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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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    • Featured

June 5, 2012

When you don’t have a white kitchen…

When you don’t have a white kitchen, AND you are apart of the blogging community, you might find yourself feeling a little bit…

Lonely…
Isolated…
Like you need to form an “I don’t have a white kitchen” support group.

white, cabinets, dark, kitchen, french country, bright, counters

You might feel like you did when you finally figured out how to peg your jeans like the “cool” kids were doing and showed up at school just as proud as could be, only to realize that they had all gotten even “cooler” and moved on from pegging their jeans to layering two different pairs of colored socks on top of each other. And all you have are white socks in your drawer.

That is a hypothetical example, of course.

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When you don’t have a white kitchen you may actually really love the idea of having one someday.
There would be creamy, off-white cabinets glazed just perfectly to bring out all of the details.

You look at photos and have dreams of making changes that just don’t fit into your budget right now.
You might remind yourself that changing these cabinets means you also have to change both fireplaces in your home and the built-in cabinets in your family room.

Sooooo……

Until you have that kitchen, you might try to find ways to keep things light and bright in the kitchen you do have. Which can be particularly challenging when you also have dark counter tops.
You try to add character and warmth without closing it in.

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You are so thankful for the 2 large skylights up above and these corner windows which you recently refreshed with new toile curtains.

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And you might keep things simplified in that corner when it comes to adding decorative items.

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When you don’t have a white kitchen, I very much recommend that you have a beautiful, ruffled linen towel hanging up. If it is sent to you by a talented and generous friend who sells many other gorgeous items like this in her esty shop, well, then that is even better!

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You may also decide that a sweet little coffee station is in order.
A silver tray, a pretty bowl for holding the filters and a mason jar for the grounds does the trick.

coffee station, kitchen

You might set behind it your most favorite photo of the two sweetest faces in the whole world.
Seeing this every morning as you make coffee will definitely distract you from the fact that you don’t have a white kitchen. And, you may be more gracious when those same two children are yelling for you to come get them yet another bowl of cereal or a toaster waffle. Just sayin’…

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A mint julep cup, which you found at Goodwill, filled with roses you just snipped from your garden will fill your non-white kitchen with a soft, sweet aroma.

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And, just for kicks, you might even use the small, silver ladle which belonged to your husband’s grandmother, to scoop out your coffee grounds.

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If you don’t have a white kitchen, you may come to appreciate having trim and moldings that are creamy white and help create contrast which makes your dark cabinets pop.

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If you didn’t have them already, you would probably add them to your kitchen anyway, as a simple way to make a big impact!

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And if you didn’t already have glass front cabinets, you would probably add those as well.
You could even take off the doors and create some open shelving on which to display your dishes.

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Even if you don’t have a white kitchen, you could still have white counter stools to help tie in with your kitchen table and to, once again, provide some contrast against your dark woodwork.

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They may have even been painted black originally.

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If you don’t have a white kitchen but you happen to have a desk area, why not treat it as another display area rather than just a dumping ground for the endless stream of papers which find their way into your home?
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A new lamp shade is a quick and inexpensive way to update a 20 year old space.

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And you might realize that when you don’t have a white kitchen, you like to keep your surfaces crisp and clean. Apothecary jars add just the right touch without making it feel closed in.
Someone does do their homework here after all.
So, you keep the decor to a minimum.

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Of course you can’t do homework properly without a place to sit.
And when you don’t have a white kitchen, you might think that a chair is the right thing to have at the desk area until you realize that it completely closes in the space and also makes it super annoying to have to move it out of the way every time you need to get something out of the desk drawer.
So, you find a little cube in a fun fabric and tuck it underneath instead.

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You see, when you don’t have a white kitchen and have no plans to have one in the near future, you might feel a little bit out of place in blogland. 
A rebel.

Maybe you don’t have a white kitchen but you really want one.
You might even be painting your cabinets white as I type these words.
Or, maybe you have a non-white kitchen and you just love it!
You feel just as passionate about your dark cabinets as others do about their white ones.
You may land somewhere in the middle and like a little bit of light with a little bit of dark.
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Maybe, when you don’t have a white kitchen, you find yourself not feeling “in” and you start comparing yourself with others.

We all know how dangerous that whole “comparing” business can be.

It can lead to feelings of discontent.
It can make you feel ungrateful for what you do have.
It might make you miss out on the fun of having to get creative and finding ways to update without paint.

So, if you are out there and you don’t have a white kitchen, don’t worry.

Neither do I!

Thanks so much for joining me at the Fence today,

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This post is sponsored by:
Suttonplacedesigns_250x125
designer of the fabulous towel featured in this post! You can get one too! 


This post is partying here:
Home Stories AtoZ: Tutorials and Tips Party
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia: Tuesday’s Treasures
DIY By Design: Spring into Spring
Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesday
Imparting Grace: Grace Imparted
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday
Common Ground: Vintage Inspiration Friday
Redoux: Friday’s Redone
Stuff and Nonsense: Friday’s Unfolded

98 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Judy says

    June 4, 2012 at 12:32 PM

    I thoroughly enjoyed this post. It almost reminds me of that book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. I love your kitchen and I think the dark cabinets are so elegant. I love blogland, but it can be a dangerous place too. I sometimes find myself wanting to completely do over rooms when I see something I love on another blog. Very clever premise and very well written!!

