Greetings!
Well, Spring has definitely sprung around these parts, and we just couldn't resist clipping a few Bradford Pear branches to use in the photos we took for our post today...
Aren't they beautiful?
I wish I could say that they smell as beautiful as they look, but they do not.
They actually smell the exact opposite of beautiful.
As a matter of fact, they weren't even allowed to spend the night inside our house last night because of how un-beautiful they smell. No joke.
We got them off a tree at one of our favorite local parks just after the sun went down last night.
Yeah, yeah- I know, I know. Saturday night, stealing branches from a park for a blog post sounds pretty lame compared to what most people our age that don't have kids yet were probably doing. But in our defense, I can assure you, sneaking around in the dark with a humongous pair of clippers, while one person keeps watch and the other struggles with branches that are a just a little stronger than the blades of your clippers is in.tense.
(Insert Mission Impossible music here)
"Whoa! What's the smell?"
(Kevin, gagging)
"I think it's that puddle right there. The geese hang out in it. I think it's their poop."
(Layla)
"Ack! It's horrible! Let's hurry. Which branch should I cut?"
(Kevin)
"Breathe through your mouth. Here. Get this one. It's pretty."
(Layla)
Chop. Chop. Chop. Chop.
(Kevin, struggling to sever the branch because it's too thick.)
"Baby, no! The branches have to be long. I'm gonna put 'em in a big, tall vase. You have to cut it back further."
(Layla)
"I can't even cut it here, how am I gonna cut it there?"
(Kevin)
"Just make sure the branch is all the way down into the clippers. Don't cut it with the tips of the clippers. Hurry though. I think somebody's coming."
(Layla)
"Really? Where?"
(Kevin)
"Right th....oh wait. Nevermind. It's just a goose. We should still hurry though."
(Layla)
----------------------------------------------------------
After four intense minutes of chopping and watching, we managed to snag three great-looking branches. We threw them on the back seat, and high-tailed it outta there.
Unfortunately, the "mud" puddle smell was still with us as we pulled back into our driveway. And as I arranged the branches in a tall, glass vase in the kitchen, the smell seemed even stronger.
"Honey! Come here! It's the branches that smell!"
(Layla)
"Is it? Let's see...(sniff, sniff)...Whoa! It is! Gross! You're gonna have to put those outside tonight."
(Kevin)
And so I did.
I put my pretty, putrid branches in a gorgeous glass vase, and they spent the night on our back porch.
----------------------------------------------------------
But enough about the branches!
The real reason I'm blogging today is to share our kitchen re-do number two! (Considering how this post started, maybe "number two" was the wrong choice of words there.) Anywho, if you follow us on Twitter you've probably already seen a sneak peek of our "new" kitchen. (Hint, hint- follow us on Twitter if you like sneak peeks!) But before you scroll down to see photos of our "new" kitchen, (Yeah right, you scrolled down before you read the goose poop stuff, didn't you? It's okay. I would've scrolled down first too.) here's a video we shot to document the process...
(forgive the poor quality, the terrible lighting, and the occasional herky-jerkiness)
(Sorry about all the outtakes- I like to keep those so that if we ever adopt a child, they can watch them and see how happy their Dad made me.)
Having this "fort" to "play house" in is such a trip.
The "kids" in us are still blown away that someone would actually give us the keys to this place simply because we promised to pay for it.
The "adults" in us refuse to go another five grand in debt for a new heating system. (Hence, the stocking cap and layers of clothing we're wearing in the video.)
It also sort of blows our minds that we're just four years away from turning 40. We definitely don't feel like grown ups yet. But as a child, I do remember thinking that when you turned 30, you were a officially a grown up- so I guess we are.
Sometimes Kevin and I just sit in the living room and talk about how crazy life is.
The other night we were both sitting in our chair-and-a-half, like we always do when we watch movies. We had just watched "2012", and Kevin turned to me and said, "Can you imagine if we had gotten married right out of high school, and then had a kid when we were like 20? He or she would be like 15 years old right now and we'd be sitting here in this chair, with this blanket over us, while his or her friends were in the other room saying, "Your Mom and Dad are kinda weird. Do they always sit in that chair together?"
We had a good laugh at the thought of it.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Okay, for those of you who haven't scrolled down and looked at the following photos yet- Welcome!
For the folks with ants in your pants- Welcome Back!
Here's the "new" kitchen...
(Move your mouse back and forth over the photo below to see what the kitchen looked like when we bought the place, and what it looks like now.)
It's still far from finished.
We still need to get a window treatment, hang something on the beadboard-clad wall on the right, add more cabinetry above and to the right of the fridge, add crown molding, replace the counter tops, purchase stainless steel appliances, replace the light fixtures, replace the floor with salvaged brick, etc. etc. etc.
No rush though.
As for the cabinetry, the paint color on the base cabinets is called "Mourning Dove" (8085). It's a Martha Stewart color and we had it mixed at Sherwin Williams. (FYI- They don't carry Martha's line anymore, but if you ask them to mix it, they will.)
The paint color on the upper cabinets is called "Alabaster" and it's a Sherwin Williams color. We primed the base cabinets with gray-tinted primer from Home Depot (they helped us choose a primer specifically engineered for kitchen cabinetry) and we primed the upper cabinets with white primer. We did not sand the cabinets, but we did lightly sand the doors and drawer fronts. We sprayed everything with a light coat of Deft Clear Wood Finish. The aerosol version of this stuff...
It's non-yellowing and will help protect our new paint job.
(You can find it at Lowes.)
The wall color is called "Rice Grain", (it's also a Sherwin Williams color) but we had them lighten it by 50%. We used Rice Grain in the dining room, and love it, but since the kitchen is a little darker (only one tiny window), we thought we better lighten it up a bit.
We kept the same hardware on the doors and drawer fronts:
We got them on eBay a while back. If I remember correctly, the knobs were .87 cents a piece, and the pulls were around $3.00 a piece.
Unfortunately, for some reason, whoever originally designed this kitchen positioned everything on the left (North) side of the room...
But luckily, Kevin and I had a serendipitous moment when we ripped the cabinetry out of the guest bathroom and set it in the kitchen to get it out of the way while we worked in there.
We've already painted it all "Mourning Dove", now we just need to get some more drawer pulls and door knobs and replace the existing counter top with an eight foot butcher block countertop from Ikea.
As for the wall above the "new" cabinetry- I've got thirteen and a half ideas about what to do with it.
(If you have one you'd like to share with us, by all means, send us an inspiration pic or leave us a comment on this post!)
----------------------------------------------------------
My Mom's coming to visit us this weekend. She hasn't seen the place in quite a while. I wonder what she'll think of all the changes we've made...
(Move your mouse back and forth over the photo below)
(FYI- We blogged about opening up the doorway between the living and dining room HERE)
Knowing my Mom and I, come Saturday night, we'll be sitting at that dining table, (which still needs chairs by the way!) drinking something fizzy, playing Upwords and laughing uncontrollably about something that isn't even all that funny.
Hope you get to laugh a lot this week too!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out my e-book!
Well, Spring has definitely sprung around these parts, and we just couldn't resist clipping a few Bradford Pear branches to use in the photos we took for our post today...
Aren't they beautiful?
I wish I could say that they smell as beautiful as they look, but they do not.
They actually smell the exact opposite of beautiful.
As a matter of fact, they weren't even allowed to spend the night inside our house last night because of how un-beautiful they smell. No joke.
We got them off a tree at one of our favorite local parks just after the sun went down last night.
Yeah, yeah- I know, I know. Saturday night, stealing branches from a park for a blog post sounds pretty lame compared to what most people our age that don't have kids yet were probably doing. But in our defense, I can assure you, sneaking around in the dark with a humongous pair of clippers, while one person keeps watch and the other struggles with branches that are a just a little stronger than the blades of your clippers is in.tense.
(Insert Mission Impossible music here)
"Whoa! What's the smell?"
