Tuesday, June 16

My updated kitchen


If you're like me, you really enjoy peeking into bloggers' homes.  Inspiration abounds, good ideas flow freely, and besides--it's fun to see what your online friends are up to!

But if you're like me in another way, it's sometimes discouraging to see into bloggers' homes. Projects appear to be completed overnight.  It feels as though no one seems to struggle as much with real-life interruptions as much as I do.  Sigh.

I started a kitchen mini-remodel last spring.  Spring of 2014, you understand.  And though I made great strides in just a few weeks, I did not complete the task until now.  15 months later.  Does this happen to anyone else?

Here's how things looked before I started.


And here's the same view today, with all updates complete:


This was not a dramatic makeover by any means, but I wanted to add more of a farmhouse feel to this big kitchen.  So here's what I did.

Changed the wall color.  This was the easiest project, of course, and I'm enjoying the new, light look.  The color is Sherwin-Williams Liveable Green.  Although my kitchen doesn't have a lot of wall space, I like this soft green color.



Changed the faucets.  I really like these faucets, which are from the Cassidy line by Delta.  They're nice and heavy, and I like the way the two faucets coordinate without being exactly the same.




Changed the tile backsplash.  I swapped the tumbled marble for a crackle-finish subway tile.  The new finish is lighter, brighter, and much easier to clean.  I also took away the stainless steel backsplash from the stovetop.



Painted the kitchen island.  This may be my favorite change.  The color is Oakmoss by Sherwin Williams, and I love the way the green island breaks up the sea of brown.  I also changed the knobs and pulls on the island to polished chrome ones (Gilmore by Restoration Hardware).



Added a beverage fridge to the island.  This was the most complicated and expensive part of the update, but we've enjoyed this so much.  I chose a ULine fridge, which is wonderful--it's part wine cooler, part cold beverage storage. Fitting it into the island required more extensive cabinet surgery than I expected, but I found a good carpenter who got it done.  All the details of that makeover are here.





Changed the lights over the island.  This was as simple as the fridge was complicated.  These pendants are from Ballard Designs, and they simply screw into existing recessed fixtures.  I especially like them with Edison bulbs in the sockets.


Painted and recovered the barstools.  They'd been black for a long time.  I spray-painted them and recovered the seats.


Created faux grain sack covers for the chairs around the table.  This was a fun project.  I simply cut a canvas drop cloth into squares large enough to fit my chair cushions, then just used painter's tape to create the stripes.  First I taped each square like this:



I painted that stripe with craft paint, then applied tape like this.  (You can see that I used tape to mark spaces on my plastic ruler, which is how I made sure that the width of the stripes was the same on all chairs.)



The painted stripes looked like this:


Then I simply used my staple gun to attach these to the chairs.


Changed the window treatment.  I liked the look of my faux grain sack chairs so much that I created a new faux Roman shade for the window over my sink.  I cut a drop cloth to the right size for my window, then used the same tape method to create stripes down the length of each side of my fabric.  I was very diligent to measure carefully from each side to insure that the stripes were straight, which was a little tedious but not hard.  Then I followed my own faux Roman shade tutorial (click here for that) to create the new shade.  I like it a lot!



And with that, I think I'm finished.  And it only took me about 15 months to complete this project. Here are some more views of the new space:








So what do you think of the changes?  And do you ever struggle to get projects finished?  Please tell me I'm not alone!


Details:
Cupboards: maple beadboard
Granite: Santa Cecilia
Drawer pulls and cabinet knobs are from Restoration Hardware
Major appliances: KitchenAid
Beverage refrigerator: ULine
Light fixtures: Ballard Designs
Faucets: Delta
Wall color: Sherwin Williams Liveable Green
Island color: Sherwin Williams Oakmoss
Table: Pottery Barn (no longer available)
Kitchen chairs: Bassett Furniture
Upholstered chairs: Pottery Barn
Barstools: T.J. Maxx
Window treatment: No-sew faux Roman shade (tutorial here)

Let me know if you have any questions!

I'm sharing at these wonderful parties:
Inspire Me Monday at Sand and Sisal
Fabulous Party at LouLou Girls
The Scoop at Worthing Court
Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
One Project at a Time at A Bowl Full of Lemons
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Your Turn to Shine at Bless 'Er House

29 comments:

  1. I see you had no comments after all that work was completed... well just had to stop and say, well done, it looks even better and more elegant now that you are completed.

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  2. I love, love, love your kitchen and all the changes are amazing. The lighter color is perfect and I really like the dark island. Great job.

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  3. I just love it! It is a beautiful kitchen!
    I love the lights over the island and all the changes you made, especially that beverage fridge. It is so welcoming. I also love the seat covers that you made.
    I was trying to see your picture that says Austria. I can't quite make it out.

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  4. Oh sweet Richella, what a great job and how amazing your kitchen looks, specially without the not so pretty green color. Looking gorgeous and that island is awesome!

    FABBY

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  5. You have an amazing kitchen. I love all of your updates, especially the tile and new lights. I'll bet your boys are giving your beverage chiller a workout this summer!

