Once upon a time, {circa 4.5 years ago, to be precise} we, the mills family, all three of us, moved into a new home. That’s not Malone in the above picture. It’s Aiden. The other two didn’t exist yet. And Jamin is not throwing aiden. He’s switching arms. And this is the best shot I got of aforementioned kitchen before anything was done to it, because it was before I knew better.
It was brand new. But we didn’t build it. We’d sold our home faster than we’d thought we would, and this was a great floorplan. The kitchen was super dark, with lots of builder’s beige.
This was christmas of that same year. We painted. And we purchased a table. And we were proud. But the windows were awkward and the house came with “free” blinds {thanks for taking care of that top window, random builder guy} and that light wasn’t cutting it all sideways and stuff. And I was so proud because I put up some cork to display photos. {great source for cork…}
over the years, we did a little more. But it only touched the surface with that small budget. The kitchen kind of came last with children’s rooms to do. I would sit and lust over fabulous kitchens that I really wanted, and then think, in my next house…and feel guilty for lusting over other kitchens because my kitchen was nice and functional and large and yay. What more could a gal want? But it just wasn’t me. It just wasn’t us. Our family wasn’t reflected in this space. Dark cabinets + fluorescent lights. = not us.
{Here it was just a few short weeks ago.}
This summer, I painted the island. And it started a revolution of thoughts in my cookie cutter kitchen.
This kitchen was nice, with the surface changes we’d made. The color blue I love. Different chairs and a bench…but the rest…the darkness was so overwhelming. And what if we were here for a while? What if this was my last kitchen ever? I mean, you never know. And in the meantime, I’m pining away for five years down the road, all because I’m afraid to paint a little builder’s grade cabinetry?
Silly thoughts, but enough is enough. Enjoy the moment.
So, we got to work.
And this is my new favorite room.
I was initially planning to replace the countertops with butcher’s block. But after a serendipitous dinner in Nashville with this lovely lady and this lovely lady… I decided against it. I need those surfaces for my workspace, and this is not our forever house and the contrast with the new white is lovely…so I let it be.
we painted our fridge with chalkboard paint and built a screen door for our pantry. We painted the backs, for a shot of blue, and a little pop of color in those open spaces.
I wanted something a little different over the cabinets than my usual plates, and the word “eat” so we used some wood lettering. You can read more about how to make them here here and here. Why those words? I feel like when our family comes together, we truly enjoy one another. And I want it to always be that way especially in the heart of our home. When Malone gets hungry, he says “YUMMY!” in the funniest little voice. And I love little remembrances like that in all of my spaces. I try to make them meaningful like that.
A very kind and gracious plumber friend of ours, also known as my new favorite person, helped us install this montrocity of a sink. No. seriously. Eight. hour. job. The problem is, I don’t think I’ll ever want another kitchen sink in my life. I shall simply buy another for my next house…our plumber friend now hates me.
I bid on some old schoolhouse pendant lights on ebay, with my christmas moolah, and won. Jamin’s awesomewonderful cousin, Caleb, a pro electrician, came over to assist. He rocks, and we didn’t want to blow the house up, so that was great.
We took off some of our doors. Primed and painted all of them with benjamin moore’s chantilly lace. The paint on the island is benjamin moore’s wedgwood grey, and the paint on the walls are a very similar liking {with a little less grey} to benjamin moore’s woodlawn blue. We then backed {on top of, mind you-oooh scary} the old tile, with some bead board for the new backsplash. We used the nester’s idea of simply mounting it with hot glue, in case the next owner really hated it and wanted it to come down…there’s perfectly good tile underneath. We trimmed it out, and then added corbels {inspiration via layla} for underneath the top cabinets.
We decided to frame out the corkboard, to give it a little pop on the wall. And I made a table runner, to bring yellow over to the eat-in area of the kitchen, as well. We also took down the heavy shade that was hanging over the window. I loved it, and will probably use it somewhere else. {my mother in law graciously made it for me, so I feel awful taking it down, but for now, it lightens up the kitchen immensely.}
Heaviness be gone.
our fabric sources: white and yellow polkadot, yellow stripe, suzani, chipper, and damask
Anyone spy some pieces to my newest collection in those shelves? Jamin surprised me by scoring some vintage nesting bowls on ebay. The man knows what I like. Gotta love him.
Also known as the worlds most photo-filled-because-I’m-thrilled-to-show-you-post…the kitchen. is finally. done. …there you have it.
🙂 Thanks for checking us out! If you try any of these little projects, let us know-we’d love to see! And if you have any questions…shoot away!
Flower Patch Farmgirl says
Girl. Seriously. Serriously. I am drooling on my keyboard. I LUV it. And right away I looked to see what you did with the countertops. 😉 You did nothing! I'm so glad. So proud. It looks beautifully, wonderfully beautiful. Nicely done.
paige says
WINNING!!!!
seriously
fantastic kitchen redo my friend, fantastic!
