{the kitchen}

White kitchens. 

They're everywhere. 

And people LOVE them.  

They love them so much, they are taking their beautiful wood cabinets and painting them WHITE.

It astounds me.  

Perhaps that is because I HAVE a white kitchen.  

And I hate it.

So, I have been looking at all these white kitchens, around the internet, on Pinterest, trying to figure out just what it is that people adore about white kitchens and why they so desperately want them.  

I don't know what it is.

A few weeks ago, I was visiting one of my most favorite decorating blogs and there it was again, those white kitchens.  I left a comment telling her how I had one and I hated it.  She emailed me back and said, I checked out your blog, I don't see your kitchen anywhere.  That's because ... I don't know why.  

SO... to make a long story short... just for you, Decorchick, here is my kitchen.

I actually do love the counterspace, all the cabinets, the 17 drawers, the big island, the bar, the hardware, the tile floor, the brightness of it.   I even love the paint color, the stars, and the maple leafs I have stamped on the wall.    

But... something just isn't working for me.  

The counter tops?  Blah.  

The backsplash?  Boring.  

My budget? Doesn't exist.

So, I'm kind of stuck with them. 

The view from the living room:  

(don't mind the leftover cupcakes on the counter)

The view from the front door:
(love our new silverware from Ikea?  Best thing we've ever done!)

The view from the dining room:
(the valances are so faded, they really need replaced)

The view from the corner into the living room:
(anything and everything collects on the bar... like snowcone machines)

The handstamped maple leafs:
(using maple leafs I collected from my own backyard!)

There you have it.  There is my white kitchen.  It will never be the kitchen you'll find people drooling over on Pinterest, like say, all of these... but who doesn't want a beautiful kitchen?  
I'm usually just happy if it's clean.  

What do you think? 

Almost there, a before and after

My dining room before...

a chaotic catch all....

the only thing missing is a pile of clean laundry on the table.

Am I right, cute husband, or am I right?

And my dining room on crack after... it's so clean.

And blue.

Ish.

Gray.

Ish.

Different.

Ish.
Should I paint the mirror frame black?
Black and white photos or mix and match?

I am missing something here.

The plates above the window need something.

And what do I put on the shelf below the pictures?
Decisions, decisions.

If you only knew how hard it was to pick the paint color to begin with.

It's called Trustworthy from True Value.

Just in case you are wondering.

I have issues...

I have issues. I know, surprise surprise, right? Every day it's something new, what bothers me this week won't even matter next week. But in the meantime, this is really bothering me. What is it?

My curtains.

I don't like them.

We have this nice bright sunny living room with a big west facing eight foot wide window and it's the first thing you see when you walk into my house. Only, we can't seem to stand it when it's nice and bright in there.

I don't know why, we just can't.

More issues for another day, I guess.

Not to mention, the wind blows from that direction so there is always a draft and then there's the cat that just can't stay out of the blinds and curtains....

So, we keep the window nice and hidden, by vertical blinds - which I hate and are thusly (is that a word?) covered by thick thermal curtains, which I hate even more.

No idea why, really, they just don't do it for me. They are so... boring.

But, I haven't clue one what to do about this latest issue. I've looked everywhere in person and online for the perfect (affordable) drapes. Can't find anything. I hunted the fabric stores. Can't find anything.

My budget is ... like, oh.... nothing.

What I envision is... I don't know, and there in-lies the problem.

It just needs... something. Something... different.

But not so different that the red pillows and blankets don't match anymore. *wink wink*

Fix it for me. Please?

What would YOU do to this window?