Friday, October 08, 2010

It doesn't matter how expensive your kitchen is if you're a bad cook. -Loesje

Some of you followed my progress through the kitchen remodel. If you missed it, you can catch the re-runs here. This week, Kelly's Korner is hosting a tour of kitchens, and I just had to link up.

*Edit* I'm linking up to Layla's Room Re-Do over at The Lettered Cottage, too!
The Lettered Cottage
I love my kitchen. If it wouldn't be weird, I would carry photos of it in my wallet to show everyone I run into how adorable it is. I guess I kind of do that now by having pictures on my phone, but trust me, Internet, it's not weird. A lot of people carry photos of their house on their phone. (Please don't think that I attack random strangers, so I can show off my kitchen.)

The main reason I love my kitchen is that it started out looking like this.

But after getting cabinets, laying new flooring, painting cabinets, putting up a ceiling, making new counters and a plethora of other activities, it ended up looking like this. (Technically it is decorated a bit different than this right now. I'll try to switch out an updated photo later.)


I remember last August when I walked through my house for the first time. I saw the listing early that morning, called my agent, and got to see it that evening. I loved it the moment I saw it. I loved that it had a bell on the top like a little school house. I loved that it was around the corner from my brother and sister-in-law. (And now my adorable nephew!) But most of all I loved how much potential it had.

As I walked from room to room, I imagined everything the house could become. One of the things I knew needed to happen was opening up the kitchen. My brother, Justin, tried very hard to convince me to get rid of the wall between the dining room and kitchen and put in an island. Some people thought I just needed to widen the doorway between the two. (The door on the left in the photo below used to just be a single 30 inch door, but now it is 4 feet across.) Regardless, I thought it would be years before I'd be able to do any major remodels. Thankfully though, the goverenment saw fit to give me $8,000, so I was able to remodel the entire house.

Dad told me to figure out what I wanted to do in the kitchen. It was a tough decision. Then I came across a kitchen that I fell in love with. When I saw it, I knew that was the solution. I literally just stole her ideas.

Here's what it looked like while we were installing the arch. (By we, I mean dad.)

My bowling alley counter tops are my favorite thing. I coveted butcher block counters, but when they priced out to be $40 per square foot, I knew I couldn't afford them. Then Dad had the idea of using bowling lanes as counter tops. Mom and I both told him he was crazy, but he was persistant. He found bowling lanes for $10 per linear foot on Craigslist, brought them home, and made them work. So what would have cost me $4,500 ended up costing me $380.

Another thing I love are my recipe doors. I stole this idea from some blog. I saw it, grabbed a sharpie and did it. I figured my cabinets only cost me $100 off Craigslist, and dad and I painted them once, so if it didn't work out, I could just re-paint that door.

It's all about the details, so here are a few detail shots for you. :)
My sewing machine does not normally reside in the kitchen, but this is the only shot I could find of my menu board and green door.

A source list...
Floors - Construction Auction - Pre-finished Honey Oak - $1.80/sq. foot
Cabinets - Craigslist - They were dark brown, but we painted them - $100 for all
Pulls - Came with cabinets - 3 relacement pulls - $2.50 each
Lower Cabinet Paint - Home Depot - Color: Sherwin William's Camel Back
Dish Washer - Habitat ReStore - $30
Fridge - Came with the house
Menu Board - Potter Barn - I've had it since high school, so it's about 8 years old
Door Paint - Home Depot - Color: Behr Salted Ash
Countertops - Craigslist - Old Bowling Alley - $10/linear foot
Stove - Craigslist - $50 (I wanted to save the original, but it wouldn't even fit a cookie sheet.)
Microwave - Craigslist - $30
Upper Cabinet Paint - Home Depot - Color: Behr Cotton Whisper
Wall Paint - Home Depot - Color: Sherwin Williams Believeable Beige
Ceiling - Construction Auction - Color: Cotton Whisper - $160
Hanging Light - Home Depot - $35
Other Lights - Patriot Sales in KC - $16 for 2
Sink - Craigslist - $10
Faucet - Home Depot - $60
All Accessories - Random garage sales

Thanks for stopping by! I can't wait to see all the pretty kitchens on the tour.
:j

20 comments:

  1. WOW. This is gorgeous! And its so much more awesome that it was all DIY! You guys did a great job! Wanna come tweak mine?!

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  2. Wow....it looks great! I love it when people can see potential in spaces and make them come alive! I love the two toned cabinetry and those countertops are perfect!!!

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  3. what a great space! i love what you did with it!

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  4. So pretty, love the new look! You did a great job, the colors and everything looks so pretty!

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  5. I love it..so charming and creative!!! The stool is amazing...and love the recipes inside the cabinet. So cute!!

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  6. I love your kitchen!!! I also use that same cheesy hasbrown recipe all the time except instead of 2c of sour cream I do 1/2 sour cream and 1/2 top the tator!!

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  7. What a great kitchen! I love it! Love the recipe idea!!

    Happy Friday!

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  8. Oh my gosh it's so pretty! Love your countertops so much! And great colors!

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  9. Ii love your kitchen transformation! It turned out beautifully! :)
    I'm having a kitchen party on Wednesday, October 13, and would love for you to come. It's called Heart of the Home Party! This would be a perfect post for it! Hope you'll come.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;0

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  10. Beautiful transformation! I admire people that have the "eye" or imagination to see past the current! GREAT JOB!

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  11. A sink for $10!! Gotta love craigslist!!

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  12. That is awesome! Your kitchen has such a fun story now. Great job!

    Blessings~
    S
    QueenofSassySavings.blogspot.com

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  13. BEAUTIFUL!! Love all the details!

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  14. I love so much about it! The two tone cabinets, the archway looking in, and the recipes written on the insides of the doors! All my favorite things!

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  15. Yay, someone else with bowling alley lane countertops! Do you think you could tell me more about the process you did to refinish them? We're remodeling our kitchen this winter and have a 9 foot piece of bowling alley in our garage that we got for $125! Ahh!

    Thanks!

    Kate
    sommers (dot) kate (at) gmail (dot) com!

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  16. Hi! What an amazing before and after. You did a fabulous job! The recipe inside the cabinet door is so clever.

    BTW, I'm visiting from TLC 2010 re-do party.

    Alison
    http://welcomesunshinehome.blogspot.com/

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  17. I am 310% in LOVE with the open shelf under the cabinets! My hubby is in the military so we rent while we're moving around every few years, but from time to time I see an idea I instantly know will be perfect for our "forever home" that we'll one day have. I'm noting this down in my idea book and hope to have it in my kitchen one day! Beautiful space, it must be so much fun to cook there! :)

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  18. Oooh! I'm totally intrigued by the bowling alley countertops! I've never even heard of that before!
    How are they holding up? Would you recommend them now that you've had them for awhile?

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Thanks for stopping by my blog and taking the time to comment! I really appreciate your kind words. If you have any questions, feel free to post them here and check back for an answer!
:j