Jen Timberwolf says
thank you. For that much needed shot of DIY inspiration! I LOVE this! EXCELLENT.
Janice says
You kitchen looks great! I've always wanted a white kitchen, and have recently been trying to get up the nerve to paint my perfectly good cabinets the white I've always wanted.
Just want to make sure we do it right! You have given me the encouragement I needed!
Laura says
Oh. My. Gosh.
Seriously.
It is fantastic!!!! I LOVE IT! And I can't believe how fast you finished it! GREAT job!!
Marina says
I love it! What color did you use to paint the walls with?
Kary Ross says
Love the kitchen re-do!! In response to your countertops, you might look into Rustoleum's product that is in stock at Lowe's for your countertops. It seems like an awesome product. I may try on my basement formica countertops this summer just to see how it turns out. Much cheaper than new and it gives the look of granite.
Anna @ Take the Side Street says
Looove it. Love love love LOVE. One 'love' definitely wasn't enough. All my favorite colors, and I love the yellow/white accents. Fabulous job!
Ashley Glover says
Wow. It looks amazing!
ashley @ pure + lovely says
Marina – it's benjamin moore's woodlawn blue. 🙂
Kary – yeah-I've heard of that! Thank you! But I like them as is. 😉 Even more so with the white. 😉
Holly Rhodes says
WOW!!! Yall did an amazing job!!! I mean mind blowing, knocking my socks off!!
Kathleen says
That is so lovely and bright !!! I have the builder grade cabinets and I'm gearing up to do the same thing….. You have my sink from Ikea…..that is one awesome sink!
Denise says
I was just surfing the web for contemporary cottage kitchens because I'm soooo ready for something different. Like you, my kitchen is not me, not us. I have builder grade med. oak cabinets. Yuk! but liveable. I just told the hubby I want white wainscott for a backsplash but he's not into it. 🙁 I'm hoping if I show him your pics I can sell him on the idea of painted cabinets and a much lighter brighter kitchen.
I love it…YUMMY! Thank you for sharing your home!
Amanda Eck says
OH MY GOODNESS!!! that is the most amazing transformation I have ever seen!! LOVE!
skye says
i too am struggling with my perfectly good, brand spanking new, but i don't love the color cabinets! painting them is such a daunting task it keeps getting moved lower and lower down my list! you did an AMAZING job and your kitchen has had new life breathed into it! i also love all the pops of yellow and the word "yummy" it just too super cute! there is nothing i don't love about this kitchen and i am really sorry i haven't been reading for the entire process! i am your newest follower! congrats on your new "favorite room in the house!"
ashley @ pure + lovely says
y'all are all so so sweet. thank you for checking in on us! 🙂 Seriously. so kind. I feel like I can breathe big time now when I walk into that room. 😉
Kacey says
What an amazing kitchen! So fresh and clean and HAPPY!
Abbie says
All I can so is that Im SO STINKIN JEALOUS! I love it! Now, can we PLEASE get together so I can see it in person? 🙂
Melissa K says
What perfect timing to see your gorgeous results and get an extra kick (of motivation) in the behind. I'm scheduled to take the plunge on Monday and get going on painting our walls and cabinets. The color scheme I've chosen is very much like yours, and I'm even doing a beadboard backsplash–eventually. The cabinets I'm painting are definitely dated, so it makes it a little easier! Did you paint them yourself?
The yellow accents are just amazing!
Dorothy says
Oh, my, I am SO coveting your kitchen! It certainly is amazing what a coat of white or creamy paint can do! Now you don't need a dream kitchen, because you HAVE one! Absolutely perfect as is!
ashley @ pure + lovely says
thanks everybody! 😉 Melissa-yes, we did paint them ourselves. I think I have carpal tunnel, but I wouldn't have it any other way! 😉 {read: we saved hundreds of dollars and therefore did it ourselves.} 😉
Christina says
love Love LOVE IT!! Possibly my favorite kitchen featured in a blog to date- so many things that were in my brain to do to my own kitchen (beadboard backsplash) and so many ideas that weren't in my brain (chalkboard paint fridge and also how to implement the open cabinetry that I've wanted!) that I want to borrow! Any chance of a close up of the lighter window shade that replaced the darker one on the window behind your table? Did you make or buy it?
Andrea S. says
Beautiful job! Brave, but executed perfectly. 🙂 It's like a completely different room!
Jenny says
What a fabulous job! Really! It is so different. Much lighter and brighter! I am looking into painting my own cabinets and am cyber-stalking everyone in blogland who has done it to find out the secret. Did you sand, prime, paint? Or degloss, prime and paint? Which brand of prime and which BM paint line did you use? (Regal, Aura, Advance?) Thanks soooo much! The secret is in the details. 🙂 Great job!
ashley @ pure + lovely says
hey guys! thank you so much for your sweet comments and questions. I will be back on Saturday or Sunday with answers to all of the questions I have received today. I was just so overwhelmed from finishing, and wanted to share, and I know I didn't post all the answers that I needed to, so please, feel free to ask here, and I will address this weekend. I'm taking notes! 😉 I figured this would evolve into another post, because it was so detailed. 😉 Check back this weekend/monday and it should be up! Thank you SO much!
