No More Poker in the Kitchen

Below is our kitchen, pre-anything.  So much is wrong in this picture, starting with the white eye sore appliances, you hardly notice the granite because those appliances are blinding!  And then there’s the white formica underneath the cabinets, not sure who thought of that smart idea.  This picture is from the first morning we woke up in the house. As you can see from the Miller Lite, pizza boxes and poker table, we had some friends over the night before. We didn’t care that the house hardly had furniture or had a poker table for a kitchen table, we just couldn’t wait to have people over in our first house.

A few months later, our kitchen got a facelift.  Paint Color and new stainless appliances made a world of a difference.  My brother-in-law painted the kitchen, living room, hallway, bathrooms and our master bedroom as a wedding present.  My grandparents so generously bought us the appliances of our (my) choice as our bridal shower gift.  The appliances are Kenmore Pro.  I solely based my decision on that beautiful stove/oven.  I love the feet and the stainless backsplash.  Also notice that there are now oak baseboards under the cabinets instead of the formica.  My grandfather, retired carpenter, was quickly and easily able to glue those pieces on.   Poker table is also gone, sorry Justin.  My parents and I actually found this table at a warehouse sale about 5 years ago.  Even though I was still living at home, was not engaged, I insisted on getting it.  It lived in my parent’s basement for years.  Originally in the thousands, we got it for around $250.  But of course, it was free for me because my parents paid J.  The table is a rectangle shape that seats 6, but has a leaf that makes it a huge square that comfortably seats 8, though we have squeezed in 12-13.  The chairs I bought later at Crate & Barrel.  In the second picture, you can see where the fridge is.  The fridge was about a quarter of an inch too tall, so my very handy grandfather lifted the top cabinet to the ceiling.  Then I asked him to make that convenient wine rack in the extra space and I love it.  It fits 9 bottles of wine. Just perfect!

And below is our kitchen as it stands now.  (Sorry for the night time photos.)  I switched out the chandelier for the Pottery Barn Halton chandelier, added some art, and had curtains made.  Things on my kitchen to do list include: painting the cabinets a creamy white, switching the hardware, adding a glass backsplash, and swapping the sliding door for a French door.  So who’s with me on painting the cabinets?  I know my husband and grandfather(an oak lover) are not too happy with it.