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All this sharing of kitchens has led me to show you the mess I'm up to my eyeballs in.

Ten years ago, I moved into my house w/ lovely orange counters. I found some wallpaper that went w/ the orange and made it all make sense....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: out on a limb,

When I moved in, there was even orange vinyl on the floor, too!! The walls were always so bumpy, and I really couldn't figure out why. Well - when I took the wallpaper down, I found out why!!! YIKES!!!

Oh yes - let's not forget the horrible textured ceiling...

I had the ceiling re-done and it's much subdued...

When I took the wallpaper down - no wonder things were such a mess!!

This is the worst wall...

under the cabinets..

the last 2 days have been spent patching and priming...I still have to sand this wall, and will prime tomorrow..

under the cabinets.....

Making progress. Thanks for letting us go along for the ride. Can't wait to see more pics. Keep em coming!

I'm going to paint the cabinets a lighter color, and the walls are going to be green.....ironically, not a whole lot different than the original green on the walls. LOL!!

I'm going to tile the backsplash and the counters will be laminate w/ an ogee type edge. New ceiling lights, new sink and new faucet will also be on my agenda. Oh yea - and hew hardware.

Install of the counters and sink will be March25. During the summer, I'm shooting for a new floor, too....

That's it for now Cara. Although, I'm hoping to get the walls painted and the wood work restained between tomorrow and Monday.

Painting of the cabinets will be after that. I will have the cabinets painted by the time the counters are installed end of March.

That stupid thing cld work slows progress down a lot!!

It's going to look great! Please keep sharing!

Wow, what a job, but it will be worth it when you are done. Can't wait to see!

Bless your heart! Wouldn't it be fun if we could all come and help you! When I first joined here, I remember you talking about your orange counters. I am so excited for you!

Have you chosen a laminate yet? I installed a Wilson Art granite look-alike a few years ago, Deepstar Fossil, and love it. I have Flowering Herb green paint, so I am partial to green kitchens.

Can't wait to see your "reveal".

Tuesday

Thanks for all the complements....I'm sooo excited(& you can see where I started)!!! I have never done a project on this magnitude and while I wish i could gut the kitchen, the budget and the neighborhood doesn't allow it. But i'm still getting what I want.

Tuesday - the laminate is also Wilsonart - Tuscan Limestone. The counters will have an ogee edge. I wanted something w/ minimal pattern because I want it to last "forever" I placed it next to all the colors that I tend to like a potentially paint and it will go w/ all of my changing whims.

The counter guy is going to take the sink cut out and it is going to be turned into a microwave shelf for above the shelf.

The faucet is Delta Leland model - a pull down faucet w/ one handle. The stainless steel sink I'll get from the counter guys - it's a 60/40 split.

The knobs are from VanDykes - they're on the way. They're an ORB w/ copper accents.

I found 2 ceiling fixtures at a local lighting store. Those I'll put up soon. The ceiling fan is going away. I will get some crown moulding for the ceiling and over the summer I will put down a new floor.

After the counters are put down in March - I'll put in a tile backsplash. Can't really finalize the tile until i see the counters in place. But the ideas keep flowing!! LOL!!

Thanks for letting me share!

Wow this is inspiring. I remember how these kinds of posts gave me the courage to try some of the things I did. Hope some new female poster who is waiting for someone to make her home better is inspired to tackle the project herself. You can be so proud of all you have achieved.Please keep sharing.

Wow you did a most of the hard work already! Things are looking good.
It's so rewarding when you do the work yourself, you know you're getting your moneys worth and it's done right.

I'm so impressed with what you've done so far. So much work, but when completed will give kitchen a whole new look. Saying bye bye to those orange countertops has to be a good feeling. Can't wait to see your new kitchen.

DD would absolutely loveeeee those orange counters!!!!!!!!

I had trivets like you have...gave them to her as she loves all the c.1950s stuff.

Send her North CJO - She can get them on March 25! The trivets were my Grandma's.

Can't wait for the new counters!!

I'm staining the woodwork this afternoon and tomorrow i'm going to put the wall paint on..

You make me want to do some of the things I've been putting off. Keep the pics coming.

This is so exciting! What a transformation, and you have done much of the work! I cannot wait to see more pictures!

I, too, like the orange counters!

You all can come and get these counters - March 25 is the day of the install, they'd be free!!! LOL!!!

Over the weekend, I got the wall by the sink finished - it's not smooth as a baby's butt, but it's as good as it's gonna get in this old house.