(Kevin, gagging)
"I think it's that puddle right there. The geese hang out in it. I think it's their poop."
(Layla)
"Ack! It's horrible! Let's hurry. Which branch should I cut?"
(Kevin)
"Breathe through your mouth. Here. Get this one. It's pretty."
(Layla)
Chop. Chop. Chop. Chop.
(Kevin, struggling to sever the branch because it's too thick.)
"Baby, no! The branches have to be long. I'm gonna put 'em in a big, tall vase. You have to cut it back further."
(Layla)
"I can't even cut it here, how am I gonna cut it there?"
(Kevin)
"Just make sure the branch is all the way down into the clippers. Don't cut it with the tips of the clippers. Hurry though. I think somebody's coming."
(Layla)
"Really? Where?"
(Kevin)
"Right th....oh wait. Nevermind. It's just a goose. We should still hurry though."
(Layla)
----------------------------------------------------------
After four intense minutes of chopping and watching, we managed to snag three great-looking branches. We threw them on the back seat, and high-tailed it outta there.
Unfortunately, the "mud" puddle smell was still with us as we pulled back into our driveway. And as I arranged the branches in a tall, glass vase in the kitchen, the smell seemed even stronger.
"Honey! Come here! It's the branches that smell!"
(Layla)
"Is it? Let's see...(sniff, sniff)...Whoa! It is! Gross! You're gonna have to put those outside tonight."
(Kevin)
And so I did.
I put my pretty, putrid branches in a gorgeous glass vase, and they spent the night on our back porch.
----------------------------------------------------------
But enough about the branches!
The real reason I'm blogging today is to share our kitchen re-do number two! (Considering how this post started, maybe "number two" was the wrong choice of words there.) Anywho, if you follow us on Twitter you've probably already seen a sneak peek of our "new" kitchen. (Hint, hint- follow us on Twitter if you like sneak peeks!) But before you scroll down to see photos of our "new" kitchen, (Yeah right, you scrolled down before you read the goose poop stuff, didn't you? It's okay. I would've scrolled down first too.) here's a video we shot to document the process...
(forgive the poor quality, the terrible lighting, and the occasional herky-jerkiness)
(Sorry about all the outtakes- I like to keep those so that if we ever adopt a child, they can watch them and see how happy their Dad made me.)
Having this "fort" to "play house" in is such a trip.
The "kids" in us are still blown away that someone would actually give us the keys to this place simply because we promised to pay for it.
The "adults" in us refuse to go another five grand in debt for a new heating system. (Hence, the stocking cap and layers of clothing we're wearing in the video.)
It also sort of blows our minds that we're just four years away from turning 40. We definitely don't feel like grown ups yet. But as a child, I do remember thinking that when you turned 30, you were a officially a grown up- so I guess we are.
Sometimes Kevin and I just sit in the living room and talk about how crazy life is.
The other night we were both sitting in our chair-and-a-half, like we always do when we watch movies. We had just watched "2012", and Kevin turned to me and said, "Can you imagine if we had gotten married right out of high school, and then had a kid when we were like 20? He or she would be like 15 years old right now and we'd be sitting here in this chair, with this blanket over us, while his or her friends were in the other room saying, "Your Mom and Dad are kinda weird. Do they always sit in that chair together?"
We had a good laugh at the thought of it.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Okay, for those of you who haven't scrolled down and looked at the following photos yet- Welcome!
For the folks with ants in your pants- Welcome Back!
Here's the "new" kitchen...
(Move your mouse back and forth over the photo below to see what the kitchen looked like when we bought the place, and what it looks like now.)
It's still far from finished.
We still need to get a window treatment, hang something on the beadboard-clad wall on the right, add more cabinetry above and to the right of the fridge, add crown molding, replace the counter tops, purchase stainless steel appliances, replace the light fixtures, replace the floor with salvaged brick, etc. etc. etc.
No rush though.
As for the cabinetry, the paint color on the base cabinets is called "Mourning Dove" (8085). It's a Martha Stewart color and we had it mixed at Sherwin Williams. (FYI- They don't carry Martha's line anymore, but if you ask them to mix it, they will.)
The paint color on the upper cabinets is called "Alabaster" and it's a Sherwin Williams color. We primed the base cabinets with gray-tinted primer from Home Depot (they helped us choose a primer specifically engineered for kitchen cabinetry) and we primed the upper cabinets with white primer. We did not sand the cabinets, but we did lightly sand the doors and drawer fronts. We sprayed everything with a light coat of Deft Clear Wood Finish. The aerosol version of this stuff...
It's non-yellowing and will help protect our new paint job.
(You can find it at Lowes.)
The wall color is called "Rice Grain", (it's also a Sherwin Williams color) but we had them lighten it by 50%. We used Rice Grain in the dining room, and love it, but since the kitchen is a little darker (only one tiny window), we thought we better lighten it up a bit.
We kept the same hardware on the doors and drawer fronts:
We got them on eBay a while back. If I remember correctly, the knobs were .87 cents a piece, and the pulls were around $3.00 a piece.
Unfortunately, for some reason, whoever originally designed this kitchen positioned everything on the left (North) side of the room...
But luckily, Kevin and I had a serendipitous moment when we ripped the cabinetry out of the guest bathroom and set it in the kitchen to get it out of the way while we worked in there.
We've already painted it all "Mourning Dove", now we just need to get some more drawer pulls and door knobs and replace the existing counter top with an eight foot butcher block countertop from Ikea.
As for the wall above the "new" cabinetry- I've got thirteen and a half ideas about what to do with it.
(If you have one you'd like to share with us, by all means, send us an inspiration pic or leave us a comment on this post!)
----------------------------------------------------------
My Mom's coming to visit us this weekend. She hasn't seen the place in quite a while. I wonder what she'll think of all the changes we've made...
(Move your mouse back and forth over the photo below)
(FYI- We blogged about opening up the doorway between the living and dining room HERE)
Knowing my Mom and I, come Saturday night, we'll be sitting at that dining table, (which still needs chairs by the way!) drinking something fizzy, playing Upwords and laughing uncontrollably about something that isn't even all that funny.
Hope you get to laugh a lot this week too!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out my e-book!
Posts
180 comments:
I had a good chuckle about you guys stealing those branches - and karma must have punished you by making them so stinky! My mum is a terrible plant stealer, but her target is frangipanis. Here in Queensland they grow beautifully, so every time she sees one in a colour she doesn't yet have (although I don't think there's any more left now) she steals a piece. You can imagine a 60 year old woman climbing a fence to hack off a piece of tree - it's quite hilarious!
Your kitchen looks amazing, what a great job you've done - love it all!
Kerri x
I have to admit, I'm sad to see that you've painted your cabinets. I loved the black. But...from what I've seen of your decorating, these colors do seem to fit your personality more, so I'm glad that you love it. That's what "home" is all about, right?
You may have already researched all of this, but I used Ikea oak butcherblock in my kitchen exclusively (love them!!), and I wanted them darker, so I stained the countertops. They're not dark, but the stain added just a touch of richness. And then I used Waterlox to seal them. They are gorgeous, and extremely durable. Oh...and they're food safe. You can see a somewhat-old pic here:
http://blog.addicted2decorating.com/2010/02/my-kitchen-progress-and-peek-at-my-new.html
In my own research, I got so overwhelmed with all of the staining/sealing options, especially in regards to food safety, durability, etc., but I'm thrilled with my final decision.
1. I laughed a lot. Thank you, Layla and Kevin...your photo shoot was a hoot. I loved the black too..but your kitchen looks great. I'm looking forward to seeing what ya'll do with the other wall.
2. Thank you for the info, Kristi. I bought a long butcher block counter top at Costco last year and would like to stain it a darker tone.
Have a beautiful Monday!
: )
Julie M.
