We’ve been living with our new kitchen for over six months now, and I feel like I’m used to it; like its always been there. I have a hard time imagining what the old space looked like because this new design flows so well with our lifestyle.
It took awhile to add all of the finishing touches — there was a whole wall to fill with something. I stashed away some odds and ends that I collected over the last year and used them for that blank wall. One of the pieces is a replica Ball Clock. We have a similar one in our living room above the fireplace and liked the idea of keeping the retro-clock theme moving along into the kitchen.
I also found a neat little metal cabinet at IKEA. It was much heavier than I thought it would be, and Vic mounted it to the wall, but not to the studs. I almost broke my hand when the whole thing tore off the wall one afternoon and I caught it! I patched up the wall, repainted it, and hired the construction crew to drill it properly into the studs. It’s not centered, but that leaves me room for a fun little art print to place to the right (once I find one).
The wooden table is also retro-looking and I had it made by OrWaDesigns out in Washington. It’s the same company that made my custom cabinet in the dining room. I couldn’t find a great mid-century credenza and was losing patience, so I hired them to make this table for me. I’ve got room to store my vintage Pyrex bowls and we have a spot to place yet another retro-looking object — this red radio. It also plays my iPod!
I still have a little bit more work to do on this room. I haven’t been vintage shopping in long time but would like to order some vintage 60s prints or find some more clock. I’ll know it when I see it!
The odd thing about the new kitchen is that I ended up losing cabinet space. That’s not such a bad thing because the old cabinets were cavernous. There was stuff in there from when we were newlyweds, old Christmas presents that we never got around to using, and bags of expired food. An archaeological dig best describes the process when I crawled into the cabinets and threw everything out. Oh look! Baby bowls. Some old toys. A dusty box of Panko. Bags of pasta. Some cans of vegetables I bought years ago because I felt like I was supposed to buy them. So, now there is less space we are forced into being more efficient. I actually save a little bit of money at the grocery store because I have to think about where I’m going to put that can or box. The kitchen is also very organized now — a place for everything and everything in its place. I’ve conquered the chaos! I almost feel a little bit guilty that I have more free time because I’m not scrubbing that gross old floor or clearing off the counters. Just a little bit guilty.
I love that our kitchen is unique. I’m also glad we didn’t cave to the peer pressure and purchase granite. The colors are soothing and make for a great food-prep space but also a fun place to just hang out. I sit at the counter and complete freelance projects while drinking coffee, which is perfect for my home office.
My Mid Century Modest Ranch Make Over 