Does anyone else start to feel exhausted and a little grouchy by Christmas, after all the shopping, wrapping, cooking, baking, cleaning, socializing and making the holidays magical for everyone else? Sometimes those preparations sneak up on me and suck the joy right out of the most wonderful time of the year.
How about instead, we knock some things out in advance and actually ENJOY the holidays without all the frenzy at the last minute! For the next few weeks I’m teaming up with an amazing group of bloggers to share some do-able ideas and projects, one room a week, and we’d love for you to join us!
This week I’m talking spruce ups for the kitchen with these lovely ladies!
Pam of Simple Details • Julie of Less Than Perfect Life Of Bliss •
Shelley of Crazy Wonderful • Becky of This Is Happiness •
Jennifer of Dimples & Tangles • Katie of Miss Dixie
So, the kitchen! While we do enjoy the little seating area in our kitchen,
…on the other side of the room we have our dated 80s kitchen featuring sweet boloney-colored countertops. They are not my favorite element in our home but I work around them and try to make the space functional and pretty anyway until the day we can say sayonara.
There are lots of little things you can do to improve a not-so-dreamy space….paint and fresh flowers go a long way and are my go-to!
Let’s chat about that less-than-functional space in your kitchen. A kitchen desk that you never use perhaps? A messy drop zone that drives you crazy?
How about a COFFEE/BEVERAGE STATION instead?
If you’re a coffee or tea drinker, a designated counter with space for storage nearby would be useful every day AND at Christmastime guests can help themselves (and it can double as a cocoa bar for the kids!)
When we first moved here I painted the cabinets and took the upper doors off of these cabinets by the fridge and I loved having our drinking glasses and some of my crystal in here. However, this has become the spot we drop everything – mail, school papers, keys, random tools, bits of projects I’m working on, charging cell phones – you name it, it migrates here. Having a lot of barware in here really doesn’t work so well because we don’t use most of them often and they get dusty.
I have often wondered if I could just take out that center piece with a jigsaw.
YEP. I can!
You don’t have to go to that extreme but just removing cabinet doors in one small area of your kitchen will give it a whole new feel. You can always put the doors back on down the road if you tire of the look.
(Wear safety goggles if you go after your cabinets with a jigsaw!)
Fresh paint on the shelves…..
….and it’s so much better already! I removed the key hooks,
and stocked the shelves with the drinking vessels we use frequently.
Blue glassware (similar) • Copper mule mugs • Life Begins With Coffee Mug
Copper mule mugs are one of my favorite decorating accessories, especially now that these ones have developed a bit of a patina on them. Aren’t they perfect for fall, and for a kitchen with boloney countertops?
Free printable from Jenn @ My Fabuless Life
I cleaned out one of the drawers for coffee filters, etc., and the cabinet underneath has the elixir of the gods right there.
Stainless steel coffee and tea canisters
The coloring is a little off but check out the kitchen when we first moved here (dubbed “The Peach Pit”), to today. Paint is miraculous isn’t it?
I’m happy all the supplies are in one place, and when we have overnight guests this holiday season I’ll set the timer on the coffee maker and they can help themselves in the morning. Nothing like waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee!
Let’s go visit all these clever ladies to see what they’re up to in their kitchens!
Simple Details • Less Than Perfect Life Of Bliss • Crazy Wonderful •
This Is Happiness • Dimples & Tangles • Miss Dixie
Next Tuesday we’re all talking about projects to get your bedroom or guest room holiday ready, and I have a super quick and easy spruce up for you! No paint or power tools required!
If you enjoyed this post, I’d love for you to join my mailing list for more creative tutorials, design ideas and tips and tricks for the home delivered right to your inbox!
Sara says
WOW… Looks incredible! I have two words for you and your countertops: Contact paper. I had the same sort of thing, only mine were PINK. Can you imagine?! I found some green ‘marble’ Contact paper and it’s been on there for almost 20 years. I’ve had to remove and replace a few strips where it’s worn or ripped, but it’s easy and looks great.
Lisa says
Sara thank you! I have thought many times about covering our countertops with cement, pennies and epoxy, wood, paint…..but they are silestone so they’re actually really great functionally – they’re indestructible! If only they weren’t that hideous color……:)
Shelley | Crazy Wonderful says
I hear ya on the cluttered drop zone! We have two piles covering our counters on the regular, it’s so bad!! You constantly blow me away with your DIY skills. Turning these into open shelves for a coffee station is brilliant! So excited to see all of these posts!
Lisa says
Seeing as coffee is central to our happiness and well being, making a little area for it was long overdue! I’m making your drawer dividers today, so excited! Your kitchen has me all fired up to organize!