Loving the new changes! Your branch cutting session made me laugh. Sad that something so beautiful had to be so stinky! lol I am in the middle of my own kitchen transformation and have been painting the kitchen cabinets white with the beadboard backsplash. It so far is turning out really pretty...love light and airy! Would love to have you stop by and see how it is turning out. :) I can't wait to see the butcher block countertops. I will be replacing mine down the way and have yet to decide what we will do. Love all the work you have done...so beautiful!!
Hugs,
Victoria
Layla you are TOO funny. I love your Bradford pear, story! I'm working on a blog post about them, right now. I have a few branches in my house in jars right now, that I stole from our neighbors trees on walks! And this is really gross, but I've ALWAYS thought the blooms smelled like semen. Hahaha!! It's disgusting, I know. But once I got it in my head, I can't think of anything else, now.
Also, love the new kitchen! Most of our wood in the house is distressed black, so I LOVED the old look, but this is wonderful. It really suites the style of your home, in transition from a Pottery Barn look, to more of a farmhouse theme. It's beautiful, as usual.
WOW! There is hope for my kitchen after all! I liked the black, but like the grey/white look even better. More airy... I especially like that you choosed two different colors for the lower and upper cabinets. May I copy this? Greetings from Norway!
After reading your posts, I always say: wow, how better can it get??
Apparently....A LOT!
I mean...you.are.talented.
Great great great job. Your home is...a heaven coming true piece by piece.
Awesome people!
Ah, the Bradford Pear. So deceptively beautiful, yet horribly smelly, and planted intentionally all over the south. ;)
Kitchen looks great!
I liked the black too though this has a more airy, country feel. I'm planning on doing 'something' with my kitchen cabinets soon (unfortunately they're laminate though, not timber) and you've now given two examples - thanks! I'm currently undertaking a 'mini' makeover of my Aunt's kitchen for her which I'm gonna blog about soon.
Kristine
http://thepaintedhive.blogspot.com.
Aww, I'm gonna miss the black. It was so striking!
This looks great too, though. I don't have the courage to pull off the black cabinetry, but this I could maybe do. :)
Layla, the new colors are fresh and fun, but I'm curious about the black. Did it feel too dark or heavy, or did you just want a change? I'd love to know more about what prompted it.
And the video is terrific!
Maybe they put all of the cabinets on one side of the kitchen in order to accommodate a narrow table against the other side. I can see that being beneficial with small children.
Your "new" cabinet looks wonderful.
love what you've done...loved the black cabinets but love this even more!!!
I think you should think about putting in a huge shelving system (very cottage"Y") on the right side of your kitchen...maybe 2 or 3 shelves with big thick wooden brackets to hold them up...you could display white and creamy white dishes/glassware/etc....
Wow! What an amazing transformation! I loved your kitchen before but the lighter colors made such a difference. It is so bright and cheery now..just like you two :)
I know what you mean about the pear branches. I brought some inside & blamed the smell on the dog for 2 days before I realized it was the pretty {stinky} branches.
Thank you for mantle mania! It has inspired me to finally do something with my plain jane mantle :)
Didn't see that one coming - I thought it was great before. It still looks great & I love the two colors. The video is cute & y'all are adorable. Thanks for keeping us entertained & contstantly jotting down things we now have to do in our homes. Slow down though - we can't keep up. Have a great week.
Hi Layla! I like your kitchen even better now! It seems so much bigger and your appliances blend right in. White kitchens will never go out of style! =) Smart thinking with the vanity - that will be a ton of more counter space - Great post!
LOL! I have the same love/hate relationship with paper whites. So beautiful, so stinky. Maybe there's an essential oil to add to the water in the vase to re-engineer the fragrance! Your kitchen is so beautiful and full of light. I did love the black cabinets you had before, also, but change is exciting. Another wonderful job.
Layla, You guys are doing an incredible job on this renovation! I am a newer visitor/follower and enjoy so much seeing what you have done. My husband and I are building a cottage on our property to house my new shoppe and your colors and ideas are a great inspiration! Thanks! Kim
Hey Layla and Kevin! I am so glad to finally see the whole kitchen instead of that little sneak peek from twitter! (if you'll remember, I'm the one that guessed the dove gray color...yay me! LOL) It looks fabulously delicious! It's so much brighter and more airy looking now! Love it!
You guys cracked me up stealing branches and I was just about to fall over when you talked about the smell. I have three bradford pears in my front yard and we can't even open our windows in spring until the flowers fall off...........I KNOW that smell, Oh my, it's just terrible! No wonder you put the branches outside over night...shew wee! :)
Have fun this week and hope you have lots more giggles with each other! :)
By the way, I'm 40 now and I'm still not grown up, so you don't have to either! (just thought you'd want to know) :-D
I love the new lighter look , I love a dark kitchen too but the light is so fresh and airy . I think you should use the same brackets as you have under the upper cabinets to create open shelving above the new cabinets .
Looks great .
I am a few years from 40 as well , and have an 11 year old , and we take great pleasure in being an embarassment , what fun for us, he he
You two are so cute...love that video!! The new 'do looks so nice. I've been toying with the idea of doing the black cabinets with white on the top but this gray is really, really light and pretty. I'm just not so sure I want to switch over to gray with all the tan/brown/dark red accessories/accents I have, that would all need to be replaced. Decisions, decisions....thanks for sharing the redo. You're always so inspiring...and funny!!
Kare
I have to admit too, I was a bit sad to see the black go, but, LOVE the white. But of course I love it, my kitchen is white with butcher block. I'm dying to know where the hutch is???? It looks great Layla, really lightened and brightened. I'm constantly changing things too and find it keeps me from getting anyroom EVER done! Oh well, at least I'm having fun.
You got me itching to get started on mine now!I am still trying to find the right white to go with the granite that was here when we bought this house. Wish I could just send you a piece of it and you just tell me. I had thought of gray on the bottom also. Just not sure with the granite. Oh, Name of primer??
I found our house in GA online and fell in love with all the pretty white trees! Never saw the house, sent hubby. He bought it. We moved in. Then we smelled the dead fish smell!
We have that teenager and friend asking questions! It happened the other day in the car. How funny!
Seriously thought you guys were in your 20's. You're both so cute. :)
~anita
Loved the black- your kitchen inspired me to re-do our old oak laundry room cabs to a very very dark brown. Still love that dark look, so I am scratching my head wondering why you wanted to change things again? Seemed like you just did the black. oh well- I'll wait to give my final "stamp of approval" until everything is done! It will probably be beautiful knowing you and then I will want to change my laundry room again! (Ain't gonna happen!- the dark brown in the laundry room goes too nicely with the dark uba tuba granite countertops in the adjacent kitchen and we are NOT re-doing the kitchen!) Love seeing you guys in love with each other and your home. I sure hope HGTV has their eye on you! What a great team and fresh breath you are to "do it yourself"!
JoanneB.
Layla...absolutly gorgeous! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the white and gray cabinets! So fresh and airy! I swear you have a magic wand around that house somewhere. How in the world do you guys get everything done and done so fast! It looks fantastic!
My vote is for open shelving above the new cabinetry, but something chunky enough it balances out the cabinets on the other side.
~mary~
I would like you to know that I did NOT scroll ahead. I read every word (and giggled). I loved the black cabinets, but you have OUTDONE yourselves. I'm in LOVE with the new look!!! What a transformation! I love every detail of it. As for your 13 1/2 ideas, I can only imagine that open shelving is one of them. Regardless, you will come up with something amazing. No doubt. I gotta go--I need to look at your pictures again!
What a nice surprise to wake up to this morning. Upon looking at the beautiful (albeit stinky!) branches in your window sill, I thought, "Hey, did Kevin and Layla do what I've always hoped they would--paint their cupboards white?" I absolutely love it! It's so bright and cheerful and definitely gives your house even more character than before. Also, love that you're reusing the piece from the bathroom.
Love, love, love it!
Naomi
Although I loved the black cabinets, the new look is fresh and cheerful and I love it just as much! Like some of the previous comments, I too wonder what prompted the change?
