A Night of Accomplishments (At least a few...)

So the past few weeks or months -- who knows? -- my house has been a wreck. I was in school full time this summer, just as I am this semester, and I was planning and organizing a wedding on top of that! Well everyone, I finally took back possession of my kitchen/dining room! After the explosion of peacock feather wedding decor, the graveyard of wedding gift boxes and bags, and the week-and-a-half long demonstration against my sanity that the ants held, my kitchen is finally mine again! I will now reveal to you my kitchen area. It's nothing fancy-- we've not been here for even a year-- but I will hash out some plans I have for it with you!

The view from the laundry room:

The view from the living room:

The view from the bar:

The view from the hall:

And up close and personal with the dining room:

This area really is the heart of our home. I find that I spend most of my time awake in there and it is literally at the center and can be seen from every angle.
What do I plan to do, you ask?! I will tell you in LIST form! ("If you don't like it, you can shove it. But you don't like it, you love it.")


1. Paint the cabinets, and remove the doors from at least a few. Add shelving, customize...

• Layla at the Lettered Cottage has done some amazing things to her kitchen. Just like mine it began as a normal builder-grade kitchen and she transformed it into what looks like high-end custom cabinetry. I think this is a good link to show her Before and After...
• I LOVE the look of open, organized shelves showing off pretty dishes and baskets! Here are a few examples:

And I LOVE my dishes, so I would enjoy having them out in the open: (Best WalMart purchase I ever made!)

But then, what color do I paint them? A pale, dusty blue? White so that the dishes will pop? Espresso brown to coordinate with all my furniture? A later blog will discuss this further...

2. Re-tile the floors and backsplash and put granite on the counter tops.

• Our white counter tops are disgusting and stain so easily. And our tiles are okay, but I want slate (or imitation slate).
  

3. Add an island to the middle! I want something quirky like a vintage library card catalog.

4. Accessorize!

• As of now the kitchen lacks some personality. I do love my vintage tins, one of which is serving as a utensil holder, my bookends from New Mexico, my recipe box.

And I love that the tins are both of chocolate related products. The fatty inside smiles. :o)

And I need to hang my Pier 1 curtains up! And display by pretty Pier 1 glassware!

I also have a neat plan for the empty wall for our dining area, but I've packed this post FULL. Tell me whatcha think? Any ideas?