This post was done while my ADD was running rampant. You've been warned.
I want to finally redo my kitchen.
I have to redo the floors in the living room and hall first cause the carpet is NASTY, but THEN! I redo my kitchen! YIPPEE!!
Oh it's so fabulous to finally have a plan. I totally can't wait! This is my main inspiration picture.
I found it when I did an image search for aqua and red retro kitchens. My heart leaped when I saw this mosaic. It's actually from a blog I follow too! Small world!!! So give some love and go visit Huckleberry Prairie!
I also found this one which I LURVE!
And this one!
Ok, here's my before photos of my kitchen...
Except that island is not in that spot now. I gave it to Corina for her new home. In its place is this desk:
Then moving over to the right wall with the window is...
and
So, here's the plan...
We are painting the walls a light aqua. It will be all over the kitchen and living room wall since it's one big Great Room. Kind of like this wall:
Not sure how dark I want to go. I may actually just go very pale like this:
Ok, so that'll be the wall color of the living room and kitchen combined.
The living room floors are going to be like this (so maybe a darker aqua won't be too bad afterall):
Then in the kitchen, I want floors like this!
Doesn't that scream retro?
Then I am painting all the cabinets white. As you can see, a lot of the retro styles have white cabinets, and I just really prefer white.
Then we are getting sheet laminate to go on the existing countertops... in... RED!
This is the link to the one we're getting (not seen it in person though. Hope I like it.)
I also want to do a simple beadboard backsplash, basically along the whole wall under the only upper cabinets I have. I'm also going to eventually wrap the peninsula in white beadboard as well. (I hope to not have the couch right up against it forever.)
I'm looking for cute tier and valance curtains for the window... white with cherries or red polkadots!
Ok, so white cabinets, aqua walls, white beadboard backplash, black and white checkered floor, red countertops. SO RETRO! BUT! There's MORE!
That old rusty metal pantry that I love so much cause it screams RETRO to me... it's getting painted RED! Like bright candy apple red. I can't wait!
Ok, that desk that's now sitting where the island is in that second "before" pic, is getting redone too! I'm going to paint the wood part white to match the cabinets, get a really cool knob for it. I want to get nice glass knobs for all the cabinets actually. Then the top will have the same red laminate top as the counters. I think it'll really tie the whole room together nicely. I finally got over my thing about painting old wood. Which leads me to the next step... the breakfast bar sideboard which is that nice wood piece of furniture along the window wall... it's getting painted too!
BUT!... I don't know what color to paint it!
As a refresher... this is it again..
Should it just be white? Should I just stain the top a darker color and paint the rest? What about painting it all white, but the top black? What about doing the whole thing in black? It will definitely hold the stainless steel tea kettle, the black and stainless coffee machine and toaster. The bread canister has been moved to the desk/table since it's where I make sandwiches and pack lunches.
Now, could I do a laminate on that nice antique wood piece of furniture? Would that be a crime? Black laminate? I can do a stainless steel laminate sheet too. I just don't know if I can bring myself to put laminate on it. I do know the original varnish which was in excellent condition when I got it is now a bit discolored and actually has some pits in it.
We USE the piece of furniture a lot. I make a mug of tea probably 5-6 times a night when I'm working, and the girls have coffee each morning. Oh and those three panels at the bottom slide back and forth rather than open like normal doors so they have to be able to slide back and forth easily. Also, the lunch prep stuff is all in those doors. So, it needs to stand up to the wear and tear of this family without us being afraid to hurt the finish. Hmmm maybe distress it? Oh it's such a nice piece I hate to do that...
OH! And what about the knobs and drawer pulls???
Maybe I should just leave it as is? It is next to my antique china cabinet which is not getting painted. Maybe see about getting a piece of plexiglass to put on the top to protect the rest of the finish I haven't already ruined?
This is going to be hard. HELP!!
Please leave me a comment with your ideas and even links to pictures you think would help me decide or being inspired. THANKS!!!
I want to finally redo my kitchen.
I have to redo the floors in the living room and hall first cause the carpet is NASTY, but THEN! I redo my kitchen! YIPPEE!!
Oh it's so fabulous to finally have a plan. I totally can't wait! This is my main inspiration picture.
I also found this one which I LURVE!
 |
| From Pinterest |
And this one!
 |
| From Pinterest This one inspired the countertops! |
Ok, here's my before photos of my kitchen...
Except that island is not in that spot now. I gave it to Corina for her new home. In its place is this desk:
Then moving over to the right wall with the window is...
So, here's the plan...
We are painting the walls a light aqua. It will be all over the kitchen and living room wall since it's one big Great Room. Kind of like this wall:
 |
| From Pinterest |
Not sure how dark I want to go. I may actually just go very pale like this:
 |
| From Pinterest |
The living room floors are going to be like this (so maybe a darker aqua won't be too bad afterall):
 |
| From Lowes.com reviews page |
 |
| http://kcinteriors.wordpress.com |
Then I am painting all the cabinets white. As you can see, a lot of the retro styles have white cabinets, and I just really prefer white.
Then we are getting sheet laminate to go on the existing countertops... in... RED!
This is the link to the one we're getting (not seen it in person though. Hope I like it.)
I also want to do a simple beadboard backsplash, basically along the whole wall under the only upper cabinets I have. I'm also going to eventually wrap the peninsula in white beadboard as well. (I hope to not have the couch right up against it forever.)
I'm looking for cute tier and valance curtains for the window... white with cherries or red polkadots!
Ok, so white cabinets, aqua walls, white beadboard backplash, black and white checkered floor, red countertops. SO RETRO! BUT! There's MORE!
That old rusty metal pantry that I love so much cause it screams RETRO to me... it's getting painted RED! Like bright candy apple red. I can't wait!
Ok, that desk that's now sitting where the island is in that second "before" pic, is getting redone too! I'm going to paint the wood part white to match the cabinets, get a really cool knob for it. I want to get nice glass knobs for all the cabinets actually. Then the top will have the same red laminate top as the counters. I think it'll really tie the whole room together nicely. I finally got over my thing about painting old wood. Which leads me to the next step... the breakfast bar sideboard which is that nice wood piece of furniture along the window wall... it's getting painted too!
BUT!... I don't know what color to paint it!
As a refresher... this is it again..
Should it just be white? Should I just stain the top a darker color and paint the rest? What about painting it all white, but the top black? What about doing the whole thing in black? It will definitely hold the stainless steel tea kettle, the black and stainless coffee machine and toaster. The bread canister has been moved to the desk/table since it's where I make sandwiches and pack lunches.
Now, could I do a laminate on that nice antique wood piece of furniture? Would that be a crime? Black laminate? I can do a stainless steel laminate sheet too. I just don't know if I can bring myself to put laminate on it. I do know the original varnish which was in excellent condition when I got it is now a bit discolored and actually has some pits in it.
We USE the piece of furniture a lot. I make a mug of tea probably 5-6 times a night when I'm working, and the girls have coffee each morning. Oh and those three panels at the bottom slide back and forth rather than open like normal doors so they have to be able to slide back and forth easily. Also, the lunch prep stuff is all in those doors. So, it needs to stand up to the wear and tear of this family without us being afraid to hurt the finish. Hmmm maybe distress it? Oh it's such a nice piece I hate to do that...
OH! And what about the knobs and drawer pulls???
Maybe I should just leave it as is? It is next to my antique china cabinet which is not getting painted. Maybe see about getting a piece of plexiglass to put on the top to protect the rest of the finish I haven't already ruined?
This is going to be hard. HELP!!
Please leave me a comment with your ideas and even links to pictures you think would help me decide or being inspired. THANKS!!!