October 14, 2010
-
My Kitchen at the Cottage – Before & After
This blog has moved!
Follow me at skiesofparchment.com
Follow the kitchen before and after here.
~clarita
This blog has moved!
Follow me at skiesofparchment.com
Follow the kitchen before and after here.
~clarita
Comments (63)
I am green with envy.
And blue with sadness…because I live in an old rental…yellow siding, windows that won’t open, 1 closet, etc….
Your kitchen is beautiful! One day when I have my own house again, I will look to your cottage pictures for inspiration!
This is so beautiful, I am jealous. You have great style!
I love your kitchen. great choices.
Oh my. How. beautiful. I love it all. I love the blue. and the baskets, the open cabinets, the EAT, the fireplace, the countertops. I love how open and airy it seems. How beautiful, and how clever your husband is to make all these things. What a dreamy kitchen.
BTW, as soon as I saw the words ‘before/after’ in the subscription updates, I got the same giddy feeling that I get when I get a fresh new magazine in the mail, or something equally delicious. When I open it, i savour every bit along the way, just like I did this post. Loved every second of your long tour.
Like a magazine!!!!!!!!
very, very pretty!…
Like Thelma I felt giddy to read “before and after” as well. There is something great about things being reborn. Love the new look, the whites always draw me though I seldom go white.
The beams, counter top, open shelves and your personal touch…all beautiful.
Wowsers!!!! Some Major Before and After pictures… I like your style girl! Bring on the guests!!!
I love what you’ve done, Clarita! Your kitchen is beYOUtiful . . . and one day I will come work/sit in it with you.
I love the “EAT” in red . . . stands out kinda like your poster in the LR. I am wondering if your cupboards are pure white~same as your trim, etc.? Phil bought off white for my cupboards last Christmas, but then I got scared that I wouldn’t like it and have been holding on to my black ones. Will I?? Should I? Getting rid of the black would help with the poor lighting situation that we have, that’s for sure.
My room project for the children is coming, but s.l.o.w.l.y. One day I shall have “after” pictures to go with the “before” pictures.
And hopefully that “one day” will be before this baby arrives. I have loved hearing from you in your recent comments and since I feel like I’m behind in about everything right now . . . well, one day I’ll be caught up a little more and give you a call. Until then, enjoy your beautiful home and family. Love!
love the utensil containers & wonder where you got them. i’m not real fond of utensils on the counter but truly like yours in a basket! beautiful kitchen (i’m w/you about cooking/baking)!
you were on my mind so i came to pay you a visit….and look what i found, (a reason to stay up EVEN longer)! I told myself I was GOING to be in bed by 10:30pm….so much for that!
i am in LOVE with your space. I too have that same picture torn out of that magazine. I went much more vintagey in my kitchen, but nevertheless, loved the idea of it all! and that SINK, oh, you must NAME HER!!!!! she’s worth that.
someday i will visit you and we will talk late into the night, (or early into the morning)!
love from up the coast!
xoxo
p.s. i’m soooo sorry you didn’t make bundles of dollars @ your precious little stand, however you have gifts for the next 10 years!!!
Gorgeous! Some day when the Lord sees fit to give us a house, I will have to pick your brain for inspiration. In the mean time, I will do my best to be greatful for my small apartment knowing it’s not forever. And hey, it’s more than others have, right?
Wow!! This is gorgeous! Magazine layout material. I love the idea of a fireplace in the kitchen, so cozy!
yep.
what everyone else is sayin’: magazine material!
so beautiful!!
my favorite part is the sink. oh, my sister and i talk about that kind of sink, and someday! when i’m all growed up, i’m gonna have me a sink like that! ;O) they are soooo wonderful!
i have to say that what you all have is a GifT. a gift in that you can do this yourselves. seriously, not just anyone can do that, and you and your husband have surely been blessed!!
thanks for sharing your gifts with us!!
happy weekend!
♥~R
amazing! absolutely amazing! i love it!! your little girls are adorable!
Love it! It’s obvious that lots of love and personal touches went into it. Need I say I’m jealous?
Your Kitchen is totally darling! you are amazing lady (and Ben too)!
