kitchen design inspiration

so, our kitchen has a very strange layout.
starting this christmas break we are going to start the reno!  mainly by rearranging the cabinets we have and making the layout a little more practical.

old kitchen on left    new kitchen on right

we won't need any bar stools at the island, we don't really use them because the table is right there.

we're not losing any space and it won't cost much.  the only thing we really have to do is buy a dishwasher, cabinet pulls, build the cabinet for the refrigerator, and the shelves for next to the microwave.  i'm thinking we can pick up a window at h4h for cheap.

we have plenty of marble tiles for the countertop with the appliances and sink and mr. tsl is going to make us a butcher block top for the island!!

i am giddy like a little school girl right now.  to actually live somewhere with a beautiful kitchen is a huge dream.

when we moved in, the layout of the appliance side of the kitchen looks like this:

we have since removed the top cabinets from above the island and moved the cabinet above the stove up to accommodate for the over the range microwave i scored on cl.

after the rearranging and painting, hopefully the kitchen will look like this:

i'm trying to figure out if i want to paint them gray or black....so in all reality, the gray may be black later!


inspiration for the fridge cabinet:

inspiration for gray cabinets:

plus the lights...already have them

black cabinet inspiration:

lights over island:

only 2 though...

i got this light at h4h for $5!!

shelf inspiration:

accessories:

the little spice nook next to the stove

images via my pinterest


-make your life beautiful!!

Happy December!

I am so excited for Christmas!!  I have been decorating and working on my kitchen this week.  Details soon to come :)

Here are some pics to Pinspire you!

Images via pinterest

PS. One week from today I turn 30.....crazy talk!

-Make your life beautiful!

Thanksgiving Ideas and Cranberry Salad Recipe

So, I totally need to start decorating...this weekend!
First, I have a cranberry salad recipe that will knock your socks off!  Promise!
I can't stand the gelatinous muck that comes out of the can.  Gag.  {to be fair, I have never actual tried it, but it gives me the willies!}

I made this recipe up a few years ago to avoid looking at the can crap.

Cranberry Salad with Cream Cheese Topping 

1 lg can of Mandarin Oranges (drained)

4 Apples(I use Fuji, you'll want sweet apples to balance the tart cranberries)

1(12oz bag) of fresh cranberries

1 (3oz) pkg of strawberry jello (raspberry and cranberry are good too)

1/2 c Sugar

Pulse the apples and the cranberries in the food processor.  Drain oranges and toss with apple and cranberries.  Toss sugar and jello into fruit mixture and stir.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Cream Cheese Topping 

2 pkg cream cheese (room temp.)

1c Powdered Sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 lg can crush pineapple drained

4c cool whip

1 c chopped pecans

smash cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla.  cream together until smooth.  stir in pineapple. fold in Cool Whip. mix thoroughly. add pecans .  You can make this ahead of time and let it sit for about 20 min before serving or just make it when needed.

It's so delicious!!  Try it!!

Now on to Thanksgiving Inspiration from Pinterest:

-Make your life beautiful!!

Trim should paint itself...

I have been working on the trim since last week. Not working hard.  Just when I feel like it can.  After I got the big wall done, it hasn't been that awful.

I have been painting it in chunks.  Only as far as the amount of cardboard I have to shove underneath the trim to protect the living room crapet (yep, I know I typed crapet....because that's what it is)  I am so excited to replace the crapet with wood flooring.

On an up note, the white trim only helps me to hate the crapet instead of loathing it! That's right, I'm a positive Patsy and not a negative Nancy.  (Please, note Patsy and Nancy are lovely names)

I feel like this project has been crippling me for so long....I just keep dragging it out.  I am going to try to finish it by tonight.  But, I can only work on it when Audrey is sleeping.  She likes to touch the wet paint and then try to feed it to me.  It's not delicious.

Since I am leaving you lacking in the pic department, I will show you my wish list for this room.

The couch and the ottoman!

The chairs!

Still working on those shelves :)

Display on the piano!

Love the number pillows, and the horse pic!

I love the pattern, the chair is okay.  I like a more modern chair, but the print is LURVE!

Working on this too!

-Make your life beautiful!