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My Kitchen....ugggh!

RebeccaH

RebeccaH

Life is exciting, yes it is!
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
11,875
Okay I have to dish my frustrations! I have been trying and trying to finish pulling my kitchen/dining area together for the past month or so, and I am having NO luck. Of the whole house, this was probably my biggest complaint about this house... the kitchen has dark green counter tops and the dining area is kind of small, but they all run together into one big conglomerate of a room that hooks straight onto the living room... so basically it's all open and you could run a mad dash from the end of the living room, through the dining room, and to the kitchen with nothing to block your way.

Wich means, my color schemes really have to work together in the 3 areas. BUT my living room stuff is beige, red, black... pretty warm and understated really. But my counters, like I said, are hunter green... very cool. So I'm really having troubles with this.

Can you guys give me some ideas? Maybe hook me up with some pics for examples or links or anything? I'm thinking maybe a good centerpiece or central setting, table setting, valances, anything to try to tie the stuff together. I wanna see what you like... I just need a massive brainstorm here, so anything goes...

:pray pleeeeease, i know it's a lot to ask... but i'm hoping for some creative genius to strike again!

eta:
here's my kitchen as it is right now (ignore the ugly towels... that's my husband's idea of putting the towels away, lol)
06-17-10745StreamviewPics5.jpg


from kitchen, through the dining room, into the living room:
019.jpg


dining room... what little decoration / color i have... not super sure i'm gonna keep those valances... got them SUPER cheap, so i WANT to like them, but i'm not sure i actually do.
021.jpg
 
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Good grief... everything is SO clean! I'd be embarassed to show you my kitchen and I just finished cleaning it. :)

You could put some planters on top of you kitchen cabinets that pull all the colors of your living room and would have "green" plants so to pull of bit of the counter color in. If you got some cool ceramic planters in red and black and beige maybe that could work to pull the rooms together a bit. You could also get some fun red or black canisters to put on the counter. Red and Green do go well together, so at least they wouldn't clash.
 
i have ugly green counter tops too.
(not as dark as yours, but still pretty dark)
we are going to replace them, but not anytime soon.
however......i painted my cupboards white and added brushed silver hardware.
and i can't BELIEVE how awesome they look now.
the counters look much more muted and i can actually stand them!!!

i've found a site that says you can paint laminate countertops.
my husband has nixed that idea.
but he's going to wyoming hunting for a week
and i'm seriously thinkin about doing it while he's gone!
ROFL

this picture is right after we added the crown molding and just after i finished painting.
IMG_0593copy.jpg


i then painted my kitchen table, got new chairs, and added the hardware.
i love my kitchen now.
i'm looking forward to the day we will get new countertops....
(i'm thinkin i want either concrete or black granite tile)
and our new floors will be a dark walnut 5" wood laminate.

this is what it looks like today.
i do have paint color picked out for the walls.
i am doing a natural linen...
it really tones down the counter tops
and brings out the white.
the other walls in my house
will be a light smokey grey
and a verrrrrrrrrry dark brown...almost black...

365_184.jpg
 
jacque that is GORGEOUS! i personally absolutely LOVE that... i'm afraid i would have to drug my husband and torture him slightly to get him to cave into painting the cabinets. he is a funny guy... things painting wood is a crime. baaah! BUT i might be able to show him this and use it as leverage!! ty ty ty so much!
 
but.... where is all of your stuff? Does your kitchen really looks this clean all of the time? LOL! I really, really love your kitchen Jacque!
 
JACQUE!!! Yours is SO awesome!! Like a magazine ad!! LOVE!!

Rebecca... here is mine. I just threw some old pics on a blank paper. Sorry if it looks thrown together. HAHA!!
These pics are about 5 yrs old. I've since replaced all of the hardware with antique pulls and knobs, gotten all new appliances, and gosh... maybe I should take some new pics. HAHA!!

kitchen.jpg
 
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Jacque's amazing at what she can get done in the amount of time it takes me to load the dishwasher. :) We're going to paint our cabinets soon and Nate's going to do concrete countertops. It DID take showing Nate the pic of Jacque's kitchen...and this kitchen (http://sawdustandpaperscraps.blogspot.com/2010/03/kitchen-remodel.html) to convince him though. I have white tile with nasty navy blue grout...and right now I'm on the ignoring I have it plan. :)

Your house is SO clean and gorgeous!!
 