You two always do such a great job. You are such an inspiration to the rest of us. Not only are you great at home design/decorating, but your posts are so well done too! Your videos always make me laugh.
I know what you mean about the age thing. My husband and I always say we are just little kids playing house! We have no idea what we're doing sometimes, but we pretend we do!
Layla & Kevin.
I thought your kitchen was the most beautiful sight , until I saw your “outtakes”.
They were even more beautiful.
You are both the funniest, warmest and loving couple.
You create such beautiful spaces and such beautiful moments
and memories together.
I "love to pieces" the beachy and light makeovers in every room.
I think everyone should visit each others homes to experience each one first hand and maybe blog about them.
Count me in if anyone wants to come and do a home exchange
In Ct. hehe
I love the cupboards in the kitchen you added. Maybe a chefs
shelf the same length would be fun and functional.
I am so thrilled I found your blog! Hugs. Geri.
I love what you did!!
It looks great! I can't wait to see the butcher block in. I have to say I love love love your video of you two on the bed/raft. That was hilarious. And what a great memory to have forever. :) It's good to see people so in love.
Layla, your kitchen & all your other remodel projects look lovely!
As usual you guys are so cute in the video. Love the outtakes. Your kids will love watching them someday.
I lvoe the colors you all picked for the kitchen. It really lighten and brightens up the kitchen. Also, great idea to reuse the cabinets from the bathroom in the kitchen. I have lots of ideas for that wall for ya, but I have to find some pics first.
So, where did the bench get moved to now the cabinets are there?
The great thing about paint is that it changes a room so quickly and inexpensively. I painted a wall in my family room red and hated it immediately. Still ... I was talked into leaving it for 5 years before I painted it over, and then was in love again. Easy peasy!
And I want you to know that at this very moment, and for the last 3 days, I have my clippers in my car, ready to jump out and clip branches from the dogwoods when no one is looking. It's not been advantageous quite yet. Too much light in the evenings these days. Oh, but it will get done. And then, if I'm .. you know .. not in jail, I'll post my pics too.
Have a great week Layla!
Yesterday afternoon, I showed your white sneak peak to my youngest daughter then showed her the before. Her new kitchen has similar wood cabinetry. She now sees her kitchen has endless possibilities.
Love the story about the branches. I had no idea they smelled so horrible!
imo, your blank kitchen wall is screaming for a hutch of some sort with a plate rack. Not too bulky, but heavy enough to visually weight it against the finished side.
I designed a pine hutch in our kitchen with doors on either end (chicken wire instead of glass or wood) with a double plate rack. If you'll like to see, it's the French Grey Island kitchen at AtticMag.com Jane did a three part tour of our home last week as well.
Can't wait to see what you and Kevin come up with.
regards,
Allison
Wow! You have been so busy. I really loved the look of your black kitchen. It was very unique. I also love your new kitchen. I am a fan of having the lower cabinets a darker color and the uppers white. Your kitchen is very fresh and cheerful and all your accessories look wonderful. I can't wait to see what you decide on for above your "new" cabinet area. It is always so fun to see what you are up to and that you have so much fun together while you work on your projects.
Yep, those Bradford pears are really stinky, but now you know that! :)
Love the new kitchen paint job, was just wondering when you were gonna show that off, I remembered you telling us at Blissdom about it. Looks great, as usual!!
Now that's what I call a transformation! I love what you did with it. And I love that you used a lot of what you had already and are making this transformation in stages.
I'll be using this photo as inspiration for my own kitchen! Thanks Layla!
~Rachel~
Hey you owe me new pj's! I was going about my business reading your blog this morning..only to choke on my coffee while reading your blossom snipping section! dribble dribble, you two are a blast!
I love your kitchen! Really can you come and talk with my husband who thinks that the cherry maple must stay! I've been trying to persuade him to paint our kitchen white for years! He actually painted a kitchen for a client(he paints on the side for friends only really) and did as you did with gray on bottom, white on top and it was fabulous! I love it! I'm a new blogger, so if you have a sec..come visit me on www.thevghuis.blogspot.com
The kitchen looks wonderful, but it looked great before too! I vote for some chunky open shelves above the new cabinets, or a hutch built to make the new cabinets look like a big furniture piece. Whew...bradford pears are just horribly stinky. Go for cherry blossoms next time ;-).
I'm amazed. I liked the black cabinets but this is really fresh and bright. You two are way funny! I loved when Kevin said, "Why are we doing this in a bed anyway?" I can't believe the before and after pictures. I would never have believed that those were the before pictures if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!
Too bad the branches stunk they sure are beautiful!
Love the new kitchen paint - so bright and airy! We are in the process of painting our kitchen cabinets and now I'm very tempted to choose two different colors. Thanks for the inspiration!
Love the video - went so well with the U2 song too. You guys are so adorable and talented that I'm not sure why HGTV or anyone else hasn't put you on the air yet. Or why Sherwin Williams, Lowes, Home Depot etc. haven't come calling for you to be a spokesperson. Then you could get your heating system and finish the kitchen! It will happen soon though and I'm sure you both know it.
Layla....ya'll are killin' me! :)
The kitchen looks great (though I too was a fan of the black). Face it...it will never be "done"...but it will be in a continual state of improvement and change...and I'm sure it will look fabulous at every stage along the way.
Your blog is such a joy to read...do you ever just wake up grumpy? If so your cheeriness beats it into submission before you write, and I love it!
Thanks for all you do.
I don't normally follow your blog but I have been to it many times. I just want to say that y'all are adorable. The video could have been me and my husband. We have been married almost 19 years and we laugh just like that. Y'all are very sweet together.
Have a great Monday.
I learned about the stinky bradford pear branches several years ago. The boys at work came in telling me how bad they smelled. I said..."Oh...you are wrong...you are imagining...there is no way flowers smell bad"...they picked me up out of my chair, down the hall into the elevator and walked me across the parking lot and forced me to smell...
I couldn't believe it...they smell TERRIBLE! From then on when the bradford pears bloom, we all them the stinky trees.
I LOVE the new colours of your kitchen. Just beautiful. I kind of like white appliances too. Can't wait to see what you come up with for the other wall. (I also didn't scroll ahead and was laughing out loud about the branches - they are so beautiful in a photo though!!)
I loved the black cabinets! I have been trying to get my husband to consider black for our kitchen. Like another poster said the lighter kitchen does seem to fit your house more than the black did.
OMG, I went and stole cherry tree branches yesterday too! I felt like a little kid running to the tree with clippers in hand and cutting them off really quick. Only 1 person drove by...SOOO Funny!!!
Anyway...I love love love your new kitchen! I loved the black but the gray is just stunning. You two did an amazing job! Have a great day!
Kristin
Oh Em Gee!!!! Layla!!!! I want to first state that I started at the very top of the post, read, laughed, read some more, watched the video, laughed alot!! Oohed and aahed ALOT!! This transformation is GORGEOUS!!! Love it!!!! I have written down all the colors!! I love it so much!! LOVE IT!!!
Lou Cinda :)
Oh, I absolutely LOVE the new kitchen look! (Y'all are sneaky!) I'll admit at first a horrified gasp crept out of my mouth when I first saw the words Kitchen Re-do :) 'cause I was head over heels for the black cabinets! But when I saw the photos, loooooooove it! You're right, it's so light and pretty, and a totally different feel than before! It is fun to experiment, and if we can't try things out at home then where can we? Also, you 2 are seriously fun!! Reminds me of the best friend relationship I have with my Hubby! Enjoy your "new" space, snuggle in your chair together & be thankful for each other!
Blessings,
Stacey
Wow-didn't see that one coming! Loved the black cabinets, but I do have to admit that this color combo does seem more beachy. Great catch on the bathroom cabinet. I think a series of open shelves with some of your pretty beachy items combined with some glass and stoneware in equally beachy colors would look really pretty on the wall above it.
