The After After Kitchen Reveal!

A bit ago I posted about 'the itch'.  I'm ready for a change, in several rooms of this house actually.

Over spring break I painted stripes in the kitchen.  I was going to paint tone on tone, shiny and flat, but after starting I realized that I could, and totally should, keep the yellow that I love so much.

Now we have a yellow and slightly off white into the gray's striped kitchen!

I love how it turned out!  Yes this is the change I needed...

I changed out the curtains, brought our big clock into this room, created a message center (to keep my fridge cleaned off), and DE cluttered the counter top by moving the microwave.

Let's take a quick glance at this 'winner' back in the beginning...

2005

We did a kitchen reno... I had painted this place mustard prior to that, but here is a review of the after, how our kitchen has been for like the last 5 or so years.

And... drum roll... the after after!

Here is a look at our kitchen now...

 I love the stripes.  I feel like they are easy to paint, and make a big statement.  I have a digital paper that is striped like this... love it!

I'll have you know that I eyeballed this, picked a spot in the middle of the wall to start from, then measured up to the ceiling, then down to the floor.  I used a long level to draw my lines.  Taping goes fast, about a yard at a time, with the guidelines.

I'm amazed that I ended with pretty much the same space at the top and bottom!  I'm pretty good at the eyeball!

I got new curtains.  Found these at Lowe's.  Surprise!  I actually was.  They are perfect though!

When Matt hung our red curtains, he did it on his own... I was surprised by that coming home from church one day!  I didn't love how he hung them... but, he wasn't about to change them!

This time he waited for me and we discussed my vision!  He said it was a very good thing, because it wasn't how he'd have done it!  Of course!  That is why we are good team!  We have to do it together!

I brought our living room clock into the kitchen.  I rearranged things in the living room a while back, and moved the clock, to a place that we don't look to very much.  We both kept looking over the mantle, always, to see what time it was, no clock!  I needed to get it back in a highly visible place.  This is a great spot!

I thought about some sort of sunburst something, but the clock is a necessity.

 Here is the view from the sliding door.  Don't mind the Christmas cards, still hanging in the stairwell!  See if you send them to me we keep your cute faces up all year long!

Coming into the kitchen from the front door.  The back splash bead board was also mustard.  I'd love to have something different in our next house, but it's great for this house, cheap and easy! 

Look at my clean fridge!  Just some junk on the top... that I didn't clean off for these photos!!!

Here is another look at our command center!

I showed how I made the cork board in this post.  Also talked about the metal.  I actually purchased those online a long time ago.  I had them cut to 16x20 to put into frames.  These two are extras.

At the bottom I added a chalkboard.  That was easy too.  I painted some board with chalkboard paint, drilled holes at the four corners, then screwed it right to the wall.

I'm so happy with how it turned out!  I am bright and bold!  I love still having the yellow, it made sort of sad thinking of painting over it.  I can always paint over the yellow (maybe when it's time to sell?), but I think as long as we're here this is how it will be...

unless I'm still here in another 5 years... in which case it will be time to paint again! :)

Just one more look!