Things I Would've Done Differently in my Kitchen

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Those of you that have followed my blog for a long time probably remember my kitchen redo.

(You can find the different posts about it under labels for "kitchen".)

It was done about 4 years ago and I still really love it.  I did a classic look with white cabinets that will never get old.  I tried to make it look like it fit into this 1850 farmhouse but still had all the modern conveniences.

There's only a couple things I would do differently.

I never had island height seating before.  I always had a smaller island and then a two person table and chairs.

Well, I've decided that I really don't like sitting at a counter.  It just isn't comfortable for me.

The one thing wrong with it is that the overhang isn't deep enough.  When they were cutting the soapstone it broke at a corner and instead of a 12-14 inch overhang, mine is only 9 inches.
That makes a big difference!

I could've had them take it back and send for another large piece of soapstone but it would've been another week and I was anxious to get it all completed so I said it was OK.

I should've had them replace it.

See the overhang isn't deep enough.

I love the soapstone.  Even though it scratches easily, it's one of my favorite parts of my kitchen.  People tried to talk me into granite but I held out for the soapstone because that's something they would've used in Victorian times.

Another thing is, I don't have enough cupboard space.  I don't know why as we designed this kitchen so carefully!

I think I should replace the maple cupboard with another old one but bigger.  It looks so good there but doesn't really hold much.

I love my engineered hardwood floor.
My dogs race around on it and I have yet to find a scratch!!
My contractor/builder is coming over on Saturday to talk about what to do with my family room floor.
I just may extend this flooring into there.  We'll see.

Here's the posts about my kitchen and dining room renovations:
http://shirleys-world.blogspot.com/2011/01/2010-renovations.html
and
http://shirleys-world.blogspot.com/2010/03/reveal-before-after.html

Shirley

A Little Kitchen Organization!

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I didn't take before pictures but as all counters and islands do, they become cluttered with "stuff".  

You know, "any flat surface!"

It was becoming distracting and confusing to do any baking because that alone sort of makes a mess.  

At least when I do it!

So I cleared off my island and my window seat.

I took my daybook and calendars off the island and made this sit-down area here on my window seat.  It's working out really well.

I even got my crock pot off the island and put it up here in my cupboard.  It's still handy to get down to use it.

I cleared off my other counters too.

And put my blender away since I don't use it all that much.  I was making more smoothies in the summer.

I totally feel more organized now!

Shirley

Sunny Yellow

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http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

I'm linking up with Mellow Yellow this week.

I love keeping a bowl of lemons on my counter. Sometimes I use them sometimes a few sort of shrivel up before I do. But they always look so fresh and are there if I need them. In fact, I'm planing on making some lemon chicken tonight that I saw a recipe for this week. I hope I can find it again!

Shirley

Yep, I Got One!!

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I've wanted one for a long time but didn't think I cooked (or baked) enough to deserve something so magnificent!! Well, then I thought about it some more and decided my wonderful new kitchen deserved one!! It really didn't take that long for me to figure out a reason to

buy : ))

I bought it from Overstock.com and decided to get a refurbished one. I read a lot of people's comments about them and didn't hear anything bad.

So, along with free shipping, (yeah Overstock) and the price you can get a big one for refurbished, I SAVED a lot : ))

Excitement was in the air as a tussled with this big very heavy box.

Yes Sireeee, I got a bright red one. There was never a question on the color for me. I know, Martha has a white and a stainless one but I'm no Martha!

I got RED!!

My main reason for deciding to get this is that I want to make home made bread and my hands hurt too bad to be kneading dough for a straight 20 minutes. I got the powerful one because it's supposed to do a better job with bread.

See the dough hook : ))

This large red machine weighs a ton. I bet it's 30 lbs! So there's no putting it away and getting it out or even moving it from place to place easily. I had to pick it's permanent home.

No, not there.

It takes up to much space there and it can't replace my toaster! That's where I make my Eggos every morning!!

So this is where it will live. It's where I'm used to using my old one but this baby will be there permanently.

I'll take pictures of my first mixing experience and for sure my first homemade bread!

For today, I'm just looking at it.

