This has really just been the craziest month. Trying to get ready for Lila's birthday has been nuts. Thankfully I started early and got a lot of stuff done. Then came the kitchen mini-remodel.
It's something I've been wanting to do for a long time, but just never made the decision to go for it. Two years ago when we bought this house, we both loved the idea of staining the cabinets dark. We thought that it would really modernize the kitchen. I knew from previous experience of refinishing my bedroom set that this would be no easy task. But, of course, I was ready to jump in. It was fall and we had just moved in. There were lots of other things going on so we put it off to spring.
Well, in January of that lovely year, we got pregnant. There were other things on our mind than refinishing the kitchen cabinets so they just got put on the back burner. Early this spring, I made the decision to paint our countertops. I absolutely knew that this was something I wanted to do from the moment I found out it could be done. They were an atrocious burgundy/maroon color. It was awful! I got those painted and while I doubted the color that I had chosen for a little bit, I have come to be very thankful that that is what I chose. Because then I made the decision to paint more!
Finally, two weeks before Lila's first birthday party that we were hosting at our house, I went and got the paint and just did it! I had been thinking for a while that instead of stripping, sanding, and staining the cabinets that we would just paint them dark brown. My mom said not to, that I would regret it. Of course, I did it. After all, mom hadn't seen the countless number of blogs that I had of people who remodeled their kitchens for less than $100. I was very "sold" on the idea of painting rather than staining. Plus it was a lot less work for me! :)
I went to Wal-Mart and got some color sheets. Once I found the color that almost exactly matched our new kitchen table, I took it to Barnes Lumber Co. in Harrisburg, IL (There's your shout out. If you had a website, I'd hyperlink this, but ya don't!) and the matched it for me. I found a gorgeous Coral color while I was there and decided that I also needed to paint the walls to brighten up the kitchen. Another point for me, because it totally brought everything together.
So here are the shots starting from the very beginning!
When we moved in. This countertop is just ugly. Oak is just not our style...especially light oak that is apparently cheap! LOL
I found this Rustoleum Countertop Paint and decided to try it. Glad I did.
Looked a little better, but not quite exactly what I wanted yet.
I liked the wall color ok, but it was a little minty for my taste and our old kitchen chairs rubbed marks on the walls that I couldn't get off. So I had to change it.
New kitchen table and chairs. Excuse the mess!
Dunzo! We also ripped the top "detail" off of the cabinets. Neil said that took 10 years off of them immediately...I agreed.
I still need to find some material for a valance and get a new one made. That's next on my list, not only because this one doesn't match, but it WAY to country for our taste!
Once again, please excuse the mess. Arts and crafts for Lila's party going on! I also still need to get some other artwork or decor up on the wall. The south wall is very bare!
If anyone has any suggestions for artwork or an accent color for the valance, let me know. I'm not sure what to do with it! Also, I'm wondering if I should just stick with the valance or do a cafe curtain and valance...I don't know. Whatever I do, I'm sure it will be fine!
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