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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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September 5, 2015

Kitchen and Family Room Makeover

Happy Saturday friends! On behalf of my friend Kara (who is the one who gets to live in the gorgeous new spaces I’ve been showing you!) and myself we’d like to say a big huge THANK YOU for all of your lovely comments the past two days!

This was such a long process for Kara and her husband Caleb but he got to go to work each day while she, on the other hand, was living in the midst of chaos while their home was being remodeled. Oh and they have 5 kids. She deserves a trophy don’t you think? 😉

rooster pillow atthepicketfence.com

Today we’re sharing with you the changes made to the rest of the kitchen along with the family room.

After coming through the front door and through the entry you would have to turn right and then go through another door to get to the kitchen and family room.

Here is how it looked BEFORE

kitchen and family room entry before

and AFTER

built in kitchen cabinet to look like furniture atthepicketfence.com

BEFORE

farmhouse kitchen before4

AFTER

kitchen cabinets built to look like furniture atthepicketfence.com

At the last minute Kara decided to have this cabinet built to like a free-standing piece. And then on a whim she decided to have it painted this gorgeous shade of blue instead of the white used in the rest of the kitchen.

Isn’t it AMAZING?!! It is seriously my most favorite part of the kitchen!

blue kitchen cabinets atthepicketfence.com

chalkboard canisters on shelf in kitchen

This is a homeschooling family so the addition of workspace was a MUST and having two desks means an easier school day for kids and mama both.

double desk workspace in kitchen atthepicketfence.com

There was great debate about whether or not to paint the brick surrounding the fireplace.

Williams family room before

But ultimately they decided to not to paint it but to have a beautiful custom mantel made instead.

wood mantel on brick fireplace

The backs of the bookcases were painted white which completely lightened up this wall.

family room with built in bookcases atthepicketfence.com

The rooster pillow is the perfect nod to this family’s new life in this home.

patterned chair and rooster pillow

And everywhere you look you see signs of how much they have embraced a reality that is far better than any of their dreams.

red scale with fabric carrots on top atthepicketfence.com

So what do you think so far? Did you get a chance to see the kitchen makeover?

Farmhouse Cottage Style Kitchen makeover atthepicketfence.com

How about the front door and entry transformation?

farmhouse entry with red front door atthepicketfence.com

Be sure to come back next week when we’ll share the final room in this home renovation.

Have a fantastic weekend friends!

Vanessa signature

15 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Parade of Homes Tagged With: decor, decorating, home tour, kitchen

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Previous Post: « Farmhouse Kitchen Makeover Reveal
Next Post: Before and After Dining Room Makeover »

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Comments

  1. Rosemary says

    September 5, 2015 at 3:57 AM

    Beautiful counter tops. They look like wood. If so what type of wood? This is exactly what I am looking for!

    Reply
    • Kara says

      September 5, 2015 at 10:34 AM

      Thank you, Rosemary! The blue hutch countertop is wood, but the desk/kitchen countertops are granite with a leathered (matte) finish.

      Reply
  2. Laura says

    September 5, 2015 at 4:32 AM

    This looks so warm and welcoming! A happy place to come home too!

    Reply
  3. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    September 5, 2015 at 6:15 AM

    What a gorgeous makeover!….I so love the warmth of this home….so beautifully done and did not compromise the comfort factor… definitely defines beauty and function….love the dual work station. Must say that cabinet is my fav too!…Have a great weekend!

    Reply
  4. Anita Ward says

    September 5, 2015 at 7:34 AM

    Love, love, love it all!!!!!!!! Yes, she most definitely deserves it all!!!! God bless her!!

    Reply
  5. Lynn Richards says

    September 5, 2015 at 8:32 AM

    Oh my goodness. This is lovely!!! I am debating on some open shelving in our renovation and this just tipped me into the “heck yeah!” position. Love the blue cabinet. Makes me so impatient for the city to give us the go ahead on all our plans!
    xo

    Reply
  6. Lynn Richards says

    September 5, 2015 at 8:33 AM

    p.s. what did she use for her floors?

