It’s wild to assume that that is our second 12 months of adorning this home for the vacations (what even is time?!) however first a ton of you have been asking to see what occurred to the kitchen facet of the house as soon as the brand new door went in. Our final submit lined all of the pictures and angles of the brand new kitchen porch we created outdoors – simply steps away from our cooking space inside. So let’s check out what went down inside. Right here’s what the kitchen is wanting like lately:
It’s all the time enjoyable to rewind, so if we take a step again in time, that is the kitchen because it regarded once we purchased this home in Feb of 2020:
We talked about our preliminary updates to the room waaaaay again in this submit from Might of 2020 (earlier than we moved in). And this one is a more moderen kitchen replace that particulars the factor about our kitchen that no person might perceive once we moved in (spoiler alert, it was “why didn’t you simply rip out the kitchen and redo it earlier than shifting in?!”). So you’ll be able to learn precisely why proper right here in that submit.
And right here we now have a considerably comparable shot of the room at present. After I say that door modified SO MUCH about how we use this kitchen, I actually can’t underscore it sufficient. John grills dinner (rooster, shrimp, burgers, even PIZZA!) about 4 nights every week. Perhaps even 5. Our brother-in-law even shocked him with fancy steaks delivered to the home for his Christmas current and the thrill in John’s eyes was palpable. I feel the reward of steaks even a 12 months in the past can be form of a head-scratcher for us (foodies, we aren’t) however this man is ALL IN on the grill. It’s his new favourite software (okay, tied along with his mitre noticed). Additionally I’m decided to bake chocolate chip cookies on the grill, so keep tuned for that experiment…
Right here’s a shot of how the room regarded earlier than the door went in. The cupboards had that shorter run below the window, however due to John’s mathy mind we realized we’d solely lose about 18″ of cupboard house after we factored within the house that we achieveed from having free and quick access to the beforehand blocked nook cupboard.
See that house to the best of the dishwasher? That grew to become a freed up good huge decrease cupboard with a drawer above it (26″ huge)- so we gained that. However we misplaced the little peninsula of cupboards that was blocking it (which was 44″ huge, therefore J’s calculation that we misplaced 18″ general).
The excellent news is we gained THIS! It is perhaps a stretch to name it a full-service out of doors kitchen, but it surely’s positively an excellent helpful extension of the kitchen for simple grilling and extra lined seating amongst different issues (like a quicker option to carry within the groceries).
We additionally added a complete pantry to this kitchen, so we’ve by no means had a lot storage. Extra on that right here, but it surely was the opposite factor that modified every part about how we use this house.
So between this huge storage-fest (3 new drawers + 6 new cabinets together with the cupboard over the fridge!) and getting access to that beforehand blocked nook cupboard & drawer, we’re sitting fairly in the case of storage in right here.
The truth is that drawer by the brand new door is totally empty. I’ve been debating what I ought to use it for, but it surely really feels very nice to have room to spare. That was positively a think about our determination to forgo higher cupboards and simply have two rows of thick wooden cabinets on the again wall of the kitchen for now (with our cute little brass and white sconces up there). Cupboards would permit us to shove much more stuff into this kitchen… however the objective of downsizing and simplifying = form of the other of making an attempt to jam stuff you don’t really want right into a smaller house. We actually might improve to true higher cupboards down the road if we discover ourselves thirsty for extra space for storing, however for now the concept of a wall filled with tile with these chunky wooden floating cabinets sounds nice and capabilities properly for us.
As for a way we eliminated that cupboard to liberate house so as to add the door, the reply is: as rigorously as doable, largely with a hammer and a prybar. We simply slowly demo’ed out the previous stuff, and saved the drawer and door fronts so we might create a drawer and door for the nook cupboard that we have been exposing. There was additionally a bit of flooring lacking below the cupboards however we simply have common pine flooring right here, so it wasn’t exhausting to trace down and we had the identical execs who added the doorways “feather them in” (which implies you don’t simply patch the ground in a rectangle form, you narrow the brand new boards all to totally different lengths so it’s not an apparent patch job).
