Kitchen Refresh--Finally

So, we had our kitchen refreshed last fall, and I'm finally getting around to giving you a little peek.  I've been meaning to get pictures up, but that necessitated cleaning my kitchen first, and then installing the new hardware on the cabinets.

Let's just say that it took me awhile.

I say we refreshed the kitchen because we didn't gut it, we just had new counter tops, sink, fixtures, and flooring installed. The cabinets are still the the original cabinets. They're in good condition, and although not in fashion, they are perfectly good cabinets, so I didn't see the point in adding that cost or headache. It was bad enough moving everything out to do the floors and counter tops. I can't imagine having to empty all the cabinets too. As it was, our living room was jam packed with dining room furniture, appliances, etc., during the refresh.

So, here's some of the before and after. Brace yourself for the ugly.

This is the before. H-H-H-H-H-ATED the counter tops before. Who in their right mind actually chooses white laminate for their counter tops? I can't figure it out. Every time we set a metal bowl down on the counter top, it would leave a mark. It stained so easily, EVERY thing showed, and they were ding dang ugly.

I didn't love the floor either, and the fact that it creeped up the bottom of the cabinets was even less desirable. Ick on a stick.

I love the new flooring. It only looks like tile, it's really vinyl. How cool is that? So cool, let me tell you. We also had a matching oak kick board whatever-you-call-it installed underneath the cabinets. It looks so much better than the flooring that used to be there.

And the big plus? You can't see anything on it. I don't  even know it needs to be swept until I start feeling crunchies on the bottoms of my feet. Then when I go to sweep it, I can't see the crunchies and dust pile that I'm sweeping everything into. Okay, that part is not so great, but I love the fact that it doesn't show the ick.

This is the old hardware. It was perfectly fine when we moved into the house.

A decade ago. 

It's surprising what a big difference just changing out the hardware made. I love the rustic look of the drawer pulls now.

Old sink = super ick. It was the thing I loathed most about the kitchen. I'm even embarrassed showing these pictures to you now. The sink was permanently stained, and there was a crusted on hard water ickage trail coming out from the water purifier thing-a-ling and down into the drain. Grossed. Me. Out. I tried CLR, pumice stone, everything and anything I could think of to try and get it off. Don't tell Peanut Head, but I even took to it once with one of his screwdrivers. Didn't work.

I love the new stainless steel sink. I even Fly Lady cleaned it, just for you. She recommends cleaning your sink every night before you go to bed, and since Malibu Barbie windexes her sink, I figured I should aim high once in awhile too. When I do it, Peanut Head comes along and then has the audacity to turn the water on. Can you believe that? Then when I give him an earful, he gives me his deadpan stare, his everyday look, and says "Oh darn," with absolutely no feeling in his voice. It pains me so.

The counter top is laminate, and I love it. I didn't even consider granite, although I looooooove granite, because I knew that this is not our forever home. I just didn't want to sink that kind of money into a house we aren't planning on staying in. Plus, I think it just seems too fancy for our little house.

I big red puffy heart the counter tops. The back splash is new too, and I love having a real tile back splash, but I feel like maybe it's a little too busy for the counter tops. Not that I'm going to rip it down and start over. I can deal with it. See me dealing with it.

It's not even there.

We have too much crap on our counter tops. Please tell me I'm not alone here. We just use all this stuff, and there really is no other place to put it. And the butter belongs there. It's a focal point in our kitchen. Surely you can relate.

I thought about taking everything off the counters just for the pictures, but it made me feel so dirty, so I put it all back. This is reality, not Better Homes & Gardens.