The Kitchen: Small changes ... big impact

Lots has happened since I blogged about the kitchen, two weeks ago. Nothing big, but several small changes that make the kitchen more efficient and more organized making it look prettier. And, who doesn't like prettier? So, here is where we were two weeks ago:

And here is the old "to-do" list:

1. Wall color change ... check!
2. Window treatments ... check!
3. Rug ... check!
4. Counter top organization ... check!
5. Cabinet contents organization ... mostly check!

WINDOWS. This time I ordered from Smith & Noble, an online window treatment company. I love Smith & Noble! If you are in the market for custom window treatments, here is why you should consider Smith & Noble - competitive prices, super quick service, great selection!

 

I started by looking at the gallery of photos on the web site to get ideas. Then, I measured the windows - there are easy how-to's on the site. I decided on natural woven shades with wide fabric banding. Next, I ordered free samples - don't try to order without seeing samples! Then, I followed the online instructions to build my window treatments and to get prices. At this point, I suggest signing up for Smith & Noble  email and wait for a sale - they have them all the time! If you have any questions, at all, you should call and speak to a representative before placing your order. I did, and they had good advice and thought of things that I didn't.

My kitchen shades arrived 12 days from the day I ordered! To compare, my bathroom shades from a local company took 10 weeks! Not kidding!

COUNTER TOPS. We added the rest of the IKEA Fintorp pieces that I had purchased.

But, the biggest improvement was this:

You might recall I had this idea and I was considering wood wall pockets that were expensive. Then, bingo! I remembered I had these plastic wall pockets already.

But, I didn't want the contents of the pockets to show, it would still look messy. Solution - cute patterned file folders to go inside each pocket! We also added a small trophy shelf (Home Depot) to cover the screws at the top of the wall pockets. Then, we added a short strip of hooks (Target) at the bottom for grocery bags, dog leash, etc. Honestly, the whole project cost about $30 (without the wall pockets).

This is the stuff that moved to the wall pockets:

 

And look at that same space now! (original watercolor from Etsy)

 

 

CABINET CONTENTS. I rearranged almost every cabinet starting with taking the door off this skinny upper cabinet and leaving it open.

 

 

 

 

There is a closet in the family room that contains part of our kitchen contents - sort of a butler's pantry (at the risk of overstating) in one half and game storage in the other half. Also we use it as a broom closet. (We removed the doors for easier access, just while we were working.)

So, I moved everything out of the kitchen that we don't use much like, Christmas dishes, the crock pot, the mixer & blender. I put those in the family room closet. This allowed me to put all the pantry items in the cabinets in the kitchen! Yay!

The closet is phase three of the kitchen project. I have an ideeee-a!

Linus acrylic drawer organizers and clear modular wall pockets from The Container Store. Two tiered lazy Susan is from Organize It.

Our, no ... One of Our 4-letter words ... S-H-E-D

Taking some time away from the kitchen this week to work on the shed, garage, whatever.

Not my favorite project, for sure. But, while we have some extra manual labor available to us (our youngest, Blair, before he goes back to college), and we had a nice break from our standard 90 degree days, the proverbial opportunity was "tapping at my chamber door," to quote Poe.

Garage during construction, March 2013

 

There are a couple great things about our shed; it hold lots of stuff & it has electricity!

 

These are the problems:

• Color. Now that the house is blue-gray, the yellow looks pretty terrible.
• Vines. The vines that you can see above are Carolina Jasmine (with the yellow flowers). They are really pretty but they had become overgrown. Also, on the left and back of the shed the walls were covered with Ivy (so wish I had taken a picture!).
• Water damage. On the foot boards and some of the fascia boards.
• Animal, and I say this with a cringe, activity. Eeeeeeuw.

 

The first order of tasks was to eliminate the vines. You would think it would be fairly simple to pull the Ivy away from the side of the building but when you pull it, it breaks off into pieces. So I pulled as much as I could and I was left with bits and pieces, all over. I scraped those with my 5 in 1 tool that my friend, Geri, gave me (a putty knife works well too). Seems like an unusual gift for a lady friend to give another lady friend but, what can I say, she knows me well.

 

 

But then, I was still left with furry vine remains. What I should have done next is brush with a wire brush but since this is a shed and not the house, I let that go.

 

As for the Carolina Jasmine, when we cut that down, we had some staining from the vines but also some ... animal evidence.