Kelly (Kelly is Inspired) says
That is gorgeous. So light and bright. Love everything!
Deb Claytor says
Did you decided to just do new laminet counter top?? Or is it painted w/ chalkboard paint to resemble a soapstone counter top (can't tell from pics?)
And where did you get that sink that took 8 hours to install…..and why did it take so long??
I just redid my laundry room, which I tought would take a weekend or a week but it turned out taking me 5 weeks to finish. So while I am considering putting in a farmhouse sink like yours from Ikea, I want to be better prepared then I was in the laundry room.
THANKS for the INSPIRATION
I am hoping to work on my kitchen (after 2 birthday parties and Easter),
and I appreciate this information.
LOVE ALL YOU HAVE DONE!!
[email protected]
janette@the2seasons says
The new kitchen in our new digs is almost finished. We selected a bluish gray pennisula/island. I am really excited about it. All of the other cabinets will be very white with misty carrara tops. We move in mid-May.
Lindsay says
AMAZING!!! I adore the yellow and everything else you have done. Such an inspiration. Just wish I lived closer so I could get recommendations for all your new plumbing and electrician friends :). Hope you are well
Anne says
I like the before kitchen, too, but the after kitchen – WOW, it feels like the sun came out! What a beautiful job you did. Love it, love it, love it!!
Kelsey says
LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It's so airy and breathable! My husband will hate that I love your kitchen though, because that would translate into updating ours down the road, haha. So gorgeous, and congrats on finishing such a big project!
andrea says
absolutely fabulous – love how you are so intentional to decorate with things that make you smile … such inspiration!! 🙂
Ashley says
Your Kitchen is gorgeous! Great Job!! We are getting ready to redo our kitchen, and this just gets me even more excited. I did have a question about the 8 hour ordeal to get the sink in. We are purchasing that same sink from Ikea, so if you have an tips on how to make it easier, please tell=) thanks
Kellie says
Wow- I absolutely LOVE what you did. Would you come redo my kitchen?????? 🙂
Brittany Darling says
Ashley! You are so talented! Your kitchen looks amazing, and so creative! I might have to call on you one of these days to help me with a project!
Tanya from Dans le Townhouse says
This kitchen is brilliant! SO bright, cheery & colourful. I can't even believe it is the same room. Just fabulous. I love your blog so much, I'm adding myself as your newest follower!
Jen (Balancing Beauty and Bedlam) says
I’ve been oogling along as you’ve shown us peaks into the heart and home of your kitchen and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! Our tastes are identical, and I painted my island a turquoise last year and love it as well. SEeing the doors off your cabinets makes me want to go for it. I’ve been toying with the idea for TWO years. 🙂 The only problem is that where yours are just one door cabinets, mine are all side by side, so to make them somewhat symmetrical, I’d have to take a LOT of doors off and don’t know if I can keep that many shelves clean (not to mention our five kids).
It looks amazing! Thanks for sharing.
Jen (Balancing Beauty and Bedlam) says
Since I know this will go to moderation first, you don’t have to post it, but I wanted to let you know that most of the links in the last few posts are going to pages not found. YOu may be playing around with things on your end and organizing, so if you are …disregard, but if not, thought you might want to know. The good thing is that I have given you about 200 page views looking for posts. 😉
ashley @ the handmade home says
Jen! Thanks so much for letting me know. My fabulous web guy and myself worked on this for a while, and there are still quite a few tweaks we have to take care of…but I was not aware of that. You said it in such a sweet way too. You had me laughing. 😉 Thanks for letting me know! And for being patient with us!
Rana says
Visiting from the Inspired Room. What a fun kitchen. You give me hope that with a lot of muscle and some creative ideas my kitchen will be exactly how I want it.
Anita @ GoingalittleCoastal says
Beautiful redo on your kitchen. I love the colors you used. So bright and cheery. You have given my hope that my dark and dreary kitchen can be light and bright too. The screen door is so cute. Love the pops of yellow. I have been using it myself lately. I seem to be craving yellow lately!
Oh came over from the Inspired Room!
Carissa says
LOVE it! All of it!
Maybe it’s because I have no idea what I am looking for, but when I went to Lowes’ and Home Depot’s websites and typed in “beadboard” the results were confusing. It came back with beadboard wallpaper. If I go to Lowes or Home Depot, what do I ask for? Beadboard panel? Beadboard wallpaper? … or can you direct me to a link where I can see exactly what it is that I would look/ask for? 🙂
Thanks!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Carissa! Ask for Wainscoting. I tend to alternate the two phrases. Sorry for any confusion! It’s in the wood section of Home Depot. But if you use the phrase bead board, they’ll know what you’re talking about.