Seems like a kitchen like that would make cooking /baking fun for anyone! =)
Clarita, this is GORGEOUS!!!! I love your cottage style … just so perfect for the little cottage you live in and so refreshing and clean and restful. I was telling my SIL about your house the other day b/c she’s getting ready to paint her living room and I said that every time I see pictures of your house, it feels like my mind gets a rest. I just want to come sit in it.
Only half the pictures are loading so I’ll come back and look at the rest later. I love what I do see so very much!
my heart starts to pound now when i see that you’ve posted a before and after!!!
gorgeous. just gorgeousness!!! i love the cool, the white, your SINK and many, many clever ideas!
you two make a great team! with kitchens and babies!
OH MY GOODNESS! I AM IN LOVE WITH YOUR KITCHEN! Amazing….beautiful…everything I want my kitchen to look like! Thank you for the inspiration!
wowzers girl… you guys do miraculous things TOGETHER as a team. Love seeing that in couples. love the concrete counters, the sink, the open cupboards, the white and blue and just overall coziness.
i also totally get the ‘don’t enjoy cooking’ comment and i’m with you… i want to learn to like it, and i think i am s.l.o.w.l.y, because it’s going to be a part of my life FOREVER. (pretty sure that’s NOT going to be my job discription in heaven PTL)
Happy wkend to you.
I’m going to cry I’m so jealous of your kitchen!!! It’s GORGEOUS!!!
I came onto your site right after you posted yesterday, and left it on my screen so my husband could see your wooden countertops when he came home from work. I really like them. But, I forgot to tell him when he came in, and he clicked off the screen before I could show him. I’ll have to show him tonight.
I highly dislike my kitchen. It pretty much looks the same as your before pictures! Cabinets, same dark, dreary color, scallopy wood thing above the sink…I hate it! We are still in the thinking planning stage of the kitchen! I do want to brighten it up, it’s so dark!
I LOVE your new kitchen! I love the colors, and I am coveting, coveting, coveting your farm sink!!! I want one! Waaaaaaaaa!!! Lol.
Ok, I think your house is cute enough to go into a magazine! You are so creative! You should send all your before and after pictures to This Old House! I’m serious, you really should. You two did a GREEEEAT job! =) Thanks for sharing!!!
I love your kitchen, Clarita! Actually I love all of your house that I’ve seen pictures of. You have a real gift. I agree with the above commenter. Your photos and story are worthy of This Old House. Thanks for sharing!
so many things I wanted to comment about but I probably can’t remember them all! I love your decorating style. I think if I ever have a house I’d like to order one just like yours
Sounds like so much work-I know since we just recently redid our kitchen too-but man is it so nice to have it all done and beautiful!
Cooking is just one of those daily things you just have to do…..kinda like getting up in the morning 
Though, if you continue to get those girls cooking you won’t have to do much in a few years 
My mom started me stirring the gravy for Thanksgiving every year and by the time I was 7 I could make it all by myself 
Now I’m known as the gravy maker at my house….no dares take that job 
I love the idea of the pictures and chalkboard too. So fun for little hands!
I can’t believe you have 5 fireplaces in such a small house and in a house where you don’t live terribly far up north. I like the kitchen decorated mantle as well-I’ve never seen one in a kitchen so it’s neat and different. We put a mantle frame in our hallway upstairs and then put family pictures over it to give the hallway something interesting. Looks kinda cool if you ask me.
I’m with you on letting the kids get on the counters…keeps them out of other business in the house, you know exactly where they are, and they get to have fun too-though you never know how many cookies your missing at the end!
As for baking, I’ve found in the hot summertime I really hate it but then in the winter when it’s all cold and I want something warm to eat, I love baking. I used to hate doing the dishes with a passion but then the month long girls camp I go to every year in the summer cured that and now I just view it not a drudgery but as something that just has to be done and then it’s over with. Maybe doing all those dishes there with friends fixed the mindset of how bad it was.
As for finding a rug, I’d look on craigs list. There’s some good deals on there.
loved it, every minute!
Hello, just dropping by to say that I really love your blog- and your kitchen too.
its all so pretty!!! u and ben did a wonderful job!!!!
