The Kitchen - The good, the bad, and the ugly (mostly ugly)

       Well good morning! How was your weekend? We are finally all moved in, set up with internet, and even have a way to cook and wash our clothes...great progress indeed! Now that we are situated back in one spot again, and happily reunited with our belongings, I have decided to re-open my Etsy shop. Hurray! Honestly, I really just miss sewing! I mean painting my fingers off and hacking things up with crowbars is great fun, but it just doesn't beat sewing! I've only listed about a third of the items, because I want to make sure I can keep up with everything. (And that I can actually find the supplies to make said items in my small jungle of boxes!)
       Anyway, I actually got on here to talk to you about kitchens. See, I've got this kitchen in my new (old) house that is just not so lovely. In fact, its rather awful, not to mention hideous. It began like this...dark as a cave, refrigerator plopped in a weird encasement smack in the middle of the counter, and the dirtiest pink counter tops you've ever seen in your life! (I actually haven't seen pink counter tops before this...I hope I don't have the pleasure again!)

 
     And on the left side over here, we have a counter top range and antique pink oven...both that have been out of use for who knows how many decades! (So, what exactly did the previous owner eat I wonder?? Cold cereal every day?) Oh yes, and don't forget that odd little window in wall...eh? Odd.

        And lastly we have the laundry closet....At least I think it was, that is where the plumbing went for a washer. The closet isn't deep enough to fit a washer into it, so that is a bit of a mystery to me. It's pink too...and dirty. Very dirty.

     So. Now that I've seared your eyeballs, let's continue. Here is what we have done so far. I had this cabinet hollowed out.

     This made space for a dishwasher to be installed.

      I had the weird wood encasement around the refrigerator removed, which created a nice spot for the oven and microwave. I also removed the doors from the cabinets on either side to create open shelving. It's rather hard to see since the walls are so dark.

      My mister, to my everlasting joy, removed the pink counter tops and old appliances.

      Gaping holes and glue-y plywood is ever so much better, don't you agree?

      And last, I removed the doors to the laundry closet, cleaned it (and cleaned it some more!), and had an outlet installed to accommodate the refrigerator. It's still pink for the time being, but at least it's clean! (By the way, that's plastic still covering my fridge, not a giant wart exploding on the door.)

     This closet will be the pantry. I plan to paint it some nice accent color (maybe stencil a design on the walls?), and install shelving above and on the right side of the fridge. Right now the hot water heater is on the right, but we hope to have a tank-less one put in, so that will get rid of that. I'm thinking something along these lines.

Pinterest (original source?)

    For the gaping hole left by the old oven, I plan to install drawers similar to these. I'm thinking if I had a plug put in the back, I could keep heavier appliances in the drawers, and just pull them out to use them.

Pinterest (original source?)

      The cabinets are originally custom built, solid wood, so I won't be messing with them. I like them, and they are much better quality than the builder's grade cabinets most houses have now. I'll paint them, and switch out the hardware to black or stainless steal. For the counter tops, I plan (ok really, I plan for my mister) to do a DIY butcher block using wood boards, but stain them super dark. 

Pinterest (original source?)

     For the open shelving that was created around the stove, I plan to put brackets under the shelves. The whole shebang will be painted white, and the ceiling left wood. 

I Antique Online

      I'm not sure what the plan will be for the floor just yet, probably paint it. I'd like to switch out the ceiling fan/light for something rustic/antique looking. Over all, I'm going for fresh white, with woods and dark accents mixed in...something along these lines. 

Crisp Interiors

      Of course, it is rather difficult to see that in what I'm looking at now...but it will get there! Check back around in a few weeks, and we'll see what we've got then!

Have a great start to your week!

P.S. I'm really sorry I can't find the original sources to some of the above pictures...if anyone knows them, let me know so I can give credit!

Psalms 16:11   Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.