Take A Look At My Kitchen Now!

Dare I say the kitchen is now my favorite room in my whole house?  And that's saying something coming from someone who hates to cook.  Just look at it!

Paint has completely transformed this space since that last time I showed it to you all.  Since then, Adam and I painted the walls in Sherwin-William's Eider White.  It's essentially white with just the faintest hint of gray.  Deciding on the wall color was tricky and took many paint samples.  I knew I wanted a cooler color, but it had to look good in both the kitchen and family room.  Several samples we tried would look good in the kitchen, but not in the family room.  But eventually, I settled on the very neutral Eider White.

We typically use Behr paint from Home Depot because it's more budget-friendly, yet still good quality.  We couldn't find a color that was similar enough to Eider White, so we went with Sherwin-Williams.  I know you can get paint color-matched, but the bases aren't the same so the colors always seem a bit off when I've tried to have things color-matched.  Since we had gone through so many samples and struggled to find a color that worked, we just sprang for the pricier Sherwin-Williams Cashmere paint.  But to be honest, both Adam and I weren't thrilled with the paint itself.  We still had to put two coats on the wall and the consistency wasn't our favorite.  Basically, the only thing it had going for itself was the color.   

The new color really does help mellow out the space and let some of the other elements shine.  I was a little nervous that we, color-lovers, were basically painting our walls white.  But everything has come together so beautifully and it definitely proved to be the right color choice.

The more exciting paint update is what went on our cabinets!

Adam and I threw around the idea of painting the cabinets ourselves using chalk paint.  But after visiting a shop that sells chalk paint and chatting with some of the gals there, we quickly realized there were far too many steps involved for us at this point in our lives.  There's no way Archer and Lyla wouldn't have gotten into the paint or the freshly painted cabinets.  We wouldn't have had the time we would have needed to execute the job in a way that would yield the outcome we were after.  So we ended up having my friend Kristen of Made New paint them for us.  I took Lyla, Archer, and Jazzy to my parents for the week so we would be out of the way and allow Kristen to work her magic. 

Kristen did such a beautiful job!  I know we weren't the easiest clients since we are quite particular, but she put up with us and delivered!  She was also kind enough to meet with us twice before she even started painting to help us work out some details and pick the paint color for the cabinets.  I almost chose a lighter gray, but Kristen encouraged me to follow my vision and pick a darker color.  I am so happy she did because I am in love with the color!  (It's Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines Trim & Cabinetry Paint in Cozy Up.)

We ended up not going the chalk paint route.  We wanted something that would hold up well over time and would require little maintenance.  Kristen recommended the Magnolia Home paint and we are very happy with the results.  It has a very pretty semi-gloss finish, with just the perfect amount of sheen.  Kristen also suggested painting the window frame above the sink in a glossy white to tie the window to the white tile and paneled ceiling Adam added.  It turned out to be the right decision and looks beautiful!

The pretty cabinet color also allows all the trim work Adam added to our existing cabinets to shine.  I love the frames he added on the ends of all the cabinets.  They add a nice, subtle detail.

He also reworked the area above the sink and it looks so much more modern and updated!  I love how the corbels he added help tie both sides of the kitchen together.  The trim he added around the bottom of the upper cabinets really adds a nice finished look.  I must admit, I didn't really think all the trim work would make much of an impact, but I was wrong!  It makes our previously-boring 80's cabinets special, with just the right amount of detail.

Another change that helped take our cabinets out of the 80's was switching out the pulls and hinges.  We chose matte black knobs for all the doors and pulls for all the drawers.  Adam suggested using larger pulls on our larger drawers and the pantry and it was a great choice!  It's pretty amazing how switching up the hardware can make such a difference!   

We made other swaps, too.  We swapped out the large swagged chandelier in the eat-in kitchen for a more modern fixture.  Adam and I had a hard time finding something we both liked.  We ended up visiting Rensen House of Lights and found the perfect fixture that we could both agree upon.  That store was huge!  When we walked in, Adam said if we couldn't find something at that store, then we were just too picky!

Finally, I added in some finishing touches that really helped pull the space together.  I talked Adam into ordering this rug.  It's definitely bold, but it works perfectly in our kitchen.  Some of the greenish-blues match the backsplash tile.  It's busy enough that it will (and does) hide crumbs and food stains.  My mom called me a Grandma for covering up our hardwood floors in the kitchen.  I know a rug doesn't always make the most sense in a kitchen, but it works for us.  It helps protect the hardwood flooring from the water splashes that happen when we are reaching for the hand towel on the stove or loading up the dishwasher.  It also gives Archer, Lyla, and Jazzy a place to hang out and annoy me while I'm trying to cook dinner.

I tried to keep the decor and items on the countertops to a minimum.  I don't like a lot of clutter, plus I didn't want to detract from all of the other beautiful things going on in our kitchen.  I added a wood tray to the right of the stove with utensils, a candle, cooking oils, salt, and pepper.  The corner by the stove is my baking area, which houses my mixer, flour, and sugar.

There's a small tray next to the sink that houses the dish and hand soap.  Above the sink on the windowsill I have an aloe plant that I've managed to keep alive for over a year now and a couple of sentimental mementos.

The other side of the kitchen features Adam's little coffee station and the bread box.  I think he likes having his Keurig machine out instead of having to stow it away every morning like he used to.  I think we've managed to create a pretty functional kitchen in a pretty small footprint.

I decided to put in new shelf liner before we put all of the stuff back into our cabinets after we had removed it all before painting.  I forgot how time-consuming it was to measure and cut out the contact paper for each cabinet and drawer!  But with Adam wrangling the kids, I managed to get it finished.  I love the fun little pop of flowers each time I open up a door or drawer now.

