Everything Happens in the Kitchen

Happy Monday everyone!

Today I thought that I would give you a look at my kitchen. This room is open to our family room, and where we spend almost all of our time. Overall I like it well enough, but there are things that are definitely screaming for a change in here! For example, when we bought this house, the appliances in here were all builder grade white. Boo! We have been wanting to change them for years, but as a frugal person, I have been trying to wait until they die. (I think I may want stainless?) A couple of months ago, our trash compactor bit the dust, and I know our fridge and dishwasher are on their last leg as well.

Here's a peek at how it looks now.

Several years ago, while Mr. W was deployed to Afghanistan, I painted the kitchen cabinets. (My amazing mom helped me!) They were a really unattractive (in my opinion) honey oak color, so I figured anything I did to them would be an improvement. Unfortunately, a few weeks back catastrophe struck my external hard drive where all my photos were stored. I am sending it out to recover the data, but right now I don't have any before pics. :-(

We also just found out that we have a MAJOR leak issue from the upstairs shower, and there are going to be extensive repairs to follow. That means potentially BIG changes for our kitchen. The wall that the pantry is on will need to be ripped out and re dry walled, along with the kitchen ceiling, and the pantry itself will have to come down. We are also thinking that the stone floor in that corner may have to come up too. I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little overwhelmed by it all, even if it means improvements can be made in the kitchen at the same time.

Anyhow...here is the rest of it...for now.

You can see that I still have a pot rack hanging, but now it just holds bread baskets and old wine jugs. The ceilings here are so tall I thought it would look to naked if we took it down. It will go when we remodel, in favor of pendant lighting of some kind.

 A view from the family room. I am currently working on a family photo gallery arrangement for that big empty wall with the tiny picture on it.

 This is the pantry cabinet, and weird desk (that we never use), and I would happily wave goodbye to. Maybe a wine fridge and some shelves with pull out baskets for root veggie storage? I don't know exactly yet, but I think it could be very cute!

Night lighting makes that table look super orange. It's not. I am planning to have a banquet built in an L shape on the back window wall, and the short wall to the left. I would like to find an old rustic farm table and set it up going lengthwise. The window treatments are ready for a change also.

I have tried to work around the granite and backsplash that were here when we moved in ten years ago.  This kitchen has come a long way since it's humble oak cabinet beginning, and I do still like it, but I am also ready for a change. I would like all of the appliances to go stainless, I think. New sink and faucet, and I was thinking about lightening up the cabinets a bit. Maybe a creamy white. We will see.

That's all for now. Stay tuned! You know there's a big change on the way!
Thanks for stoping by today! Hope you have an awesome week!
xo
-Lisa

Linking to the following...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

~Happy St. Patty's Day~

It is cold and raining today here in California. Quite a big change from yesterday! Luckily, I have a green raincoat to wear for the errands I need to do today. It kind of makes me happy to wear a raincoat, and I'm sure it's because we get so little rain. I love these days! :-) I'll try to remember to take a pic later when I am ready to go. 

It's just the little guy and I for the day. Mr W is returning from his airline trip this evening. Since it's just the two of us, I thought we would head down to the valley today, and hit the huge indoor mall that also has a Target attached. We can shop and have lunch at the Nordstrom cafe. They even have a cool old fashioned carousel there, right near the Starbucks. (That's a win-win, if you ask me!)  I can get everything done, and stay warm and cozy (while still wearing my cute green raincoat). See? I'm a planner! ;-) 

I thought that I would show you the pretty spring daffodils I picked up at Trader Joe's yesterday. They were still closed when I brought them home, but I stuck them in a vase of water, and when I woke up this morning, they were beginning to open. I went outside my front door and snipped some ivy and a couple asparagus fern stalks to add some green to the vase.

I love daffodils! 

I also found a photo or two to add to my new home tour tab at the top of my blog. Check it out if you get at chance.

I accidentally left out the downstairs bath and a photo of the kitchen that I want to include.

Here they are...

This bathroom is OVERDUE for a reno!

I am itching to change the marble countertops and brass fixtures and trim. Ick!

I have tried to decorate around it, since there are so many other places for the money to go, but I think I need to address it soon. Also the kitchen will be getting new appliances, and at minimum another paint job for the cabinets. I am thinking light and bright.