Carissa says
Thank you SO much!! 🙂
I am wanting to try this more and more every time I think about it. Will let you know how it goes!
Deana @ soles of a com says
Wow!!! That word doesn’t even do it justice! Amazing. I think I’m like you. Always thinking I’ll get my dream kitchen in the next house. Hahaha 8 years later… Now with the housing market lower we won’t move. So I think it’s time to pull the trigger- work with what I’ve got and make it my own! Thanks for inspiring me!
Marissa says
A friend (salvagemaid.blogspot.com) just featured you and I thought I’d come see. OMG! I love it, love it, love it! My style “wants” are exactly what you have now but my house looks like your “before. ” Thanks for the inspiration. Now it might be easier to convince hubbie of the change when he can literally see the vision.
trendy bride says
I absolutely love this ! It is so fresh and inviting. The chalkboard would work great with my two toddlers. GREAT DIY PROJECT !! Thanks for sharing !
Necole says
This kitchen is awesome. I love the colors. I think I am going to paint my fridge!
Tara says
LOVE THIS. Would you mind sharing where you got your yellow towel on the oven door. I want to add some yellow touches to my kitchen.
Ashley @ Coffee & Apple Juice says
GORGEOUS!
Danielle @ The Sunshine Girl says
That is gorg-eous! I absolutely love it! Hopefully my kitchen comes out just as good!
Alima says
Wow! I love this! I can’t wait to show my husband. We have a similair situation to your before pictures. Dark cherry cabinets, dark countertops and lots of builder beige. It’s not us at all and I’ve been wanting to change it for a while, but my husband is terrified to paint the cabinets. I guess he’s worried if it doesn’t look good then we have ruined them. I think seeing your after pictures may convince him!
P.S. Did you add legs to the island?? It looks like you did and I love the custom look it adds. Where did you buy the legs?
Susan says
We are in the beginning stages of a kitchen re-do and I truly just want to paint the cabinets that we have white, how did you do this, what did you do? I am trying to convince my husband that a lot of people do this!! 🙂
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey susan! Check out our second post on the kitchen, here.
Kelly says
The YUMMY sign, the fridge, the chalkboard on the counter-wall-thingie-place…all that white and yella!! Super charming and so friendly. Your kitchen just smiles, mama. :o) It’s beautiful!
Stacy Of KSW says
I’m just plain old speechless. It is perfect! Wonderful! Dreamy. I’m in love, thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Jennifer says
Just Beautiful!!!! love it!!!! it was really bright by the kitchen table, maybe a picture so I can see your beautiful chairs? they look fab!!
Sarah HI says
I came here from “The Inspired Room” and your room inspired me so much that I started painting my cabinets white this weekend! I’ve been wanting corbels for some time, but where in the world do I find them? Anyhow, when I get done, I’ll send a little link. Thanks for the inspiration.
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Sarah! They’re from Home Depot!
Lucy says
Love everything about this kitchen! We have a kitchen that we intend to overhaul in several years, but for now want to do a quick clean-up. All of the appliances (fridge–like yours, microwave, and oven are black. Do you think doing chalkboard paint on just the fridge would look odd? I noticed the rest of yours were stainless. Any advice you have would be great!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Lucy. That’s a good question. It may actually look a bit off. But that’s okay, because chalkboard paint comes in many different colors. What if you went with a traditional schoolhouse green on your fridge, so that they all blended more, and didn’t look odd? Or any other color…you can pretty much get them mixed to any shade you like. Just a thought. 😉
Lily from Birch + Bird says
Wow, this is seriously stunning! What a breath of fresh air and I love how much personality you brought into the space. I also love your philosophy of enjoying where you are and taking the plunge in making any changes necessary. We often fall into dreaming about our “next house’s” list of must-haves and forget to enjoy the home we’re in now, which is perfectly great for our family. Thanks so much for sharing and I’m so happy to have discovered your blog!
ashley @ the handmade home says
thank you so very much, Lily! 😉
Saby says
OMG I am so in LOVE with your kitchen! Seriously I love every little detail and how open and airy and fresh and fun everything feels! We bought our house about two years ago and it came with brand new cabinets…hickory…but I have the same problem you did. I want light (white) open and airy. I am so sending this post to my husband so he can see what potential lies in our kitchen! Thank you so much for the inspiration – oh and I absolutely love the screen door idea!
ashley @ the handmade home says
you’re so sweet! thank you. I hope he goes for it! 😉
denise @ victory rd. says
this is inspiring!
we are currently selling our home and looking at homes that could work, but the kitchen (and the bathrooms, and the flooring, and the lighting, and..) just isn’t “us”!
your kitchen make over is terrific, AND economical!
looooooovvvveee it!
ashley @ the handmade home says
thank you! good luck with yours!
