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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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August 1, 2017

Kitchen Makeover One Year Later

You’ll have to forgive me as I wax sentimental today. You see, my baby girl celebrated her tenth birthday over the weekend and I’m just in total denial that we no longer have any children in the single digit age. Time needs to just.slow.down already!

We spent a super fun day together on Saturday doing some great mother/daughter bonding stuff like shopping, having lunch at our favorite little cafe followed by cupcakes from the cutest cupcake store on the planet. Oh and she also got her ears pierced!!

I’ll be back another day to talk a little bit more about what I’m learning about 10 year old girls but let me just say I could not feel more privileged to be her mom and it is an absolute joy watching her grow into such an amazing young lady. She told me the other day that she doesn’t want to grow up and I told her I was totally fine with that! 😉

So, since I’m already feeling a little bit nostalgic, I thought maybe it would be a good idea to take a look back at one of our biggest house projects to date. I’m constantly getting messages from folks wanting to know how our painted kitchen cabinets have held up so I thought since we have reached the one year mark (cannot believe it’s been a year already!) since they were done, this would be the perfect time to provide an update.

But, first, let’s do a quick before and after just to refresh your memory.

Here’s the BEFORE:

And here’s the AFTER:

Our house was built in 1992 and by the time we moved in the original cabinets were definitely starting to show their age. A few more years of wear and tear by us and it was obvious to us that they needed some TLC. After researching all of our options, we decided to save up our pennies and having them professionally painted.

The HUGE benefit of this was that the painter was able to take all of the doors/drawers to his shop where they were sprayed with primer and then two coats of paint. They also tarped the kitchen and were able to spray the cabinet frames and the island as well.

We could not have been happier with how it turned out and even after a year of heavy use (including many teenagers tromping through here!) I can honestly say that it has held up amazingly well! Even better than I expected.

When we had our beautiful new Epic Plus flooring from Shaw Floors installed, I was very nervous that the cabinets might get nicked or dinged but there were only minor little scratches and we were able to use a teeny, tiny paintbrush and touch it up with leftover paint.

Having it done professionally meant having to move everything out all at once, including us, and it was definitely a hassle but if I truly feel that it was the right decision for our family. It meant waiting a bit longer to save up the money but, for us, it was worth it.

We would still like to update the counters and backsplash at some point but we have other, more pressing, rooms that need updating first so that will have to wait for a bit.

But, just having the cabinets looking so fresh and new and the old flooring removed and the beautiful new flooring in has completely transformed these rooms.

The paint color is Neutral Ground by Sherwin Williams and it is more of a creamy white. You can also see it here in this makeover of our built-in china cabinet which we had the painters spray as well.

I’ve heard so many positive things about the kitchen makeover and just a few negative. Some really preferred the dark cabinets and I totally understand that. In fact, we loved them when we first moved in! But, what you can’t see in photos is that 20+ years of wear and tear was really starting to show so something had to be done one way or another and honestly, living in Oregon, I want things as bright and light around my house as possible.

So, there you have it, I don’t regret for a single minute the decision to paint the cabinets and to have them professionally done. And, I have been so pleased at how well they have held up.

Over the weekend my husband and I sat down to talk about our next steps with this house. We’re trying to get it updated but also not dump more money than necessary into it. So, within the next year that means we will most likely tackle the kids’ bathroom and also the counters in the other two bathrooms. Stay tuned for those!

In the meantime, here’s a look at some of the other makeovers we’ve done since we moved in 9 years ago.

Deck Makeover

Family Room Flooring Makeover

Girls Bedroom Makeover

I hope you are all continuing to have a great summer and I’ll see you right back here at the fence very soon!

14 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas, Kitchen Remodel Tagged With: kitchen

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Comments

  1. dee says

    August 1, 2017 at 8:21 AM

    I agree your choice for white on the cabinetry was perfect. Twenty years on any finish takes a toll. White cabinets in Willamette Valley area are much in demand and do help with our gray days. You have done a lovely job updating your home. Yes, when our children and grandchildren (for me) hit double digits it is an eye opener. New adventures for both of you, enjoy all of it.

    Reply
  2. Melanie says

    August 1, 2017 at 8:42 AM

    The kitchen looks great! Where did you find your dining room light fixture?

    Reply
  3. june says

    August 1, 2017 at 9:25 AM

    Your daughter is just darling! There is truly something special about mom/daughter time. I loved having tea with my mom.