I'm linking with some new parties this week:

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/

http://www.lilluna.com/

AND:

http://www.elements-interiors.net/

Shirley

2010 Renovations

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Kitchen

I was going to go through my photos of 2010 and put on my favorites. But so much has happened this past year that it will take a few days of mosaics to even touch the surface.

Starting the end of January and February the kitchen and dining room renos started. Of course, months before were spent picking out things but the real demo started in 2010.

The first photo in the old kitchen and it goes on from there. I'm super happy with it and if you haven't heard, I'm in love with my soapstone countertops!!!

I think you can click the mosaic to make it larger.

Dining Room

I hardly had time to take a breath and the dining room was being gutted! That room was bad, with cheap paneling on the walls, a terrible drop tile ceiling and no real flooring to speak of. AND NO WOODWORK!!

I love woodwork, especially in an 1850 house. It HAS to have a certain woodwork!

I love how it turned out. I fretted about the paint color till the day it went on the wall. I am so glad now that I chose the dark tan and not the red.

The square nails shown here were found in all the older wood from the original house.

I finally found a dining room table a couple months later.

I was going to go with a more primitive harvest table but I found this one in the antique mall and it was ON SALE!!! So for right now my dining room is very colonial.

All these mosaics will be linked with Little Red House for "Mosaic Monday".

http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/

Enjoy

Shirley

The Reveal, Before & After

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I'm listing this post with The Shabby Chic Cottage for her "Transformation Thursday" also.

http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/

I am happy to join Susan for this post of my before and after kitchen. Please visit her wonderfully inspiring blog at "Between Naps On The Porch". You can click on her site here: http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Go visit for her Metamorphosis Monday party and see all the other transformations!

The Before

In case any of you forgot what my old kitchen looked like, the first five pictures are to remind you!!

The After

The Big Reveal!!!!!!!

This post is quite photo intensive. But I couldn't stop taking pictures!!

For any of you that haven't been here before, The whole entire redo is on my earlier posts.

Looking from dining room.

That's a reproduction noodle board sitting on top of my stove. It has that primitive look I like and gives you more counter space when you're not using your burners.

I positively love my window seat. I will eventually make a cushion for on there. Right now it's just a folded up quilt. My cats love it here too as you can imagine!!

This is the cupboard I got on Craig's List for $150.00!!!!!!!!!

The first little nail was hard to put in the pristine wall but after that, no problem : ))

The little copper sink in the island is really nice. I found it on eBay at "Copper Depot" and at a good price! The faucet too.

All ready for my Eggos!

Love, love, love this soapstone!!!!!

Thank you God.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed my big adventure. It wasn't near as stressful as I thought it would be. It took about a month. Being without plumbing in the kitchen and having to wash dishes in the bathtub was probably the worse part. And oh yeah, a "little" dust : ))

Next my builder is going to put new walls and ceiling in my dining room.

OK, now I've got to start cooking again!!

Shirley

Delivering Baby

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Delivery of My Soapstone!!!

Finally!

Soapstone is much denser than granite so it is much, much heavier.

This is Atilla (light shirt) and his partner carrying the corner piece. Let me tell you, they were the quietest guys I've ever heard. They almost whispered back and forth to each other when they did say something. Men of few words. They are Romanian and I must say pretty darn good looking : ))

Here is the big island piece.

Atilla is putting the coat of mineral oil on the stone. That's all the care it requires. Plain mineral oil from the drug store! ($1.50!!) You put it on and then wipe most of it off. It brings out the black color and the beautiful veining.

The natural stone is gray like this. The mineral oil doesn't penetrate the stone but just helps with the aging. It would turn dark eventually from use but not as even or as fast.

After wiping off the oil, it has a beautiful understated sheen. That's what I wanted!!!

It's gorgeous and I love it!!!

Soapstone cannot be stained by anything!! You can set burning hot pots on it without scortching. That's why they use it in chemistry labs. The only thing you can't do is cut on it because it will scratch. So a cutting board is in order. Any scratches can just be rubbed or lightly sanded away!

I've learned quite a bit about soapstone in the last few months, so if you have any questions, just ask : ))

It is definitely the old look I wanted in this house.

Since I had to get two slabs to do the job, these are what I have left over! There's enough there for vanities in both my bathrooms!!! But then that's another day : ))

Shirley (smiling)