The Kitchen Finale

Here it is.  The very last time I will mention my new kitchen.  If you have not had a tour of my old kitchen, go do that now.  Click here.  I'm not even kidding.  You are about to view one fancy kitchen, and it kinda embarrasses me that we have something so nice.  You need to see part of what we used to have.  Lucky for you, I didn't even talk about the mold under the kitchen sink from the endless leaks or the vinyl tiles coming up on the floor or the kids shivering because the windows and door leaked cold air all winter long.  So go.  Then come back to see the reveal.

Ooohhh!  Are you so excited?  As I've mentioned, it is fancy-schmancy.  However, it is mine, so there are still a few redneck touches.  Keep your eyes peeled and see if you can spot them.

You walk in the front door, go down the hall, and enter the dining room.  Your eyes go directly to the kitchen and the Harvest Gold glow emanating from it.

Do your eyes go directly to that cute little ice cream parlor table and chairs I got at the antique mall? 

It's the perfect place for the kids to enjoy a little after-school snack by the window.

(I'm still looking for a table cloth for it.  Or something to soften it up a bit.)

I can't tell you how happy I am with the woodwork.  The man who worked on this house is a genius.  He spent five minutes in my house, with no paper or pencil, then went out and replicated them.  Fourteen pieces of wood around this one window.  He cut the wood for 2 windows and four doorways one day, then assembled them all the next.  A genius, I say.

Oh, did you notice the rug?

Overstock.com is my new favorite place to shop.  Nowhere else could I find the perfect 4' round rug for under $100.

Or did you notice the island?

That ginormous piece of lovely that I had no idea could even fit in my kitchen? 

I spent hours looking high and low for unique stools that weren't $300, wouldn't wear out or tip over from use by six active children, and tied in with the farm.  Lo and behold, I found tractor seat stools at Shades of Light on-line.

I know.  There aren't any cushions.  No cushions for my children to rip or stain.  They are surprisingly comfortable.  (And the redneck touch of leaving the cardboard on the feet of the stools to prevent scratches on the floor?  Haven't gotten the felt stuff yet.)

Back to the island.  On the opposite side of the stools are six huge drawers.  I can fit all my everyday pots and pans, all of my 9x13 pans and other Corning Ware, dish towels, every spatula, spoon, opener, slicer, and other odd utensil I could need, and...my favorite...

the Tupperware/tin foil/baggie/food storage drawer.  All organized and in one place.

The kids and I have spent lots of time at this island.  Breakfast every morning, of course.  But the baking with them has been so wonderful.  We've been making a lot of banana bread.

(You noticed the light?  Another Overstock purchase.)

The kids stand/sit on the far side, while I stand on the busy side.

Behind me, the sink.

With a window that opens.

To the left, the stove.  With a nifty spice drawer.

To the left of the stove, the gizmo cupboard.   Some people would use this space as a lazy Susan.  (How many of you have a sister named Susan and used to taunt her with the lazy Susan reference?  (My hand is currently raised.))

I have chosen to leave it as one huge cupboard.  Finally, a home for all of the "We could have used the stove/oven, but why when we can use this great big space-sucker intended for this one and only task" gadgets we have acquired over the years.  Really, a cupcake maker? 

The "Rustic Alder" cupboards continue on the top, with a corner glass door for displaying pretties.

I only have one pretty.  A lovely glass bowl/plate a friend gave me for my 40th birthday.  The other two shelves are noticeably lacking pretty at the moment.

Back to standing at the island, to my right is the fridge.

We realized that the fridge doors open about 150 degrees, so we needed to get the fridge away from the wall in order to open the crisper drawers.  Thus, the added apothecary drawers and wine rack.  Pity, I know.

Remember the pantry I had?  And the window to nowhere?  Now lovely, uber-useful spaces.

The new pantry...

with the added bonus of handles too tall for little hands to reach.

And where the window used to be, same pantry on the bottom, but on the top, a "message center".   A spot with doors that close for my calendar, school papers, pens, scissors, batteries, coupons, and sundry other items.  Did I mention that it has doors?  That close?

And then, the room that has changed my life.  Remember the old kitchen, and the door that everyone drug mud and animal poo through?  It's gone, and instead we have....

A MUD ROOM!!!

In it you will find the soccer bags, boots, shoes, cleats, coats, box of hats/gloves/scarves, water bottles, and school backpacks for each child in each of their own "cubbies".   You will also find our old kitchen table, which is now the craft/project table.

No more Play-do crumbs in my kitchen, baby!  Or sand.  Or glue.  Or crayons.  Or paint.  Or markers.  It's all used in the mud room, which has a vinyl floor.  An awesome vinyl floor.  Vinyl has come a long, long way.

There is also a large utility sink to clean it all.  And to fill the animal waterers in the winter.  And for the kids to wash their hands before entering the main part of the house.

And see that curtain that runs along the top of the cubbies?  The 13-foot curtain I made without a sewing machine? 

Yeah, ironed that Stitch-witch stuff to hem it, then duct taped it to the top.

Hellooooo Redneck!

Anyway, under that curtain are the miscellaneous items I don't use that often.  Canning supplies.  Extra water bottles.  Dish drying rack.  And lots of empty space to fill later.

The room has changed my life, people.  Everything in those cubbies used to be scattered throughout the front entryway, the kitchen, and their bedrooms.  The insanity and filth were everywhere.  No longer.  I am at peace when I enter my home.

Do I love my kitchen and mud room?

Let's just say that after everyone has gone to bed, and I'm alone with my thoughts, one might walk into the kitchen to find this...

Yes, I love my kitchen and mud room.

 For those of you still reading, thank you for putting up with the gushing. 

The kitchen will never be mentioned as "the new kitchen" again.

If it is ever mentioned at all.

And you're all welcome to come have a meal with us anytime!

Have a lovely day!