Amy says
Absolutely gorge. You did an amazing job. I love love LOVE the brightness of your space. So airy. LOVE !
ashlee c says
just so you know…a young mom in canada has tears in her eyes right now 🙂 we purchased a home in september 2010 that has a MONSTROSITY of a kitchen. good lord. we’re talking bright orange-y pine/cedar cupboards that make me want to cry every time i see them. and a fruit basket tile backsplash.
this post gave me SO MUCH HOPE. it’s EXACTLY the type of kitchen i’ve envisioned.
can i ask a question. what kind of paint did you use, exactly? did you prime the cabinets with oil, and then use latex..? or…a benjamin moore speciality product for cabinets? or…?
gah, i’m in awe! this is gorgeous. right down to the bulletin board of pictures on the wall.
ashley @ the handmade home says
hey girl! so glad! I’d love to see your before and afters! good for you! 😉 read all about the specifics, here.
https://www.thehandmadehome.net/2011/04/how-to-paint-your-kitchen-cabinets-back-them-in-bead-board-and-not-die/
ashlee c says
hahahahaa oh good lord, trust me, you don’t want to see the ‘befores’! i’ll see if i can log into my account (flickr locked me out) and i’ll post it. IT’S BAD. really bad.
ashlee c says
okay…perhaps my biggest and most important question, lmao!
what does it mean when you say you applied the beadboard and then ‘trimmed it out’? i’m assuming that is some sort of finishing that you put on so you don’t have random edges of beadboard sticking out like sore thumbs everywhere?
Kelley @ Kelley Maria says
You did such a wonderful job! I am loving white kitchen cabinets right now…so bright and cheery. I love how you removed some of the cabinet doors to expose your pretty dishes. I am filing this away for my future kitchen inspiration. Thanks for sharing!
I would love for you to stop over at my blog sometime (http://www.kelleymaria.com/) I love DIY projects, but haven’t done anything quite as extreme as you…just little stuff. Check it out 🙂
Sher says
one word: {JEALOUS}
i ADORE the white cabinets and the pops of aqua and yellow (I’m just a wee bit obsessed with wearing and decorating with aquas and teals.) Bravo on this redo! I am using this as inspiration for my kitchen someday!
refresh restyle says
This is the most beautiful site I’ve seen today! Love it! You work magic with color, I’m inspired!
Debbie
Samantha says
I’m standing and giving you an ovation! Bravo! Well done! This actually made me suck in breath! I’m contemplating seriously about a re-do this summer and you’ve inspired me greatly! Thanks for sharing! Very very well done!
Robyn @ Imperfect Nest says
I love love love your kitchen! Did I say I loved it? 😉 I can’t wait to paint our kitchen white. I am going to totally steal or borrow your idea of the letters above the cabinets.
Amanda @ Heart Tree Home says
This is an amazing makeover. I too have a dark cookie cutter kitchen and this gives me immense inspiration! I’m your newest follower! (Found you via the decorating series at A to Z…)
I would love to know a cost estimate (if you don’t mind sharing and if you kept track!) just so that I know what the damage would be for mine… 🙂
ashley @ the handmade home says
hey girl! thanks! okay. here’s a cost breakdown. {I should have included this a long time ago.}
1. 325 – on paint and wood. {the corbels alone were over 100 dollars because we needed so many of them.}
2. 300 – sink
3. 200 – plumber {he’s a friend & we weren’t doing it ourselves – normal cost 800}
4. 150 – school house lights (refurbished and scored on ebay)
———
About 950 dollars. Some of it is because our kitchen is fairly large. The sad part is, we took the cheap route!
Stuff like this just adds up. FAST. but its worth it to save up and go for it, for sure!
traci says
love the chairs! i’ve been searching for for mismatchy dining room chairs! i found 1 of 6…. still on the hunt!
Lil Miss Janie says
I am a huge fan of your obsession with chalkboard paint.
Vicki V says
What an amazing transformation! This doesn’t even look like the same house! I’m sure it was a lot of work, but it sure was worth it. I love the pops of yellow!
Shabree says
I am wanting to know where you found the baskets that fit so perfect? I want to do some open shelving and need some baskets! I will post pics soon. Thanks for all the inspiration!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey! those baskets are ikea!
