Apparently, when we moved to The Compound in 1995, I failed to take a picture of the kitchen. It had been painted and repainted so many times over its seventy years that we saw more shades of white than we knew existed.
This is what a little bit of it looked like after Tom painted the walls blue and the cabinets one shade of white in 1998:
Life happened, and lots of cooking and living and dogs. So by nearly a decade later, it seemed permanently dirty, the hardware could no longer support the cabinet doors, the linoleum floor was just tired, and it ended up looking like this:
So last Christmas, there was no decorating going on, because the kitchen looked like this:
Thanks to Joe.My.Contractor and his crew, this Christmas, it looks like this:
With my house in order, there will be decorating. And you know what that means. Plenty of photos to come.
oooohhhh, so nice! lookit all that cabinet space!
Thanks! As I was looking through my pictures, I was thinking, I never did the before-and-after photos I promised Jandy.
Then I got the hysterical Christmas card from you, Jen, and the little ones (thank you!) and took it as a sign that I needed to get with it.
😉
glad you got with it then!
It’s beautiful!
oooooooooooooooo I’m having cabinet envy. Our house came with this weird little galley kitchen. Came with as in.. I’m not intending for it to stay that way permanently 😉
Re: It’s beautiful!
But those are the only cabinets I’ve got! Need.more.room. You should see my friend Lynne’s redo. Cabinets galore, and one set of them, over the pass-through into her breakfast room, has doors on BOTH SIDES!
Shiny!
Our kitchen looks a little like the “before.” Here’s hoping we have as nice an “after” in 15 years or so!
You will. For a long time, I didn’t want to change any of the comfy, old aspects of it. Then I came to my senses. Still can’t give up my old windows, however.
I lust for your new kitchen. Mine is still too far down on the do-over list. The big bedroom has to come first, so I can do the dining room, so I can do the kitchen and add a center work counter. Then my current bedroom becomes the guest bedroom and library. Unfortunately, now that they finally let us know we been in a recession since early 2007, I’m holding off on any extra expenses.
I can’t believe we were in the house so many years before we had significant work done. It’s daunting, isn’t it? And expensive.
I’m sure Tom sometimes wishes he’d married a woman who was combination carpenter/plumber/roofer/painter.
Then when he gives you any grief, you could sing, “If I Were A Carpenter!”
Then he’ll also wished he’d married a vocalist.
Now, why would Tom want to marry a lesbian? (And there’s a set-up line if ever there was one….)
I still can’t believe I haven’t seen the “new” beautiful kitchen… It looks so nice.
If you got in your car now, you could be here in less than three days. Two, if Paul helps drive. I’m just sayin’.
Next weekend?
I love that there is still half a canister full of baby marshmallows left that no one touches except when Rhonda and Lindsey play chubby bunny. Which was that one time. So they don’t get touched. It cracks me up every time I see them. We should put some in those mint mochas you owe us…
😉
Was chocolate pudding involved in ‘chubby bunny,” or do I want to know?
Hahahaha! No chocolate pudding.
At least, not that time. 😉
I should totally buy you those mint mochas tonight, shouldn’t I, for World AIDS Day? I SWEAR NO DECORATING WOULD BE INVOLVED.
Although Jandy has four trees….
And Lynne and ‘Nathan have two each…
Heh, well from 8:00 – 9:30 tonight, Rhonda and I have massage appointments. We’re both in a ton of pain, so we decided to nip that in the bud. Then it’s shower and bed. But dont you worry, WE WILL KEEP THOSE MINT MOCHAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR BRAIN.
The new kitchen is, of course, enviable; you saw the look on my face when I saw it in person.
But I also loved the old one. It had such a look of, oh, I don’t know, “lived-in love” that made it so homey.
You make me want to HUG you. Thanks. =)
I just love your ‘new’ kitchen!
It’s hard to believe how much extra room that round out in front of your sink gives you.
It amazes me every time I use it. The other day, Lynne, Debby, and I were side by side preparing food and we COULD. That simply couldn’t have happened before the new counter.
Oh, wow. Your kitchen looks terrific. I should show these pictures to my parents. They watch a lot of HGTV programs and love home improvement-related stuff like this.
Thanks! It’s amazing what a little updating can do. Maybe some of the old charm is lost, but it’s a more workable and prettier space now.
I can’t explain why, but those old faucets like you had, with the soapdish in the center, always appeal to me… makes no sense. I like your new faucet, too, though. : )
Thanks!
You’re trying to get in on Greg’s hug, aren’t you?
Well… it has been a while since I saw him. : )
I need to do another “fantasy kitchen” entry. For someone who doesn’t cook, I sure do like kitchens.
That’s because you drive to Houston, pass through New Orleans, and can’t be bothered to stop for a frappucino.
Bitch.
I love your new counter-top and faucet. And the colors are perfect. Very classy.
Thank you so much. =)
*iz envious*
Someday my kitchen will be beautiful like yours.
Thank you. It’s small, but I’ve learned to adapt to it. I just went to your LJ and saw Rupert. ADORABLE! Kudos to you for rescuing a Hurricane Ike kitty.
Awww, thanks! Yes Rupi is quite fetching, esp. when he’s not chewing on my hands or aggravating my 2 dogs and other cat. LOL
I’ve never had a kitten. He’s hysterical!