Planning Stage: Kitchen updates

I have so many rooms in my home to tackle for an update, re-do, and more. The next room in mind for our downstairs is our Kitchen! It's a pretty large kitchen just off from our Family Room. The kitchen is approximately 20'x15', so pretty large.

I'm fine with the color that we originally chose, so I'm not changing that (Harvester #6373 - SW). However, my plan is to add some small, white subway styled tile to the backsplash. There's a list of other needs, wants, and improvements.

The Kitchen List

1. Add drawer pulls. I already added the cabinet pulls about two years ago. However, my lack of knowledge at the time was stumped at how to install the drawer pulls.

2. Under Sink. Clean and improve organization under the sink.

3. Improved storage in the pantry, along with some style! Maybe wall paper in the background, repainting the shelves white (they've gotten a little used over the last 5 years, etc. More containers, labels, baskets, Use of the empty wall space, and more organization, like stuff off the pantry floor!

4. Pipe paper towel holder. I want to bring in the industrial look that I added in the dining room to the kitchen, and I think this would be a good way! I have a hard time with paper towel holders, since they keep falling off or breaking.

5. Coffee/Tea/Hot Cocoa Station. I think this area is such a blank, unused area. I have a cheap bookcase that I am moving out of the Living Room. My plan is to upgrade it to a small counter in the kitchen. That means a visit to Ikea for counters, kitchen hooks and bar to hang the mugs, and floating shelves above.

As you can see from the pic to the left, I bought some cheap items to help us organize.

6. Wall Organization. We're still in this area, and the next need is a larger chalk board that I will paint on the wall. I then plan to boarder it with some nice moulding.

**Notice our dog, Mojo, and our cat Jesse's water bowl. It's hot in Texas, so we have to have it accessible and constantly refilled.

7. Rustic/Industrial words made from my scrap wood above the pantry door. I was thinking the words "SNACK," or "PANTRY," or "FOOD."

8. Above cabinet decorating. I've been scouring Pintrest, and my love for antiques has got my brain buzzing. I plan on putting some large jars, wire baskets, large letters/words and other items to add character above the cabinets.....but not too much. We're trying to get away from clutter.

9. Kitchen Island. I've always had a desire to add a counter to our island. Ikea has some pretty sleek white counters that I plan to add to our kitchen island and the coffee stand. I'm not sure what color I should make the island, or if I should keep it the dark walnut color it is. I definitely have to add shelves on the other side (not visible from the doorway). There I can maybe store the unrefrigerated foods, cookbooks, and whatever else will be accessible to me, the Chef.

10. Floors. We plan on putting laminate or porcelain tile floors in our home downstairs. The kitchen could either flow with the same flooring as the rest of the rooms, or go with something on its own. Hmmmmm. There's so many choices out there!

So, that's about it. Lots to do, lots to continue to plan. I guess I'll be searching Pintrest and my co-worker's scrap wood pile for resources.