    Reply
    • Kara says

      September 5, 2015 at 10:36 AM

      Thank you, Lynn! I’m glad I tipped the scale to open shelving, as I’m a huge fan! The floors are a pre-finished wide plank, distressed oak. Good luck on your own remodel!

      Reply
  7. Hope Williams says

    September 5, 2015 at 10:29 AM

    Wow, this is so gorgeous! And it is my colors too!
    Can you tell me if her cabinets are a light yellow, walls white, black counters? This is just absolute perfection to me as well!
    LOVE!!!
    Hope

    Reply
    • Kara says

      September 5, 2015 at 10:41 AM

      Thank you so much, Hope! It sounds like we have similar taste. The cabinets and the plank wall in the kitchen, as well as the trim throughout are cream (Sherwin Williams Summer White) and the opposite wall with the blue hutch and desk is yellow (Behr Charismatic). The counters are actually a dark brown granite, though without light shining directly on them, they do look more black. Thank you for asking!

      Reply
  8. Gwen says

    September 5, 2015 at 11:05 AM

    Love it all as I’m sure the family will too. It’s home and school so it looks organized and ready to use

    Reply
  9. Donnamae says

    September 5, 2015 at 11:19 AM

    It’s a very warm and welcoming home. I’m sure they must love living there! 😉

    Reply
  10. Rose L. says

    September 5, 2015 at 12:24 PM

    It all looks so lovely and expensive. They must have saved up for a long time for this!

    Reply
  11. Carol Reddin says

    September 5, 2015 at 4:21 PM

    Love your home Kara! So beautiful!

    Reply
  12. Design Chic says

    September 7, 2015 at 6:25 PM

    What a transformation – love the addition of the hardwoods and the bookcase is gorgeous…great color!

    Reply

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This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right?

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done. Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity. So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka. Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house. And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉
We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
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Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and h Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and hail and snow) we are finally getting some sunshine and warmer temperatures. I’ll be honest, it’s really affected my spirits having one gloomy day after the next. So this is a much needed reprieve. Our cherry trees are showing off outside my kitchen window and we plan to get outside and make the most of these days while we have them.

What’s the weather like where you are?
“The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and “The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…HE’S RISEN!” (Charles R. Swindoll).

Happy Easter! He is risen indeed!
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; he has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he carried; yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. (Isaiah 53)
I try to always remember to put a water bottle in I try to always remember to put a water bottle in my car before I go to pick up my daughter from school. She didn't ask me to do this, but a few months ago I began to notice that she was often thirsty when she would get in the car. Her water bottle filled up at the beginning of the day was empty by the time school got out and she would ask if she could have some water from my hydroflask. So I make sure to have one waiting for her. It's just a simple thing, really. But, I want her to know that I'm paying attention, that I see her.

Isn't it amazing how small gestures can make us feel less invisible? Knowing that someone is thinking of us and takes the time to meet a need that we might not have even realized we had? These little acts can have big impacts. What is something that someone has done for you recently that made you feel valued and seen?

What have you done for someone else to remind them that you are paying attention to their needs?

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#palmsunday
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Every story read at bedtime
Every correction made to strengthen character
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Every difficult conversation
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The final pieces of the puzzle of his childhood are falling into place and the picture revealed is one that is more wonderful than we could have imagined. And we know that it is only by God's grace on us as we sought His wisdom and guidance that we have come to this point. We have been FAR from perfect parents, but one of my most sincere prayers for the past 18 years was that the Lord would stand in the gaps that were surely to be revealed by our imperfections. And He has answered those prayers again and again. He's taken my humble petitions and most sincere intentions and knocked our socks off with the young man we are so privileged to call our son. And we can’t wait to watch as his future unfolds!
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