Kitchen Cabinets Makeover

This is that BIG project I was talking about, Yeah, kitchen cabinets.  I know It's not like the first kitchen cabinets ever painted by a housewife, but this was pretty major for me.

What a project it was though, it really did take over my life for about two weeks, and I still can't believe we did it.  I mean it's not like you can say "oh well if I mess it up I'll just paint over it"
kind of thing.

First I'll introduce you to Sunday and her husband Chris, so I'm not saying my friend and her husband through the whole post. 

Sunday talked for months about me painting her kitchen cabinets. I was able to waive it off for a few months, but she just wouldn't take no for an answer, so after a lot of persuasion, and promises of dinner for my family every night(I know right).  I pretty much moved in and painted her cabinets.

I'll quit going on and on and just get to the pics, that's what it's really all about anyway, right.

So here's the before...typical honey oak cabinets with pretty much no character, other than that it's a pretty adorable kitchen even before.

here are the naked cabinets...Chris and Sunday removed all the cabinet doors...

and I painted them in the garage

They also sanded and Chris added trim to the cabinets and drawers to make them look like panelled doors, if you notice in the before pic the original doors have rounded edges, so he had to fill all the edges with wood filler, allot of work I'm sure, but I think it made all the difference.

He also added bead board to the sides of the cabinets and peninsula

An applique on the faux drawer in front of the sink

we primed with a good paintable tinted primer

She wanted two toned with the bottom cabinets black and the top cream, (Pinterest inspired of course)...and so drum roll please here is the final result...

The shiny new fridge doesn't hurt.

She added new silver handles also.

We also painted the inside of her pantry door with chalkboard paint, just keepin it organized...

This kind of project is not for the faint of heart, it was almost two straight weeks for me about six hours a day, but that is only the painting, Chris and Sunday did all the prep, first emptying the cabinets, moving the appliances, removing the doors, sanding, all the extras and trim.  I think it was about a month without a kitchen for them. 

All in all it was actually pretty fun, but part of me just knows they are sitting at home going "what are we gonna do now we can't just replace them all".

 I also have to mention she made me and my family dinner every night I was there, (I wish I had taken pictures of that) I know that was almost worth it on it's own, Thank You Sunday!

All the paint and materials were purchased from Miller Paint in Oregon City, I don't think they are everywhere, but if you have one near you, they have the best quality paint, we get most of our paint at the cottage from them.  (and no I'm not being compensated, they just have great products).

                                                                       Katie





Would be "Million Dollar" Desk into Charging Station

post by Katie

I'll get to the million dollar part in a minute.  

First I'll convey my reasons for purchasing this adorable little drop down desk.  

For one Cords are taking over our house.  We needed a solution for all our charging devices, it was getting out of hand.  Family of six equals allot of little devices that need to be charged, phones, ipods, laptops, ereaders, cameras oh my.  I also needed a solution for an empty wall, I've been racking my brain to figure out the perfect piece of furniture for.

while I'm not sure if this is the perfect piece for that spot, I know it's a brilliant solution for our charging apparatus dilemma, The brilliantness actually came from This Post, I found on Pinterest.

So I headed over to Craigslist, and there are actually a few of this type of desk to choose from.  I ended up deciding between this one and one closer to the actual inspiration, that one was more like a dresser with drawers on the bottom, well while more storage is great, and I chose this for it's character. 

here it is before...

and the inside(sorry for the awful phone pics)

I'm loving white and wood right now, so I left the drawer in it's original state, it was really the only part that was still in pretty good condition.  

It works perfect for it's purpose.  This was the problem...right there on the kitchen counter(that's not even all of it)

and now...all hidden

We made a hole in the back for the power strip cord, and I think I'll mount it there somehow

I went ahead and finished the wall above with some things I already had and some additions I got from the Cottage

I had the wood frames...here they are before...

a little white paint and here they are now...

Most of the white dishes, the basket, and the little tool box are from Goodwill, or other thrift stores.  I got the Cricket out and added some numbers.  And there you have it, actually it really inspires me to keep going and maybe conquer some more walls and empty corners.  

Now for the million dollar part. So I can't be the only furniture re-doer that day dreams about finding hidden money, stuck behind a drawer or hidden underneath an old piece of furniture.  

So when my husband and I removed the little compartments so it was easier to paint, this worn, brown envelope falls out...

I know, that would be your first thought too right?  We finally found the piece with the hidden money.  I think I even said "it's the million dollars" ya he laughed at me.

It was actually a bank statement and cancelled checks belonging to a Mrs. Jane Hill from 1949, who was apparently staying at The Plaza Hotel even, well The Plaza Hotel in Ohio anyway, which must have been where the little desk resided.  

We may not be able to quit painting furniture and retire millionaires, but it kind of gives my cute little desk a story.  I think I'll just keep the envelope hidden in there.

Thanks for stoppin'

                                Katie

Linking to DIY show off

Cottage White Garage Sale Dresser

Post by Katie

 

OK so it turns out I'm not gonna be the blogger I thought I would be. Life took over there for awhile, and then ya know how it goes once you don't do something for awhile it just snowballs, and you don't do it some more, anyway it's really bad when it happens with laundry.  

 

I was going to begin with a major project I worked on in my absence from Blogland, one that took over my life for about two weeks, how's that for a teaser, because I can't begin with that project(we have to get final pics)I will begin with a much smaller project.

 

This dresser in Cottage White

 

 

It's my most recent finished project, so it's still at the cottage for sale.  I have refrained from Craigslisting until I empty my garage a little so this was part of that feat. 

 

I bought it last summer at a garage sale, talk about procrastination.  It was pretty detailed so all it really needed was some paint, it was fairly simple.  I think it would look good in an entry way, have you seen that?  Dresser's in the entry way?  Cute storage!  Can't go wrong. 

 

Here it is before...

 

And here it is at the Cottage...

 

 

 

Well it's not like I've been doing nothing, I actually have lots of projects to share,  so ya know stay tuned...

 

Oh and hopefully I will have the BIG one ready by next week.

 

Thanks for stoppin'

 

                                                                                               Katie