Kitchen Details Tour & A Giveaway!

 

If you live in a home you probably have a kitchen but as varied as personalities can be so can the differences in kitchens, and how they function.

When I think of a kitchen I think of all the details that go into making a pretty, and functional kitchen…

Design

Decoration

Function

Today I am going to take you on a tour of my very own little kitchen. It is truly the hub of our home and it is very well used.

The Design

The design/layout of this small kitchen is one of the reasons we purchased this home over 34 years ago. There were three things I wanted in my kitchen….

…..A breakfast bar large enough(3ft.X6ft.), to seat  three little boys.

A back window to watch my three son’s swim in the pool.

A front window to watch my three son’s play ball in the court .

I also loved the fact that the kitchen sink was at an angle making the design a little more interesting than a typical U-shaped kitchen.

Times have changed since we had three little boys sitting at the kitchen bar, or playing ball out front, but this is the little kitchen that still keeps on giving.

The boys are all grown up and the kitchen still remains giving to my family and friends.

1978

Gone are the days of the wood stained cabinets, linoleum flooring, recessed fluorescent lighting. The cupboard that once hung over the breakfast bar is no longer there either.

DECORATION

When we decided to make some cosmetic changes to our 1978 kitchen we thought painting would make a huge difference. 

Since there were no existing moldings on the cupboards we decided before we painted  it would be a good idea to add some character. 

We started by adding a small crown to the top. At the bottom edge of all the cupboards we added a skirt molding. 

We also added a molding square on the end of the bar area where it was just flat and plain. 

Let me tell you this made such a huge difference in the appearance of our kitchen.

Next came the feet! I wanted feet like you see on furniture pieces. After looking on line I found them to be very expensive. I put on my thinking cap and decided that the look I wanted looked like brackets.

We purchased $2.00 shelf brackets and placed them under the skirt molding on the bottom edge of the cupboards. 

I discovered it made a difference how much the detail would show up once it was shadowed by the cupboard. 

It is important to keep that in mind when choosing any detail. Shadowing can make or break the detail.

Next came the jewelry of the room, the knobs and pulls. I wanted a little sparkle so I went with glass.

Restoration Hardware had the perfect knobs, and pulls. I chose these particular ones because of the oil rubbed bronze backing that tied in with the hinges and the touches of black I like to add to my décor.

We also decided to change out two of the cupboard doors next to the kitchen window with glass paned doors.

Inside the cupboards we placed strip lighting. I chose this type of lighting because of the warm glow it gives at night.

There are mirrored backs on the inside of the cupboards to reflect more light and it also gives a window effect to that part of the kitchen.

The other addition in this part of the kitchen was adding the vintage crystal chandelier where there use to be plastic panels hiding the fluorescent lighting.

You all remember that beautiful lighting we all had in the 70’s, don’t you?

Instead of fighting with the open box I decided to make it a feature by adding stacked moldings and a frame around the opening to finish off the edge.

We placed a medallion in the center and hung our small vintage crystal chandelier. You will also notice the molding treatment we used to frame the kitchen window above the sink. It just finishes it off nicely.

We had more than enough cupboard space, but we added a very large pantry in the dining room.  It is hiding behind the mirrored doors……

I had a pantry in my first home so when this home was being built we extended a wall in our dining room to accommodate a large pantry.

This is where Design and Decoration  meets up with  Function!

As you can see it is a multifunction pantry, it holds food, dishes and appliances it is big enough to hold it all and I love it!!

Here is a close up of the shelves.

FUNCTION

I recently read a quote from the designer Barbara Barry that articulated perfectly how I feel about my home as a whole, but especially my kitchen!!

In a passage called "Inner Beauty", Barbara writes,  

"As much as I love the part of my work that is all about what is seen when we walk into a room, I also love the part of my work that is about what is not seen.  Or at least not by everyone- the inside of the cabinets, the full refrigerator, the silver drawer, and the well-stocked pantry; they too can be things of beauty, artfully arranged to inspire when given a cursory glance."

I could not agree more!!

I love to see pretty bottles, and produce inside my refrigerator so I do what I like to call, “FRIDGESCAPING!”

There is nothing I love more than fresh produce in pretty bowls in my refrigerator. I will always have several choices for my family and guest. I also love to have a good variety of cold drinks on hand.

Inside the door you will find what you might need for a cup of coffee, hot chocolate or tea. The cute little bottle with the stopper holds simple syrup for your drinks.

Speaking of drinks let’s take a look at my coffee bar that I use daily……

Now it is time to pick out your choice of hot drinks……

When I have company I put out a tray next to the coffee maker on my stove for easy access to anything they might need to add to their hot drink of choice……..

The next very functional feature in my kitchen is the spice rack……

I ordered these handy-dandy little clips Here! I highly recommend them! They are extremely functional.

My sweet little kitchen is pretty in my eyes and it has functioned beautifully throughout the past 34 years for my family and friends. 

This concludes the tour of all the In’s and Outs of my little kitchen!

Don't miss the rest of the kitchen tours this week!

Thursday, August 22

Atta Girl Says

Practically Functional

While Wearing Heels

The Creek Line House

Back Porch Musings

A Stroll Thru Life

Recreate and Decorate

Worthing Court

The Happier Homemaker

Rain on a Tin Roof

Mom 4 Real

Town and Country Living

Fox Hollow Cottage

Friday, August 23

The Everyday Home

Good Life of Design

French Country Cottage

Marty's Musings

Adventures in Decorating

Cedar Hill Ranch

So Much Better With Age

Our Southern Home

The Lily Pad Cottage

Debbiedoo's

Stone Gable

And now for the giveaway!

There will be two winners for this giveaway! Pfister generously donated a prize for this giveaway, so one winner will receive a free faucet worth up to $300, and a second winner will receive a $250 Visa gift card! 

To enter for your chance to win, just follow the steps below, and good luck! (drawing for US residents only) 

Step 1: 
Follow one or all of them on Pinterest in order to get more entries in the giveaway!

Step 2:
 Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter link below! Follow one or all of them in order to get more entries in the giveaway!

click here: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck Eveybody!!

Winners will be announced on:
 
August 30th

SHELBY PATTERSON BALTZLEY
IS THE WINNER Of:
The $300 Pfister faucet

MICHELE UNDERWOOD
IS THE WINNER OF:
The $250 Visa Card

CONGRATULATIONS LADIES

and

THANK YOU FOR JOINING IN ON THE FUN!!