And I simply used the identical Bona ground end & sealer we used again once we had the flooring refinished to match them. Labored like a allure! I simply observed the runner isn’t centered on the door on this image, however that looks like actual life. See how one can’t actually inform the place the previous flooring finish and the brand new ones start?
Our Hail Mary plan if refinishing the brand new pine didn’t match completely was going to simply be to save lots of the flooring within the space of our bed room the place we’re planning so as to add the ensuite lavatory and use that to patch this spot later (in order that’s an excellent backup plan for anybody you probably have a spot in your home that has current wooden that matches however is perhaps transformed to tile later down the highway).
And as for a way the cupboard door entrance and drawer entrance got here out that we cobbled collectively from the remaining components of the cupboards that we demo’ed out… we’re SO PLEASED. You actually can not see a seam the place we joined two drawer fronts and two doorways to create one wider considered one of every for this finish cupboard (due to wooden filler, sanding, extra wooden filler, extra sanding, primer and paint).
We really ordered new cupboards for this again wall that are presently sitting in our bed room (they arrived proper earlier than Burger died and we simply felt too drained and unhappy to take the entire kitchen aside (since new cupboards will result in no sink or dishwasher for some time since we’re additionally including new counter they usually take a couple of weeks to template after the cupboards go in, so the room can’t often come again collectively in a short time). However the plan is to possibly sort out that in early 2022 if we now have it in us. P.S. Our new cupboard plan is to color them this precise shade as a result of we’re very connected, so don’t fear, the mauve isn’t going anyplace.
Oh and within the photograph above you’ll be able to see the seam of the entrance piece of the laminate counter the place we needed to prolong it as soon as we uncovered that nook cupboard. It’s actually the one discernible clue that this kitchen was ever something totally different – however as soon as we substitute the cupboards and counters and tile that again wall I feel it’ll really feel prefer it has all the time been this manner.
Okay, so now, onto the vacation decor! I’d describe Yr Two on this home for the vacations as a extra minimal Christmas however nonetheless a festive one.
Final 12 months we obtained a mini actual tree for upstairs within the household room in addition to placing up our skinny faker (that’s what I affectionately name this tree proper right here) within the bed room. However this 12 months we had a extra central spot for our principal tree… proper within the nook our new pantry created within the kitchen, which will be loved a ton of the time. So I feel it eradicated our urge so as to add a secondary little tree upstairs (you’ll be able to see all of the pictures of how we embellished the home final 12 months on this submit).
One other factor about our new spot for the tree, is that it feels prefer it offers us “extra bang for the buck” from outdoors. I imply how excellent is that?! Couldn’t have deliberate it higher! And we actually didn’t – we simply pushed the tree into the pantry nook nook simply to see if it was bizarre or cute in a spur of the second urge & have been each like… “UM IT IS GREAT!”
The juxtaposition of a pile of flip flops and a lemon tree outdoors and a glowing Christmas tree inside makes me snort.
I spotted I didn’t present you the way the opposite facet of the tree appears, however you’ll be able to see from this pic of the youngsters beginning to enhance it that it doesn’t actually get in the best way of something. We’ve got a giant potted plant right here the remainder of the 12 months, so the one actual distinction is that the tree is taller. However no person was strolling into that nook nook earlier than, so it’s all good function-wise.
For those who’re a kind of individuals who likes to “stroll” via an area to get your bearings, you can too get a really feel for the entire kitchen on this video. I LOVE how one can catch a glimpse out on the kitchen porch, and the ending makes me snort. Feels very Florida.
Notice: You can too watch this video on YouTube
Okay, however again to our tree. We’re big followers of the entire collected-over-time mishmash of sentimental and significant and handmade-by-the-kids ornaments. Gone are the times of “theme timber” or something that’s coordinated and matching – all of us jam ornaments on mainly each department and admire the result each time. I do know it’s not for everybody, but it surely certain makes us comfortable.
The youngsters put their stuffed animal “Burger” right here the primary night time that we put up the tree and I cried actual tears. We’d give something to have him again. Feels so unhappy to have Christmas with out him, and our tree is roofed with Burger ornaments too. He lives on in our hearts for certain.
