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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 hope that the predictable feels special and that the typical feels anything but. I hope that I ohhh and ahhh over the simple things I've realized I've taken for granted. And, most of all, I hope that feeling doesn't go away for a very, very long time! 💗
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What could be good about the unspeakable pain he suffered? What could be good about the shame and betrayal?

Easter Sunday is so joyful, bright and cheery. Shouldn’t that be the day we call “good”? It just feels so much better!

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Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what he would experience. And he knew why he would go through it. He did it for me. He did it for you.

Do you know that? Have you felt it down in the very core of your soul? 
Sometimes it makes me squirm a bit. Why would anyone do that for me?

Well, because, I can’t do it for myself!

There is nothing I can do to earn that kind of love and mercy.

That is why it is called GRACE.

His grace is freely given. We don’t have to pay for it. He paid the price for us already.

Do you remember that movie from years ago called “Ransom”? A couple’s young son was kidnapped and the parents went to hell and back trying to find him and pay the “ransom” demanded by the kidnappers.

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