Elizabeth Byler Younts says
I know this is way after the fact…but I’m catching up on some of your fab decor. 😉 This kitchen is so much of what I’d want in a kitchen someday…while I don’t want to complain about being a military wife…I do very much miss having independence in decor. I am nowhere as good as you but I can’t fulfill even a quarter of my ideas b/c investing too much or changing much at all of a rental is just not going to fly. I LONG for light cabinets…but I have the same house you have, only flipped…so I have the cherry cabinets…which is better, in my opinion, than medium. Similiar old island of yours and all stainless steal appliances…and corian counters. But it’s a beigy olive everywhere which is better than some of the other homes we’ve lived in. It’s very “modern” so I”m trying to mix in my own vintagey stuff to give it a little charm. But it was the FLOOR PLAN that sold me on this home. I feel like I spend 75% of my time in the kitchen so at least it’s new and nice even if it’s not charming…and I can see the rest of the house! anyway, i dream of the day I can paint away! 😉 hahaha Then I’ll revisit this post & steal a few ideas…especially the pantry door…oolala…love. 😉
Renee says
Hmmmm. I thought I commented today, but maybe not!
Did you roll or brush your cabinet doors? We have started our first “home project” and I conveniently found this post a week after we have started re-doing our kitchen!
While this is a very tedious and time consuming first project, I am LOVING the results. I can’t wait to refinish my first piece of furniture! (possibly a dresser next?!)
Thanks for the help and ALWAYS positive outlook!
Renee
Jenny @ Simcoe Street says
I keep coming back to this again and again — it is sooo awesome. I heart your kitchen.
Kitchen Storage Cabinets says
Love the new look. It looks and feel so light and airy! Perfect for a family space
Julie Gilmore says
Love the kitchen cabinets….I am going to be painting ours at our cabin? Did you sand them first or just prime and did you roll or paint with a brush? I saw you on the Nate show and have become a fan….I really enjoy your blog…You have such a great eye…
ashley @ the handmade home says
we just primed first. it depends on your finish, but you can see a how to, here. hope that helps! thanks! 😉
Monique says
Wow. I love what you did here! Totally my style. Thanks for sharing. Lots of inspiration here. 🙂
Cait says
I just discovered your blog through a piece Robin at Simplifying fabulous did. LOVE the fridge (and everything else you did!) Really excited to start following your blog now. Thank you!
Erika says
How’s the chalkboard paint holding up on the fridge? We’re considering doing the same for our olllllllllld Whirlpool to help update our kitchen before selling our ollllllllld house. Blessings to you and yours – I’ve loved reading your blog over the years.
ashley @ the handmade home says
the chalkboard paint is great! not a problem at all. we love it! thank you for reading, sweet lady!
Christina says
This is AMAZING!! I have a dingy old kitchen from the 50’s or 60’s…I think. As my husband and I are both teachers with two little ones we do not have the mulah to replace the whole kitchen. I have been wanting to paint the cabinets and update the counter space, but have been terrified. I have found my inspiration!!! I love this. Thank you for inspiring me.
Juli gilmore says
Where did you find the baskets that you used on your open cabinets?
ashley @ the handmade home says
ikea!
Rebecca Reed says
I love your style and I use some of the light blue in our home. I saw you on Nate Berkus a while back and have looked you up for inspiration to redo and add to our California home. Your blog is beautiful too. I am looking at ways to redecorate with what we have and add to that on a budget as I am not working and we have a four year old and newborn baby turning 1 month old tomorrow. I love what you’ve done with your home. It’s simply wonderful how you’ve done your home.
ashley @ the handmade home says
Thank you so much Rebecca! And thank you so much for looking us up! ;} so sweet. Congratulations on your sweet new little one! what blessings they are.
Susan says
WOW! There is no other word to describe the transformation! It is a beautiful kitchen and I have gotten a few ideas. My new bungalow has white cabinets and I can’t wait to get in there and make it mine. After seeing yours, I may have to remove a few cabinet doors and do the open shelving thingy! Thanks for sharing!
Sara says
I absolutely love this paint color! Is it Woodlawn Blue or Whispering Spring? On your page with all the paint colors listed it says Whispering Spring, but here it says Woodlawn Blue. Just wanted to check because I want to paint my living room whichever it is! 🙂 Thanks!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey! so sorry for the confusion. Woodlawn blue is the island color, and the walls are VERY similar to whispering spring ;}
Sara Berrenson says
Thanks! Ah I just love your kitchen! I can’t stop staring at it for inspiration 🙂
Nikwai says
Your kitchen transformation is beautiful. My house doesn’t speak to me, but your bold choices have given me some inspiration to get started on mine. Thank you for sharing.
Megan says
I have those same vintage nesting bowls!!! Mine were my great grandmother’s. I use them all of the time. Love, love, love your kitchen (and the rest of your house for that matter).
ashley @ the handmade home says
thans sweet lady! ;}
anne says
what a lovely transformation! It looks beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
CA says
I realize your kitchen post was from over a year ago – but I just found ya! Love, love your style. Can you explain what you have on your windows behind your table in the kitchen. Thanks.
Susan says
OOhh my goosh soo much better. What an inspiration!!
Jess says
LOVE the kitchen, our kitchen is the same color, but hubby doesn’t like it. We don’t have your beautiful decorating though. I am very inspired by your kitchen….
