One of the best parts of moving into a new house is putting your own stamp on it and making it your own. We just recently moved across the country and are in a house that is double the size of our old one, which is awesome. There are so many possibilities and I wish I could do them all at once, but course, we will need to update and change things over time. The very first thing we wanted to work on changing was the kitchen/living room area since it’s 1) the most used and public room of the house and 2) the most outdated. I have a serious plan for this house and are working on it in stages. This will be the first in a series of posts that share about the progress we are making and the projects we are working on. Here is the first part of our kitchen remodel (and when I say kitchen, I also mean living room)
Here is what the living room looked like before we moved in. Clearly these are the realtor images so none of this furniture was in when we got here but you can see how outdated the paint, wall paper and curtains were- yuck.
Here is the kitchen. The color wasn’t terrible, I do like green but I knew it wasn’t what I wanted. The appliances were also outdated and were barely working.
Here is the living room now. First off, the wallpaper and dark paint had to go. These rooms don’t get a lot of natural light so the dark green made it feel like a cave. This paint was a little lighter than I thought it would be but it reminds me of driftwood so I like it. It’s so much brighter too. Like so much. Things we still want to do in here is put this couch (which I HATE) in the basement and replace it with a nice dark gray sectional. We will probably do that next month and I can’t wait. This couch is as old as I have been a mom and it needs to be retired. I am also still working on decorating the mantle. I like what I have but I think I need at least one taller item. I haven’t seen anything I like yet, but I’ll keep looking! (note: disregard the dog’s head)
As you turn around, you can see the kitchen (and the front of this ugly couch!) Obviously the two rooms are almost as one so I wanted the paint and colors to flow together well. I knew I wanted a mint kitchen so I couldn’t wait to paint it this color. This color is actually called “sweet mint” and I am absolutely smitten with it.
You can see we changed out all of the appliances with stainless steel so they have a much better continuity to them. The next project here in the kitchen will be to paint the cabinets white. This will be a major project indeed so we are waiting till the kids are in school and probably until it’s a little cooler out too. I have never painted cabinits before but I am sure we will figure it out (and with some help from pinterest too, of course!). In our old house we didn’t have a dining room, only a kitchen nook so we only had one table. I finally got this smaller table here a few days ago and just love it. It’s just a small round one and I chose yellow chairs. I want to get yellow drapes for the slider (which I just purchased yesterday actually!) and I think the mint and yellow combination is just a gorgeous one. When the cabinets are white this room will be even brighter and I can’t wait for that! Future projects also include replacing the countertops, we want granite on the regular counter and my husband wants butcher block on the island, since he is the chef of the family. Those will come later.
As I look at these counter tops, they are definitely cluttered, this house doesn’t have much in the ways of counter space, but we are figuring out a way. I used to have my “command station” with all of the kids homework, school papers, calendars, planners and whatnot in my old kitchen and this one just doesn’t have a place for it. I am still working out how I want to organize that. Our old fridge was not magnetic on the front and this one is, I am not sure how I am feeling about having too many things hanging on the front of it and would like to move away from some of that and find other systems for it. We still have a good amount of time left before school starts again so I have time to keep thinking. When we ditch the counters and replace, my husband wants to get a smaller one and not have that “overhang” where you’d put stools since we have the table there. I think that will make the kitchen feel a little bigger but I also think a few cute stools would look nice, but then again, if I don’t get three is there really a point?? So I am torn here.
Right next to the kitchen is the dining room. Here is the before. Lordy, this wallpaper was the worst. Why would anyone use this? Why why???
Here’s what we have now. The wallpaper has been torn down and a nice coat of gray paint has been applied. Our table looks nice in here I think and I may change the light fixture eventually. I am in love with these curtains, I think they look just stunning in here. The recessed part of the ceiling is still that faux painted tan so that will be changed. I have lots of my mint paint left so I was thinking of carrying a little of that in here and painting it mint, or maybe a darker gray? Suggestions?
Clearly I need more wall decor and stuff in this room. This cubby shelf was the one that held the kids hats and shoes and stuff and used to be in the kitchen and now is in here. I am not loving it and will probably move it into my pretend “mud room” which is at the top of the basement stairs across the hall from this. I would also like to get a nice sideboard for here, something that’s maybe teal or turquoise. There is a beautiful cabinet at target that I always look at and keep hoping it goes on sale. It would look great in here. Anyone have any suggestions for wall decor for this room for me??
Here is the hallway and the ugly carpeted stairs. Eventually I want to replace the tile and rug with dark wood, but that will cost a pretty penny and will have to wait.
Here is the other side of the hall looking into the kitchen. Now you can see how these rooms all flow together which is why I have chosen colors that blend well together.
So there is our first part of the kitchen/living room remodel. Things we’ve done: paint, new appliances, fresher decor. Still to do: new couch, more art work, paint dining room ceiling, hang kitchen curtains, paint cabinets, new counter tops, new floors (eventually). I also want new small kitchen rugs- but those are easy to shop for.
What do you think? Anyone have any experience with repainting cabinets and have some suggestions for me? Ideas for wall art?
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