BTW - the ceiling fixtures caught my eye - I bought one just like it at the Habitat Restore in Nashville for &7.50 last week, painted the trim on it black and installed it in my new entry way. Comforting to know that it must have been a good choice if Layla and Kevin chose the same one!
You guys crack me up!!!! You already know how much I LOVE your kitchen but I just wanted to remind you...((hugs))) Susie Bloop~
Oh your branch stealing adventure reminded me of when I was in elementary school and had an assignment to collect leaves from different type of trees for a science project. My Daddy and I were gathering leaves from some of the trees in front of the school, at night, when the police came to see what we were doing!! They must have thought we were crazy! What a good memory - I chuckled when I read about yours.
Fantastic change, although I liked the black as well. I would put shelves up above the counter from the bathroom and put out the dishes you use everyday. Another idea would be to make it into a coffee/tea station so have mugs/cups/teapots/canisters of tea etc on some shelves above the counter. Looks great.
i love the colors you chose - your kitchen is gorgeous!
Oh my goodness! You guys are crazy!!! But I love it. I love that you're willing to change something and try something new...just because. :)
Two question: Did you sand the cabinets before painting, or did you not have to? And, is there a rule of thumb when painting your kitchen cabinets two colors -- ie: darker color on bottom and lighter on top?
Great idea with the bathroom cabinets!
I vote for open shelving with the goal of keeping the space open, yet more balanced and functional.
http://www.charlesandhudson.com/archives/open-kitchen-cabinets.jpg
http://www.tchochkes.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/kitchen-open-shelving.jpg
WOW! Layla, the first transformation was amazing. But to see it in these colors and so nice and bright, I absolutely love it!
Every year we snitch lilacs from some tree, ours can't grow past 3 feet because of the awful rabbits in the winter! wonderful writing, very cute story and beautiful kitchen. thanks for the morning laugh, much needed
LOVE the new kitchen - so fresh and bright...a very happy place. I think open shelving with lots of architectural interest would be beautiful on the "blank" side of the kitchen above the bathroom cabinets. It would be beautiful and airy (like the rest of your house) and super functional, too!
I have all off-white cabinetry in my kitchen and when I first saw your black kitchen loved it so much that I did think whether my kitchen should have a paint job! What you've done now is just gorgeous as usual and really gives it a fresh new look. I really don't know which I prefer as both colour schemes look lovely. On the wall above the new cabinetry I would probably run two lengths of open shelves with the same supports as under your cabinets on the other side. These shelves could house glassware and white or cream crockery! I'm sure whatever you do though will look amazing!
Can't wait!
~Sam
I was really surprised when I saw that you painted the kitchen cabinets...those cabinets are what brought me to your blog! The new colors are great too.
I needed to thank you properly... Layla and Kevin... so I did it on my blog, hope you do not mind I grabbed you picture...best picture ever...
Please check out
www.camdesign-interiors.blogspot.com
for your thank you...
Layla, it looks just lovely! You guys are so great together! You should definitely adopt, you would make wonderful parents!
I loved your black cabinets but your new look is fresh and bright. You wouldn't be a designer if you didn't change things up all the time; never finished!
Just think if you and Kevin did have a child or two in your twenties, you'd have extra hands helping you with your projects!
BTW, I saw a WANTED blurry photo of two people dressed in black hoodies cutting down branches on park property in the post office this morning while I was mailing postcards!
Deborah
I love, love LOVE it! The black was nice, but I'm more of a fan of light woods! You came over to "the light side". :)
Can't wait to see your butcher block countertops. We plan on putting them in our kitchen next year, and it will be nice to see how yours turn out.
Oh, and I read every word of this post, without scrolling down! Your branch cutting story was too funny. I've never smelled a Bradford Pear tree, but I have heard that they are considered a nuisance in some parts of the country because of their stink! Too bad. They are pretty!
Hope you have a great day! Beth. :)
I knew exactly what the smell was before I even got to the second part of the story! My college campus was covered in Bradfords and I used to always think the sewers were backed up! I finally figured it out after talking with a friend while walking under some!
I love what you two have done with your home and you have been such an insipration as I begin to remodle my frist home!
cheers!
The kitchen looks FABULOUS!! You guys have done such a good job-you're an inspiration. I love that you added cabinets to the other side of the wall. What about using open shelves above the cabinets? I think I've seen that in PB. It keeps it looking open. Good luck!
WOW - I love both the black and white/grey! but I agree that these colors fit your style more. I am in love with that grey color!
how smart to reuse the bathroom cabs for more storage!
I gotta know (cuz Im nosey) :)
What happened to the chairs that you painted numbers on?
Where are you putting your hutch and bench now?
I wish we were neighbors! LOL!
You two crack me up! I love your videos, they're always so cute! The new look is wonderful and I can't wait to see what you decide to do for upper cabinets!
☺ Celeste
How cute are you (both)? I loved your whole post. My nephew calls the Bradford Pear smell "old tuna". We have one in the backyard & one in the front - a sufficient distance from the house :). Hubby & I got married right out of college (21 & 24), but had 5 1/2 years together before we adopted our daughter - what great bonding/best friend time it was...I think it will help with the empty nest time (which we are way too close to) - continue to enjoy each other!
Love your kitchen, I'm sure it will just get better and better. I'm gonna have to check out SW Rice Grain - I'm looking for a good neutral to repaint our living room & kitchen. Thanks for all your inspiration!!
Lisa
WHAT! Did you tell us you were painting the kitchen? I look at your blog at least twice a day cause I don't want to miss anything and today I was shocked. I love it but I was shocked. It takes me a day or two to get my husband to change a light bulb. We really need to paint our cabinets and here you have done it twice since we started talking about it. I keep asking you...send Kevin to me for awhile.
Hi Layla! What a transformation! It looks lovely! So bright and airy :)
Are you still going to incorporate the hutch and the bench somewhere in the house? So curious and can't wait to hear :)
Health and happiness,
Angela
http://angelawalkerjewelry.blogspot.com/
You two have done such an amazing job on your sweet home...you're such an inspiration! I love the kitchen transformation!
I was so surprised to see this. It is the exact colors of my kitchen both top and bottom cabinets. Weird! Looks great. I do have a question...where is the hutch and the bench that was on the wall that you placed the new bathroom cabinet? You and Kevin are so cute! The house is looking better everyday. I just know we will be seeing you on HGTV eventually!
You guys are awesome! I love that you work together so well. I love that your home is an evolutionary process for the both of you. The kitchen looks beautiful and bright, (although the black was great too).
XO*Tricia
(P.S. I feel like it's worth mentioning that baby/child/adoption was mentioned at least three times in this post. ;) Now that would be quite an exciting announcement.
Y'all are hilarious! I've always heard Bradford Pear smelled bad...guess it's true! I LOVE your new kitchen look...it's awesome! I wish painting a kitchen was this much fun for me!!! :-) You guys know how to have fun while you work. Love the video!
Susan
Oh wow! Out with the black and in with a new & lighter color! I don't even have the guts to paint my cabs once...let alone twice! LOL! I LOVE the new paint color. It really brightens up the space. I love black kitchen cabs but I really love white/lighter color ones. Love that the bottom cabs are painted a different shade than the uppers. Fun!
What I'd REALLY LIKE TO KNOW....how long did it take you from start to finish to prime, sand, paint, varnish the cabs? Did you use a paint brush or roller or sprayer?
Do you not need to sand off the old paint/varnish on the cabs before painting them?
p.s.
My husband can not believe there is another person in the world that changes their home as much as me.
Thank You! hehe
You two amaze me! I loved your kitchen before and I love, love it now! Can't wait to see what you have planned for the "blank canvas" wall on the other side. Maybe actual shelves? I love shelving in kitchens and wish I had a space for it in my own. Laughed watching you all try and pose yourselves on the video!
Layla, you guys are amazing!I love the whole new look. Makes me want to go paint my cabinets, but my husband would probably divorce me if I paint one more thing white in our house!
