Stick a fork in me...I'm done!!

Before you read on, you still have time to enter my wonderful Janet Hill Studios Giveaway!
It is open until Monday night, March 21, 2011
Good Luck!
Hello friends.......yes, you heard me right...I'm finally DONE !

All of you who follow me, know that I have been working on my kitchen for a couple of months.

For my new friends, you can see my progression here and here.

First let me say that my kitchen was a lovely one...I really had no complaints except that I wanted to go light and bright. 

I also wanted to make this happen for as little money as possible. Hey ..a gal who spends hours in thrift shops is not about to fork over thousands for a new kitchen.

So....here is the 'old' kitchen. Standard builders oak cabinets. In this photo I had just painted the walls grey. I used Behr's Ultra Premium in Silvered Sateen. The old walls were a paprika red...big color change!

Drum roll please........................

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and here is my new 'Farmhouse' style kitchen!

Well..what do you think?

Big difference, don't you think?

I love coming downstairs in the morning to this bright and cheery room.

So let's take a closer look, shall we?

Before

Before

After

Before

After

Yes, I know I had said I was removing the doors above the fridge. 

I need a break..I'll get to it later  ;->

faux brick I never quite completed ;-(

Remember this old thrift store plate rack before

Reborn with a fresh coat of black paint. Perfect for hanging a favorite apron!

Now I have a small shelf to display a favorite clock, needlepoint redbird, handcarved Carolina Wren and a little votive bird that was a special gift from a sweet friend.

Before

removed door & trimmed edges, hung cup hooks to create a litle teacup shelf

After

Small wooden teabag box I painted years ago

I just adore these corbels!

I painted Whisper, my sweet cat and friend of 21 years, onto a canvas place mat. Also painted the floral sugar jar.

I like how the sleek lines of the corbels mimic the lines of the beadboard

I worked very hard to do a nice finished  job with all the trim work.

What I love about the sink skirt is that I only need to sew up a new fabric to change the color scheme of the room.

It was my idea to carry the beadboard right down to the kickplate.

Nice professional touch I think.

I added beadboard and moulding around the island and painted it black. Black corbels were added to the ends of the island also.

Again...nice finished look.

my cabinets have totally lost their 'Builders Grade' look

I am so pleased with how the backsplash turned out. Adding the corbels was so worth it. They really add to the farmhouse look.

I painted the inside of the open cupboards using Tahini by Martha Stewart at the Home Depot.

The recipe box was a gift to my Mom that I painted back in the 90's.

She doesn't cook much anymore, so I am keeping it for her.

This is where the microwave was....it's not going back!

After being without one for 8 weeks, I have decided it is not a necessity.

First Walmart...now my microwave...so liberating!! We only think we cannot live without these things.

Fresh Rosemary and a sweet tin bird to keep me company while I wash dishes and watch the world go by.

So let's see my before kitchen one more time..

and now...

Yeah...I am pretty pleased with myself.

I would like to thank my secret agent for his assistance with cutting the big sheets of beadboard and for helping me with the detailed trim work..you rock 007!

(even though your perfectionism nearly drove me crazy)

So are you wondering what all this cost me?

Adding up the cost of :

Paint & Primer

Beadboard (3 sheets)

Trim pieces

Cabinet Knobs

Corbels (8)

Fabric

Skirt rod

Decorative German Porcelain Plates (Salvation Macy's) cheap!! (.75)

Hardware (nails,screws)

All from Home Depot!!

Many thanks to Bob my Home Depot paint guy

My grand total so far is ...

$493.55

I know for a fact that if I had hired someone to do all this , I would have spent at least $2,000.00.

I got a few estimates and they were way up there!

So am I proud of my hard work...you bet. 

Do you have a room that you would love to change or update, but think you don't have the know how or means to get it done?

I'm here to tell you that you positively can do it!

Never underestimate a woman on a restyle mission.

Thanks to Layla from The Lettered Cottage for her inspiration...I fell in love with your kitchen!

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

Joining Jenn at Hope Studioshttp://hopestudios.blogspot.com/ Tutorial Tuesday.

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