Wednesday, November 18, 2009

How Many Times Can I Say "Witch Hazel"?



I am finally inspired! I know exactly what I want to do to my kitchen... now it's just a matter of doing it. This actually entails a few minor details...

*finding the $$

*convincing my brotha' from anotha motha', Chris, that even though he is in the middle of building a beautiful new house with his wife Rachel... that he really wants to come spend the day (or two days) helping me not lose any fingers or toes.
(that's me & Chris at his wedding in September this year)

* A trip off island to Ikea
(which means a trip on the ferry as well....)

.... and a good night's sleep!


Up until March this year there was a wall.... (plus a housemate (Colin) & a giant beast we nicknamed "Pony"... I think it's obvious why)


Then on St. Patty's Day I got angry, and needed a release... tearing down that wall provided an excellent, and very cathartic, one...

and it also provided a clear view from my living room into the kitchen, which is what I have wanted since the day I bought this dump in 2000.


It's taken me since March 2009 to figure out exactly what I wanted to do... and how in the world I was going to do it for just a few hundred dollars. All I have known for sure is that I wanted to paint the fridge with chalkboard paint and take out the upper cabinets. Then one day I was screwin' around on the internet just clickin' away at various websites I love... and I came across these pictures of a kitchen re-do on this blog and KNEW I had found my inspiration.

This is THEIR before picture:


I sooo wish I could insert a drum roll here... I am nutty over this "after" kitchen!!.....(minus the kid.. don't want one of those runnin' around thankyouverymuch!)












I found the paint color they used (Behr "witch hazel"), and with the help of my friend Gib who frequently goes off island, managed to score the paint color card from Home Depot that he picked up for me when he was there over the weekend. (Thank you AGAIN Gib! ) Now my friend Rachel can mix the paint for me here on island at her shop Up Island Paint & Tool.

(this is Gib & I lookin' awesome!!!)

I'd much rather spend the extra few dollars on-island and contribute to local economy anyway. Plus Rachel's store carries Mythic Paint and that stuff is beyond a necessity in a house as tiny as mine... with a big ol' diva dog that just lays around wondering why she is not being catered to every second of every day.

(She's not allowed on the furniture anymore, 'cause this is just plain ridiculous.)

So, I sat here looking at my kitchen this evening with all the thoughts of what I'd like to do....



...and I figured it out.

The upper cabinets are getting torn down, the base cabinets on the right side of the kitchen are being torn out and the stove will be put in their place. The fridge will be painted with black chalkboard paint. The walls from counter to ceiling will have white bead board on them... with white shelves on black brackets. The counters (after much research into how to properly do it) will be painted black... and the remaining cabinets will be painted in "witch hazel." I will also figure out how to combine a base cabinet like this one from Ikea....

(I am so excited at the idea of all these drawers, I have a use for every single one of them.)

....with other pieces so that I can have a decent sized kitchen island/counter space. I think I'll end up wrapping all of it in bead board like the walls and paint it in "witch hazel."
The same goes for the pantry cabinet that I will either be placing next to the fridge or the stove. Still not sure about that, but if that is the only thing I am unsure of... I think I'm doin' okay!

Ikea makes this pantry cabinet with bead board doors as well, I just couldn't find a picture of it with those doors at the moment. Even if they are out of stock when I go, I can just put it on there myself. I'll be painting it "witch hazel" as well.

Basically my kitchen (try not to laugh at the rushed and poorly done PhotoShop job I did here) should look something slightly like this....






I know I have a very tiny kitchen, and I am also well aware that I do not have the funds to make it incredible... but just the thought that I could turn it into something that makes me smile is a pretty great thought to me. Then again, picturing Jason Statham shirtless is pretty great too... but he doesn't protect my prized Kitchen Aid® mixer. (Should he want that duty, I'm open to discussion....)



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