Kristen says
Oh my gosh. Just so you know it was a great idea to paint those dark drabby cabinets! I would love to do this but I live in a rental house 🙁 So for now I am pining over your kitchen 😀 You should be proud 😀
Carly says
I love your kitchen!! It’s fabulous and I think you may have just solved my back splash dilemma! I could never decide what to do and then I saw your use of bead board and I love it! Just wanted to write and tell you thanks 🙂
Bernadette Klapheke says
Fell totally in love with your “treehouse”. Enjoying all your posts!!!
marla gowin says
nice job!!! you did a great job. what a vision you had. love that you made a “cookie cutter” house your own. looks awesome!
Becki says
Very awesome! I am an architect… I do many remodels and kitchen designs.. adn I am soo happy to see people stepping outside of cookie cutter.. you jumped in deep and rock on!
BTW… I know you mentioned you would have loved a butcher block but didnt want to rip out the dark counters… ( good idea by the way in keeping them- the contrast works beautifully!) …you could loose that tile with the huge grout lines ( not so fun to clean I imagine) on your kitchen island… and you could get a beautiful butcher block top to rest right over it…. Im sure your “over 6 feet tall” hubby wouldnt mind a work surface just a few inches taller.. Im 5’10” and I appreciate those inches 🙂
Other than that smashing job- with out smashing your cabinets!
PS… Check out the kitchen from the movie ” Somethings Gotta Give” great movie BTW if you havent seen it…. but the kitchen is award winning and reminds me very much of yours!
Keep on rocking!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Thank you Becki! Yes, I think replacing a few more things in the kitchen is one of our next steps. We’re ready for something different. ;}
Rhonda says
I have to ask… Does the sink install over your countertops? I’d love to have this sink when we redo our kitchen (on a budget, of course)! Also… Must know how you installed the corbels over the bead board? Hot glue as well?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Yes and yes! ;} We simply cut into our countertops, and installed the sink on top. The corbels were hot glued, and have not budged. We left them like that because we weren’t sure this was a permanent thing, and if we want tile backsplash later, We’ll remove the corbels and then put them right back up! ;}
Tina says
Awesome job! Can you please explain the process of your back splash?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Tina! You can read all about that, here! Hope that helps!
Barbara says
I love your kitchen! I’ve been wanting to paint my cabinets white since we moved in in May, but it will have to wait for the other projects. I was wandering if you would share the cabinet painting project, I have researched and found so many different ways to turn dahh brown cabinets into light color and honestly most don’t look that good. Yours I love!
Meg says
Love your kitchen. I’m planning to use butcher block countertops in our new house. Why exactly did you decide not to use them? Thx
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Meg! We are still kind of up in the air about it, and may eventually install them. Particularly on our island. ;} We just wanted to leave our countertops as is for now, because it’s a lot of work to replace them. ;}
Sheila Brooks says
Boy you two must be sooo proud of your very happy and creative kitchen, it must be a job to come bopping in to in the morning. Amazing isn’t it what light color can do to the human spirit. I’m 73 and my husband is 78 and 3 years ago we decided to get rid of all our antiques (auctions) and go light and lighter. What a journey, we did all the work ourselves and now we have a beautiful white kitchen with wood floors, a gorgeous light bedroom, a bright and cheery den and living room and our 3 season room is driftwood walls with pale aqua furnishings. Our teeny bath we did ourselves with a Swanstone unit and tub, made a vanity, painted the room a fog color I made up (I’m an artist) and then did some cool things for accessories. Just showing you, you never finish. Life is full of new beginnings every day and they’re the blessings of life. I’m sure proud of you, love it.
ashley @ the handmade home says
Wow Sheila! You amaze me- I would love to see pictures if you want to email me!;} That sounds beautiful!!!
Nancy says
Where did you get the chandelier? I love it!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Nancy! That chandy is one of my few Pottery Barn purchases! It has been one of those things that was worth the splurge. We love it! I am pretty sure they still have it. ;}
Jordan says
I’ve look all over your site to see where you got your over the table chandalier…is it the celeste from Pottery Barn? Thanks!
ashley @ the handmade home says
You would be surprised at how many people ask that question! Yes it is the Celeste from PB. We love it!
Kim Nubel says
What colors did you use in your house? They are lovely.
Kim
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Kim! You can read all about colors used in our home, here! ;}
kim says
Are your two schoolhouse pendant lights enough light for your kitchen? How many watts do they hold?
Thanks!
Lesley Small says
LOVE this kitchen! Would you be able to share a close-up picture of how you trimmed out the bead board you used for a backsplash. We have very outdated tile on top of walls that probably wouldn’t survive if we start ripping off the tile. This looks like the perfect solution!
