And the Now

Wow!  Considering I know that I don't even have a handful of people checking this out, I wasn't in a fevered rush to get this post completed.  Plus, my kitchen would not stay clean long enough for me to take an updated picture.  My apologies if you have been checking daily for the reveal.  Hee hee. 
Let's start with the before:

 Notice the height of the cupboards, the placement of the refrigerator and the island. 

 And the linoleum.  It was not "nice" linoleum.

And now, TA DA!!!!

 More cabinet space, much taller.  We moved the fridge over and now there is a perfect spot for the coffee maker.  We added a double oven (I cannot live without one after having one in our previous home) and we had the plumbing moved to turn the island and make more counter space and more functionality.  We chose a lightly sanded black painted island and a gorgeous medium glazed brown for the wall cabinets.  Drawers on the outside by the table for napkin, placemat, and misc. storage.  Love, love, love my kitchen!

 And the horrendous red is gone and replaced by a lovely green.  We have found backsplash tile and will get around to it someday.  Hopefully a soon someday.  Like my 'B'?  Found that on Etsy here.

And my FLOOR!!!  I admire it every day.  Seriously.  It's six inch planks and absolutely lovely.  It is also so much nicer than tile on the bare feet. 

One room reveal is now complete.  This was the most dramatic, so the rest may be an utter disappointment, but I am still loving everything we have done in every room. 

I have linked this post to a favorite blog that I follow, Thrifty Decor Chick.  Click here for more kitchen redos and reveals.  =)



This is My First

I love to decorate, craft and create.  It's probably because it's in my blood, my mother decorates for a living.  I often think why I didn't go into it myself and the answer is siImply I don't know.  I didn't have the desire when I was going to school I guess.  And I still don't know if the desire for a career at it is there, but I just love to do it. 
I don't have a set style for decor.  I like all styles.  I like modern, contemporary, old world, shabby chic, eclectic, and abstract.   I probably have all of those styles in my home.  I like clean lines, but I like distressed and worn.  I love Pottery Barn, Ethan Allen and Robb & Stucky.  I like what I like.
Last November, we purchased a home that needed a little work.  It's still a work in progress and with money just a smidge on the tight side, it will probably stay a work in progress for a while.  That said, I'm just gonna share with you our rooms, my crafties, my decorating styles and my enjoyments.  I may not post daily, yet, but I will post.  So, here we go.  This is what I''m going to start with.  The biggest change in our new home.  The kitchen.
In Arizona, most of the homes are of the cookie cutter variety.  You pick a model, pick some things and you're done.  But, when you purchase one of these homes from someone else, you can do what you will with what they left.  We gutted the kitchen.  The only thing that stayed was the pantry.  We recycled the cabinets into other varies places, moved plumbing and made it OURS!  I love having something that I know no one else has.
Looking at the pictures I have, I need to take new ones of the completed kitchen.  I've changed a few things for the better.  For starters, here's what we delt with upon purchase:

It's not pretty is it?  See how low those cabinets are?  And where the fridge was?!  Hello!  No place for a coffee pot.  I love red, but not how it was done here.  Just a bit awkward for me.  And the floors where horrid!  Linoleum!  This home is not old, built in 2003, who puts in linoleume in kitchens anymore?  Maybe it was the choice, but it was bad.  Stay tuned.