Monday, January 26, 2009

A DREAM KITCHEN FOR EVERY BUDGET





WHETHER YOU'VE BOUGHT A "FIXER UPPER", OR YOU JUST WANT A CHANGE, A

KITCHEN REMODEL IS SOMETIMES INTIMIDATING BUT WITH A LITTLE PLANNING,

REDESIGNING THE HEART OF YOUR HOME DOESN'T NEED TO BE EXPENSIVE OR STRESSFUL.
QUICK FIXES FOR AN OUTDATED KITCHEN:
* REPLACE KITCHEN ACCESSORIES, SUCH AS MICROWAVE, COFFEEMAKER, DISHES ETC.
* REPLACE COMPACTOR WITH A WINE COOLER.
* REMOVE WALLPAPER AND ADD TWO COATS OF FRESH PAINT.
*GLAZE OR PAINT CABINETS AND CHANGE DOOR AND DRAWER HARDWARE.
* UNDER CABINET LIGHTING AND NEW FLOORING VISUALLY EXPAND A SPACE.
* VINTAGE CANISTERS, COOKWARE ADD NOSTALGIA.
* AN OLD WOODEN (OR NEW) WINDOW BOX CAN CORRAL CUTTING BOARDS AND UTENSILS FOR AN EASY GRAB & COOK DESIGN.

IF YOU HAVE OR ARE GOING FOR THE COUNTRY CLASSIC LOOK:
*COUNTRY IS NEVER FORMAL IT TAKES ITS CUE FROM THE COLONIAL STYLE; UNCLUTTERED AND SOOTHING WITH RAISED PANEL OR GLASS FRONTED CABINETS, HARDWOOD FLOORS AND COUNTERTOPS OF GRANITE.

*KEEP PATTERN MINIMAL AND WINDOW TREATMENTS TAILORED.
*A CEILING MEDALLION AND AN AREA RUG ARE EXTRA DRESSY TOUCHES.
IF YOU HAVE OR ARE GOING FOR A COTTAGE STYLE:
*IT'S ALL ABOUT CHARM, PATTERN AND COLOR. THINK ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDENS WITH CHINTZ AND FLORAL FABRIC.
* FORTIES STYLE REFRIGERATORS AND RANGES.
* VINTAGE FABRIC LIKE OILCLOTHS - AND
PRINTED LINENS.
* THE COTTAGE KITCHEN FLOURISHES ON ACCESSORIES SUCH AS OLD TIN CANS WITH COLORFUL LABELS AND COLORED HANDLED UTENSILS.



IF YOU HAVE OR ARE GOING FOR LOOK: FARMHOUSE


*TODAYS STYLE OF A COUNTRY FARMHOUSE IS AN UPDATED LOOK OF GRANDMAS KITCHEN.
*FURNISH IT AS YOU WOULD ANY OTHER ROOM IN THE HOUSE USING FREESTANDING CUPBOARDS, RAG RUGS, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MAKE YOU FEEL COMFY.
* INCORPORATE WOOD WHEREVER YOU CAN AS IN A CENTER ISLAND OR USE AN OLD FARMTABLE ON CASTERS; IT SERVES AS A PRACTICAL WORKSPACE THAT CAN BE PUSHED OUT OF THE WAY WHEN NOT IN USE. *ADDING WROUGHT IRON COMPONENTS, A HANGING POT RACK, AND A COLLECTION OF BASKETS AND CROCKERY SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT "FARMHOUSE" .
IF YOU HAVE OR ARE GOING FOR THE "RUSTIC" LOOK:

*COUNTRY MEETS LOG CABIN STYLE WITH BEAMS OVERHEAD, WIDE PLANKED FLOORS, AND CABINETS IN DISTRESSED FINISHES. HANGING BASKETS AND DISPLAYS OF IRONSTONE AND WOODENWARE.
*PEELING PAINT IS A PERFECT RUSTIC TOUCH AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT CHIPPING ALL OVER THE FLOOR YOU CAN SPRAY IT WITH MATTE CLEAR PAINT.
* RAG RUGS, HOMESPUN ,MISMATCHED CHAIRS AND FURNITURE BREAK UP THE ROOM
IF YOU HAVE OR ARE GOING FOR THE RETRO LOOK:

*STRUNG UP BUNCHES OF HERBS
*WE'RE ALL ABOUT SPEED COOKING AND EFFICIENCY IN OUR KITCHEN, BUT RETRO MEETS REPRO IN VINTAGE LOOK STOVES; AND IF YOU CAN FIND AN ORIGINAL, ALL THE BETTER. ANTIQUE APPLIANCES GIVES THE RETRO KITCHEN A CERTAIN ATMOSPHERE; IF YOU HAVE A LARGE ENOUGH KITCHEN, YOU CAN USE THESE APPLIANCES SUCH AS AN UNWORKABLE STOVE AND ICE BOX AS STORAGE FOR POTS AND PANS AND DRIED GOODS.
* ADDING TO THE AMBIANCE OF RETRO IS BEADBOARD WALLS, LACE PAPER SHELF LINERS,AND FIESTWARE DISHES.

WHAT COLOR IS YOUR KITCHEN?
IF IT'S GREEN:
IT'S ALL ABOUT HARMONY AND COOLNESS. WHO SAYS GREEN CAN'T BE EXCITING, TOO?


TOUCH OF RED WILL BRIGHTEN A ROOM
*COMBINE FOREST GREEN WITH TOMATO TO RED.
* PAINT CABINETS CITRUS GREEN IF YOU HAVE A FIFTIES RETRO KITCHEN.
*COMBINE TERRA COTTA, YELLOW, AND SPRUCE GREEN FOR A GLOW OF TUSCANY LOOK.
*USE TABLECLOTHS FROM THE 30"S TO 50"S FOR TABLE AS CURTAINS.

IF IT'S BLUE :

COOL IN BOTH SENSES OF THE WORD-BLUE JUST MAY BE EVERYONES FAVORITE COLOR".
*A SCANDINAVIAN KITCHEN IN DUSTY BLUE IS FRESH AND NOSTALGIC.
* PAIR IT WITH YELLOW FOR A FRENCH COUNTRY LOOK.
*PAINT KITCHEN FURNITURE BLUE GRAY FOR A CALMING EFFECT.

IF YOUR COLOR IS RED:

ATTENTION WILL BE PAID TO ANY ROOM WEARING RED!

* CONTRARY TO POPULAR OPINION, RED WORKS GREAT IN A SMALL SPACE TO WARM THINGS UP AND PROVIDE A COZY, FRIENDLY FEELING.
IF YOUR COLOR IS YELLOW:

YELLOW NEVER FAILS TO WARM THE EYE AND COMFORT THE SOUL.

*FRAME GOLDEN YELLOW WALLS WITH ENAMEL WHITE WOODWORK FOR A WARM WELCOME FEELING.
*UNITE YELLOW WITH GREEN AND WHITE TO INSURE YEAR ROUND SUNSHINE.
*PAIR GOLDEN YELLOW TILES WITH BLACK ACCENT TILES AS A BACKSPLASH.
*SUNDRENCHED YELLOW ALWAYS WORKS WITH FRENCH COUNTRY DECOR.
*IF YOU ARE PUT OFF BY YELLOW, USE IT AS AN ACCENT COLOR; IT'S
ALWAYS THE RIGHT TOUCH FOR A RUSTIC KITCHEN.

1 comment:

The Summer Kitchen Girls said...

Now that's a kitchen I could live with!! Love the tile above the stove! Keeping warm?? Waiting for spring thaw to visit....!