Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Kitchen Updates in Our Old House

 Our old house is always in need of some updates.    It has been 10 years since we moved here, and I am just getting around to some of these jobs again.  My kitchen fireplace had gotten so dingy, and the old color looked drab and worn out.  So, I bit the bullit and pulled out the paint. I took down all the decor including numerous old iron cornbread molds, antique copper skillets, and chestnut roasting pan (turned out to be a laundry basket full!), and carted them out to my antique shed for storage.  Then, after washing and recaulking, I got out my white paint and went to town.  When I was finished and the paint was dry, I set the mantle with some of my antique crockery, and filled two pots with red twig dogwood branches from my bushes.
BEFORE, WITH THE OLD BEIGE PAINT.
ANOTHER BEFORE, SHOWING WORN OUT LIMESTONE SURROUND.
AFTER, SHOWING SURROUND, MANTLE, AND REPLACED DECOR ALL WHITE.  AFTER REARRANGING MANTLE, I REPLACED HEARTH WITH JUST TWO PIECES, AN ANTIQUE GRANITEWARE CHEESE  SLICER  AND A WHITE ENAMELWARE BUNWARMER.
I MOVED THE PHONE OFF THE WALL,  TOOK DOWN SOME OTHER WALL HUNG ITEMS, AND PAINTED ALL THE TRIM ABOVE AND BELOW THE OLD BLUE MILKPAINTED BEADBOARD WAINSCOTT.
ANOTHER PUT-OFF PROJECT IS PAINTING MY CABINETS WHITE AND ADDING NEW HARDWARE.  IN THE MEAN TIME, MY ANTIQUATED RANGE HOOD (I PLAN ON REPLACING IT WITH A CUSTOM LOOK LATER) WAS NOT IN KEEPING WITH MY OTHER APPLIANCES WHICH ARE STAINLESS AND BLACK.  RUSTED ON THE INSIDE AND SCRUBBED DOWN TO BARE METAL ON THE OUTSIDE, I GAVE IT A FACELIFT.  TWO NEW COATS OF WHITE UNDERNEATH, AND AT LEAST 10 COATS OF PROFESSIONAL GRADE PAINT ON THE OUTSIDE, GAVE IT THE UPDATE I WAS LOOKING FOR.
THE DAY BEFORE I GAVE THE BEADBOARD BACKSPLASH A FRESH COAT OF WHITE.  THEN I TAPED AND PAPERED OFF ALL THE CABINETS AND STOVE TOP BEFORE PRIMING WITH METAL PRIMER SPRAY PAINT.
AFTER 10 COATS OF BLACK PROFESSIONAL GRADE APPLIANCE PAINT, I HAD THE UPDATE I WAS LOOKING FOR.
ANOTHER KITCHEN VIEW.
WE ADDED THE ANTIQUE LAMP OVER THE SINK AND UNDERCABINET LIGHTING WITH OUR ORIGINAL UPDATE. TWO YEARS AGO MY HUSBAND GAVE ME GRANITE COUNTERTOPS FOR CHRISTMAS.  THIS HAS TO BE THE YEAR TO PAINT THE CABINETS!
LATE AFTERNOON SUNSHINE ON THE SIDE OF OUR 1847 HOUSE.

8 comments:

  1. Wow! That fresh, white paint is popping! I like it a lot! ~Mindy

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  2. WOW GIRL--you did such a fabulous job!! I love the new fresh look--were do you get all that energy?

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  3. Nice changes. The fireplace is so much cleaner and brighter. You are very brave using spray paint inside. The hood looks great.

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  4. Thanks for the comments on my extravagant draperies. You mentioned that pickled wood never looked so good...did you know that pickled finishes are coming back in style?? You might want to rethink painting the cabinets and ride the wave of "whats in"! I think the paint I picked for that dining room had a lot to do with the furniture looking good too.

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  5. So many great makeovers! I love the difference some paint can make. Well done! :)

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  6. wow i wish i had a smidgen of the room in your kitchen! thanks for your comment. don't you love re~doing? it looks wonderful!

    hugs,

    shelley

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