Our Kitchen: The Middle

Last fall we started working on our kitchen.

To make a long story short, we bought new appliances, shifted a few things around, and ended up with new countertops. The space functions the way a kitchen should. But, the pretty still needs to come.

The Style Saloniste

This is my latest inspiration. I have about 11 gazillion images of white kitchens pinned. There's nothing more classic. It looks clean. It looks bright. I also am in love with the contrast that the stone floor provides--and can we talk about the awning?? I need one!

via Instagram

I also really like this kitchen. The finger pull hardware makes the white cabinets feel more modern. But otherwise it is the same formula: white cabinets, stainless appliances, dark floor.

And totally not what we have...

 

We kept the existing cabinets but had to have new countertops. We purchased this laminate from Home Depot, who also arranged to have it installed. This took the longest and meant that I had a dishwasher for several weeks before I could actually use it. On the plus-side, you can now get an undermount sink with laminate, and a white sink was less expensive than stainless.

 

One of the reasons we haven't done anything with the cabinets is that I actually love the way the wood looks against the white of the walls. But lately it's been feeling like just too much wood. Too much of one element makes for an awkward space, I think.

Installing the dishwasher and moving the refrigerator from this corner also created an empty hole, which is just perfect for hiding our recycling (we could maybe use a shelf inside here, though).

To disguise it, I added a little curtain in this fabric. Since it is such a tiny space, I bought a large sample, cut it in thirds on either side of the image, and stitched it all back together. It's not the best, but it works. The colors coordinate with the counter while still allowing for some greens & blues.

I am a bit horrified to share this last photo. Couldn't I have cleaned up my counters??? It drives me crazy that there are so many color stories happening here with the wood cabinets, blonde floor, stainless appliances/black trim, and multicolored counters. Something cohesive needs to happen. Stat!

But whatever. This is only the middle of our project. Things are still going to change. {In fact, my husband already moved the big rug out of the kitchen, which is fine but also a bummer because it was so soft underfoot and I really dig that sense of the unexpected.}

Potentially To Do:
1. Paint cabinets white (my husband is not down with this idea...and you all know how I feel about painting, right? But it would minimize the color/too much wood issue)
2. Add finger pull hardware to make it easier to open the cupboards but not take away from the smooth facing.
3. Replace kickplates next to stove (the new range is ever so slightly smaller than the cabinet and stovetop that was here before)
4. Replace the molding in the corner above the dishwasher (done yesterday!)
5. Paint the backsplash where the new counter is lower than the old; and probably everything else will need a new coat, too.
6. Replace the backsplash by the range (goodbye stainless tiles, hello something new! A slab of marble is my dream but I think it would look terrible next to the counter we have)
7. Add a back wall inside oven cabinet (the space next to the range where our built-in oven used to be) and relocate microwave here?? That will require moving an outlet and a lot of sweet-talking.
8. Fix wall by refrigerator/remove bulkhead where peninsula used to be? (not pictured)
9. Add an awning outside the kitchen window like in inspiration photo!
10. Install shelves above dishwasher
11. Style like crazy!!!

Come back tomorrow to see whether I've thrown my hat in the ring for another round of the One Room Challenge linkup (I mean, yes, I did tell you all that I would do it, but nerves could get the better of me after seeing all the awesomeness today).