Before we started the renovation I was terrified about the construction timeline landing over the holidays. BUT, then it hit me: Holidays = Sales, & what better time to purchase all the pretty things for a house then smack dab in the middle of the best deals of the year?! Add to that the reality that most people don’t want to be under construction during the holidays, so contractors may be available & willing to work during this “slow” season & my nerves settled. The timing was actually pretty perfect! So here we are! Demo is done & we are now in the slower phase of plumbing and electrical when not much changes every day. But it will again soon!
This renovation has exercised my deal-hunting skills to the max. I am absolutely stretching our budget as far as I possibly can to make this place our dream home-for-now. I am trying to make decisions wisely and that means I can get more for my money. & why wouldn’t anyone want to do that?!
While everyone was shopping for kids & family on Black Friday, I was taking full advantage of the best appliance sales of the year and stocking up on all of the materials for our kitchen. Then last week our poor UPS guy unloaded my big farm sink & the endless boxes of fixtures and kitchen details & we were overrun with boxes. Thank goodness for the dumpster! Last week I showed you the general layout of the newly opened kitchen & today you’ll get a peek at the kitchen design board. I am still working out specific details, so final product links will come later, but you can always peek at my pinterest board for the not-yet-final details.
So at long last…here’s where I am headed! :)
I have always wanted a white kitchen. The brighter the better. However, I knew I didn’t want it to be ALL white. I need some contrast in my life. So inspired by this gorgeous kitchen by Pinney Designs, I got to work. Light floors, white cabinets, slightly grey backsplash & a countertop that tied it all together was my goal. I fell deeply in love with some pendants by Restoration Hardware and knew I wanted to add mixed metals and warm woods into this space as well. I wasn’t sure I was going to fit the RH fixtures in budget but a couple weeks ago I made the trek to the RH outlet and started digging. I opened every box I could and hit the JACKPOT. I found exactly the pendants, in exactly the size I was looking for and got both of them for well under what one would have cost at full retail price. Meant to be!!
As much as I love the brass hardware trend making the rounds, I knew I wanted a commercial style kitchen faucet and I really wanted to play with mixing metals in this space. Plus, I am going to have a second mini faucet for our instant hot/filtered water and they aren’t yet made in bronze–so that made that color a deal breaker. Brushed nickel hardware with bit of antique bronze and oil rubbed bronze will be scattered throughout. I don’t want it match matchy–but it will all blend. Light floors with slightly darker, warm wood accents & bamboo roman shades. Grey floors in the adjacent mudroom. Bits & pieces of reclaimed woods + antiques that I have taken from my grandmothers’ kitchens. I am just so excited to put this place together I cannot even tell you! I have a whole other article on functionality that will be coming up when we have the final kitchen design done–because as much as I love the design stuff, function is of utmost importance. So look for that soon! BUT…until then, I have to share these with you.
We had a family session with Sara K. Blanco scheduled and were set to be massively rained out. WELL, she threw out this “crazy idea” (thinking I would hate it): shoot in our totally gutted house. & I JUMPED!! YES!! Why not capture this beautifully messy part of our story in the space that we’ll soon call home! The light is a dream and she sure didn’t have to ask me twice! So there we were. One Tuesday afternoon my kids rode their scooters over & the rest is history. Magic, pure magic, Sara!! :)
I like real photography. I like moments that happen spontaneously. Snippets of our actual life. & moments that are imperfect and dirty and messy.
Like when the dog eats your garland.
Thank you, Sara, for chasing us through the dust!! You are so talented. Local friends, book her!!
Fun already being had in the kitchen. :) I can’t wait to have her back when it’s done. <3