Yuliya says
Love your new kitchen, but I have a question :
I want a white kitchen too, but a bit scared wondering if it will be very hard to keep the white looking clean. So does it require a lot of work ?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey! When we wanted to paint our cabinets, I wrote about it here, and somewhere someone said that white cabinets are actually easier to keep clean than dark. She added that it sounded counterintuitive but she had both, and white was easier. You always have to clean your cabinets once in a blue moon with spills, etc. But I have to say after having both for at least a few years each, I couldn’t agree more. The white shows LESS than the dark. Hope that helps!
Lindsey says
I am in LOVE with your kitchen! Could you tell me what color and brand of paint you used for your wall color?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Lindsey! You can read all our paint colors here! ;} Thanks!
Brittany says
Loving your kitchen and trying to work up the courage to take off a few of the cabinet doors in our rental. Just out of curiosity (and since I need to iron out all the details before asking the hubby!) what do you have in the little baskets you have on your shelves? Just trying to figure out for sure where I’d put what : )
Thanks!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Brittany! We use them for spices, cupcake spinkles, seasonings, food coloring, etc. I even have a special one for my keurig flavors. Hope that helps!
lindsey says
Did you seal your white cabinets after? We just painted ours white…and Im a nervous wreck trying to keep them clean! ugh!
Stephanie Toundas says
It has been a couple of years since you did this remodel and I was wondering how the chaulkboard painted fridge has held up. Has the paint chipped? How is the paint holding up against everyday wear and tear and dirt? Thanks.
ashley @ the handmade home says
Our chalkboard fridge is still fantabulous! Read all about it here ;}
Jan says
Hi Ashley!
I was so inspired by your kitchen transformation that I wrote about it at my own humble blog today, and I hope you don’t mind. I am intending to revamp my own kitchen space that has been basically the same for 23 years. Isn’t it tres cool to be inspiring people years after you redid your kitchen! It’s awesome and I love so many things about it. Thank you so much for showing someone like me the way to Kitchen Heaven 🙂
ashley @ the handmade home says
Thank you, Jan!
Ashley says
Those curtains! You may have addressed this elsewhere, but did you make them? If so, what fabric did you use?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Ashley! I am sorry for the slow response. This is a linen-like fabric paired with a green silk from fabric.com. Check under premier prints for that same kind of plain texture. Or any linen mix will do. I made them by just sewing pieces of fabric together, and never really talked about it – this was before I was blogging full time. ;} I may have to cover it soon!
Barbara Sloan says
Love your ideas. Thinking about painting a freezer with chalkboard paint. This upright freezer is in my kitchen and had freckles of rust. I sanded it and have primed it with three coats of a Vaspar primer for metal; however, the orange freckles appear again when the primer dries. I am at a loss of what to do next.
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Barbara! Well, the black would at least disguise the rust, even if it shows through that, right? I would totally try it! :}
Marion in the UK says
This is beyond a-m-a-z-i-n-g. A perfect example of what can be achieved with imagination, courage, countless hours of dedication, considerable talent and buckets of paint. You should be so proud of yourselves. Inspirational beyond words! Thank you so much for sharing.
ashley @ the handmade home says
Thank you so much Marion! ;}
Marion in the UK says
You are so very welcome Ashley. Your kitchen really is amazing.
Lisa Rogers says
I absolutely love your kitchen, and your back yard, well pretty much your whole house. It is so inspiring. My hubby and I move into our first house back in October, and all the projects we want to do can be overwhelming at times, but we just take it one project at a time. Your website is amazing. We plan on scoring our back patio concrete this month (and may do our garage too just for fun). Did you make the framed chalkboard that is on your island? I really like the little columns you added to it too! Really spiced it up! Good Job 🙂
ashley @ the handmade home says
Awe, thank you so much, Lisa! I can’t wait to see what you do!
Kelly says
Your outdoor living space has my wheels turning…. On the agenda this weekend is the shutters–thx so much for sharing the tutorial…..
But I wanted to ask, it appears that your cabinets were originally stained before you painted? When we built We chose painted cabinets that was 4 years ago and i chose well bred brown by Sherwin Williams.. Prob my biggest regret in decisions i made….In order to go lighter like you have… Do you have any tips to offer? Do I just simply prime first? It makes me nervous and what are your thoughts on having upper and lower cabinets in diff colors?
Thx for any guidance you can offer….
Kelly
lou campbell says
what is the paint color in your kitchen- it looks like a sage green but you called it blue-
it’s pretty!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Lou! I am sorry I am just now seeing this comment. It’s Benjamin Moore’s Whispering Spring. You can read all about the paint colors in our home, here. I hope that helps! Thanks so much.
Christa says
Love the renovated kitchen! I too have the ugly brown cabinets and I’m trying to establish that old character feel as well. I would love to know how you painted the cabinets? Did you hire someone to paint them white or did you install new ones?
Thanks for your help!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Christa! You can read all about how we painted those, here. I hope that helps!
Sarah says
OMG ! This is AWESOME !!! So bright, so fun, you can feel the hapiness in the room !
I totally love it !
Good job !