Here it is! And here is why:
Our kitchen was an absolute nothing when we moved in a year and a half ago. It had been a rental property for 7 years, and then some old person’s house for about 6 months (hence the carpet under the kitchen table…yeah, gross I know). The builder must have put the most basic of all things in when they built it, and no one had painted an inch of the house since.
My first attempt to decorate was centered around me wanting to use cobalt blue somewhere in the house. I loved that color so much and wanted a dark, sexy look. Well, the problem is, to get dark and sexy you usually need stainless steel appliances and some amazing lighting, neither of which we wanted to spend money on. Then to add insult to injury I just kept adding things, and painting other things, and before long, I pretty much hated it all. I really wanted a kitchen that looked well designed and not cookie cutter, without the price of an entire kitchen renovation. I wanted something that had some Cara jean flair…but was really tired of the “she tried, bless her heart” decorating that I had previously cooked up. And the dark cobalt blue walls were making me want to kill myself.Maybe not even six months after I painted 4 coats of that stupid blue on my wall I was telling my husband that I wanted to repaint. He squirmed, and then said he wanted to see a drawn out plan before I actually did anything. I agreed to his terms but he wasn’t very reassured once he learned what I wanted to do.
Cara: I want to rip out an entire cabinet and install open shelves. Then I want to tile. But I am going to have to drill holes in the tile where the shelf brackets will need to go.
Marc: I don’t know. That sounds like a mess. Can it even be done?
Cara: Oh sure…I mean, I’ll figure it out. Sure. No problem
An eighteen dollar drill bit and my neighbors drill press proved me right! I love my new kitchen. It has taken me about 6 months to get it all put together and I have enjoyed every minute. Planning the whole thing out from the beginning (aside from a few random inspirations along the way) really paid off. However, I have something to say in my defense. I believe that recognizing when you made a mistake, and knowing what you need to do to fix it, is the mark of a true artist. I hope I have made my mark.
Here’s the breakdown:
One: I previously tiled just one row of tiles to cover the gap between the counter and wall. It wasn’t too hard to take the backsplash up three more rows. Cost $170
Two: I looked for a bench every time I went to DI and finally found this amazing Lane cedar chest with a padded black leather top. I love it! It rolls on wheels and is a great place to put the kids for time out. Cost $45
Three: I checked Free Cycle for someone giving away paint and found a neighbor and close friend giving away 4 gallons! It was Aspen white or something, but Jones was able to color match it almost exact to the color I wanted for a small fee. Cost $8
Four: This was a splurge for us but well worth the money. Our whole kitchen was dimly lit by one boob light (you know the kind I am talking about) and a cheap gold chandelier. Ten can lights have made the room really sparkle and no longer resemble a crack house. Cost $450
Five: This tutorial over at Crafty Nest was easy to follow but I think my finished product is a little wonky. Maybe I should have used more yarn but I got bored and stopped. Cost $7
Six: Our kitchen gets really hot in the summer. These bamboo shades block out a lot more sun than the old white blinds and I love their texture. Cost $30
Seven: Now that the boy child understands death threats (and I have that new time out place) I feel like I can have center pieces on the table without them being disturbed. I bought these pots and plants at Walmart. Cost $30
Eight: I found my table for free on Craigslist and stained it with Minwax Cherry Blossom. Boo-Ya! Cost $25
Nine: That lone cabinet on the wall looked dumb to me. I wanted to break away from my cookie cutter kitchen and add some visual interest. It was easy to remove. I found free stain, also from a neighbor off Freecycle, and bought the wood and brackets. Cost $42
Ten: This yellow pitcher and my glasses, oh and the Pyrex bowls too, all came from DI. Cost $10
Eleven: The light over the kitchen sink was a dull yellow globe. I bought this pendant and my husband installed it. It reminds me of a firefly. Extra points to anyone who spots the cobweb. Cost $55Twelve: My curtain is simply a tablecloth that Marc’s Grandma Shirley gave me. I used curtain clips to hang it on a cafe rod, both of which I already had, but I will add the cost in anyway. Cost $8
Thirteen: The chairs are all different because my theory is this; kids are going to break them, and you can never find a match to your set to replace it. Why not have all different chairs and paint them the same color? Yes I sanded and painted them all. Yes it was a pain. Yes I am glad I did it. Cost $75
Fourteen: My friend Jenn (bless her and all her spare junk) gave me these barstools for free. They were various shades of white and splattered paint. I sanded and painted them as well. Cost $12
Fifteen: Rae took these pictures especially for me! Tee hee. But you can contact her via her site if you would like to buy them for yourself! I had Costco enlarge them and bought frames at Roberts Craft store. Cost $40
Total Kitchen Re-Redo Cost: $1,011
There are a few other things I want to do when I get my busy fingers on some more money. The carpet is absolutely disgusting. Can you imagine the food, milk, dog footprints, etc. that blend right into the multicolored berber? Yeah. You can’t CLEAN UP things you CAN’T SEE! Worst idea ever, previous owners. I want to tile or do wood. I can’t decide. Either way I will do it myself. Mwhooahahaha. I would also really love to remove the cabinet above my stove and install a ventilation hood. They are sooo sexy, not to mention I cook a lot of stinky food. Mmmmm, homemade taco shells sound good right now.
There you have it folks! Anyone want to donate money to the get Cara jean a new floor and/or ventilation hood project? I’ll make you some tacos!
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I love it!! You need to start linking up your craftiness to all those DIY linky parties in blogland!! You’re a genius!
PS: Have you considered painting your lower cabinets the cobalt blue?? I love that color and two tone cabinets are all the rage. do it. do it. do it. :)
I LOVE your kitchen! And I thought it was good before–but you’re right, this is much, much, much better! I love the cherry colored table. That is beautiful. And Rae’s pictures, of course. ;) And I love your shelves! They’re beautiful!
Cara, I LOVE how you just decide you’re doing something, and you figure out how to do it (better than most people)!
Wood or tile? I have always loved wood…tile might look better. Whichever you decide, it will be amazing because you have that cool touch. :D
LOVE it! You did an awesome job! I couldn’t even tell at first glance that all the chairs were different. The recessed lighting was a great choice too! Can’t wait to see it in person! ;)
luuuuurve the new kitchen!!! great job! want to share that homemade taco shell recipe with me? :D
What an amazing transformation! I love it. The whole ambience is totally changed, isn’t it? Your color choices are great, and it looks cheerful and inviting. I would be so proud if I were you! WOW!!!! Way to go. Inspiring.
LOVELY work!!! What a transformation!!! Thank you for all of the notes and details. Everything turned out beautifully!!
Looks fabulous!
It looks great! So much better a lighter colr. I love the open shelves!
You did such an amazing job!!! Way to go!!! I bet your husband is happy now too! Fabulous! Fabulous!! and so inspiring!