Brandon and I completely redid the kitchen when we moved here in 2007, and we changed everything but the hardwood floor. We did much of the work ourselves, and we came in at about $10,000 for the whole project (a great price for a complete kitchen). But the layout, which we kept because it’s truly the best layout for the space, is odd. The fridge stands alone in the center of the room, leaving all but the back exposed. We bought a stainless steel alloy of some sort (magnets stick and fingerprints don’t show) and the sides are grey instead of the typical black. It’s a nice fridge, but it’s nothing special.

The kitchen would be greatly improved by the addition of a pink fridge, yes? (That’s an old photo, by the way. The trim is white now.) Smeg, Northstar, and Big Chill all make them (in pink and other colors). This one is perhaps my favorite, but I just pinned over a dozen colorful fridges to Pinterest too. Do you dream of owning one like I do? What color?

© 2011, published by Making it Lovely as Thinking of a Pink Refrigerator | 92 comments

(from west elm)

© 2011, published by Making it Lovely as Owl Butter Dish | 35 comments

It’s time to start painting the trim. First up: finishing the kitchen.

© 2010, published by Making it Lovely as Starting on the Trim | 30 comments

I tried to make the other side of the sink cute too. The green soap dispenser is for hand soap, and the olive oil bottle is for dish soap.

The green one is great but the other isn’t working out as well. I liked the look of it much more than any actual dispensers I had seen, so I thought I was being very clever when I bought it. When I tried to use it though, I realized I’d have to dilute the soap considerably for it to pour through the spout. Oh well. At least I tried, right?

© 2010, published by Making it Lovely as Cutest Dish Rack Ever | 115 comments

The kitchen door leads to the basement, which we’ve always left ajar for the cats. We had thought about cutting a hole when we initially moved in, but we were hesitant because we didn’t want to mar a 100 year old door. Recently though, I’ve become less afraid of ‘ruining’ our house in the pursuit of making it work for our family. Paint the woodwork? Yes, please. Cut a hole in the door? Don’t mind if I do.

And speaking of painting the woodwork, we’re getting there. All of the baseboards and doorways are done, one of the windows and one of the doors have been finished, and we still have one window and three doors to go.

© 2010, published by Making it Lovely as The Pet Door | 64 comments

So yes, progress has been made, albeit very slowly. My model below is the reason…

© 2010, published by Making it Lovely as An Update on the Kitchen Trim | 41 comments

Remember, this is what the kitchen looks like now.

Also, Eleanor helped assemble some flat-packed Swedish furniture for my office. So handy, that little girl is!

© 2009, published by Making it Lovely as We’re Up To Something | 40 comments

Look at what the electrician left us with in the kitchen though. Are there better looking light switches that go one above the other? There is not enough room for the standard side by side switches that I was expecting, and I would like something, you know, less ugly. The electrician said that he could replace the switches with white ones, and I suppose a new switch plate and some touch up paint will help. Still, I miss the simple standard switch that we used to have.

© 2009, published by Making it Lovely as Braxton Lighting | 32 comments

Design Mom posted about chic salt and pepper shakers recently. Well having just shopped for a replacement set of our own not long ago, I thought I’d share the flip-side. See, I like my salt and pepper shakers to be shaped like little animals, or people, or to have science jokes, and so on. Maybe they’re not chic, but they’re fun! Of course I’m always drawn to shapely white ceramics too. Here are my top ten salt and pepper shakers…

1. Salt and Peeper
2. Granit
3. Good Chemistry
4. Classic Century
5. American Black Walnut
6. White Porcelain
7. Lantern
8. Hug
9. Bird
10. Moustache

© 2009, published by Making it Lovely as My Top Ten Salt & Pepper Shakers | 46 comments

I put this “Eat” sign above the fridge quite a while ago, but I hadn’t taken a photo of it until now…

My mother-in-law has the same sign in red in the family’s Wisconsin lake house. I bought mine from Feather Your Nest (though it looks like they have different word signs now).

And how cute are these little measuring spoons? I love the soft clacking sounds they make as I open the cabinet.

© 2009, published by Making it Lovely as Orla Kiely (and Other New Details) in the Kitchen | 61 comments