While I’ve been droning on about the dining room, I have been cleaning the kitchen.  Really cleaning the kitchen.  I’ve scrubbed the floors by hand and wiped the cabinets.  I keep greenbeans on top of the cabinets, and I removed the jars and washed dust off of them.   I’m going to swap out a few things in the kitchen over the next few days, but essentially, I like this kitchen.   The big change I’ve done this week is new window treatments.  

Here’s my new red and yellow stationary roman shades…

If you look above the curtains, you’ll see white spots where Mike removed the hardware for the curtains that were up.  I’ll be painting those tomorrow when I do the touch up painting in this room.  I did not take a “before picture.”  I liked the window treatments that were in place before but they were 12 years old, and I had made them of “reused” fabric from another house (when we lived in New Jersey…a long time ago!).  They had panels and closed off the space a bit…plus the cat peed on the panels, and I was just so disheartened.   It was time for a change, and if Sam the Sinister Cat tries to pee on these, he’s going to have to hike his butt up awfully far. 

I kinda sorta wish the light were not above the table, but someone else is attached to it as we bought it on a fun weekend in Connecticut.    I would like to see a black wrought iron piece there.  

Here’s another view from the potrack.   See the gate to the left?  With animals, we have gates everywhere.   We have gates to keep the cats and dogs from entering areas, and then we have gates to keep the cats away from the dogs because Sam the Cat likes to sneak up and make “muffins” on Gracie the Dog.  She is scared of him (Golden Retrievers are conflict adverse.)   Gracie says…”that Sam is a pervert.”

I just realized that I didn’t wipe the counterop very well and the flowers on the table are off center.   Sorry.   The kitchen has it’s own mini floyer.   I’m working in there right now…it’s where the phone and painted rooster are located to the right on this picture (above).

Here’s more of the kitchen…

That little chalkpaint “Eat” above the cooktop?  It should say “Eat Less!”    I love chalkpaint.

This backsplash is 12 years old, and I still like it.   It was from Home Depot Expot Design Center which is now out of business.   The backsplash was a splurge — the tiles are handmade and handpainted in San Antonio, Texas.  

 I have greenbeans across the top of the cabinets, and yes, we eat them!    I have other places that I store canned goods, but I always keep something on top of the cabinets. Sometimes I’ll alternate canned tomatoes and green beans if I’m feeling bold.

Another view….

That is an old Pepsi crate above the plate rack.  It did not photograph well.   It’s got little jars of our honey in it and a few dishtowels rolled up.  I move it from room to room.  Sometimes it has candles in it and sits on a coffeetable, but for the past three monthsl, it’s lived in the kitchen.  

Like the little glass ice cream sundae dishes?  $1 at the Dollar Tree.   More roosters…did someone say roosters were so yesterday?    I did not get the memo.   Roosters were the rage a few years back in all types of kitchens and  they have since flew the coop.    However, my kitchen is a country kitchen–it’s in Mendota, Virginia which is about as far out in the country as most people get–and the roosters continue to work with it, so I keep them.  

This kitchen may see quartz countertops and a new stainless sink in the future, but for now, I’m really happy with it.  That countertop has been a topic of discussion for two years.  I’m afraid the installation will damage my backsplash.   If anyone is reading this from AGC Glass Company (my employer), they have heard me say “I’m getting my countertop in April, in May…in the fall…in the spring.”   I’m ashamed…I have still not done anything!

Hope you like my new kitchen curtains and touring my kitchen!  We’re having steak and salad tonight for dinner– wish you could join us!!