Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Renovating the kitchen renovation!

The trouble with taking so long to renovate the farmhouse is that I get new ideas and feel the need to change things that have already been done...*sigh*

Which is why I've just spent a weekend making (what I hope are) improvements to the Farmhouse kitchen.

I would LOVE to have a marble bench top in my real kitchen but as that is a hopelessly expensive dream I suddenly decided I should have a go at painting a marble bench top in the farmhouse.


Before & After
I have to say I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out!
I looked at several online marble painting tutorials (there are a few different methods out there & I combined them all) and then just got my paints out and went for it.

The floor in the kitchen has always annoyed me. 
When I originally stained it, it turned out too orange so I darkened it as best I could at the time. However, I've learnt a little over the years and decided now was a good time to have a go at lightening it.

I may think I've learnt something over the years but in reality I'm not so sure.
First I tried the 'short way' and painted the floor grey...but that didn't bring me any happiness.
I soon realised the only way to fix it was to try the 'long way' - sanding each individual little floorboard...I can't say the sanding was a pleasure but I am now happy with the result!

I'm sure you'll agree the light floor makes a huge difference.

Next I decided the walls were too boring...they needed some 'texture' (yes I may have spent too much time watching Joanna Gaines on 'Fixer Upper').

So...newly 'textured' walls!
Happiness!!

The tiled backsplash also had to go...Someone once left a comment on a picture of the kitchen saying 'clean the tile grout'  I guess they thought it was a real kitchen LOL!!!

I've added a shabby old PINK (the world needs more pink!) door with a vintage glass drying rack...because who wouldn't want one of those in their kitchen, right???

Feeling happier now!

I built a copper rangehood (well, I made a rangehood from cardboard and painted it copper!)...and there's a light (I can hear Brad and Janet singing that!) in the rangehood and the oven...going overboard with lights in this room.

Kim's cherry pie is baking!

I'm in the process of filling the little pantry.

Fun!!
Spectacular cupcake made by Kim Saulter

Now it might be time to finish the Farmhouse before kitchen needs another renovation!
There are so many more projects around here that need my attention.

22 comments:

  1. Oh my God ...... the kitchen looks sooooo real. Madness!!!
    I find the bright floor also better :-)

    Have a nice day!

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  2. So pretty! Love the floor and the countertops! And the lights are really great for highlighting all those wonderful details you've added.

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  3. What lovely changes you have brought to this miniature kitchen! Lightening the floor added a new dimension and of course the 'marble' countertops turned out so realistically. Love the addition of the vintage pink glass drying rack....now I am ready to wait for a slice of that baking cherry pie! Cheers, Alayne

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  4. Love it before and love it even more after!!

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  5. Maravillosa!!!! Me encanta!!! Ya me gustaba antes pero con los cambios ha quedado espectacular. Y qué cálida se ve con la luz encendida! ♥

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  6. Oh thats very nice renovation an the marble looks so real.
    I wonder how your farmhouse looks outside??
    Britt

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  7. I love your new kitchen- so nice and cosy !!
    LG Nina

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  8. Un gran cambio! antes ya me gustaba,pero con la renovación,me encanta,es tan real y tan acogedora tu cocina!!!
    Besos.

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  9. Hi Mercedes! I think the changes you have made are Wonderful! It feels so much warmer and softer with the light floor and the new wall "texture"! That is a really imaginative type of texture you added.... but it does seem to have a French flair! :) I LOVE the light in the oven and the pantry too! No better way to "highlight" the minis! It seems that your slow method is the right one because it gave you time to realize the changes you wanted to make! I can't wait to see what else you have worked on!

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  10. A Beautifully Re-done kitchen Mercedes, and must commend you on the exceptional texture of the walls and the copper range hood- Tres Manifique! ♡

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  11. Great transformation!!! I like very much how your kitchen is now.
    Geneviève

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  12. I love your work. I am curious: do the the little chandeliers work? What did you use for the arms? Love them.

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  13. Hi, Mercedes - You've made some beautiful changes in the kitchen. I love the marble countertops and the lighter floor. The light floor does make quite a difference. Your wall "texturing" is perfect - such an unusual wall covering. This is a wonderful kitchen - and a cherry pie baking in the oven is a delicious finishing touch!
    Marjorie

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  14. The light floor looks gorgeous! Greetings

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  15. I just keep coming back to look at these enchanting photos again and again. So many lovely details, each one worked on, it seems, with a singular goal: to have it become all it can truly become! Lucky, lucky details, to be included in this wonderful, wonderful kitchen. Well done, Mercedes! This is exactly what we all strive to achieve!

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  16. Hello, Mercedes! It's hard to improve what's fine, but you did it. Changes made the kitchen even more beautiful, more realistic, more comfortable.
    Hugs, Julia

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  17. Wow! I thought this floor was in a real kitchen when I first looked. If only sanding and refurbishing real solid flooring was so simple! Great job! :-)

    www.cgofbeaconsfield.co.uk

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  18. Me encanta el cambio, es mucho más tú !!!

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  19. Nice! Your kitchen is beautifully renovated. I really like the light floors, thanks for sharing the ideas and pictures. Now, I am also thinking for my kitchens renovations.

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Thank you for your comments!