.  And the most important, it's official, the cats have made the move.  Reluctantly.

 

At first glance these things may seem silly and hardly qualify as important, but there is an unspoken understanding that it is not the material items that are so important to us, but rather the moments in which they take place; The traditons that are brewing that create family.  We value the anodyne of creating a home that is a safe place that heals, comforts, and infuses us with laughter. 

I finally feel at home and every time I walk through the door, despite the patchy paint yet to be finished, and the empty rooms waiting for furniture.  I can't think of a place I would rather be.  It's not just that we have moved, we have arrived home and this list is just more proof that we have finally found our resting place. 

What do you find important to you and your family that makes it official?

How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Clean Your Tile

{source}

I am still in new house mode with a long project list and unpacking to do.  We finally have the old house on the market and we are living in the new house.  I do feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  One project I wanted to get done right away was the laundry room.  Not only was the pile of clothes almost as tall as me, the previous owners kept their dog in the laundry room during the day.  It needed a fresh coat of paint, cleaning, and some serious deodorizing in order to hook up the W/D and get to work. 

I knew from my trusty book that hydrogen peroxide is a great household cleaner, especially for deodorizing.  (I'm starting to love it as much as apple cider vinegar.)  I was concerned about pouring the liquid all over the tile floor;  It needed to be concentrated.  This is the part where you'll find that my mind gets a little twisted.  Having two hair stylists in the family I also knew hydrogen peroxide is an agent in "bleaching" hair.  So I called up my sister to ask her what the salon calls peroxide: Developer!  It comes in creme, which has the consistency of shampoo, making it much easier to keep in one place on the floor.  I headed over to the beauty supply store and picked up...a gallon. 

I started with a small section.  I poured about a cup of the creme on the floor and started to scrub with a good stiff brush.  WHOA!  Flashback: When you were little and an injury incurred that required the use of peroxide, do you remember what it did, other than hurt like hell?  Major foam action.  Back to the floor; Major foam action. So my note of caution is that a little goes a long way.  You won't need a gallon. 

After scrubbing with the brush, I took a bucket of water with an old rag and wiped the excess off the floor.  What I realized later is there was still a film on the floor.  The feeling resembled hair that had not been properly rinsed after shampooing.  To solve the problem I filled my bucket with warm water and took a mop to it one more time and that took care of the problem. 

The entire process was a little time consuming, and hard on the knees, but it's really more of a deep cleaning process than one to use in the regular cleaning schedule.  Along with the fresh paint on the walls and cabinets, the developer did take care of the smell and grime, and I'm very pleased with the results.

Now on to other projects and laundry. 

Officially Ours

It's official.  We are closing on our new house today, which means I am one step closer to being a little more settled. I've missed being in this space and have so much to share with you. 

On a side note; Any cat owners out there?  I'm searching for suggestions on how to keep the stress level to a minimum during the move.