You guys are a hoot! I love that you said your kids would think you are weird!
The kitchen looks awesome! I was wondering how it could look any better than what you already had but, once again, you pulled through!!
Oh, and I love the full shot of the kitchen...great idea to move your bathroom cabinet in the room. I bet it feels GREAT to recycle an old piece. Thanks for sharing!
Meredith
www.meredithstarrettdesigns.blogspot.com
I know those trees! They are planted all over the CSU Sacramento campus. My friends and I named them "stank trees" when we were in college.
i know those trees totally smell! when we were kids my brother and i called them dead fish trees. haha they look great though!
Love the changes even though I liked the black cabinets too. Love the MS color! Your out takes made me laugh. We've been married 16 years and still act like that. I think my daughter's friends probably say stuff like that too, ha ha.
LOL! I loved the out-takes at the end of the video. Like you are in a life raft. LOL. You guys are so darn cute!
You make kitchen re-models seem so easy... thank you!
Ok, I loved your black kitchen but I'm in even more love with them now! So soft & pretty, airy, light....I can just picture an open window with a breeze blowing in a white linen curtain with a pie cooling on the windowsill. I think open shelving stacked with lots of white dishes on the other side would be perfect! Thanks again for sharing your amazing talent with us!
AH-mazing. As usual. My mom is coming this weekend to watch our baby so we can go away for the weekend. And then you know what she's going to do? Help us paint our kitchen cabinets. YAY!
AMAZING!!
Hi only found your blog a couple of days ago but love everything you've done looks brighter and bigger and just fabulous
Moving soon and can't wait to get my hand on the new house
Loved the pear branch story so funny
have a great week
Suz x
Totally wasn't expecting that! Y'all must have worked fast!!
Haven't thought too much about it, but my vote would be for some kind of open shelving above the cabinets - especially with something to reflect some of that light (maybe pretty old mirror or something else that's at least shiny??) coming in since it is straight across from the one window.
If since you already have open *cabinets,* you didn't want so much openness, you could put glass doors on the existing open cabinets....even though that's still a little open. You probably have great ideas though!
I, too liked the black, but love this new light feel. Your home totally looks warm and welcoming.
Beautiful!
~Crystal
Don't they smell like fish?? We had them on my college campus and they felt the need to put them EVERYWHERE. It reeked all spring long.
Your kitchen looks wonderful...all light and fresh. You guys make the cutest couple EVER! I enjoyed the video and laughed at the two of you trying to get it just right.
Upwords is my favorite game! I'll bet you're a riot playing that one. ;)
Great idea to save the bathroom cabinets. Waste not, want not, right?
I can't believe you changed the black...it was gorgeous! But I've gotta say, I like the new colors even better. Good job, as usual. :)
What a super job you ahve done on that kitchen. The before and after are so dramatic. Love the Morning Dove paint color-a nice change from an all white kitchen, but still ovely and fresh and neutral Wow! I have just started reading your blog, and you guys are really busy.
Layla and Kevin, I adore you both & your kitchen, big time. And I don't know what was funnier..."breathe through your mouth" or "I feel like we're sitting in a life raft". Thanks for always keeping it real. Love you guys.
oxox
Jennifer
I'm back to check out the video of the kitchen redo... sorry fast visit this morning, had to go to work this morning to pick up clients presentations for the next week or so.
Loved the black kitchen... that is what mine will be as soon as I can find someone to sand all the door down...
I do so love the new colours too...ok the video... oh my goodness I laughed...you are the sweetest couple...
I enjoyed the ebook, not that I needed anyhelp lol...I do this for a living, but thank you for mentioning floor plans as you did because without them people are just purchasing blind...
Just love you both, Just must be said some days... Regards, Carol Ann x
Saw you painting the walls and thought "they won't paint those great black cabinets..." Well, ya did. I must admit, you guys are usually right and it looks great. You two make me miss all the energy and fun you can have when you are young and 30's are young!! Continue with the fun and thanks to you also, I will never look that the pear blooms the same again, ha!
I just LOVED this post. The part about the branches cracked me up...I've been eyeing all the pretty bradford pears around town too...I just haven't gotten up the courage to "steal" any yet...though the thought has crossed my mind more than once. Also, the video made me laugh so hard! Y'all are halarious...and I love that you have so much fun together. It's awesome. The kitchen looks great, BTW. Check out www.acountryfarmhouse.blogspot.com for kitchen inspiration. I love that blog.
Hugs,
Gail
I can't stop laughing because literally, as I type, our painter is at the store picking up the black paint (your custom color) for our cabinets, white for our bead board and rice grain for our walls! I am CRACKING up! I finally had the courage to get my cabinets painted and BOOM you go and change on me! I love the new colors you picked but I must admit I miss the black! ;o(
www.thisismethenjmj.blogspot.com
I like it both ways, but it does look brighter now and makes the kitchen seem bigger. And I totally agree about those trees - they are so stinky!
I just about peed my pants when I saw your kitchen redo#2. LOVE IT!!! I loved it before but hello I love it again!!
I'm so glad you told us about the smell, I was very envious of those branches before that as they look so perfect! It reminded me of something I once heard about hawthorn and I always suspiciously smell the flowers when I pass them, but can't really get it -
"Mediaeval country folk also asserted that the smell of hawthorn blossom was just like the smell of the Great Plague in London. Botanists later discovered that the chemical trimethylamine present in hawthorn blossom is also one of the first chemicals formed in decaying animal tissue. In the past, when corpses would have been kept in the house for several days prior to burial, people would have been very familiar with the smell of death, so it is hardly surprising that hawthorn blossom was so unwelcome in the house."
Notice I say envious, not jealous, because I've been educated by the Skirted Roundtable!
Okay, so I'm relatively new to your blog (why, I can't totally figure out since I've been addicted to design blogs for a good year now) so I've been stalking, um, i mean casually perusing your past posts. i enjoy your style immensely!
i must admit, i felt a bit of kinship when i read where you were from. it's not in the same order, but i am originally from california, went to college in minnesota, fell in love with a texan, moved to alabama (fell in love with the south) moved back to minnesota and have been living in louisiana (the other LA) for 2 years now.
i loved your black kitchen! i'm kind of obsessed with black furniture (i do show restraint). i am not brave enough to go black in my own kitchen so i lived vicariously through yours.
alas, your new colors are lovely and your sense of style are to die for. it is gorgeous.
thank you for letting me into your design world. it's a pleasure!
Very pretty although I was a bit partial to the black cabinets. I especially liked the way they looked from the living room; repeating the black shutters and black fireplace accent. But you are amazing. Always amazing. I know I will love the end result. What a surprise.
Wow Layla, this is AMAZING. Everything you have done is so amazing! I love how those pear trees look as well, but I have to laugh at their disgusting smell after hearing a boy in school refer to them as "jizz trees" (I apologize for my inappropriateness--I'm not grownup yet either!) but now I think they smell exceptionally disgusting lol--unfortunately karma put a big one in my neighbor's yard.
I love the color of your cabinets!
I think it is so funny that you don't like the smell of Bradford pear blossoms. I can't tell you how many times my daughter and I have been walking in spring and both smelled something, looked at each other, and said, "Something stinks!", only to discover it was those beautiful flowers. Every year we forget how stinky they are!
LOVE IT LOVE IT ... TOTALLY LOVE IT! Sorry about the CAPS but I really love it. I found you by means of Rate My Space a while ago and then saw you on the cover of The Nest (I'm a newlywed) and thought maybe I was supposed to be channeling you or something...
I really loved your black kitchen- we just bought our 1st house which we are closing on April 30- and after seeing it a while back I considered painting the basic builder oak cabinets black for a while. Then I moved on to wanting white instead... and after seeing your kitchen reno "part 2" it just solidifies my decision. It just looks so bright and airy and exactly what I am going to be going for in our first place.