We only have one item left on our to-do list.  I plan to try my hand at making some Roman shades for the window above our sink and the two other windows and door in our eat-in kitchen.  I don't have the best sewing skills, but I will try!  It will certainly be a lot less expensive than buying custom window treatments to fit our odd-sized windows.  I will keep you all posted on that adventure.  I'm looking forward to being able to cross off the last item on our to do list!

1. Get new countertops.
2. Have a new backsplash installed.
3. Paint the cabinets gray.
4. Make some minor modifications to the existing cabinets.
5. Paint the walls a lighter, cooler color.
6. Find a new light fixture for our eat-in kitchen.
7. Replace the cabinet handles and hinges.
8. Replace the window treatments in the kitchen and eat-in kitchen.
9. Replace the sink and faucet.

Here's a few before and after shots to really drive home how far our kitchen has come over the past few months:

 

I am so in love with our gorgeous new kitchen!  I literally smile every time I walk in there now.  I even think cooking in such a pretty space makes me a better chef.  I haven't screwed up any meals in our newly renovated kitchen...yet.  ;)

18 Months!

It is rather baffling to me that Archer and Lyla are a year and a half old already!  I really have a hard time comprehending that these two sweethearts have been around for 18 months.  My bond with them grows stronger every single day, which is a very good thing since their orneriness seems to grow each day too.  

They are both so active and energetic.  They run around the house all day long.  However, they will stop to watch Sesame Street or flip through their books.  These cold winter months have been a bit challenging.  We will all be happy when the temperatures warm up enough to play outside on a regular basis. 

I try to get out and about each day, which makes both kiddos happier.  We go to stores with carts, which they enjoy standing up in and dancing to the music playing in the stores.  I've just recently gotten brave enough to let the kids walk from the car to the store.  It's a complicated song and dance to get both out of their car seats without one of them running into the parking lot, but we've got a system down that works for us.  I take Archer out first and then put him onto the floor of the car on the side that has Lyla's car seat.  I get Lyla out of her car seat and them put her down in the parking lot while maintaining a death grip on her arm with one hand.  Then I wrangle Archer out of the car while maintaining a death grip on his arm.  Luckily Archer is pretty agile and can climb out the car pretty easily.  Then we ever so slowly make our way to the door of the store.  It's pretty ironic how slowly they trudge through the parking lot given how fast they can move.  They have both mastered doing the opposite of what I'd like them to do.  Once we're inside, we go straight into a cart.  They would have everything knocked off the bottom shelves in about 30 seconds flat if I let them wander freely.

In addition to Target and grocery stores, we also like to hit up story time at our local library.  I recently concluded we need to start going to toddler story time instead of baby story time and it's been a little hard for me to accept.  I can't believe I have toddlers now instead of babies!  There's an open gym time we've gone to a few times, which they love.  We also like to hit up the play area at the mall and the pet store.  I'm always on the lookout for new adventures, especially if they are free.  It really is so much fun watching Lyla and Archer discover new experiences. 

Archer and Lyla really are best buddies.  Archer typically wakes up in the morning and from naps well before Lyla.  He is constantly asking for her or trying to yell loudly outside her door to wake her up.  They are almost always in the same room at the same time.  If they go upstairs by themselves, they'll both go in the same room.  If one leaves a room, the other will almost always follow.  It's pretty sweet.  I will also hear them giggling and screaming with delight together.  Of course as soon as I try to take a video they stop. 

But they do have their scuffles.  Lately Archer has been pushing Lyla down with a swift one-handed shove.  If they don't know I'm watching them, she'll shake it off.  But if Lyla knows I'm watching, she'll be quite dramatic.  But Lyla can give it as good as she gets it.  She's figured out pulling handfuls of Archer's hair really gets to him.  They also take turns laying on top of each other and not getting up.  I try to help them understand that they need to be nice to each other, but they quickly lose interest in the middle of my explanations.  Fortunately they seem to understand they can't do what they do to each other with other kids.  They are typically nice and kind and enjoy sharing with other kids. 

Archer is very verbal these days.  He has a very large vocabulary, but his favorite word at the moment is "NO-ooooo!"  He enunciates his words rather dramatically.  Adam and I get a kick out of him trying to repeat things like "porcupine," "applesauce," and "octopus."  He has good balance and can climb up and down the stairs on his feet as long as he holds onto the wall.  His arms are getting quite long and he can take all sorts of things off the kitchen counter.  He still uses a pacifier at night and has some satin-edged blankets he's very attached to.  He's been waking up between 5:30 and 6:00 each morning and not sleeping very long during his naps. (Yawn!)  Archer enjoys a snuggle when he wakes up and I am more than happy to comply. 

Lyla has been into dancing and swaying to music.  She gets especially happy when the Sesame Street credits come on so she can dance along to them.  She has a couple baby dolls that she loves dearly.  Lyla's favorite thing in the world are "nacks."  She asks for snacks constantly throughout the day and is rather persistent until I give in.  This explains why she's in the 90th percentile for weight.  She's a champion sleeper and is happy to chatter to herself in the dark in her crib for a good hour before she falls asleep most nights.  As long as she has her "night night" (any muslin blanket), she's a happy girl.  She says "hi-iii" and "buh-bye-eeee" to everyone and I adore it. 

They both love taking a "ba" (bath) each night that Dada oversees.  They are both good at fine-motor activities like shape sorters.  They still constantly put everything in their mouths (crayons, plant leaves, toilet paper, any random thing they find on the ground....)  They both have healthy appetites and like trying new foods, though Archer is getting a bit pickier.  They enjoy using forks when eating and dipping things in ketchup. 

I feel like I am getting into more of a groove and am getting better at anticipating their needs.  We've got our routines down and I am head-over-heels in love with my sweet toddlers.  I am excited to see how they continue to grow!