Your kitchen is beautiful.
And the picture of your little girls on the counter is even better.
-Nicoline
You did a wonderful job on this remodel! You have such great ideas. We are getting ready to move into an older home and I can’t wait to get started painting/decorating/fixing up. You gave me lots of great ideas!!
Came on a rec from Liz. I love love your kitchen remodel, and all the fun, great looking things you did! I could move right in. We did a remodel way back as a young family, a wonderful time, busy, but lots of energy! Your sink is fantastic, I just see it full of vases and flowers being arranged. You are right, your hubby is a genius, and you are too. Well done!
sooo soooo pretty! i love the blue color
and the countertops your hus made for you.
and love your decor.
and your chandelier.
and your cuties up on the counter.
ok, your kitchen is so pretty it kinda insane. i have brain freeze in a good way.
i don`t even know you– but it looks very “you”.
you have a gift is all i can say.
all i could think of was how much i would love to come visit you and curl up beside one of those fireplaces.
love the shiny wood countertop!!
and the apron sink!!!
so much more to say but it`s an understatement to say i should not be on the computer right now. crazy week.
thanks for making my very laaaaaaaaaaate night! it`s after 1:00 am here…
love it! you did a great job and it totally reflects you I believe!
I dropped by from a link to elizabethmarie and enjoyed reading and looking at all the projects in your remodel. Great job. I was very inspired by the concrete counter tops. Very neat idea. Thanks for sharing.
your fan! i just bought the same exact fan at an antique shop for 13 dollars! no fair.=) very nice kitchen…love it love it.
Love the white cabinets. Just wondering if that makes for more cleaning?! I try to keep cleaning to a minimum around here and would be concerned about that with so many little boys in this house, I already have enough to do!
i love your kitchen..so fresh looking! Also I love your style!! As always it inspires me!!
@rachi882 - - one day! and right now will make one day all the more special. even though that doesn’t make right now more special, I know!
@fruitloops115 - you made my day.
@FOREVERLANE - my cupboards are off-white. i think they hide the dirt a little better like that, and they’re not to stark and cold. i say go for it in your kitchen!
and looking forward to those before and after of *yours*!
@thisisabother - the utensil containers came from T.J.Maxx or Marshalls, I can’t remember which, and they were about $3 each. I have loved them too!
@JakeandJanelle - I LOVE your idea to name my sink!! I think I shall have to do that!
And yes, would LOVE to have you here – anytime! 
@smilesbymiles - You just made my day when you said these pictures bring you rest, because that is sooo what I want it to do! Thank you!
@down_onthefarm - kitchen and babies, huh?
)
@aretheyallyours - I peeked in on your blog, and sounds like you will have so much fun in your old new house! Cheers!
@baileyandme - do you even know how much I would love if you could come??
@mel5680 - my cabinets are off-white, even though that doesn’t show on the pictures very well. and yeah, they’re probably a little harder to keep clean than stain, but they brighten my kitchen so much that I don’t mind. I often quickly wipe the cabinets after a meal, or when I wipe up the floor, so they don’t get too dirty for too long. And Mr. Clean magic eraser works wonders on them!
Truly amazing work. Your kitchen is beautiful, I love it. A true masterpiece
very very beautiful!!
Wowz!! I love cozy houses! That kitchen is big compared to the ones I’ve lived in! You made it seem bigger with your decorating. It looks so awesome. I can’t imagine what it would feel like to have such a dreamy house!
Beautiful room, absolutely beautiful!
I LOVE everything very beautiful!
I get so excited to when I see a new makeover post from you! Your kitchen is just DELISH!! I seriously want to buy another house just so I can re-do a kitchen again – it is just so much FUN! We seem to both be blessed with hubbys who can take our creative visions and make them come to life. I especially love your concrete counter tops – I totally want to try that sometime! Your kitchen is amazing!! Awesome job! ~Aimee
If I didn’t know and love you so well, I would see this and either 1.) unsubscribe immediately in fear and intimidated trembling, 2.) hide in a [dull, undecorated] corner the rest of my life, or 3.) hire you to be my lifelong interior designer no matter the cost. On second thought, I know and love you so well but I’m STILL going to hire you as my designer.
