Wanting to change things but I'm no good at decorating! HELP
My husband insists on doing everything himself to save money AND because he doesn't trust others to do as good a job as he can. He has worked so hard on our home, and made major improvements but I'm so tired of the dark green/oak look! Part of the problem is that our cabinets, doors and trim are all oak and all the yellow/orange factor of all the wood is beginning to seem SO dated. I'm willing to but my husband doesn't want to paint any wood (big surprise, right?!). I would like to keep the work to a minimum for us both: I need advice on how to modernize: because I just want to blow it up and start over! As you can see from the family room photos, I am also trying to get a better solution for the tv being the elephant in the room! Is there anyone out there who thinks I should leave things as is (minus my clutter!)?
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Comments (10)Are you saying that cooking next to the chute would gross you out even if its covered? Andd to use it for its intended purpose? In the first picture, it looks like the stove is directly underneath the chute, but I can see in other pics that it is not. I think it is far enough away. If everything is bagged properly, it shouldn't be that bad. You will have to check on local code regarding having the stove next to the window. Code may make your decision for you. People usually just put shorter cabinets above that type of range hood. I would recommend doing so because you need all the storage you can get. The hood--being different from the bank of cabinets--will provide relief to the eye. With cabinets above, it'll still feel balanced. And, as for covering the chute, do you want to cover it and restrict access or do you still need to use it for its intended purpose and just want to camouflage it? To help the room feel pleasant, cheery, and light, I recommend using a glass tile. Even though it's applied to a wall, the translucency still shows and evokes a sense of the adjectives above. I think it would help keep things light. Consider a slightly higher toe-kick underneath the lower cabinets. It helps to create a lighter-footed feeling. You could also consider cabinets that have furniture style feet. for a more open feeling. Your kitchen seems like an ideal room to use modern, lacquered cabinets. I don't know if you like the super-modern look, but I think it could be nice. Maybe just for the uppers. Use a medium-to-light toned wood on the bottom. A limestone floor might be nice. Or you can do wood or laminate. You could go with dark or light. I think it's mostly about preference....See MoreNeed Help on Colour Painting
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PROPatricia Colwell Consulting
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
PROJudyG Designs
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoI suggest painting all the interior walls AND ceilings B.M Super White…if the walls are in good shape do them in eggshell finish. It will immediately brighten your home. Do the ceilings in flat finish.
Hubby can bend on this one…he gets to keep the stained woodwork, but you get to paint the brick fireplace.
DianaB thanked JudyG Designs
PROPetrine Construction
7 years agoWe renovated an old Farmhouse and painted only the doors white on the upper cabinets. It came out great and helped lighten up the room. This kitchen has a slightly different cabinet style and we did replace the floor cabinets; which also helped brighten things up. Also, the white trim and accents are a nice contrast to the rest of the dark colors.
I agree, they look like good oak cabinets and shouldn't be disposed of for no reason.
The backsplash behind the oven could use some brightening up too. Some white or bright tile could be nice and it would allow you to do keep the cabinets as they are.
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PROKitchen Tune-up Zeeland, Sales & Design
7 years agoDianaB thanked Kitchen Tune-up Zeeland, Sales & Designhousegal200
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoHow wonderful that you have a husband who's done so much. I agree with the posters here who say declutter first. You have a ton of cabinets in great shape. Take things out to make room for things you've been parking on the counters.
I agree with everyone saying to keep the oak cabinets in their natural state. Here are some examples:
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French Country Kitchen Cabinet Restoration · More InfoGet your husband to get those cabinet doors on there. Open shelves are for those people who have perfectly matched everything and don't actually seem to use their kitchens. Your kitchen looks lived in and comfy but needs to be streamlined. I would keep the cuckoo clock and hanging mugs because they have personal meaning But that's all. Take down the hearts, doodads, signs, stuff on cabinet tops, arched doodad over the window, the kitchen curtains. (Get roman shades instead if you need the privacy. Otherwise, leave the window plain except for live plants.) Put your cookbooks in the cubbies where you have the baskets so you have a little library vibe there. Once you declutter, you'll find space for whatever is in those baskets. Don't put anything in the corner that has the white pitcher and small cabinet--more visual clutter. Put the pitcher in the middle of your dining room table.
--Yes, paint everything Super White in all the adjoining spaces, including the hall, living room, dining room. I usually don't recommend painting a fireplace, but JudyG convinced me otherwise in this case. Or whitewash it in case hubby protests. (He might!) Again, keep stuff off the top of the bookshelves flanking the fireplace.
--Dining area: consider centering your chandelier over the middle of the dining space to center the table and chairs. That space will look a thousand percent more symmetrical if you do that. No rug under the dining table so you can focus on a new rug and curtains for the living room. If you have the budget upgrade your chandelier to something like this:
UP05 · More Info--For your living room, choose a rug that picks up the gold of your floors/cabinets, cream, and an accent color. Make sure it fills the living room--nothing skimpy. Get sofa pillows in cream and the accent color. Anything curtain-wise that you do in the kitchen like roman shades should also have the accent color.
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Francesca FC-51 Blue Gold Area Rug, 5'x7'6" · More Info--A two-tiered new coffee table that visually links to the kitchen will add a lot to the living room. You can put your books underneath and arrange your family photos or mementos inside. A glass coffee table with metal or wood trim would like a new print rug show through. Or add a pair of storage ottomans in an accent color.
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Rainbow Microfiber Storage Ottoman, Yellow Microfiber · More Info--Find a long console table/cabinet/bookshelf system to replace your side table near the TV. One long piece with storage, painted white, will totally declutter that side of the room. Hang or place the TV above the table. What you're looking for is something streamlined to balance out the rockers. Replace your lampshades with simple white drum shades.
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JudyG Designs
7 years ago housegal200
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoDianaB
7 years ago
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