Leigh says
It looks great. It’s hard to see from the picture but I don’t think the counters look so bad especially with the white cabinets. Before my kitchen remodel 10 years ago I had gold laminate counters from the 70’s. Believe me they were indestructible I actually cleaned them with Tilex when I moved in to get rid of the built up grease. lol
Lisa says
The kitchen in the house I grew up in was gold and avocado green, straight out of the 70s also! While we don’t love the color of our countertops, the material is unbelievable – better than the granite we had in our last house by far – it doesn’t chip and is indestructible! Which is good and bad 🙂 Thanks for stopping by Leigh!
Calypso in the Country says
I would have never thought to remove that piece! It looks great and so functional now. I have a drop area next to my fridge as well. We have our Keurig in that spot by somehow all the phones. the mail and my handbag end up there way too often!
Shelley
Lisa says
Your kitchen could never look bad, even if the dropping zone gets messy!
Calypso in the Country says
You are too sweet – thank you!
Lauren@SimplyLKJ says
Looks fantastic Lisa. I love the warmth the cooper adds, and it seems blue is the new fall color. Love it mixed with the warm oranges of the season. We have a designated coffee spot and it’s a lifesaver during the holidays when hosting. Always love when family and friends can help themselves.
Lisa says
I love copper and blue together too Lauren! And I’m with you – it’s nice when guests can make themselves at home.
Becky - This Is Happiness says
It looks great Lisa! Love the cooper mugs and your sitting area is so pretty. Looking forward to seeing your other ideas!!
Lisa says
Thanks Becky! We love that sitting area….I did it on a whim and it’s probably the most used spot in the house!
Julie says
Looks awesome!! Great update!
Lisa says
Thanks so much Julie! So nice to have one little spot in my kitchen organized, ha!
Josie says
This looks fantastic!!!!!! Ok…so I laughed for a few minutes over the “sweet baloney” remark. It really made my morning 🙂
Lisa says
Glad you enjoyed our little nickname for the ugliest color countertop in the history of countertops Josie 🙂 Just gotta laugh at them!
Debbie - Mountain Mama says
You crack me up with the ‘baloney’ countertops – ha ha ha!! They really don’t look bad, and they are obviously high quality. I have stupid white square tiles on my counters which I guess is better than laminate, and at least it’s neutral, but I have been itching to change them out since I moved here. I would love to put in the same marble-looking quartz I put in my master bath OR paint the cabinets white and put in wood countertops. I think probably the quartz as it’s so easy to clean, and then perhaps just stain and poly the butcher block on the center island to bring in that deep shiny wood I love with a white kitchen. Someday!! 🙂 A girl can dream!
Lisa says
White cabs with wood countertops would be gorgeous!! Actually your entire plan with the wood on the island and the quartz on the perimeter sounds dreamy to me…..I’m right there with you my friend! Someday!
Carol @ CAD INTERIORS says
You are the best at making the most with what already exists! Love the functional pull-out in the lower cabinet, and how you re-worked the top cabinet to become open shelving. The white paint makes everything look fresh too. 🙂
Lisa says
Thank you so much Carol for putting it like that – you fortify me with those words when I’m running out of patience with our renovation timeline! Hope you are surviving YOUR reno……love seeing snippets on IG!
Do gia dung smart says
Everything looks simply beyond, seems like all things ready for a great Christmas. That also inspires me a lot, thank you for your site.
Looking forward to your next posts!
Pam @ Simple Details says
Oh wow, another smart idea!! I love the open shelving, it always makes such a difference, and removing the center support was perfect! I also love the mule mugs front and center for easy access! Haha! 🙂
Lisa says
I do love a bit of open shelving to break up cabinetry a bit. And yes – it’s good to have that mule mug nearby as needed!
Ellen from Ask Away says
You have SUCH a beautiful kitchen!!!
XO Ellen from Ask Away
http://www.askawayblog.com
Lisa says
Aww thanks so much Ellen!
Jennifer Griffin says
Lisa, what a perfect solution for your little nook! I love this idea and the shelves look beautiful!
Lisa says
Thanks so much Jennifer! It’s a big improvement – I don’t know why I didn’t utilize that space sooner!
Jessica says
Lisa this looks amazing!!!! I love what you did with the cabinet. That was brilliant and the blue glass is stunning!
Lisa says
Thanks Jess! I’m enjoying this little area so much – it’s a big improvement to the disaster that was there! 🙂
Linda Terry says
Lisa, what a fantastic update! Such a great idea for that nook! Sweet baloney LOL!
Lisa says
🙂 Thanks so much Linda! I’m enjoying that little spot in our kitchen so much more now!