I don't know what you finances are Rebecca.
But my kitchen when I moved in was HIDEOUS!! There was wallpaper everywhere, green back splash tiles, etc.

We put in the countertops for like $600 and did the tiling ourselves for like $80 with discontinued tiles (it only took a weekend to do it) Then just paint and new hardware ($120) I thought a very cheap price for an entire kitchen remodel.

I think you should get one of those butcher cart type things (with stationary wheels that lock) for the middle of your kitchen. It looks like enough room??
 
I love to decorate so it is super interesting to see all of your beautiful pics and ideas! As soon as I get lunch cleaned up, I will take a few pics of my kitchen to share.

Rebecca, I am just curious...how big of changes are you wanting...like backsplash and painting or just accessorizing?
 
well, here's the deal in a nutshell.

we moved early this summer. in the move, we had to pay out a GIGANTIC amount of money to pay off the negative equity of our old house. So my budget is 'whatever I can pull off without freaking out my husband' .... translation, less than $200 for now.... with longer-term ideas for the future.

The other thing is, they are HONESTLY talking about relocating us again. Already. So I have minimal time, cannot afford to have a big messy project going, and still have to finish painting 2 other rooms besides. So I really just need some super QUICKY type ideas - adding color, floral, fabric, etc. You probably can't see the rug very well because the pic is so dark, but there is a tiny rug in the corner of the dining room. It has lots of fun, but not over-the-top colors in it. And it pulls the red & green & brown together nicely. I want to stick with the rug colors - some, all of them might be a bit much.

what bugs me SO much about it is that everything is all wood everywherre. And it's not really my style, it's just stuff we've inherited but can't get rid of (partly because they were very special gifts, partly because we can't afford to replace them right now). So I HAVE to work with exacly what is here for now, just adding color and softness where I can.

Does that make sense?
 
Well, I just have to show my (new) kitchen. I's so different from the kitchens here ;)

IMG_2808.jpg

IMG_2814.jpg

IMG_2813.jpg


@crazygirl, that makeover is amazingly good! WOW
 
RebeccaH said:
jacque that is GORGEOUS! i personally absolutely LOVE that... i'm afraid i would have to drug my husband and torture him slightly to get him to cave into painting the cabinets. he is a funny guy... things painting wood is a crime. baaah! BUT i might be able to show him this and use it as leverage!! ty ty ty so much!
Click to expand...

my husband's hobby is woodworking.
he actually felt THE EXACT same way when i told him my plans.
but i showed him this website.
http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.blogspot.com/2010/01/from-builder-grade-to-custom-made.html
(my inspiration)
and he KIND OF gave me a go ahead.
i pay for all decorating and remodel in our home.
so i jumped right to it and started before he could say anything else
or change his mind.
ROFL
(and he likes it now TOO!)
 
Karen said:
but.... where is all of your stuff? Does your kitchen really looks this clean all of the time? LOL! I really, really love your kitchen Jacque!
Click to expand...

karen,
yup.
my kitchen pretty much ALWAYs looks like this.
i hate stuff on my counter.
we have TONSSSSSS of cupboards so the toaster and stuff like that all goes in one cupboard.
we also have this area.
(which is not ALWAYS as clean)
because it's a dumping ground. LOL
365_102.jpg

(this was taken wayyyy before i painted...it's now painted too!)

and while looking for that photo, i found this one...
this is what our cabinets looked like before i painted.
(this photo is right after i got my new lamps. LOL)
365_47.jpg


oh and i got rid of all that dust collecting garb off the top of my cupboards.
going for clean, crisp and somewhat modern.
 
sahlink said:
JACQUE!!! Yours is SO awesome!! Like a magazine ad!! LOVE!!

Rebecca... here is mine. I just threw some old pics on a blank paper. Sorry if it looks thrown together. HAHA!!
These pics are about 5 yrs old. I've since replaced all of the hardware with antique pulls and knobs, gotten all new appliances, and gosh... maybe I should take some new pics. HAHA!!

kitchen.jpg
Click to expand...


krista!
your kitchen is beautiful!
it IS amazing the difference updated hardware make!
 
