A DREAM KITCHEN (Guest Post)

Go for Your Dream Kitchen
by Lisa at the Pennington Point

It has been such a joy to watch Lana’s kitchen come to life! When she told me she was going to take a little blog vacation, I thought it would be fun to show you my kitchen renovation while she is off doing her nails and eating bon bons.

Almost two years ago we decided to update the kitchen of our 85 year old farmhouse.  I had a very tight budget and my husband couldn’t take time off of work to help.  So my 16 year old son and I did the whole job on our own.  I mean everything….electrical, woodwork, tiling, etc.  I didn’t have many skills, but I knew I could learn.

Before I started, I spent a month keeping a list of things I would like to change about the kitchen.  Then we took that list and created a design to fit our needs.  I spent the next few weeks looking for bargains, clearance items, etc.  My electric range has a huge dent in the side, but I knew I could hide it, so I bought it for a big discount.  Score!

With nine kids at home, I have to cook and store a lot of food.  We concluded that it would be best if we had two ranges (1 gas, 1 electric), two refrigerators and two microwaves.  I also wanted to lighten up the space, so I used white appliances instead of stainless steel.  I love the outcome; it is so cheerful and bright.

We tore out an old window and added the French doors.  Outside of the doors we built a deck where the kids eat lunch.  Keeping crumbs off of the floor in the house makes Mommy happy.
One big problem with kids growing up (besides breaking my heart) is that they start using the ingredients from the pantry.  I’m not complaining that my kids cook the meals, but how can I know when someone has used all of the sugar, oil, chocolate (no chocolate is the biggest problem of all, am I right?).   My solution was to build a little chalkboard wall beside the range where we write down anything that we have used the last of.  I was thrilled to find tan colored chalk board paint.  Using left over trim pieces, I made a little ledge to hold the chalk.  Now I always know what we need from the grocery store.  This system works great for us.

I couldn’t afford those gorgeous granite counter tops, so I improvised.  On the island I used pine.  I sanded it and used my router for the edges.  Then I stained it and finished with four coats of polyurethane.  The whole counter top cost me $36!  It has been fantastic.  There are a few nicks in it, but that doesn’t bother me at all.

But I knew I couldn’t use wood around the sink, so I bought some 18” travertine tiles on clearance at Home Depot.  The sales guy told me it would never work, but guess what!  I’ve had them for almost two years and they have been great.  Not a single problem.  This was another big savings since these counters cost me less than $50.  That’s what I’m talkin’ about! (high five)

I splurged on the instant hot water dispenser at the sink.  I sometimes think I can hear angels singing late at night when I go get myself a cup of hot tea.  It was completely worth the money.

Because I had such a small budget, I used straight-off-the-shelf cabinets.    In order to give them a custom look, we added bits of trim and beadboard.  I kept the toe kick under the wall cabinets, but I added trim around the base of the island so that it would look more like a piece of furniture.

Instead of using a standard sized fridge for extra cold storage, I used this small one.  It also serves as a shelf for my dishes.  I love having the plates and bowls on open shelving and in easy reach.

We get a lot of questions about the punched tin in the cabinet doors over the sink.  I simply cut out the centers of the old cabinet doors and added trim (to hide my bad cuts), ordered cheap sheets of tin online, made a pattern using examples I found on the Internet and used a nail to punch them out.  Then we spray painted the tin to match the finish on the faucet and knobs.  It was a really easy project.

And in case you’re wondering where I keep the food….I turned the little back porch into a pantry.

I love that I can just walk in and see everything.

A few final details: The floors are wood laminate, another thing we were told would not work in a kitchen, but we love them!  I love my double sink with a low divider in the center; it allows me to easily wash all of those huge pots and pans.  The wall color is Silver Sage from Restoration Hardware; I liked it so much that I also used it in my living room and dining room.

My hope is to encourage you to be creative and not afraid to try!  Make a list of what you don’t like about your kitchen and change it.  Sure it takes time, but in the end you’ll have a kitchen that works for your individual needs.
Go for it!
~Lisa~

Lisa and her family live in the Texas Hill Country.  They have a small family farm where they raise their nine children, homeschool and chase chickens.  She loves the Lord, Jesus Christ and knows that His plans for her life are greater than anything she could have ever dreamed. 

Lisa can be found at:  www.thepenningtonpoint.com
The experiences of mothering a large family on a budget, keeping a lovely home and training children Biblically.  She also has an awesome Etsy Shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Shop24
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