Kitchen Progress

You probably remember that the kitchen was my least favorite part of our new house.  It was sort of dark....even with the big huge windows....there wasn't much counter space....and I am not in love with the shiny wood cabinets.

So, I have been working on changes.....thinking and trying out other changes.....

Here is where we started:

The white cabinet that the microwave is sitting on was from a closet we ripped out at our Minnesota house. (Make note of the stuff on top of the microwave for later in the post.)

The middle island is Rainman's old dresser.....because it was the right height and I figured out at my last house (the one with the beautiful, but small kitchen), that I really like drawers for stuff, rather than cabinets.


So, I painted the kitchen and took down the wallpaper border and curtain thingies.

It was happier and brighter, but my "island wasn't cutting it.  So, I started looking up ideas and plotting and planning.  My friend's hubby is in commercial construction and is between projects right now, so when he finished up her "to do" list, I asked if he wanted to take on a few of my projects too.

I won't say that he jumped at the chance, but he did agree to it!

So far, he has built me a temporary island, so I can try it on for size and see what I think....before it becomes permanent.

So far, I am LOVING it.

The other change I am considering is with the microwave thing in the corner.

I had already painted the bottom unit my fun, citrus green.....but the top of the microwave just ended up being a junk pile filled with stuff that people didn't know where it went....or stuff we thought we would need quick access too...maybe.  You know, coupons, batteries, fly swatter, various plastic parts that we weren't sure what they went to, but didn't want to lose. (See the above before picture of the kitchen.)

Anyway, my friend, Betty, recently remodeled her kitchen and got new cabinets.  She had her old ones put in her garage for storage options....but, her microwave cabinet wasn't needed, so she passed it along to me.  

The funny thing is, the little cut out parts of the doors perfectly match the little cut-outs in my cabinets, so once it is painted, it will seem like it was always part of the kitchen.

When we first put it up there, I didn't like it.....because I felt like it sort of blocked the light and I didn't like the bulk of the cabinet on top.  But, now, only 24 hours later, I am sort of digging it.  It makes that corner of the kitchen seem more like it is part of the whole kitchen, you know?  Like it isn't such a wasted corner space.  The other positive thing is that the junk pile that used to be on top, is now behind closed doors, so it is our little secret, right?

I am sure once I get all my cabinets painted, I will like it even more and with the lighter color I am planning, it will reflect some of the light back, so it won't seem so dark.  I am considering using a milk paint in a white/cream for my cabinets and then a fun color...probably aqua on my island....but we shall see what I settle on.