The green reminds me of split pea soup LOL!!

by the window...

The wood trim in there is tired looking and it needed a freshening up, so i decided to use polyshades. I've never used it before, but I gotta say that I'm pleased.

It richened it up "just enough"

I have natural oak trim in the DR and LR, so didn't want a big difference - the wood in the kitchen is southern yellow pine, and probably was originally painted. Someone else stripped it, and i have no intention of painting it back!

This is the freshly stained window next to the au naturele door.

..

very nice.....keep the pictures coming

j

It's lookin' good! Those old walls with eight million weird patches in drywall mud, concrete, and who knows what else all hidden under layers of wallpaper are exciting aren't they? (said with much sarcasm) Reminds me of the walls in the Peacock Parlor at our last place. Nothin' for it but to pretty much float the whole thing. The secret is knowing when to stop as the pursuit of perfection will drive ya nuts. Those smooth, gentle waves that remain when you're finished are part of its character. Looks like there may have been a window behind some of those cabinets at one time.

Your trim looks great! We had the same tired look to the trim, windows, and those massive pocket doors at our last place too. We did exactly what you did-PolyShades. We brushed a very thin coat of Olde Maple on the oak then finished it with clear. It did absolute wonders for the exterior doors that had been faux grained 100 yrs earlier to emulate oak. Two or three coats on those, but they turned out great. It's amazing what a small bit of color can do. The comparison between your window and door is awesome!

The ceiling looks WAY better. Will have to keep popping in more often to check on how things are going. Sound like your plan is going to be wonderful! Can't wait to see!

It's coming along very nicely. I don't envy you with all that wallpaper stripping! Been there, done that.

Keep the pics coming.

How exciting! I love projects. Don't have any now so I will have to watch your progress! You will be so happy when it all comes together!

Coming along nicely! And it is wonderful to see your excitement! You will LOVE your new space!

Oh it is looking so good!! Love all the old wide trim..and I do like your "pea soup" wall color..

Great job!!

I like the green. It looks good with your wood trim and the polyshades sure did bring the wood trim back to life didnt it!!

Looking great! Wow, the difference the poly made on the window trim is amazing!

It's looking good! Did you say the Brady's want their counter tops back? (wink)

Well Becky - the Brady's can come to Dayton and get their counters AND the wallpaper that's stuck in the corner that i can't get to.

Yesterday i got the room cleaned up and got the woodwork stained. Will put the 2nd coat of stain on there this morning and will put the rest back together - only to begin the painting of the cabinets.

I've gotta get some order back into the rest of the place before finishing up! LOL!! My knobs and pulls came from VanDykes this week - I can't wait to get them on!!!

becca,
Exciting things happening at YOUR house! AWESOME!

This weekend I worked a bit more....So, here we go...This picture of the clock is a great picture of the actual color of the walls.

I started painting this one set of cabinets because it's not by the stuff, so it had the least amount of grease and grime on it....The can of paint i bought, I didn't like it. It was too yellow, and there ended up being zero contrast between the cabinet color and counter sample. Went back to lowes, and they tweaked it for me.

The cabinets - w/ the doors off

I got the knobs from VanDykes and couldn't wait to try one out. I'm happy...

the door after being painted - This is a bottom cabinet door...

The cabinet door w/ the sample of laminate coming...

And my climber kitty - Lady Grace, has figured out that there are cool things to jump up on in the kitchen!!! She climbed up the ladder sitting next to the sink, and I found her sitting IN the sink. But she moved too fast and here she is climbing OUT of the kitchen sink!! LOL!!!

I am pretty happy to be painting the cabinets - esp after looking at the cabinets as they are. I do think something like PolyShades would have spiced them up - but I'm liking the paint so much better.

3 weeks from tomorrow the counters get installed.

The progress you are making is awesome, I love the direction you are going. Those knobs are going to make the cabinets.

Your kitty reminds me of mine, and she is getting into everything also!!!

I am liking that paint so much better too! What a GREAT peek at what is to come! Thanks so much for sharing.

Can't wait to see your kitchen finished, I KNOW it will be so NICE! You are doing a great job with your choices!

Love your new color selections and the knobs too. Congrats on the progress. I admire your painting skills as cabinets are not easy.

Good Luck!

I put the doors back on tonite. I like it!! The picture doesn't really show the wall color, but Oh well....

The drawers will have to wait til the weekend...