Saturday, February 04, 2012

Kitchen make-over...

First......
the Before!
The first thing we did was to take all the beloved books out of our bookshelf.  (Big job!)  I will be sorting through the books in another project  Next, we tore apart the old forest green bookshelf, and I painted it for repurposing in my sewing/craft/whatever room.  Then we tore out the wall that held upper cabinets and a large pantry (on the right below).


The footprint of our "new" kitchen is mostly the same as it was minus the wall.  We added a large island/pantry with seating to replace the previous cabinets and pantry.
  

Here's the newly remodeled kitchen coming in from the door.  
The dining area is right where I'm standing (above).
Try (as best you can) not to see the ugly fridge.  One day, when it dies, there will be a shiny new one there!
 This is the side where the old pantry and wall cabinets were.
It's replaced by an island & pantry combo. Now I'm facing the door and dining area.

 Here's our island/pantry.  There are cabinets facing into the kitchen and cabinets facing the seating.  I have the stuff I don't use as often in the seating side of the island. 

I plan to add some corner shelves on both sides of the window (my dad is building them) and I'll put my brightly colored pitchers and things on them for more color.  I'm trying to decide if I want to dress the window with a curtain or not.  So far, I like it wide open and bright.

Here's a nice little pull-out cupboard where I keep all my baking stuff (above).
This is a spice cupboard that is right next to my stove (above).

A view from the seating side of our island.  
We're planning to put a small TV there on the wall to the left.
I've been baking and cooking up a storm and today I'm cooking for the
Super Bowl Party.  The family's coming out!

23 comments:

  1. G'day Gumbo Lily. That looks fantastic. I love the white cupboards and your new island bench looks great. The red chairs really add to it. Well done. Take care. Liz...

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  2. I am amazed at how much you accomplished in a seemingly short time, and how quickly you are already back to having cookies on the island and Superbowl food in the works!
    I also had to paint some ceilings when we remodeled and it is truly grueling work. Can people give you long massages while they watch the game?
    Everything looks beautiful and warm and inviting!

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  3. It's absolutely gorgeous! I love everything about it. You must just be absolutely tickled. The fun red chairs and lil coke sign are such a happy pop of red in there...and I especially love the warmth of the wood toned island with your cheerful bright cupboards. Wow! I'm so pleased for ya! It looks so homey & nice.

    I love your ol high chair in that first photo too.

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  4. Oh I really like the new open look! Great idea. Did you use formica. I like the color compared to the white from before. Is it a grey or a green/grey? We need to replace our countertops and we are considering going with a darker color...
    Everything looks great!

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  5. I can break your fridge for you when I'm out there for the superbowl. If you want ;)

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  6. Beautiful!! I love everything!
    Ruth

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  7. I've just been giving my Prince Charming a tour of this fabulously heart of the home space. Looks like ours, he said. What? In just what way? Hello? Only it's tidier, he said. In that he was correct. Undoubtedly. Love, love, love to you and your yum yum new room! May it brim with food, fun and friends!

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  8. Cheyenne,
    Gretchen Joanna,
    We DID get a lot done in a short time. We put in 10-12 hour days for a solid week and there were still lots of little details to do. Still are. It's been fun to get back to cooking and baking again.

    Cheyenne,
    I love the new digs! The high chair stays in the dining area because we have 3 granddaughters who come over regularly. I'm trying to decide if I should add something to the window, but I like the openness too. I am also going to have some corner shelves built in next to the window. My dad will do that. I plan to put some brightly colored pitchers and bowls there.

    Ellen,
    Thanks for your comments. Yes, we used Formica for the counter tops. It is so much less $$ than going with solid surface or granite (and I'm not fond of granite or quartz). The color is black with flecks of white and gray in it. So far, I really like it. The actual sample chip for the counter top is: Formica 689-58 Stellar in a matte finish.

    Grace, I'm sure you could break the fridge!

    Maggs, my kitchen is never as clean as in the pics. Kitchens that are hardworking show it! Ya can't have supper without dirty dishes and mess.

    Thanks, everybody, for your nice comments. If any of you have any ideas for the window treatments, I'm open!

    Jody

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  9. Like the change, much more roomy!

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  10. What a LOT of work, but what a great kitchen! I love seeing all the useful storage, and the island/bar will be a wonderful addition for social interaction :) If you just want a little "decor" on the window, without blocking any sun or view, think about a short, lacy valance.

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  11. Oh, it's incredible! I love it! Those red chairs are wonderful, Jody. Can I have a cookie?

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  12. Kathie Letelliler2/04/2012 11:23 PM

    Just love it all, Jody. I can see you hard at work there and look forward to the day I get to be there and cook with you!

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  13. Wow, it looks amazing! And so HUGE!! You must be absolutely delighted! :) xxx

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  14. It looks great! And I think I'm with Grace on the fridge :)

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  15. Oh my, Jody -- it's beautiful! You must be thrilled, and as much as you cook, having a convenient (& pretty ;) kitchen is a must. I love the painted cabinets and all the white (the fridge too!) makes it so light and bright and cheery.
    Happy cooking,
    G

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  16. I'm laughing at the thought of your dd's breaking your fridge for you. Love it.

    It looks GREAT, Jody! So open, bright, inviting and and so much space for working. I have a small island here at our new place and I love it! It is great for working, serving, and gathering around. It is great for non-kitchen jobs, too. How special that your dad is adding his woodworking to your new look. I'm sentimental and love that.

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  17. It looks fabulous Jody! I Love The combo of natural and white cabinets. I'll bet you're loving that island seating space with those gorgeous red chairs - Sooo pretty! I have a spice cabinet like yours, although yours looks a little more sturdy than mine. Sometimes, if i'm in a hurry, I'll whip my door open and a spice jar comes flipping out of that door. Did you keep the bookcases behind the pantry? And did Grace get her way with your refrigerator last night LOL???

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  18. Your old cabinets look like the ones I have now, and your new cabinets look like the ones I want to get. Your kitchen is simply marvelous! I can only imagine how happy you must be with it ...

    xofrances

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  19. Oh Jody...it is beautiful!! You must be thrilled to have a kitchen so pretty and functional. I just LOVE the white and warm wood tones...it is so homey! Congratulations!

    ~Julia

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  20. I have a soft spot in my heart for white kitchens so of course I love the transformation you did. It looks so much bigger now. Fantastic.

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  21. I'm a bit behind with news of friends. Jody I love your kitchen!!! You must be having such fun working in it x

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  22. Your make over kitchen is beautiful, nice and open. You mention the kitchen window...curtains or no curtains, with my kitchen window I made a valance with delicate vintage handkerchiefs and baby buttons. You can choose your color scheme, for summer, winter (Christmas), spring and fall. Thanks for sharing and stay warm.
    Alaska/pj

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  23. What a lovely transformation! I really like the warm white and rich wood tones in combination. The red barstools are a great pop of color. Happy for you!

    PS: I'll bet it won't be long until your DDs 'fix' that fridge! ;-)

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