Chapter 1: Kitchen Renovation

"My vision." By uttering these two simple words from my lips and I have the ability to give my sweet hubby an instant stress headache. Unfortunately for him, I tend to talk a lot about my vision since we’ve moved into our home. Hey – my dad warned him before he married me so he knew what he was getting himself into.


For me, one the many great appeals to buying this house was the kitchen and the fact that Keith agreed the 1960s appliances and cabinets were in desperate need of a brand spankin’ new makeover! (see House History post for proof!) Even when we were living in our temporary condo before the official move-in date, my vision of a new kitchen was starting to take shape. The first order of business was buying every kitchen magazine I could get my hands on for a little extra inspiration!


Since my plan was to go with a light and refreshing feeling throughout the whole house, I instantly had my heart set on white cabinets. And believe me, you can find plenty of inspiration for white cabinets – it seems like every editorial feature in all the magazines focus on a white kitchen.

Photo from Southern Living magazine

While some people shudder at the thought of white cabinets, I think it’s a classic look. And white cabinets would give me the ability to decorate the room with colorful art and accessories.

Photo from Sunset magazine

Another part of my vision was having a few glass cabinets to display my Crate and Barrel white dishes and glasses. I really like how glass cabinets just add another element of visual interest to the kitchen.

Photo from Coastal Living magazine

Did I mention our kitchen is pretty big? The dimensions measure X by X. It’s a great space that definitely is calling for a fabulous island. I love pedestal legs and I definitely want bar stools for cute, casual dinners with the hubby and nugget.

Photo from Southern Living magazine

Another idea I had was to brighten up the kitchen with open shelving. I like the idea of having just one area with an open shelf – so we can use (and see) what we love everyday! I think it would be a perfect spot for my favorite cookbooks.

Photo from Sunset magazine

And for some reason, I have a strong desire for a farm sink. I guess I just like the appeal of adding a bit of the period-style design into the room.

Photo from Southern Accents magazine

Now some people might decide to go with a really dark countertop when selecting white kitchen cabinets. But for some reason this just doesn’t seem to really gel with my vision of a light and refreshing space. So I’m dreaming of a light granite counters. I’m a snob because I hate the thought of not getting granite countertops.

Photo from Southern Living magazine

I also love the idea of a hardwood floor in a kitchen. I think it makes the room more cozy – and I can’t stand how quickly tile grout becomes dirty in this high traffic area. Since the rest of our home is entirely hardwood, I think it only makes sense to complete this theme in our new kitchen.


So my vision is creating a pretty big wish list. But I think it’s important to know what you want before planning. So just to review my wish list:

• White cabinets
• A few glass cabinets
• A big island
• Pedestal legs for the island
• Enough room for bar stools around the island
• Open shelf
• Farmer sink
• Light granite counters
• Hardwood floors
• Stainless steel appliances – isn’t that a given?
  

Now the real challenge will be finding out if this vision fits in our budget. I realize that sacrifices will have to be made…sadly, Keith and I aren’t made of money. But I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we can put a checkmark on many of these items. Stay tuned!