Drab to Fab My DIY Kitchen Makeover

I keep bumping into my kitchen island, which sometimes feels like an obstacle course to get around.  I am reminded of my old kitchen that I loved, which wasn't huge, but well space planned.  It had a great big peninsula, and makes me wish I could remodel my entire kitchen.   (I love islands, but it is annoying to me in my particular floor plan.) I decided to revisit my old house's kitchen makeover and reminisce about making cookies on the 4' wide peninsula.

BEFORE:

   This before photo was taken before we bought the house.  I LOVED the peninsula and am sad at my new house I have to keep my black bar stools in the basement... maybe they can come out someday... Anyhoo, here's the "before" and "after" kitchen pics of our house in Utah.

AFTER:

This kitchen desperately needed help, and we did it on a pretty small budget. The cabinets were OK,  and new ones weren't in the budget, the old laminate counter top had lots of bubbles and cracks in it.   I kept things pretty neutral since I knew we wouldn't be staying too long and wanted to make it buyer friendly.  Enter granite tile, travertine trim for the edges, and tumbled travertine for the back splash, and a  new light fixture for the dining area.  After a lot of hard work, washing dishes in the bathroom, and eating a lot of take out, it was finally done.

We also got new hardware for the cabinets, a new faucet and stainless appliances to match the dishwasher, new light fixtures in the kitchen and dining. Hopefully the next owner is appreciating our hard work:-)

We got a new gas stove and refrigerator at the scratch'n'dent store, (you can't even tell) to match our stainless dishwasher.  The appliances stayed when we moved, especially after we completely squeezed the fridge in there, there's no way it was coming out- I miss you stainless appliances-- and penny the peninsula!!!

Non-permanent Kitchen Backsplash

BEFORE

This is the kitchen back splash in that house we're "renting" (I use the term "renting" loosely since it's actually my parents second home that we're living in while my husband finishes school)

So I'm not saying that I don't like this BUT one thing you may not know about is that I'm a BIG tile nerd! And since I have access to something more fun tile I just had to do it.

I found this board for only Uno dollar at The Home Depot and had them cut it to fit the size.

Painted brown.



My beautiful, amazing, adorable, totally in love with, tile from Walker Zanger. Are you familiar with Walker Zanger? They have the most amazing tile in the world. You can check out their website HERE. The tile I used if from their hand-made Contessa Line.

(I also saw this tile used in the movie Julie and Julia in Julia Child's kitchen in France that kind of sealed the deal)

I siliconed them to the board, with just 4 little simple dots of silicon so I can take them off, semi-easily if I want ( I hope! )


It was so easy and so fast! I love it!

And... then I needed to hang this Kitchen sign I thought over the hood would be perfect.

I was going to hang it with ribbon but the Industrial Chic'sta in me thought chain would be so much more cuter. I got this chain at Home Depot for .63 cents.


I attached the chain with binder rings.



Ta-da!
I accessorised with vintage potato smashers I collected over the years.
Links

Where do you blog from? and Dealing with a Kitchen Office

At my house the office is in the kitchen.  There are pros and cons to this floor plan.  Since I am stuck with having my office here   I might as well try to make it look nice. Currently I can't do anything about these 90's oak cabinets, but a few accessories and a burlap bulletin board I made brighten it up. 

I'm still looking for a cute mug or something to replace my pencil holder next to my urn aka treat stash, and topiary

(never mind all those receipts back there that need a home... and chords that need to be concealed:-))

I often see these wooden office organizers at Marshalls.  This was a bigger one but still only $14.  (Office max types will run around $21 & up.)

Now, why get a pretty file organizer and put boring manila files int it?  Micheals sometimes has files in the dollar bins, usually 4 or 5 for $1. 

One of my most favorite things about getting organized  is the folder I made that has a special tab for "Husbands Stuff." 

 Gone are the days of him asking me where I put his stuff,  because I just point to the folder, and now he doesn't ask me anymore:-) 
I love when simple things make your life easier.  

...and just because I am missing my old house here's a little photo of my old office, a little more roomy than my pseudo office now:-)  It still needed paint but it had room for a sofa and I just finished making the window treatment... and I lived down the street from our grandma... it was great and I miss it.

I've been on a huge organizing kick lately, I'd love to hear any tips you have to share!