What I love the most? How you reno on the cheap! Thanks for that inspiration b/c this whole "home improvement" thing can otherwise get so overwhelming.
Love the new kitchen!!! Am going to show my hubby when he gets home.... Love the new colors in your house and everything!! Even with 3 small children I think the lower cabinets the darker color will hide little fingerprints :) Amazing what you can do with builder grade cabinets!! :) Thanks for sharing!
I must say I laughed out loud when I read Aura's comment regarding the smell of the pear trees. We had 10 that lined our driveway at our previous house and we'll never have them again. While they are beautiful when in bloom the stench is overwhelming...especially with 10 trees! I totally agree with her description of the smell. I won't tell you what my husband called it, although it was pretty funny. Your kitchen looks great, but like most of your followers I also loved the black cabinets. You have great style, Layla. Thanks for sharing your home with the rest of us!
Seriously, I can't even believe that this is the same house y'all started with. You've done an amazing job and have spectacular vision! Kudos!
I read your blog pretty often but don't comment that much (sorry, just nervous I guess!). Probably my favorite part of this post was where you said, "I like to keep those so that if we ever adopt a child, they can watch them and see how happy their Dad made me." You are just so sweet.
Speaking of sweet - sweet kitchen makeover. I must admit I miss the black but once the video was done I love the gray and white too. Plus, you guys are genius to repurpose the bathroom cabinets for your kitchen.
Love seeing the other before and afters too - I think painted wood paneling looks so great (hope when I purchase a house it has knotty pine wood paneling just so I can paint it something neutral and lovely). Your and Kevin's house is such an inspiration, as always.
Now officially longest comment ever. I guess I should comment more often and have them be more brief!
Your kitchen, your entire home for that matter is fabulous. Love your blog, your writing and your images.
Gorgeous!! And I had to laugh about the branches. I was reading your post while the pictures were loading and as soon as I read about the branches sticking, I knew EXACTLY what they looked like! We had tree's like that on the Air Force Base I lived on in Delaware...SO gorgeous but the smell seriously gagged me!! Anyway...love the kitchen updates! The butcher block will look fab!
I always called that 'midnight pruning' and used to do that to the neighbor's bushes that blocked my view out of the drive-way.... maybe this post should have been sub-titled: pruning confession monday?!?
My word! I always loved your kitchen before but I think I'm more in love with it now! It looks awesome!
Somebody find me some paint and paint brush! I must do this to my ugly gold oak kitchen and fast!! :) I LOVE IT!! I gasped when I saw the first photo. I must say that I am really intimidated by painting my cabinets, feel like I don't know what I'm doing with what kind of paint to use and how much to sand off and what I need to put on top of the paint. You are getting me closer to JUST GO FOR IT! :)
Fantastic kitchen. Well done.
I love it! The base colors are amazing.
I wanted to let you know that I was also inspired by you to put curtains up in our office made from drop cloths. I'm sure you get this all the time, but wanted to let you know I blogged it today. And, thanks for all the inspiration!=)
Thanks for posting about the your kitchen re-do. We have been contemplating painting our cabinets and walls in the kitchen for some time now. You guys make it looks so easy and approachable- just the boost I need to get motivated!
What about some floating Ikea shelves for above the new cabinets????
ACK! You painted your kitchen! I love both versions. You guys are crazy! I think it's adorable.
OMGoodness!!! i'm wiping away the tears from laughing at your outtakes. you two are HILARIOUS!
your kitchen is just GORGEOUS!
thank you , thank you, thank you, it is a gloomy morning here in Northeast PA and watching your video made me laugh so hard my sides were hurting. you remind me of myself when i am trying to get the perfect pose out of my husband for pictures. toooo funny. thanks for all the laughs
You guys are so much fun. I love it. I was so worried when I saw that you were painting the kitchen cabinets because I really loved the black but these colors are so perfect for your house. I love that you chose to do white on the top and that beautiful gray color on the bottom. Once again, I love watching your videos...love reading your blog... It's 8:17 a.m. here in Northeast PA and this was a great start to my day! Hope you all have a wonderful one! :)
Forgot how much I loved those Bradford Pear trees in my Nashville/Franklin days! Speaking of love...I heart the Mourning Dove color on those bottom cabinets. Perfection!
BTW...my hubby and I always watch movies together in our chair 1/2. When he's in the mood to sprawl out, I give him a puppy dog face and he makes a little spot for me!
xo...Linsey
Love your style...the re-do is amazing! I think Martha Stewart paint is available at Home Depot now:)
We call bradford pear trees, the "dead shrimp" trees. They are beautiful but, man, will they knock you down!
Those "new" cabinets would look GORGEOUS SKIRTED on the bottom! (since the doors are different) Looks great!
I love the "re-do" of the kitchen, I havent read every comment so forgive me if Im repeating, I think this looks more like your style and suits your cottage. The colors are nice and light. Thanks for sharing your outtakes I really laughed outloud. Again thanks for you time and sharing yourselves and ideas with us. Julie in Holland ;)
Is this a spring thing? Are you going to paint them black again in the fall? Just kidding! Seriously, though, I almost didn't post this question when I saw that you had 132 comments - good grief! But here goes: Did you really just slap some white paint on them? No prepping, base coats, sanding, etc? I have brand new maple cabinets and I now wish that I had chosen white. I am tempted, but am wondering about how you think the white will hold up long term? Sorry to be so wordy - you guys are amazing!
While I admired the black, I think the lighter colors make the kitchen seem bigger, especially since you only have one window. I suffer from the same problem in my kitchen. I desperately wanted to paint my faux-oak (foak) cabinets black, but I figured it would make my tiny little space look like a cave! Thus, I'm going with white that has a faint hint of blue. (Valspar Homestead Resort Sky Blue)
As for your re-purposed bathroom cabinets, I think you should use open cafe shelves above them. I think additional upper cabinets would make your kitchen feel more confined. I have cabinets on two sides in my kitchen, and it feels claustrophobic. Unfortunately, I'm also contending with soffits, and I don't think I can get away with ripping out one side of cabinets and adding cafe shelves without it looking weird!
Your kitchen looks amazing....again!!!
What I want to know is....where is the beautiful bench Kevin made and the black hutch?
Can I have one inch of your energy and talent, please?
Here in T-town, we call those trees "Stinky fish trees" or "Cats pee trees" because they DO smell horrible! Not only that, but when they are blooming, they kick our allergies something fierce!
Give me plain ole' pussywillows any day of the week!
Oh my goodness. That is too funny. I didn't even need to see the picture to know what tree you cut the flowering branches from. Bradford Pear trees smell rancid in bloom. They are planted all over in everyone's yards around NC. I have to hold my breath to go into the local Harris Teeter. Ewwww!
I was shocked to see those branches in your house! I too think they smell like semen... they smell so bad!
I love the new kitchen! I like the lighter tones and think they really go with your house better. I have a white kitchen--we redid it last March. What did you do with your bench and hutch? I am sure you will put them to good use somewhere else :)
Oh, and I nabbed some plum tree blossoms from down my street after dark a couple weeks ago. They smelled lovely. But your story made me laugh.
love the kitchen, holy chicness. anywho, How did you paint the cupboards, did you spray them? Are the above ones new cupboards, or the old ones with the doors taken off? I was wondering what those baskets are hanging on the end of the wall above the chair. IT looks like there were 4 baskets anchored by the chair, would you mind sharing what you did there?
YES!!! Bradford Pear trees REEK. They smell like some horrible sort of urine or something. We hold our breath when we got outdoors if those monsters are blooming.
There's a spray that people put on their evergreens to deter people who want to steal them. I bet your park branches were sprayed with the same thing. You know, because taking things that don't belong to you (and you did it after dark, you knew it was wrong) is stealing, and society tries to discourage that.
*giggle* How could something so beautiful be so stinky?
I've always LOVED your kitchen. Love it!