You are fabulous, dear sister, and I can’t wait to visit your little kitchen again.
i remember coming across your site once before and you were in the throes of remodel. I come back to THIS! I truelly felt that jittery excitement just looking at the beautiful transformation. so much talent you guys have. To dream and then get it right!
I AM inspired . b/c we have an old house too. A big one. and we are so tired. i think we will never see the end. But seeing this makes me want to kick it up once again and get serious. love love the sink. thanks for the gorgeous tour…
The color of the kitchen walls is gorgeous and I think you achieved the “cool but inviting” look. Perfect for the almost tropical southland!
I am so delighted to see how creatively you approach your roles of woman, wife, mother, and homemaker. This kitchen, your entire house, inspire this fifty-something, empty nester so much my socks are nearly falling off. Keep blogging, keep inspiring us all. I think we just need to ask the Lord of ALL creativity to pour creativity into our lives as we desire to serve Him in the four roles mentioned above.
Most sincerely,
Kim W.
Would you mind sharing the color, brand and finish of the paint you used on your cabinets? It is the absolute perfect shade of off-white. Beautiful kitchen!!!
@Allison Leigh Lewis@facebook - You are so kind! Thanks so much! We absolutely love the kitchen – it’s extremely practical, but I value beauty too, and it has the perfect combination for me! Cheers to you when you build your dream house!
@darcyinmo@twitter - Thank you so much! We absolutely love our kitchen!
There is one thing I have regretted, however, and that is mixing the paint colors ourselves to get the desired color! Yes, there is no name. 
I mixed a light blue and a grey together myself, and have wished ever since I would not have done so. I’m so sorry I don’t know the color name or brand!
The concrete countertops were definitely an experiment, and one we’ve been happy with! My husband did build all the forms and do everything himself, but he went online and googled ‘concrete countertops’ and there are a lot of tutorials and guides. I love that it looks somewhat like stone, but for a fraction of the cost!
I just pinned your countertops…they are beautiful and what a wonderful change from expensive granite (like mine, lol…) If I ever build again or renovate, I will be stealing a page from your book
@turnstylevogue - thank you so much! you’re very kind.
we do them love them – practical meets beautiful and inexpensive!
LOVE LOVE LOVE your kitchen!!! Do you happen to know the name of the paint color you used on your CABINETS??? It’s the perfect off-white!!!!!
Your kitchen is beautiful!! I love the cabinet doors, don’t think they are fussy at all, where did you order them online? My hubs and I are doing our first major remodel now, the masterbath…..several lessons learned!
But great experience overall and we love it!
BEAUTIFUL!!
I’ve been looking at various ideas / methods for making frugal wood countertops… any chance you and your husband would share your “how to” for making the 2×4 counter? I’d be forever grateful… ( kkellenor at gmail dot com )
I was wondering if you could tell me the paint color and brand you used for the cabinets and blue wall color please! I Love it and can’t wait to do mine!! Thank you!!
can your husbnad give a little insight on how he did the countertops, want to try but dont know where to start.
@t2key - Hi! We would recommend using grout sand instead of concrete sand (it’s finer, and makes a smoother surface) – we found that out too late!
Unfortunately we didn’t do step by step instructions when we were making the countertops, but if you google “how to make concrete countertops” or something like that, you should be able to find some good tutorials. That’s what we did, and we found some very helpful sites! Good luck! 
Can you please tell me the exact sink you got? We have been looking online bit none look just like yours.
Thank you sooo much!
@Onikki6 - I am going to attach a link for the website we bought it at because I cannot remember the exact model! I have been SO pleased with the sink though, I think my love for her grows by the day.
Good luck!
http://www.signaturehardware.com/style708?_s_ref=Q47EHBiuS&kw=farmhouse%20sink&creative=20663404328&gclid=CMfVybDPwLUCFQYGnQodC2UAyg
I dont know if that is your kitchen, the one with the chandelier and black counter tops! It is gorgous and I wanted to know where you got the chandelier came from. I need that !!!!!!!!