    The kitchen cabinets are so beautiful – floors too. I redid my kitchen about two years ago and we went with a creamy white and a glaze. My cabinets were builder grade honey oak and had gotten us through raising two active sons and 28 years of lots of cooking and baking. We considered painting but after researching and having to consider better doors it was cheaper to go with Kraft Maid.
    We have been very happy with our project.

    I love all your creative ideas.

    Reply
  4. Richella Parham says

    August 1, 2017 at 12:15 PM

    10 years old! It’s amazing how double digits gets to you, doesn’t it? Especially when it’s your youngest. My “baby” turned 20 this spring and I’m like WHAT? No more teenagers? We’ve had a teenager in this house since 2004–how on earth could that era be over? The good news is that every age and stage brings its new delights along with its challenges. Your daughter is lovely, just like her mom!

    I do love your white kitchen, and I’m so glad it’s held up well for you. 🙂

    Reply
  5. FABBY says

    August 1, 2017 at 2:42 PM

    I love how pretty and neat it looks with the white, although I never mind wood color too.
    Everything looks gorgeous.
    Fabby

    Reply
  6. june says

    August 1, 2017 at 6:57 PM

    Vanessa,
    Do you still love your blinds? Meant to ask you in my previous post. Considering for my living room and patio door. Never have had wooden wovens like that before.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      August 2, 2017 at 6:44 AM

      Hi June! Yes, I do love the blinds. They are really easy to lower and raise and have held up nicely since we put them in. I feel like they give it a custom look without the cost of something really ‘custom’. 🙂

      Reply
      • june says

        August 2, 2017 at 9:35 AM

        Thanks…do you recall where you purchased?

        Reply
        • At The Picket Fence says

          August 3, 2017 at 8:24 AM

          We purchased them at Lowes and they will cut them to the size you need right there in the store! 🙂

          Reply
          • june says

            August 3, 2017 at 5:24 PM

            Thanks!

  7. Susan says

    August 1, 2017 at 7:14 PM

    Very pretty cabinets! Love your kitchen! When we bought our house thirteen years ago we had dark cabinets and dark paneling in the family room. So my husband painted the kitchen cabinets and I took the big job of painting the paneling. Took me three days to do the family room but so worth it! Took my husband a couple of days on the cabinets. Seems like there is always something new to do around our home! Your kitchen flooring is very nice too!

    Reply
  8. Shirley @Housepitality Designs says

    August 1, 2017 at 9:11 PM

    Hi Vanessa! Happy Birthday to your sweet daughter. My time flies! She looks so happy with her new pierced ears. And speaking of time flying, has it really been a year since you painted those cabinets? I love them and painting them white was a great decision. Happy Summer!!!

    Reply
  9. Nadine McMahon says

    August 26, 2017 at 5:49 AM

    Where did you buy your upholstered counter stools?

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      August 26, 2017 at 11:42 AM

      Hi Nadine! The stools were purchased on Overstock.com 🙂

      Reply

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I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consumin I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste. A waste of my time, my energy, my resources. Something clicked with me a few years ago. I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing. I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it. And I needed to confess to the Lord that I had allowed it to become an idol. 

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. But something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I decided to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed. When I just laid it all down and said…enough. There was this incredible irony in it. Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results. I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way. It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be. And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I can actually lean into the calling He has placed on my life. 🍂

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
“As the alluring song of September begins to whi “As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” (Peggy Toney Horton)

Happy September dear friends! While I’m not quite ready to let go of summer and I plan to make the most out of the lingering, warm days, I’ll admit to starting to think about my fall decor this year. And one way to get inspired is to take a look back at previous years. Here’s just a glimpse at some of the ways I’ve welcomed Autumn to my home! 🍂

#september #falldecorating #falldecor #falldecoratingideas #wearethehomemakers
Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning the corner and getting closer to fall but I’m not quite ready to let summer go. So I’ll just be over here continuing to whip up some super simple summer meals for my family that frankly can be enjoyed in any season. These shrimp rolls I made the other night were definitely a hit and would be great for any of your upcoming holiday weekend gatherings!

Shrimp Rolls 🍤

Ingredients
1-2 lbs of shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tail off (If using frozen make sure it’s thawed completely)
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 of a lemon
2 Tbsps chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning (more if you like!)
pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Hoagie Rolls
Softened butter

Directions: Gently pat the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, squeeze half of lemon and stir to combine before adding in the scallions, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and then add the additional seasonings. Spread butter on hoagie rolls and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Pile on the shrimp mixture and enjoy! 