And I just have to say, you guys are so cute together. Makes me feel all squishy inside. :)
What a transformation! My fiance and I just purchased a home and we are going through the same types of renovations. It is hard work but it is so much fun! I love the video. You've inspired me to try something similar.
I'm a southern girl now living in NYC and your posts always make me smile. And the bradford pears. Oh how I miss those gorgeous trees in the spring! Thanks for bringing me back to my southern roots today!
Darn you! Do you know how long I've mulled over what color to paint our island?? I so wanted gray, but I THOUGHT I had finally decided on a muted red to give a pop of color and here you have to go and make your kitchen colors so lovely and GRAY to make me re-think my decision again. I may be able to forgive you, but I can't promise that my husband will. ;)
Okay, question about the space above the cabinets. I noticed you don't display anything up there. What is your thought of that space up there? Can stuff be displayed? Collections? Fauxliage? Thoughts? I don't want it to turn into my grandma's house, but I do love a good collection of stuff. Any thoughts or posts about that would be great!
BTW-I'm decorating my mantle right now! Thanks for all the tips!
I like how the kitchen seems like an extension of the dining room with the new colors - it's very calming and flowing, does that make sense? Oh, and thanks for the idea of using the same color, but lightened, what a great idea!
I did like the contrast of the black cabinets though, but I'm kind of a color girl. :)
this man is so in love with you ..God bless you! thanks for sharing!
i'm a midnight blossom thief as well, how delightful. for years i cut roses from a neglected neighbors bush every time i took a nighttime walk...and oh how it bloomed the next year. i also lookout for public blooms and go thru the same thing as you guys (only i implement my daughters)..it will be hard to fight the charges with those pruners in my floorboard :)))))) carry on!
The Bradford thing is hilarious. We have a bunch behind our house and they are blooming right now. They smell like a dead animal. My husband said it was a dog poo we were smelling and I kept insisting that it was the Bradfords. Thanks for proving me right. :-)
You too are just so cute. The kitchen looks beautiful and I did laugh out loud at your story about the branch burglary. I just turned 40 last week and I know what you mean about feeling grown up...not quite feeling it. ;)
~R
I am sure your kitchen will be stunning- as is everything you touch - but, please - at least keep the pics of the black-painted cabinets out for everyone to see. They are why I have kept coming back for another, then another, then many more "quick" peeks!
I like the new look but must say I loved the black cabinets. Your blog is a blast and I have told several friends about it. You will have a lot more great ideas, I'm sure.
I can NOT believe I am following the blog of a known criminal. LOL!
Thanks for showing the kitchen. Great job. Lisa~ www.thepenningtonpoint.com
I grew up in a house with a HUGE Bradford Pear tree right outside my bedroom window. It was a BEAUTIFUL tree, and when the petals fell it looked like snow. Gorgeous. But boy-oh-boy did it ever STINK when it finally bloomed.
www.onlineuniversalwork.com
Loved your blog post... very cleverly written. We have a Bradford Pear in our front yard... which I love from the window (they do stink, but are so beautiful). Love the Kitchen... I also loved the black... Thanks for inspiring us to keep updating our homes.
So I google English cottage decorating and your blog pops up. I'm blown away by your kitchen re-do and would gladly send you my horror of a 1970 galley. I then notice your Hyacinth design team logo...I'm the bossy lady who "ordered" Hyacinth to contact Holly. I can't wait to find out who the third member of the team is. You are some kind of talented people who work magic out of ordinary.
I'm undecided as to which I like better, but both looks are fabulous.
I giggled so much at the outtakes. Thanks for making my evening brighter : )
The kitchen looks beautiful! Great job..
{{Big Hugs}}
Cathy
Hi, I'm new to reading your blog. I just love your kitchen redo, it's such a transformation! Absolutely beautiful!
Maybe I'm just missing it, but is there a link to the original kitchen redo? I'd like to see how you beefed your cabinets, mine look a lot like your's and I've been wanting to paint, but thinking I needed to doctor up the cabinets a bit too, before... thanks.
How fresh! Now that's a way to welcome in spring--with a kitchen paint overhaul. Looks so lovely. And I admire your work ethic because painting cabinets has got to be my least favorite thing to do. :)
I'm cracking up at your stinky branch dialogue.
Question: Where did you move your beautiful bench and hutch?
Deborah
Oh Man....you guys always make me laugh. That video was soooo cool. The way you put it together and then the outtakes....ha ha It was a pleasure to watch. I also looove the new look. White/gray does a kitchen good. This is why I'm obsessed with your blog; I learn, I laugh. Thanks for the moments!
LOL, nobody likes the smell of geese poo, I can't imagine why?! I love your before and afters. The kitchen looks awesome!
Lila Ferraro
Queen Bedroom Sets
I'm not going to take the time to read all 167 comments that were posted before mine, so I apologize if you've received this suggestion already :)
In regards to the wall over your "new" cabinetry in the kitchen, I think some open shelving would look lovely. Ikea's Lack shelves come in a six-foot length and a variety of colors, white included. I have them on a long wall in my office and they're fabulous. Perhaps a set of shorter shelves on each side and a chalkboard or frame collection down the center?
Just my two cents. Whatever you decide will be lovely, no doubt. Take care!
That is the funniest video I have ever seen! It is exactly how I am with my husband, Bless their hearts for being so sweet about it! I am glad you left it in there cause it was great!
AND the kitchen looks fabulous, I have been planning a two toned kitchen, so I am happy to see it done! Great Job!
GORGEOUS! THE grey is rich but still light and airy! I LOVE it! I LOVE mixing up the colors on your cabinets...so much more fun than matchy matchy! We painted our kitchen black toward the end of summer beginning of fall. We debated on tons of colors for our island. We have a built in desk area thatis currently white but I wanted something different for the island to creat the eclectic feel I wanted. We went with Behr's FRENCH SILVER and the top is reclaimed wood from a barn floor in WV. It's a funky mix but I love it!
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I'm so happy to see this change. I LOVED your black cabinets but I've been thinking of going light in our next home so I always wondered what yours would look like white! Would you be able to provide the mix numbers of the paint colors you used? I love the combination. Just not sure if my SW would do it correctly :)
Thanks!
i literally gasped at the kitchen! holy heavens is it beautiful! i wish i had the energy to change our kitchen with the seasons. you all exhuast me. :) words don't do it justice, it's "THAT" beautiful.
Wow! I loved it before....but this is good!
Just beautiful! The white and gray has a lovely brightness. Much more cottage-y than the black/charcoal. Great job!
I also have to admit that I almost cried when I saw the paint being applied to the cabinet's. I absolutely loved the dark cabinet's. I think the baskets and accessories stood out so beautifully against the rich dark wood.
Of course, I'm sure you are in love with it and that's what matters! I love watching the two of you work together!
AMAZING! It is beautiful. You are very brave. Not only did you paint your cabinets once, but then again. I am too chicken to paint mine, so thinking of staining them darker, but am dreading all the work. Love reading your blog. You are such an inspiration!
Ahhh. Bradford Pears. My nine year old, knowing how horrible their odor is, commented as we drove down a gorgeous BP lined street, "Let me roll down the window. I want to see if it stinks of death."
I so want to live in your kitchen. Gorgeous. Too bad my sweet husband loves deep color--as in the same color you painted over.
I needed that laugh! What the heck were you trying to do on that day bed? Kitchen looks great!
Ah. My mom sent me to your blog. Heart. I really appreciate the do-ability of your projects. Really like the clean, bright, eclectic, country, beach style you have and am trying to incorporate it more. Thanks for the inspiration! By the way, AMAZING job on the kitchen redo! Unbelievable what some paint and trim can do!
I love that you painted the paneling in your living room! It's the good kind of paneling (if there is such a thing!), not the cheap kind. In our old house, I wallpapered over ours, but now that I see yours painted, I wish I'd done the new owners a favor and painted over it for the cottage look. Just adorable!
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