Repainting Cabinets & Expectaions In Life

When we moved into our small home, I did not like the cabinets. So, I painted them. I loved them! They were almost school bus yellow!

 But then we decided to rip them all out and start over. The problem is that takes a lot of time.  Shopping, shopping, shopping, ordering, waiting, etc. Then we found out we might be moving. So, why invest so heavily in a home we might not live in for only a few more months, then convert back into a rental.

So for now I have repainted them with an enamel paint from ACE. It is SO awesome. When I painted them last year, I did  no prep really. The paint would peel and chip off, a pain to deal with. This time I bought a hand sander and we went over the to be painted areas a little. The enamel paint is adhering really well. I did the interior and exterior of the cabinets. I also reused the high quality hinges that were on the doors. We washed them, I spray painted them (the finishes in spray paint are AMAZING these days!) and they look really nice.

Here is where I am at...I did all the lower ones..I have no enthusiasm to do the top ones. Maybe next week!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And talk about expatiation management! I never, ever, never thought I would put industrial shelving in my kitchen to store stuff on!(below pic) But, it really works well for me right now. I can easily access what I need & I can see what I have. I am trying to stop wanting everything

  to be "magazine" worthy. In my last home I did that, and it really makes no since. I want a nice looking home, but it does need to be functional and practical, and frankly not stressful. Today I tried to remind myself that in the end of my life, these things wont matter...my home style, my colors, my "look". What will matter is my heart and service before God, time spent working on my marringe &  my children's hearts that I tend to in lieu of stressing over my decor.  So today I am trying to focus on those things!And as Scripture admonishes me, even in my small space, to be content with whatever I have. In all things.

Eat In Kitchen, Fun for Kids!

Our home has one eat in area, which also serves as the lone dining room! So, this week I put up bead board (pine) and we painted a chalk board border and then I put up some trim. Today I gave it a coat of white paint for easy cleaning. This gives our home the fun feel..chalkboard area for the kids and guests to doodle, and the bead board protects our walls in this small and frequently used space. Total cost: about $95. It also makes our kitchen seem brighter and larger, a big plus!

Small Space: Kitchen

With using my kitchen so often (I tend to cook and bake a lot), plus having it as a hub of gathering for us throughout the day (the back door is IN the kitchen!) I need to use my space wisely. I have always favored a more clean lines approach. Some pretties to look at, but most things put up. Then I moved to my ~120 sq foot kitchen AND eating area. ( It was also the laundry area (the hook ups are in the kitchen!) until I had that moved outside to the hot water heater closet.) Small, yes. Too small, no way. We have it "piled in there" but it is "orderly" and meets all of our needs.Here are some pictures. NOTE: The kitchen is under an "upgrade" currently, so I'll post those areas pics when I am done with those things.

This is our microwave in the green box. I like the look of it much more than seeing a micro in such a small space. The jars house things like lentils, dates, etc. Up was about the only direction to go and it worked out very well.



I put a little shelf up on the wall past the stove to hold my spices and seasonings so I would have ready access when cooking with them. The cabinets were oak. I hated them, so I painted them and now I really like them. Odd thing was I have never really been a mustard colored fan! Go figure!



We keep our trash under the sink. Out of sight (helps me mentally!) and the dogs can't partake that way. There is another section of cabinets past these, which house my cleaners and some school things.

We had bought this hutch for our girls room. But it is working well to house our plates, bowls, and glasses. The drawer houses our linen napkins, and the bottom...is empty! I will have to figure out what to put in there!  

Ok, this pic did not get turned up, but this is my canned goods pantry. It is SOLID and holds enough canned goods for our family for over two months. It is screened and helps me to see what we have "in stock".