#shrimproll #foodie #weeknightdinner #easydinner #seafoodlover
Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. W Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. We woke up to the sound of chainsaws and rushed downstairs to find that our backyard neighbors were having two of the huge trees that line our shared fence removed. These trees have been here longer than the neighborhood and no, they weren't dead or causing damage to roofs, foundations, etc. They were beautiful and gave us wonderful privacy. We had no notice of this happening so this came as quite a shock. Because we were given no notice, we didn't have the chance to cover our outdoor furniture or plants and everything is now coated in a thick layer of sawdust including the fresh bark we recently put in the garden beds. And now our lovely privacy is gone, replaced by a direct view of an above ground pool and RV. I know, I know, it's totally a first world, privileged kind of problem to have. But, now we have to spend thousands of dollars on plants to try and recapture some semblance of privacy. Now we have days worth of clean up to do after we had JUST done a massive freshening up of our backyard. My overarching feeling has just been weariness at the way our world is today.

I think about how often we try to do right by people, to be respectful and courteous. To be thoughtful and considerate. And it’s not reciprocated. How its starting to seem more and more like people have just given up on those seemingly small niceties. And my soul just feels heavy. Because I feel like so much of what used to be common courtesy is not so common anymore. Drivers on the roads are angrier and more reckless than ever before. Red lights being run are an everyday occurrence around town. On our recent family vacation, I heard more people using the F word out in public than ever before even while around children. Where are manners? Where is kindness? I'm finding myself being surprised when someone is thoughtful because it seems like a rarity. And that's just all on a micro, local level. Don't even get me started on the insanity in our world/culture. After I returned from grocery shopping (which can also be soul crushing), I found myself desperate for a reminder of the truth. 

*Part 2 continued in the comments.*
How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully grasp our strengths or our weaknesses until we are put to the test? Little did I know how much I would love my role as a wife, mother and homemaker until I became one. And that in my endeavor to do those roles to the best of my ability, it would bring to the forefront gifts and talents and blessings that I use outside of these walls.

As I water others, I’m watered too because it brings such joy to care for those around me. But it can also make me see more clearly the areas in which I’m lacking and be a very humbling reminder of how much I still need to grow and learn.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Have you done any ‘watering’ of others this week? How has it blessed and ‘watered’ you in return?
“Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you “Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you make.” Statements like this from my kids fill me with so much joy and such a sense of assurance that my role as the maker of this home is one that makes an impact on them in both big and small ways. It’s not just sheet pan shrimp boil. 

It’s nourishment
It’s time together around the table
It’s laughing as we try to get the butter sauce out of the pan
It’s a memory
It’s an imprint on their lives 

The ordinary act of making a meal becomes EXTRAordinary. And I try to keep that in mind as I do this task day in and day out, year after year. 

***

Ingredients: 
1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes
Green beans or corn (4 ears cut in half) whichever you prefer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and pinch of black pepper 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
Crusty bread for dipping 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, shrimp, sausage and green beans or corn on baking sheet. Pour butter over top. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp is pink. 

#shrimpboil #sheetpandinner #sheetpanmeals #homemaking
Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and lig Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and light cocktails! My husband is my own built in bartender and he put this together the other night. 

2 jiggers of gin (you could also use vodka) 
*you should do a jig when using a jigger 😉*
Crushed ice 
Grapefruit tonic 
Squirt of lime 
Sprig of mint 

Easy and so refreshing!! ☀️

#cocktails #summercocktails
There is something magical about the late summer e There is something magical about the late summer evenings. Maybe it’s because we have a greater sense of the fact that these long days are slowly shortening and we want to savor them as much as we can. I know I intend to do just that. 

I hope you’re having a wonderful August so far dear friends!
Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our hou Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our house all summer long. We’re big on the ‘build your own’ method of making dinner especially on very hot days. Simplicity for the win! 
#recipes #easydinner #easydinnerideas #homemaking
In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grou In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grouping of beats. No matter what else a piece of music has in terms of its pitch or tone, the rhythm never changes. Its the stabilizing force and brings order to a composition that would be completely chaotic without it.

The same can be said of rhythms in our lives and in our homes. When everything else feels out of control, rhythms and patterns provide us with stability and something that we can rely upon to give us a sense of security in a very insecure world. But, too often, we associate the rhythmic things we do in our lives as merely tasks to be gotten through rather than gifts which provide much-needed balance.

Whether it’s making the coffee every night before we go to bed or doing my devotional in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up or watering my garden, these simple tasks provide a rhythm to my day that is truly grounding. 

What’s something that you do that you would classify as a rhythm or pattern in your week?
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