 

 



According to my neighbor and neighborhood handy-man extraordinaire, Ron, those black stains were left by rodents who used the Carolina Jasmine as a ladder to get into the shed through this neatly crafted portico (I say as I squirm). Ugh!

 So, after removing all the vines as best I could, we power washed the whole shed. It didn't take everything off, but the surface was in far better condition to paint. 

Next, I primed the trim - the trim that we don't plan to replace. I purchased exterior paint with primer in it and had it color-matched to the Hardie Plank siding on the house. Blair's job was to roll on the blue-gray and I did the cutting-in.

It's not finished. We haven't painted the trim, the siding needs another partial coat and all the bad wood needs to be replaced but here is where we are for a little over $100 in paint w/primer and tools and supplies we already had:

 

 

 

  

Much better, right?

 

 





 



The Kitchen: Where to start?

As promised, we've moved on to tackle the kitchen. This will NOT be a quick project.

Moving day, March 21st, before the boxes



There will be multiple steps to spiffing up the kitchen but we won't be doing any major remodeling. We like our kitchen, tiny at it is - except for the floor which looks fine in a picture, just not close up!

These are the problems/things we hope to solve/improve:

1. Change the wall color to match the family room (Sherwin Williams celery)
2. Window treatments for sink window and door (every other window in the house has faux wood blinds?)
3. Rug
4. Organize the counter tops. Remove as much as possible from the counters and find better organizational solutions.
5. Organize the contents of the cabinets utilizing the tall retro-fit cabinet in the family room and the closet in the family room.

The third item was fairly easy. I found a great rug on Wayfair. It is a Dash & Albert indoor/outdoor rug that we can take outside and hose off when it gets too dirty. Perfect! I bought it immediately when I saw it because it has the green from the family room, the blue from the dining room, the beige from the floor tile and some gray that looks great with the stainless steel appliances.

 

Next ... paint.

 

Easy in theory - I knew I wanted the same green as we have in the family room. Why not something different? I wanted to create continuity between the rooms because we put a kitchen table in the family room, making it an extension of the kitchen. Also, our kitchen has a lot of little patches of wall - not enough to pull off a new color (in my opinion). But, difficult in practice - it is mostly cutting-in, ugh!

 



Third ... window treatments.

Honestly, I wouldn't have wanted window treatments in the kitchen because we have a fenced-in backyard. But, we get pretty intense morning sun in those windows and it can get really hot. So, I found these at Smith & Noble. In an effort to have something different than the wood blinds that we have on most of the other windows (wouldn't do well on the door), I chose natural woven shades in white with banding in a leaf print that includes a green very similar to our new paint color. They will look something like this:

 

Organization is by far our biggest problem for both the counter tops and the cabinet contents. So I have a couple ideas for the counter tops but the cabinet contents will be the subject for another day!

 

This is what the kitchen looks like on a regular basis (minus the paint can). We just can't keep it neat because it is so small. A great challenge!

 

 

So, I found these great hanging containers at IKEA - love them! They are from the FINTORP series. We got a couple different types and so far, we have installed the baskets. I can't tell you how much bigger the kitchen seems since you can now see all of the counter top! Amazing! A great start at clearing the clutter (I sound like a stager, don't I? I should take my own advice more often!).

 

Also moving the coffee pot to this spot takes it out of sight from the family room and dining room. Better!

 

For the other corner, on the right side of the oven, we bought the little bucket type containers for condiments and utensils. When we get them installed I will show you in another post.

And as far as this stuff goes ... you know all the take out menus, business cards, note paper, etc.

 

I am thinking about using this wall that the back door opens onto ...

 

 

For something like these wood wall pockets from Ballard Designs. The longer one, in white. Or black? 



 

Also, I really need some kind of slim container where I can temporarily store recyclables until I take them out. Any ideas??? It would have to be only about 4" or 5" deep and possibly hang on the same wall under the pockets.

 

So here is where we are this weekend. Not too shabby for a week's work?

 



 

Master Bath: re-done and done!

 

 

Many of you know that we had some issues with the floor tile in the master bathroom. Well, the floor has been completely re-tiled! And, I swear there are no mistakes even though it looks like two black tiles are too close together in the picture above. I promise you that my camera is playing tricks. Tricky camera!

 

 

If you don't believe me, come for a visit and see for yourself (smile)?

 

 

But the main attractions are the new window treatments. They are relaxed Roman shades from Calico Corners in Virginia Beach. Love them! And love replacing the sheet that has been our curtain for the last three months!

 

 

Now, for the kitchen!