the internet is full of really cool ideas, both budget friendly and definitely unfriendly. last night i was surfing instagram before turning in for the night and i was seeing all these gorgeous homes that left me feeling meh about my own (i know, i know). there are certain areas in my home that i definitely love. but there are many places that are definitely still undone and have been neglected. whether for lack of motivation or money or ideas or discovering that perfect piece, they remain just sort of there. our kitchen is one of those places. it’s fairly outdated, ugly countertops, wonky cabinets. no real scheme throughout. steve and i have talked about redoing it but we lack the gusto to really make it happen. plus, i’m definitely a bit (a lot) debilitated by spending huge sums of money (i always weigh it like… do this ooooor travel? or… do we really neeeeed it? will we be okay if we spend this?). my parents were pretty frugal so i think it’s just been ingrained in me. not to mention the huge sums of money aren’t sitting around screaming, “spend me!” but it’s nice to come home to a home that you love, that you take pride in. parts of my home, i definitely love. but still, there’s work to be done. i don’t even know where to really start. how to find those budget pieces that you always see people talking about. “oh this silly old farm table? i found the wood and whipped it up out back while the kids slept!” seriously, SERIOUSLY. so… i guess what i’m saying is it’s time our home got some more love. whatever that means.
some kitchen inspiration from my pinterest board. i’m definitely into the bright, white kitchens.
p.s. just searched my ‘design’ archives and realized i’ve been talking about white kitchens forever. it’s time to get a move on, bridget.
We just bought a new (to us) house and are updating a few things before we move in. It is crazy how quickly those costs spiral into completely ridiculous. We're being conservative and responsible but I still get butterflies in my stomach when I think of what we're spending. So yeah – cost is de-motivating fo shizzle.
-Amy
Bridget! I have been dying to see another blogger take on Jenny's (Little Green Notebook) CONCRETE COUNTERTOPS! Paint your cabinets white plus concrete counters! Thanks for a lovely blog – you're a daily read! http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/07/diy-concrete-countertops.html
they look AMAZING. and you know i have had concrete countertops in the back of my mind for a long time now?! certainly more affordable than marble! thanks for the link 🙂
ooooh, yeah. do that! that seems like a semi-reasonable change. There are so many great tutorials out there now for painting cabinets, and they make me want to go by a spray painter. Jenny just talked about one on her blog, this week, too.
Uh, totally get this. What I would give for a huge, white kitchen. My husband has no understanding of why I want to update anything in the house that costs money. It functions so why change it? But I have a LIST. It might take forever, but it's on the list. Rip up the carpet in the dining room and put in wood floors (it attaches to our backyard and there's no way around the dog getting the carpet dirty). Then take the wood floors in the hall/kitchen/bathroom and stain them darker. So much improvement.
Do you read Young House Love? I love love love that site and they do so much themselves. However I always get all motivated and inspired, and then I remember that I am a klutz. I can't even paint without getting it everywhere so painting is pretty much my limit of DIY.
darker floors, YES. like this: http://pinterest.com/pin/132645151498010265/
i have read YHL – they're amazing. i just want them to come to my house and do it for me though. you see? this is my problem. 🙂
Um, YES. So gorgeous.
oh dear, I know that feeling.. probably all of us do. but hey! there are so many cheap and great ways to change your home these days.. 🙂
can't wait to start doing it myself! and wish you good luck! 🙂
I think this is very do-able on a budget. We redid our kitchen at our old house ourselves. It was hard work but it was worth it to save some money. Painted the cabinets, removed an island, new countertops and new fixtures. It really didn't cost a lot.
As for the concrete, make sure to do your research…we looked at that but you have to have pretty solid cabinets for them to work because the concrete is so heavy!
But! I think you can do this! And within a reasonable budget! I'm spreadsheet/budget queen….so I feel pretty good about this! 😉
annie. please come. we need help.
(i want to take out our island too but that seems like a BEAST of a job. doable?)
Seriously! SO DOABLE! I WOULD LOVE TO COME AND HELP! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!
Our island housed our dishwasher…so it was really an extension of the counter—like L shape….we basically just extended the counter down and put the dishwasher in there…opened up the kitchen so much!
http://farrarfour.blogspot.com/2010/08/kitchen-reveal.html
I miss that little kitchen.
Oh…and we did new flooring too. Laid the tile ourselves. Well…Lance did. 😉 As you can see, it's small…but take one thing at a time and go for it! Start with cabinets. They make the biggest punch…and the cheapest to paint! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!
layed the tile…***laid*** the tile…whatever…;)
guh, your kitchen looks so great. we have tile floors that i am noooot a fan of. what do you know about ripping them up and replacing them with wood? send lance over. could i mooch off you any more than i am? no.
thanks for the encouragement annie!!!
It was better in person. Harsh flash—aka—not yet my big girl camera. But thank you!
Wood is easier to lay. Much easier to cut. But I think taking up tile is a messy task. But…good news…you've got a house full of help! Give them a hammer and let 'em go at it! 😉
Can't wait to see what you do!!!
so so pretty! i am so impressed by people that can keep their bright white kitchen looking clean! i just have to come to terms with the fact that i'd be a complete failure at that, being the only neat one in a house of husband/animals/babe. thank goodness for crumb-camouflaging granite patterns! 😉
We just did our kitchen, ugh, I love it, but seriously, it really is a huge chuck of money. We definitely could of done A LOT of traveling. I hate spending huge amounts of money as well. Every time I signed a check I got palpitations!
I told my hubs when we buy a house the room I want done the most is the kitchen. I agree that nothing makes you richer than traveling, but considering how much time you spend in your home (especially the kitchen) it's way worth making it a space you enjoy being in.
"Luckily" we have to re-model our entire kitchen. . . But, instead of doing it up the way we want, we're just getting it done (aka not spending a lot of money on it. haha) Believe me. I have a whole pinterest board dedicated to rooms that I want in the house that we're going to build 🙂 Haha!
xo,
Christen
ChristenKrumm.com
A lot of work but so worth it. Renovations cost money, but in your home they truly are an investment; especailly in kitchens and bathrooms. My husband and I have have built three homes and I can tell you that a kitchen makeover doesn't have to break the bank:) So many opitions!
I always choose travel first. Alas…the draw of wanderlust.
I love doing renovations for any part of my house but a little bit of fresh paint goes a lone way. If you don't want to spend a lot of money on renovations, go with lighter colors. They tend to look more expansive. But there are so many choices!
happymedley.blogspot.com