an unconventional home
And as I was decorating and tidying up the kitchen, I wanted to share a little tour, following the holiday hubbub. I do tweak our spaces throughout the year for the seasons and holidays, but I don’t go too crazy. I have a few favorite spots to add seasonal touches. Our farmhouse kitchen is one of those places.
So while I have added some fresh winter and Valentine’s Day touches, I think it also feels pretty classic overall – which is just the way I like it.
Last year, our daughter received a play kitchen for Christmas. This is still one of our kids’ favorite things, and it’s played with every single day by our 2-year-old AND our 7-year-old.
There are tons of play kitchens available. But if you are like me, you want it to look good. If the kitchen is going to take up valuable real estate in your home, you want it to fit in with the decor you’ve chosen instead of sticking out like a sore thumb. (I’m looking at you, plastic play kitchen.)
In the fantasyland inside my head, elves come into my house while I’m getting my much-needed beauty sleep and finish all the projects I dream of. It’s like my own version of The Elves and the Shoemaker. Only I’m not a shoemaker and the elves need to be skilled carpenters.
When I wake up in the morning, my hair looks perfect and my projects are fully completed and cleaned up.
I’m not sure what’s less likely to happen – waking up with perfect hair or having a fully completely project overnight.
(Psst: Probably the hair.)
All of this build-up is to explain that projects in real life can take time, money and lots of begging. (It can’t just be me who has to beg.)
It’s been almost two years since we finished installing and painting our kitchen cabinets. When I first painted them, I considered choosing a different color for the island.
But I didn’t want to do something I’d regret and I wanted the room to feel cohesive. Plus, everyone recommended sticking with white since we had the wood panels and countertop on the island already.
But it was time for a little change. The island gets a TON of use and the drawers starting to look worn in spots – especially around the slide-out garbage can. I thought a darker color would mask some of that wear over time. And since I had to do some touch ups anyhow, I figured now was as good of a time as any.
I love a colorful home all year. But there’s something about spring that makes me want to amp it up.
Maybe it’s living in the Midwest. We spend winter covered in white and early spring surrounded by brown. I’m just jonesing for a little burst of color. Yellow daffodils. Pink tulips. A bluebird. SOMETHING already. For goodness sakes.
I can’t control that. But, I can control what’s in my home. And that means plenty of color.
It can be really easy to end up with a kitchen overrun by small appliances. Microwaves. Crock Pots. Toasters. Mixers.
Even if you are trying to live with a more minimalist mindset, there can be quite a few oft-used small appliances that can take up valuable real estate in your kitchen.
When we designed our current kitchen, I desperately wanted it all out of sight. Both because I like the aesthetics of cleared countertops and also because it’s easier to keep counters clean when they are not cluttered with tons of stuff.
Enter – the small appliance cabinet.
