Our "New to us" Kitchen

Back in the summer of 2008 I decided I wanted to update my kitchen. I had the original 1982 everything-with the exception of the wallpaper which my mother had painted over a yellow and added a floral border. I was never a big fan of it-but it was better than what was there; she's a good mom :)

oh gosh-I forgot how ugly that floor was!

Luckily for me I had this boyfriend who was very handy. So for weeks I scoured Ebay and craigslist for inexpensive upgrade options.

I had decided I wanted the backsplash tiled with white subway tiles and white countertops. Then I started looking for accents. I looked at a gazillion shades of gray for the walls and Adam & I stripped down the 30 year-old paper and repainted.  Also I found an inexpensive glass tile seller on EBay and selected a subway layout using various grays and white. And after losing at least 6 auctions I finally got my new faucet.

So my amazing boyfriend worked a couple of weekends tiling and re-laming my counter tops, installed a faucet and put hardware on my cabinets. It looked super....except for the matching almond range and refrigerator. Unfortunately that was not in my budget and until they kicked it they were staying.

Fast forward to this March. It was the Monday we were informed of our pay cut & work situation, Leanne was staying with us and we were playing cards and having some cocktails. Adam noticed that the ice (from the newly installed ice machine) was melting. Hmmm and then we noticed the fridge was making a weird noise.

Oh crap.

As we checked our fully stocked freezer we realized the food was half thawed.

Oh. No.

The fridge decided today of all days to lie down and die.

Adam began vacuuming the coils and unplugged it......we crossed our fingers but I was already on line looking for the cheapest white fridge.

Then I called a good friend who I knew had some extra white appliances. She, my angle, said she'd sell it to us for a really good price. We took it.

(our fridge began working again and has taken up residence in our living room until someone on Craig’s list comes and rescues it)

Now we had this new Side-by-Side white refrigerator with water and ice in the door, which by the way I have NEVER had and have wanted since I can remember my first visit to Aunt Sandy's house in the BIG CITY!

The only thing was that this had been sitting in their garage for a few years and the handles had yellowed-bad. I did some research and a trip to the Depot and $4.50 later Adam masked everything off like a pro and spray painted all the yellow spots. It looks BRAND NEW!

Skip forward a month.

Adam is at work and a friend (who had been storing appliances in their warehouse) asked Adam if he knew anyone who needed a white glass top stove. Adam spoke up-how much? For you? Free.

W. T. F.

Serious.

Last night Adam brings home our "new" white range-GLASS TOP!-and we move out the old one...next to our fridge! Luckily we have a friend who needed a new range so we gave ours to him-talk about Pay it Forward.

Our kitchen is now updated (sans the hood-which Adam will paint) except our cabinets. They are actually nice quality oak-but I have always loathed the stain. My father refused to let me paint them white when I bought the place and now that I have this white/gray kitchen I'm thinking white might be a bit to sterile. I am not a sterile person.

So here it is: me the Architect, needs design advise! If, and when I decide to undertake the daunting task of refinishing the cabinets, what stain/shade/style should I do?!? Part of my just wants to head to IKEA and buy some cheap modern doors (seeing as this is not our dream house and we want to move as soon as the market allows us.)

Is it even worth it? Do I REALLY care? I know Adam doesn't. And I know he doesn't want to strip all that wood, but for me he would.

Well for now-we're happy with our "new-to-us" Kitchen.  The next job will be to update that hideous light fixture.  I've already got my eye on a new fixture.

Tonight I’m going to try out the new stove for the first time-fingers crossed all works well.