We are slowing running out of room reveals...HALLELUJAH...that means we're close, my friends, close to this house being DONE. (I mean, will it ever REALLY be done if I'm living here....HARD no 😬. What? I like to tinker, OK?!)
BEFORE
The kitchen was one room that the original owner had updated in the early 2000's. So thankfully the cabinets are all solid wood, extend all the way to the ceiling and are in a very good shape. They hold all of our small appliances and I AM ALL ABOUT THAT. (I don't love having my counters covered in mixers, blenders, makers, shakers...) So the cabinets are really great...just dated.
And the wall with the GORGEOUS double border (if one border is good...TWO borders are GREAT #amiright?!) was the only wall in the house we removed. It wasn't load bearing (🙌🏻) and it cut off the kitchen from the dining room...it just needed to go. I am an open concept-ISH kinda gal. I like large spaces that gather lots of people, but I also like some separation, so this layout would still work great for us after the wall came down.
Ahh, that's better.
THE PLAN
Here's what I wanted to do after the wall came down...
So....just about...like...EVERYTHING...😬
Our contractor had his tile guy put the flooring in before we moved in and we got a new fridge to replace the yellow fella (#RIP). Everything else we tackled after we moved in.
OK. Let's just get to the good stuff, shall we?
WE SHALL.
AFTER
ISN'T SHE A CLASSY DAME?! She is. She just really is. I didn't know she'd be so classy. (She's classier then I am, my friends. AND I'M OK WITH IT.)
I asked my sister to help me find a black and white tile that would be awesome. She found that beauty, introduced me, and we HIT IT OFF. The cabinet color is Brooklyn by Behr ...AND I LOVE IT, like, a lot. I had to do an internet deep dive to figure out what the heck color it was when I found it because it wasn't named in the pic. But I was up for the challenge...COME AT ME, INTERNET. (I will say it reads more green in this picture, but more blue in person.) But it is just a gorgeous color. (I suggested it for my friend's front door recently and she went for it...it looks so stinking good.) Upper cabinets are Pure White by Sherwin Williams. I always envisioned them two-toned and had to think creatively about how to make it work . Me likey.
I did not paint the cabinets. I could have (not a cocky statement...I just happen to have arms, hands, a paint brush and the ability to do it) but I really didn't want to. I have painted SO much in this house, my friends, and I am weary. I am forever grateful that I had enough design clients that we were able to hire someone to paint them...WHAT A GIFT. Thank you, friends.
The ceiling light fixture is just right in here and I love it. It's like the cousin to my dining room light.
The Kohler sink is from Costco and it's discontinued - so sorry - cause I really love it. It was only $199. (Here's a similar one that includes the faucet, ours did not, so it's more cash money.) The faucet we snagged from Amazon and Uncle Nice Guy Frank #unclefrankwashere "helped us" install it - AKA we handed him things like reese's PB cups and Josh went to Home Depot for a missing part kind of help 😬. So...not sure WE actually helped at all.
The new light fixture above the sink is off-centered (the actual electrical box is off-center) so I went with it and purposefully didn't choose a light fixture that would be centered. Some of you would twitch a little if you saw it. I think it is a delight.
Cabinet hardware and drawer pulls were more Amazon finds. The countertop is butcher block from IKEA. We needed two pieces #captainobvioushere for our kitchen. So for $500 we have beautiful new counters. Our contractor friend helped Indiana Josh install them. We had to add cove tile around the perimeter of the butcher block because our walls were not square and there was a gap between it and the wall. But thankfully it blended in real nice when I painted the backsplash (minor details on that coming up). We still have to seal the countertop and we'll use waterlox to do that. We haven't done it yet because well...WE ARE ALL ALWAYS AT HOME...so it's hard to figure out when to do it (it has a strong odor and has to dry 24 hours between coats). I would not recommend leaving these unsealed. We have no issues with water clean-up etc. But it is much harder to not scratch them. So seal we shall.
Here's the whole thing, friends. #classydame
I thrifted the round table a couple years ago for $40, sanded it and painted it black. (Not normal for my love of non-DIYing😬.) Chairs are from Amazon and IKEA.
(More BEFORE shots)
Ahh....the AFTER...
I showed the black wall on the ol' 'gram a little while ago, now she looks even better in this #classydame. IKEA gave me a few items (in exchange for money) that made this wall complete: wall desk, shelf and peg boards.
BEFORE
AFTER - I painted the tile backsplash using milk paint suggested by this tutorial. It was so simple and so easy. The tile was in great shape it just needed a little oomph. Paint = OOMPH (in my book).
That's it, friends. That's my classy dame. She turned out even better than my initial vision. So we are obviously best friends now.
Hugs and Kisses,
Best Friends Forever,
Never Change,
B