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  6. Richella, your kitchen looks so pretty! I've always loved your kitchen; and you did a lovely job with your updates! Your island looks great!

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  7. It looks just wonderful...and yes, I do struggle to get projects done as well...you are NOT alone, my friend :)

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  8. As i have said before, this is my favorite kitchen!! I love your changes, especially the island and the painted chairs! Very clever to paint your stripes on the chair fabric and window treatment! Isn't is amazing how long it seems to complete a few projects? But it's always worth it!! Enjoy your new changes!

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  9. Richella your kitchen looks absolutely wonderful. I love the color of the island and so many other choices as well, like the addition of the fridge and the new lighting. And I can definitely relate to your point about peeking in on other blogs too. It can seem like our own projects drag on when we see so much progress happening with other people...I think a sense a humor is needed when it comes to any home improvement job don't you?
    xo
    Leslie

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  10. Beautiful kitchen! The island is amazing - and the green paint is striking. You did good - so worth the wait.

    Carolyn @ Our Gilded Abode

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  11. Hello Dear Richella, i love it so much, very comfy yet so elegant... Perfect and it only took 15 months (smile) Well you are surely are not a quitter! The bar stools were very sharp looking! You have very good taste!
    Hope you are doing well! Happy Summer!
    Roxy

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  12. I LOVE the changes you made Richella...especially the painted island and your new window treatment!

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  13. I've always loved your kitchen but now even more! It's so light and pretty with so many things to admire. The paint colors, that backsplash, and your painted fabrics are my favorite parts....maybe. Great job!!

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  14. Well you have a beautiful and large kitchen. Love the island painted it really updates it. All of the updates were so worth it they look great and the kitchen looks new again. Great inspiration!

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  15. Richella it looks gorgeous!! Such a warm and cozy feeling and yet all of your changes really lightened and brightened. Well done friend!

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  16. Incredible!! Well done; I love all the changes you've made. Hubby would love a wine fridge, but not sure we could fit it into our island either...maybe a future project. For us just being in our home for a year now, we aren't ready to make lots of changes. I love what you've done.
    Hugs, Noreen

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  17. It is beautiful, Richella. I cheated and just bought a house with a beautiful kitchen.

    Fondly,
    Glenda

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  18. I just love your lighter and brighter farmhouse kitchen - so pretty! And yes, it takes me a million years to get a project done! : (

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  19. Hi Richella,
    Your kitchen update came out beautifully. Really like your island painted and nice to have that lil fridge for
    beverages right there too. You did a great job on your chair covers and the painting on your bar stools.
    It really does look wonderful.............and yes, many times our projects take us quite awhile. I have been
    wanting to redo my computer room for quite a while now, and even have many of the things to do it with,
    but just hasn't been a priority............but maybe this year, and we did a bathroom reno several years
    ago that took us about 8 mos or more, if I remember correctly. I always say Life is what happens when
    we are making our plans..............lol Might as well go with it, rather than be frustrated and crazy!! lol

    Take care hon,
    Blessings, Nellie

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  20. Love your kitchen, it is beautiful. Can you tell me where you found your table and chairs? It looks like it seats 10. I'm looking for a very large table and chairs like those.

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  21. Beautiful, beautiful makeover....I love the beverage fridge added to the island and all of the ways you chose to lighten up the kitchen from the paint to the chair covers...yes, it take me forever to complete a project as "life" sort of takes priority especially when you have a very active family and lifestyle....Great job Richella!

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  22. Hi Jeff and Teresa--Our table came from Pottery Barn a number of years ago. With both leaves in (which is how we use it), it's about 11 feet long. I love the look of it, although the top scratches very easily. I don't think they make this particular table any longer, but they have other tables of similar size, I believe. The captain's chairs are also from Pottery Barn, and they're very sturdy. The side chairs are from Bassett Furniture, and they've held up beautifully over the years. I've just re-upholstered the seats to suit my tastes from time to time.

    Hope that helps!

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  23. Gorgeous! I love the green island. I think blue and green tones are so beautiful in kitchens! My husband would be jealous of that mini fridge. Something like that is on our dream list! Thanks for sharing!

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  24. Richella, I love so many of the details of your updated kitchen, from the light green walls to the dark green island! And I'm in love with the faux grain sack seats and matching Roman shade! It may have taken a long time to get it all done, but it looks amazing now! Now it's time to enjoy it!

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  25. Yes Richella, I'm like you. In fact I just did a post today about the discontent I sometimes feel when looking at all of the beautiful home decor inspiration out there. I love your finished kitchen. My favorite is your drop cloth curtain and chair covers! My kinda project for sure.
    Blessings to you my friend,
    Patti

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  26. Wow - Richella! What a stunning transformation. I love the lighter feel plus the farmhouse touches. Boy can I relate to the fact the updates certainly don't happen overnight! You really did a wonderful job.

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  27. I'm in love with this! Thank you for sharing this with us! Pinned and tweeted! I hope to see you at tonight's party. We are always so impressed with your creations and can't wait to see them! Lou Lou Girls

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  28. Love the new farmhouse look, especially the island - and those chair covers are swoony! Wherever did you find the crackled subway tiles?

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