After which there’s Raychard (sure, his identify is Raychard, not Richard). He was named by our daughter again when she was like three or possibly even two? She’s 11 now, so he has been with us for some time. He’s all the time stepping into hassle…
Upstairs, the important thing phrase is minimal I feel this 12 months. Ha! I simply put out a tray of ornaments and a few small bottle brush timber and known as it good. Oh however discover how there’s a form of folded fake sheepskin on that woven bench on this photograph.
There have been two of them form of flopped over and positioned on the bench to make it cozy however the children mainly juggled them each day in order that they have been by no means left the identical means they have been discovered, if what I imply. So we lastly made a legit “upholstered” cushion that can’t be thrown throughout the room or rolled up right into a ball and IT FEELS SO GOOD.
All it took was reducing a skinny piece of MDF into the form of the bench seat after which stapling a pretend sheepskin across the edges with my guide staple gun (right here is an analogous fake sheepskin).
I feel the entire thing took us like 12 minutes and I used to spend 12 minutes each few days wrangling the fake sheepskins that have been now not properly folded on the bench seat, so…. COMPLETE AND TOTAL LIFE HACK.
You possibly can see the completed consequence on this photograph beneath. It’s floofy sufficient since our fake sheepskin had plenty of density to it, however you positively will need to add foam in the event you strive one thing like this with MDF and cloth (it’ll really feel very exhausting in your buns with out the froth).
For those who step again… extra timber. Some are bottle brush, some are wooden, some are ceramic, and a few are mercury glass. I like this stuff and bear in mind packing them inside an inch of their life once we moved right here as a result of I by no means need something to occur to them.
Over by the TV there’s slightly dough bowl of shiny pink and silver ornaments for some added sparkle (right here’s an analogous whitewashed dough bowl).
Total, it’s a refined vacation impact. I went the other of excessive this 12 months.
Enjoyable truth: I retailer this dough ball with these ornaments in it similar to this within the final wardrobe cupboard in our bed room (together with all of our different vacation stuff – extra on that right here) so it’s simply able to set out yearly. Really easy, and in a closed cupboard it doesn’t even appear to get dusty. In Richmond I used to bag up the ornaments in a labeled plastic bag that stated “dough bowl ornaments” however generally much less is extra. This works simply fantastic.
I like this angle with the pink portray and the brass sconce and Teil’s ebook blended with these timber. I’m telling you, they’re small and cute however they make me so comfortable. I’ll have purchased three new $3 ones from Goal. They’d pink glass and mercury glass ones of their greenback spot, which is now all the time $3 or $5 (the “greenback spot” identify is improper and must be up to date…).
Extra timber ended up on our desk. Additionally, legos on the ground is actual life, so please get pleasure from. The vast majority of these legos are from John’s childhood and his mother saved all of them these years and now our youngsters play with them. I simply love that.
Additionally extremely advocate a disco ball for year-round festivity. The reflections when the solar hits this one are a lot enjoyable.
Oh and this 12 months we lastly added this stunning menorah to our family. Rising up we all the time had one together with a Christmas tree (my mother is Catholic and my dad is Jewish) and I knew the youngsters would love rising up with an analogous custom. All of us had enjoyable lighting the lights and I shared some childhood reminiscences of my grandma and grandpa’s Hannukah traditions. Additionally… please benefit from the smeared hand marks on the dishwasher that I left there, additionally within the identify of “actual life.” P.S. Doesn’t that banana stem rising from the fruit bowl appear to be a clenched fist, as if the apple is like “I’ll by no means surrender!”
Oh and outdoors John had enjoyable wrapping this tree with lights (these are comparable heat white exterior lights). I like this a lot I’m advocating that we go away it up 12 months spherical. Its so glowy and delightful at night time, and we get to get pleasure from it from our entrance door and window once we’re consuming dinner or hanging out within the sitting room within the night.
Additionally please take a second to understand the inflatable weiner canine that stay throughout the road at our neighbor’s home. We’ve got the easiest neighbors and their love of dachshunds is aware of no bounds (they even have a “Completely satisfied Halloweiner” inflatable that we get to get pleasure from each October). There are another very festive homes close by, so it’s positively starting to look lots like Christmas – even on the seaside when it’s 75 levels.
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