About the Kitchen...

Where to begin with this boring kitchen? The double oven and stainless appliances are the only real draw. Everything else is builder basic blah. I keep staring at these pictures, trying to figure out why it feels "off," and what to do about it. For starters, the island feels a bit too small. I think it's because the top has so little overhang. It seems stunted. Also stumpy: the upper cabinets under the soffet. Not only am I losing valuable cabinet space (which I need for all my damn cake paraphernalia), but the ceiling seems really low. Oooh, I can't wait to take a hammer to that thing! And not to worry, I'll reuse those cabinets in the laundry room and my sewing room.

Also getting the boot: the hideously dated lighting and the Formica countertops. I might be able to live with just replacing the island's top with something more appropriately sized. Counters don't all have to match, right? But this kitchen is crying out for a backsplash, and I wouldn't want to put a lot of time and money into only to highlight the counters I don't really like.

I also find it strange that they didn't put a cabinet over the refrigerator, even though there's an upper cabinet right next to it. So, add that to the list, along with a new set of cabinet hardware. Whoever came up with this idea for cabinets without pulls was a dull man indeed.

I'm probably going to have to live with it for a while to decide what it really needs. Then I'll have to get to work on my handy-dandy family for some help. But, here are some of my idea for starters:

I love the idea of darker cabinets on the bottom, either a dark walnut stain (on the left) or painted gray (on the right). The uppers have been replaced with taller, white versions and the soffet is gone. I also switched out the light fixtures for stainless steel, modern ones. The one over the sink is an extra from my beloved in Lexington. The island top is wider and longer, with an overhang in the foreground for seating. My sketch shows granite (why not?), but I also like butcher block, and it would be a heck of a lot cheaper. And finally, my favorite, pale blue glass subway tile for the backsplash. That part makes my heart sing, and it's finally getting me excited about this kitchen.

Now, the next question is--how can I pull this off? To be continued.