Sort of. We’re about to undertake a (very modest) kitchen remodel. We have to… we’re forced to because of this:
I really don’t care to wake up one morning, pour a cup of coffee and go feet first through the floor. Can you blame me?
Here’s what is staying…
The doors (there are THREE of ‘em in this tiny kitchen!). They’re original to the house. If I had my way, we’d tear out every modernization to this house – which by all estimates was built in the mid 1800′s – and start again. But we’re not bazillionaires so that won’t happen. Feel free to send me a half-bazillion if you’re feeling generous though! I have Paypal!
My sink. I love this sink. Despite the stains and wear from age and use, I love it. When Keith first showed me around the house those were my exact words… “I love this sink”. When I saw the sink, I knew this was my house. The guy in the house might have had something to do with that feeling too. Maybe.
Here’s what goes:
The floor, of course. We’re putting down pine instead of pretend wood.
This awful, wretched cabinet. Blech.
And the yuckiness that results from not having a range hood with a vent. Gross.
And the walls are sort of a very pale blue. Nothing exciting – I think at the time I just couldn’t commit to a bolder color.
I need color suggestions! Help!!
I also need prayers since I’ll be without my kitchen for a while. I guess we’ll be eating grilled bacon and eggs, grilled sandwiches and well… grilled everything.
I love a blue/gray for the walls and repaint the doors and wide trim white. That’s what I did to my dad’s house and it looks wonderful. I love wide trim like you have!!!
I vote a terracotta color, I want to paint something that color!!! I might do my bathroom with it at some point.
Can’t wait to see the finished project! I vote for a yellow based color … even terracotta would be beautiful. Green and red have been shown to be colors that cause you to eat more so I never use them in the kitchen … I’m always watching my figure!
But I’m sure it will be beautiful no matter what you choose!
I love that sink too.
I think country blue and white would be beautiful in that kitchen.
Can’t wait to see it finished.
When you say you are putting down pine, what does that mean? I think of tongue-and-groove flooring strips, and, if that’s the case, pine isn’t a great material for the kitchen. If you have reclaimed, wide-plank pine, that is a bit different, but I don’t like pine flooring for a kitchen.
If you are putting down wood flooring, fir and mahogany — yes, mahogany! — are surprisingly inexpensive, and both are so durable that they are used for porches. This is what my front porch deck looked like, using mahogany, and Cabot’s Australian Timber Oil, an exterior finish. I’d use a different finish indoors, but mahogany is much, much more durable for the kind of wear you get in a kitchen.
As for kitchen colors, a lot depends on whether you get morning or afternoon sun. If you get morning sun, yellows to reds look great.
These are wonderful suggestions!!
I think we’ve decided to use salvaged boards for the floor. But that could change. Or not.
Pine is a very soft wood and will stain easy. I think the salvaged boards will make a beautiful floor and give the kitchen an old world look. My kitchen is soft yellow and I love it, it feels like sunshine even on a cloudy day.
Orange for the walls – so very bright and cheerful – but that could be because that is the color in my kitchen!! I have a log home and I need all the color I can get!! It would be beautiful with white trim. It wakes you up and makes you feel satisfied at the same time!! Okay – at least for me. We put new floors in our kitchen – but since we have all wood everywhere else we chose LARGE tiles that look like ceramic without the coldness!! Baby friendly (or ok puppy friendly!!)
Before remodeling your kitchen, research and take pictures of your dream cooking space. If you are looking to remodel your kitchen cabinets and if they are made of real wood, you may want to cut down cost and paint them yourself instead of replacing them.
I vote for pale sunny yellow walls, sparkling white trim and red gingham curtains!
Oh Jennifer! This was before I began following your blog! I’ve seen parts of your kitchen, but not all. Did you paint these doors?!?! Did you leave them!?? I hope so. I know you did. Oh wow! LOVE your old house!!! I grew up in an old farmhouse, so I know how it is. It’s a very bittersweet, love/hate relationship! Lol