RachelYoung said:
Jacque's amazing at what she can get done in the amount of time it takes me to load the dishwasher. :) We're going to paint our cabinets soon and Nate's going to do concrete countertops. It DID take showing Nate the pic of Jacque's kitchen...and this kitchen (http://sawdustandpaperscraps.blogspot.com/2010/03/kitchen-remodel.html) to convince him though. I have white tile with nasty navy blue grout...and right now I'm on the ignoring I have it plan. :)

Your house is SO clean and gorgeous!!
Click to expand...

rach,
i can't WAIT to see when you are done.
i think i've convinced my husband to do concrete counter tops.
but we are still scared.
i need to find really good resources.
my husband can DO ANYTHING......but he is always nervous trying something new.
like........how come concrete countertops don't crack?
that's our biggest question.

and i love that kitchen remodel.
WOW
i love the black hardware.
maybe i'll have to change mine!
LOL
 
RebeccaH said:
well, here's the deal in a nutshell.

we moved early this summer. in the move, we had to pay out a GIGANTIC amount of money to pay off the negative equity of our old house. So my budget is 'whatever I can pull off without freaking out my husband' .... translation, less than $200 for now.... with longer-term ideas for the future.

The other thing is, they are HONESTLY talking about relocating us again. Already. So I have minimal time, cannot afford to have a big messy project going, and still have to finish painting 2 other rooms besides. So I really just need some super QUICKY type ideas - adding color, floral, fabric, etc. You probably can't see the rug very well because the pic is so dark, but there is a tiny rug in the corner of the dining room. It has lots of fun, but not over-the-top colors in it. And it pulls the red & green & brown together nicely. I want to stick with the rug colors - some, all of them might be a bit much.

what bugs me SO much about it is that everything is all wood everywherre. And it's not really my style, it's just stuff we've inherited but can't get rid of (partly because they were very special gifts, partly because we can't afford to replace them right now). So I HAVE to work with exacly what is here for now, just adding color and softness where I can.

Does that make sense?
Click to expand...

paint.
the right paint color on the walls.
and just a tad.
can make ALL THE DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!!!
and at home depot and lowes, for just $3 you can buy sample containers
and just swatch all over the place.
see what you like at different times of the day.
i love having ONE bold accent wall.
and then a nice neutral colors on the others.
if you do it right, you could easily put up 3 colors of paint.
but in your place, i think 2 would be enough.
 
i went browsing in a little shop nearby today, and i found the perfect 'it' thing to base my stuff off of. it's a mirror that i did not buy because it was over $300. but it had rectangular pannels of cream-colored background with hand-painted herbs/flowers, etc. on each rectangle. i had a lightbulb moment and thought, 'not spending $300 but i can work with the concept.'

so i went to hobby lobby and bought some rectangular canvases. gonna paint / chalk them for starters. also thinking i'll do a light goldish (maybe, we'll see after i get paint swatches) on the walls around the cabinets. i also got some titanium metal leafing... i'm gonna see what that does for the hardware and maybe the light fixtures. i would LOVE to be able to paint the cabinets an off-white color. then do garden-ish greens through the kitchen and dining area. we'll see if hubby will go for the whole painting the cabinets thing... maybe i'll take the pics i have of the kitchen & photoshop them to show him the colors :giggle

I am definitely going to return those valances. i think i finally know what i want, and i think i even saw some at wal-mart believe it or not... so cheap is good for me. also found some cute cream-color woven baskets 50% off that i'm gonna use for small foliage arrangements.

i know this is gonna be a work in progress... thank you thank you for your input... got my wheels turning. i hate when i feel stuck in my thought processes & can't see past what's right in front of me.

PLEASE if you have any other ideas / examples of cute little counter-top arrangements, etc, that I could use, fabric ideas, etc. post them!! I LOVE the blogs that you all have posted. I could get lost in those for sure!

I'll keep you updated as I make progress (IF i make progress). My whole goal is to make it look like I got those countertops on purpose :yup
 
krista & mariska, you both have SUCH gorgeous spaces! Totally different from each other, but love them both!
 
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