Before and After: Kitchen

I decided it's high time I post about at least one of the rooms I've redone. Because I ended up redoing multiple rooms at once, there are still a lot of little things that need to be finished, but I can't say when they'll be 100% done, so I'll show you now. First up is the kitchen. Keep in mind there's some backsplash missing (I'd eventually like to do subway tiles and get stainless steel appliances).

Before:

I loved the green while it was up, but I thought going with a color similar to the cabinets would open the space up and I was right!

After:

The color I went with is Behr- Creamy White. I didn't want it too stark or hospital feeling, and this was a great choice. I don't miss the green a bit! I tend to think that every wall or empty space needs to be filled, but I'm really loving the clean, uncluttered look. It's bright, open and airy- just what I wanted!

The other change is the addition of the "island". I've always wanted an island in here, but didn't think it was a possibility because the kitchen is small as it is. But I was flipping through some Costco coupons and saw this stainless steel work table for a great price and the dimensions were perfect! I thought it would take some getting used to and that I'd be running into it all the time, but it hasn't been a problem at all. I love the little bit of extra counter space it gives, and the shelf underneath is perfect for storing aprons, tablecloths, and dishtowels.

Up next, Clay's room!

Before and After: Kitchen/Family Room Wall

I like the open floor plan in our home, but I feel like there's not a ton of wall space because of that. I've been wanting to make the most of this wall between the family room and kitchen. I've had it a few different ways, but haven't been really happy with any of them. I don't have before pictures, but just imagine this painting hanging on the wall. It has beautiful colors, and I've loved it, but it's huge and I thought I could make better use of the space.

I've always envisioned shelving similar to these:

Here's my version:

I think this will stay a while. :)

Before and After: Master Bedroom

It's finally finished! (or at least as good as it's gonna get for a while) Why is it that it seems the Master bedroom is always the last to be finished? You would think it would be the first- after all, it is the room that is just for you; a place to relax and unwind. Although it took 6 years to get here, I can say it was worth the wait because it's by far my favorite room of the house.

Before: (I'm still kicking myself for not taking original before pics- just think burgundy paint and 80's floral wallpaper)

After:

I'm sure you're wondering by now how on earth Derek let all this pink in here? I said "you better live with it, or else..."- actually, I think he just loves me alot.

Before and After: Entertainment Center

This wasn't a huge change, but I wanted to soften things up in the family room and since I'm loving pink, cream, and gold, that's what I went for. I changed out the green glass knobs for clear ones with gold detailing, and got rid of the pink and green dishes.

Before:



After:

I added lots of books and lots of milk glass and ironstone.

I think it's just what this wall needed.

Before and After: Guest Bedroom Round 2

I know it hasn't been too long since I made over this room the first time, but I was never really happy with it. I thought I liked black and white, and I still do, I just can't live with it. So this is what the guest room is looking like now:

Much more soothing, and much more me, don't you think? I really want to paint the walls a soft cream because I love white everything, but I don't even want to think about painting because I'm so burned out. I really like it for now.

And here's the cute little guest bath. I wish I had before pictures of this room, but you'll just have to trust me when I say it was bad; really, really bad. I think the result is what really started my love for all things white. :)

Before and After: Vanity Bench and Side Table

This little bench was the first of my projects because it was an easy re-do. I actually liked the fringe around the bottom, but it was just the wrong color.

A fresh coat of white paint and some new fabric and voila! Good as new.

I found this beauty at Goodwill and decided it would be perfect between my 2 pink chairs in my bedroom.

I love the cream color, but I can't decide if it needs to be distressed a bit. Either way, it's just the right fit.

My bedroom is shaping up quite nicely, especially with my newest treasure- the chandelier- that was gifted to me by my Kindergarten teacher, Miss Riske. She headed to California a couple of weeks ago for the Rose Bowl Flea Market (I'm so jealous!) and she knew I was looking for a chandelier so she picked one up for me. She has the best taste and knew exactly what I wanted. Thank you, thank you Ann!

Cleaning House

They say change is good, right? I hope so because I'm doing alot of it right now. I've been in a re-decorating mood so I'm changing things up. First up, my entertainment center. I love cream and gold these days, so I got rid of the pink and green.

Here's what I have so far; I need to collect a few more books to finish the other side.



Next up, Clay's room. Out with the red, and in with the neutral!

Here's my inspiration. I've collected a few items so far, but I've got alot of painting to do.

And finally, my bedroom. This was taken over 2 years ago- sheesh! Has it really taken this long?

I was finally able to get this bed and what a difference! I couldn't love it more. Just a few final touches and I'll post the finished room.

Now of course with all these changes I have a big pile of "stuff" in the guest bedroom just waiting for a sale! I'm planning the first weekend in March, so mark your calendars!

And I couldn't resist this picture of the kids playing "sale". It's their new activity of choice. It keeps them entertained for hours!