Well, that's all for today! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Take it easy on the green beer. ;-)

xo

-Lisa

An Organized Pantry in 5 Steps.

Hello all! I am back with the pantry before and after. My pantry is small. It's actually a large cupboard, rather than the walk in beauty of my dreams. But, maybe that's for the best. Less to organize and maintain.

I find that since cutting out most processed food, and aiming to eat more fresh, whole foods, I don't have the need to store a bunch of boxes and cans anymore. I have tried to streamline my shopping, and buy fresh fruits and veggies one or two times per week. We eat a TON of fresh produce.

I have been dreading the pantry clean out, and I'm embarrassed to say that there were things in there that had been expired for years!!! (Mostly canned goods, but some condiments found in the back too!)

Here is the space I am working with, and the new containers I purchased from Ikea a few days ago...

 My pantry. -Uh...Cabinet. :-)

BPA free Ikea containers for storage.

Here are the 5 easy steps I used for an organized pantry.

• Clear out EVERYTHING, and dispose of old items.
• Wipe down shelves.
• Wash and dry storage containers.
• Load back in and arrange in a way that functions best.
• Label dry goods, and keep everything visible.

Here is the lovely before shot of my pantry. (*cringe*)

Yep. That's right, peeps. I'm keepin' it real! Just know that if I were the only one living here, angels would sing when I opened that cabinet, cuz that baby would be sparkling perfection! But alas...

Here's the first step.

 Clearing out and discarding the old.

After wiping down, I loaded everything back in, new containers labeled and ready to go!

 New pretty containers hold breakfast bars, nuts, snacks, and pasta and grains.

 Love it!

Finished pantry below.

I also had to deal with another problem that I kept forgetting to tackle (intentionally blew off). 

The previous owner put up some ugly plastic spice holders, and they were so stuck onto the cabinets, that when I re-painted, I decided to wait to paint the inside, until I dealt with removing them. (Lame?!)

 See those little stinkers? Ooh, and the HIDEOUS old oak finish on the cabs?

 I had to pound, chisel, and scrape!

 Now I get to sand and paint the insides, but NOT today. :-)

I don't need my spices in the pantry, I prefer to have them close to the cooktop, in a drawer.

Well, that was a glimpse of my day today. Who else is in mission organization mode this month? Have you been working in your kitchen too? I'd love to hear your tips and tricks for keeping things neat and tidy. 

Later this week I have to clean out the fridge and freezer, and the coffee and tea cabinet. Not nearly as much work as the pantry! (I hope!) 

xo

-Lisa

Linking up to the following...

New Barstools, and Pantry Organization.

Happy Saturday, everyone! It is going to be a pretty day here in So Cal. 70 degrees and sunny. The first half of the day I am taking a dear friend for a spa pedi and lunch. She is getting married next week to such a great guy. So happy for them both!

My plan for later in the afternoon consists of organizing my pantry. I know, whoo-hoo! (I'm getting ca-ra-zay!)

Yesterday I asked Mr. W (dragged him) to come to Ikea with me to pick up some barstools I had picked out a few months ago. Let me just say, that I have tried MANY different stools in here over the last several years. They have ranged from $400 stools (so beautiful, but still wrong) to the ones I finally settled on, which were a whopping, - get ready for it...$59 each! SHAAAAHHH! I am doing the dance of joy! I love them. They are perfect. So perfect, in fact. that we bought the matching chairs for the kitchen table also. Now, I'm not normally the matchy-matchy type, but they compliment my cabinets perfectly.

See?

 I like that the backs are curved, and so is the island. With a 5 year old, running around, I don't need anything that sticks out.

 I also wanted something with a low profile back that would scoot as far under the counter as possible.

I painted my oak cabinets a few years ago, and they are a greenish tan. The new stools and chairs are antique stain that just goes beautifully. I am over.the.moon! 

You can't really tell in full sunlight, but the island is painted a color called Toasty, by Sherwin Williams. It is a definite contrast, which does not show here. It's sort of a rusty cinnamon color.

The pantry is getting a complete re-do today. I may even bust out my label maker. Hehe. I found some BPA free plastic containers to house dry goods in my pantry. I have glass containers right now, and I am always worried the little guy (or the big one) will drop one and get cut. Here's what I wound up with...

I will be back with a quick before and after. 

Have a great Saturday!

xo

-Lisa