As the name of my blog indicates, I spend a lot of time thinking about home. Of course, my Heavenly Home is the one that is eternal, so that’s where I need to lay up my treasures, and that’s the one I’m striving for. But in the meantime, I have been given this tiny piece of the here-and-now—this home on the edge of town, this family, this neighborhood—in which to serve Him. And, though this is in the earthly realm, I want the things that happen here to be investments in the Heavenly realm.




Saturday, October 6, 2018

More Changes in the Kitchen!




Two years ago, I told you about our plans to s-l-o-w-l-y make changes to our kitchen. Although the Pineapple House kitchen had a charming vintage vibe, our own style is a little more simple. We came up with a list of changes we wanted to make to the room, over time, to make it fit both our decorating style and how we wanted the room to work. 

BEFORE: charming kitchen with a vintage vibe
BEFORE: shortly after we moved in


"Slow" was the right word, but progress has been made! Here are some of the things we have checked off of our (kitchen) list since we have moved to Pineapple House

✔ We replaced the refrigerator and dishwasher with new stainless steel models.

✔  We replaced the cook top with the double oven range we had bought for The Farmhouse a few months before we moved, and removed a lower cabinet in the process.

✔  We removed the wallpaper and painted the walls antique white. 

✔ We painted the trim. (Actually ~ahem~ we've painted it three times. Ack! The current color is Benjamin Moore's Kangaroo. Long paint story here.) 

✔  We hung a new chandelier over the island. 

✔  We constructed, hung, and painted interior shutters. 

✔  We removed the wall oven and created an alcove for the microwave.


All of these changes had been completed the last time I shared an update




And then . . . 

✔  We took down the little shelves around the window and replaced the curvy molding with a simple frame. (I know that so many people loved those vintage shelves and the molding, but they just did not fit our decorating style. If you loved them, please forgive us!)

✔  In May, we painted all of the kitchen cabinets with Kangaroo by Benjamin Moore. 


And when Ron was on vacation in September . . . 

✔  Demo! (Removed the old countertop and sink.)

✔  We put beadboard paneling behind the countertop and stove, and around the window.


✔  We installed walnut butcher block countertop and backsplash.

✔  We installed a new enameled cast iron sink and a bridge faucet. 




We decided to go with butcher block countertop again, as we had at The Farmhouse. We love the way wood adds warmth to a kitchen. This time we chose walnut from Lumber Liquidators. It is actually darker than I had imagined, but I like it, and I think I will like it even more as time passes and the wood develops patina.




I have not finished styling the kitchen. With so much neutral, I am trying to add in some color without going over the top. I have asked Ron to make a cover for the toaster oven (not currently on the counter), disguised as an old apothecary cabinet. I'll paint and distress it. That will add some subtle color. I am also pondering where I could add some fabric, for color and softness. I hadn't planned on having curtains/valances, but that is a possibility.



As much as we loved our big farmhouse sink in The Farmhouse kitchen, we decided to use a drop-in sink this time. We are all tall-ish people, and the deep farmhouse sink was just too hard on our backs! I did want a single bowl again, because that allows plenty of space to wash (or soak) something big like a cookie sheet or a frying pan with a handle. We found this sink online at Signature Hardware.




We wanted a high arc faucet and we wanted separate handles. Ron preferred a bridge design. I had been shopping for a polished nickel faucet, but then Ron found this one in black with white cross handles and my search was over!



There are only a few projects left on the original list . . . and they all involve this south wall of the kitchen shown below.


  • Move the washing machine down to the basement.
  • Move the refrigerator over to the space where the washing machine sits now. This will involve some re-configuring of the upper cabinets. But it will allow us space for a longer section of countertop instead of two short sections on either side of the fridge.
  • Build a drawer and cabinet unit to fill in the empty space.

Granted, none of the remaining items on our list is simple!

But we'll keep plugging away at it in our slow and DIY sort of way, and in the end, we'll (kind of) have a new kitchen!

I already feel more at home in the Pineapple House kitchen. It feels like my space now. And I am happy to use it to serve my family, my friends, and anyone else who the Lord puts in my path!



30 comments:

  1. The butcher block counters are making my heart sing! I love them! The color is great! And your sink! If I can’t do a farmhouse sink in my kitchen, then this one is a great alternative! I love the one bowl sink. Perfect for bathing grand babies and toddlers!

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    1. Thanks so much, Deanna! I'm glad you like the changes. Anytime you want to come for a visit and check it out in person, it's okay with me! ♥

      I think this kind of sink is a great alternative and would look right at home in your cottage! Yes, perfect for bathing little ones!

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  2. the walnut counters make my heart swOon!
    we're rebuilding our newest vintage trailer
    using walnut on the interior! LOVE it!!!
    everything is lovely with simple lines
    and streamlined style. at first i gasped
    reading about removing the decorative
    trim but what you replaced it with is
    perfection! i love it! so much. ♥

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    1. Thanks, Sherry! I'll bet the walnut in your trailer is going to look fabulous . . . your trailers always look like a dream!

      (I confess to a little cringing myself when we removed that trim, but it had to be.)

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  3. I love what you have done! Then again, I love your entire house. ;)

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  4. It looks great! (And I liked it before.) How wonderful that it feels like your kitchen now. I know that your family can count on you to use it on their behalf wearing a smile.

    (Must the washer go to the basement? I have a basement laundry, which I despise. Prior to The Haven, I had a first-floor laundry room. It was fabulous. Alas, there is no spare room for relocating the laundry, which I imagine is the difficulty there as well.)

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    1. Thank you, Vee!

      I know! I have "puzzled and puzzed 'til my puzzler was sore" (like the Grinch) to come up with a solution for the laundry area. Just recently, we hit upon something that I think is going to work. I think I'll write a post about it . . .

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  5. I think it is a huge improvement, and sweet as the curvy bits were, it would have been the first thing I replaced too! Simplicity...wonderful.

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    1. Thank you, Elizabethd! Simplicity reigns! When I look back at photos of my house in the 80's, it makes my brain hurt. ;)

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  6. Your kitchen remodel is beautiful, Cheryl! You and your family have certainly worked hard to achieve such outstanding results. The butcher block countertop is a beautiful shade. And taking out the curvy pieces does streamline the look. My laundry room is downstairs and I wish it were upstairs! I understand wanting the washer out of the kitchen to allow for more room. You have the best ideas and it's always fun to visit and see all of your ideas come to fruition. ♥

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    1. Thanks so much, Martha Ellen, for your kind words! We have all worked hard, especially Ron. But you know something? He thrives on projects! (Good for me, right?)

      As I just said to Vee, I have thought and thought and thought about the laundry room problem ever since we moved into the house. It is actually quite convenient to have it in the kitchen, even though I don't want to keep it there. Just a month or so ago, I hit upon something that I think will solve the problem! It's a lot to explain, but I plan to write a post about it!

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    2. Cheryl, as lovely as the kitchen was before, I "approve" of all your changes. The very things that make it feel like *your* kitchen would make it feel more like mine as well. I love my big single-bowl sink and would never have any other kind now. Have you thought about having a laundry room on the bedroom floor? My cousin has that, and it seems pretty ideal to me.

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    3. I'm glad you like it, Jean! I would say that we're "kindreds" in the kitchen, but I would not put myself in your category when it comes to cooking!

      I have thought about SO many scenarios for the laundry room. Our house is a ranch style, so the bedroom floor IS the main floor. But I had a brainstorm several weeks ago and I think we have a solution to our problem. I'm going to mull it all over in a post soon. :)

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  7. While I did like the 'vintage' style before your kitchen remodel, I love what you have done. The butcher block counter tops are fantastic. It's all oh so lovely. You will enjoy this for many years to come.

    Have a wonderful Sunday ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Thank you, Lorraine! Indeed, we were planning this remodel with "the long haul" in mind! (Of course, no promises about changing paint colors a few years down the road, because that's how I roll. But almost everything else was planned with longevity in mind.

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  8. Your kitchen looks wonderful! I love the more simple/straight lines and the counter top is fantastic. The kitchen sink looks amazing. Love your style Cheryl!

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    1. Thanks so much, Rosella, for your kind words!

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  9. You all have done a great job on this remodel. I love butcher block counters also. Lots of light at the other end of the kitchen too. What a great family space you've created. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Thank you, Melissa! Yes, there is lots of wonderful natural light at the other end of the kitchen. The sun porch kind of filters the light that comes in via the sink window.

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  10. Oh, Cheryl, how beautiful your kitchen is, a lot of work and love for sure went into this project. I keep waiting for me to get motivated to make some changes to ours. I so agree about the farmhouse sink being very deep, especially for taller people like us.
    I also enjoyed your previous posts, especially the Gathering of Summer moments, you have such a special family I always enjoy seeing the memories you share together.
    Thank you for visiting me, and for your very sweet comment.
    Blessings,
    Sue

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    1. Sue, it's always a pleasure to visit you! Thanks for visiting here and for all of your kind words!

      About your own changes . . . you'll do it when the inspiration strikes! And then you'll probably do it in record time . . . I've seen how you work!

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  11. it all looks so good! I love your faucet with the old timey separate handles. Beautiful! I miss the little shelves by the sink, but only because they reminded me of my grandmother's kitchen window, and now the lines are cleaner and simpler in your sink area. the countertops are wonderful--especially with the pie sitting on them. You guys have done a great job.

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    1. Thank you so much, Dotsie!

      By the way, I totally get the nostalgia of those shelves. We had similar shelves in the first house we lived in when we got married and I loved them. But every time I looked at them here, I saw "gobby"!

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  12. Lovely! And those wood counters!!!! So warm and beautiful!! ~tammy

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  13. Your kitchen looks awesome. Love it! It looks warm and inviting. A great place for good things to happen in!

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    1. Thank you, Brenda! Actually, with the changes in my surroundings, I feel more like making those good things happen!

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  14. I really like the changes and your style, Cheryl. Good things come to those who wait or something like that. I think I see the end of the tunnel with our unpacking of boxes. Only 17 boxes of books left to unpack. Hope October is going well for you and yours!

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    1. Thank you, Ellen! I am so impressed with the speed of your unpacking! We have lived in our house for two and a half years now, and we just unpacked the last box in the basement about six weeks ago. Yikes!

      October is going well . . . and speeding right along . . .

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