    Reply
  2. Calypso In The Country says

    June 4, 2012 at 12:35 PM

    That is just the cutest post! You really had me laughing because I also live with white kitchen envy and am constantly dreaming of white kitchens! I am always trying to lighten things up and I even have the same white floral plate you have (on your desk area)! But I must say, I think your kitchen is absolutely beautiful! Thanks for the lovely tour!
    -Shelley

    Reply
  3. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says

    June 4, 2012 at 12:36 PM

    If we hadn’t moved, I wouldn’t have a white kitchen either, Vanessa. I wanted to paint the oak cabinets at our old house white so badly, but hubby was having none of it. When we moved, the kitchen here already had creamy white cabinets {which was necessary I believe because there are no windows on that side of the condo}. So, I kind of had a trade off. No windows, which I love for natural light, but the white cabinets I’d been craving. I think your kitchen is beautiful as it is and I love the details you’ve added in.

    Reply
  4. Jenny@daysofchalkandchocolate says

    June 4, 2012 at 12:40 PM

    Your kitchen is beautiful! It is classic and rich looking! I love all your sweet details like the curtains and silver pieces too. Great post!

    Reply
  5. Aimee - ItsOverflowing.com says

    June 4, 2012 at 12:41 PM

    Vanessa, your kitchen is BEAUTIFUL and your post was SUPER CUTE! I’m loving that ruffle linen towel, too! Thanks for the great reminder – blogging definitely can lead to the comparison trap! Hope you have a great week ahead!!!

    XO, Aimee

    Reply
  6. Bunny Jean says

    June 4, 2012 at 12:43 PM

    Hi Vanessa!

    May I join your support group? Having just recently bought a new house with dark cabinets I know how you feel. But there is NO WAY my hubby will let me paint them.

    You have done a great job of brightening up your kitchen. I also have a cream dining room table and some black furniture pieces added to the mix just like you do! At least we are not doing the ‘matchy matchy’ thing, lol.

    xoxo Bunny Jean

    Reply
  7. Jana@Transformations From the Heart says

    June 4, 2012 at 12:45 PM

    Amazing that you posted this today. I was telling my hubs this weekend that it seems like everyone in blog land have big open spaced white kitchens. So glad to see that not everyone has one~now I’m feeling a little better! We have oak cabinets and I just can not seem to bring myself to ever wanting to paint them white like I’ve see so many times lately.
    Love your kitchen, it looks fabulous!

    Reply
  8. Cindy says

    June 4, 2012 at 12:50 PM

    Vanessa, such a timely post! I was just sitting here enjoying my first cup of coffee while browsing blogland. I had just come from another’s blog where she has the most grand and palatial kitchen. In my wildest dreams I will never own THAT kitchen!!! I got up to make the second cup and looked around and fell in love with my kitchen again. I can’t imagine being ANYWHERE else! BTW, I adore your kitchen and have always loved a dark and cozy kitchen. Your special touches have made it fantastic!
    XO Cindy

    Reply
  9. Ange says

    June 4, 2012 at 12:54 PM

    I think your kitchen is beautiful and dark cabinets are my second favorite. Anything is better than the honey oak! And you know how much fun I’ve had painting my cabinets! Embrace the cherry girl, it’s rich and dark, beautiful and classic! You’ve done a great job with your kitchen and the toile curtains are a lovely addition. I think your kitchen is light and bright, not dark feeling at all! Great post!

    Reply
  10. Joani says

    June 4, 2012 at 12:54 PM

    I so enjoyed reading your post. I, too, do not have a white kitchen. Reflections of white cause migraines & I will not have white kitchen, white walls, anything white. So, if I may, I’m in as well without a white kitchen. And, I was thinking of making mine a little darker. Thanks for sharing. Have a great week.

    Reply
  11. Laura from Top This Top That says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:04 PM

    White kitchens are overrated anyways!! 🙂 ps- I am perfectly happy with my non-white kitchen too!

    Reply
  12. Julie @ Knot All That I Seam says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:12 PM

    Loved your post Vanessa! What a great way to give a mini tour of your beautiful kitchen. Might I add that although my kitchen is white, it is teeny tiny so you can be grateful for having a big one! 🙂 x Julie

    Reply
  13. Sarah says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:16 PM

    Love this. Since I’m in medical school, we’re stuck with a tiny, non-white kitchen for at least another 2 years in this apartment. Your tips are great, and your kitchen looks fantastic!

    Reply
  14. Alderberry Hill says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:17 PM

    Awesome post…I don’t have a white kitchen either and so wish I did….I’m trying to incorporate some cheerful colors to give it a new feel.
    Changing the cabinets is completely out of the question for us, we’ve only been in our house for 4 years so that kind of expense is way way in the future.
    Love what you’ve done!

    Reply
  15. Cherished Bliss says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:17 PM

    Oh how I wish I had a white kitchen, the worst part… I have a landlord that doesn’t care if I paint it. But we are looking at moving… again… so I just can’t bring myself to all that work for a whole lot of nothing!

    Your kitchen is gorgeous by the way! : )

    Reply
  16. Debra @ Common Ground says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:23 PM

    Great post, Vanessa. Your kitchen is soooo beautiful. Gorgeous cabinets. mine on the other hand were old, orange, and 30 years old. It took no convincing myself or my hubbs that paint would improve them. Your kitchen is light and bright, no need for white in there, and that molding makes a huge difference!

    Reply
  17. trumatter says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:23 PM

    You know what? this is what i call, keeping it real. Beautiful. I love every bit of your kitchen and dark is very hard to play with. Best part is you’ve played it fantastic.

    Reply
  18. marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:43 PM

    I don’t have a white kitchen either, and I love my cabinets. I love yours too. I think they are stunning and your kitchen is fabulous. The moldings are all to die for. Great post. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  19. Anonymous says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:49 PM

    Your kitchen is beautiful! Not dark and cramped at all. White kitchens will be out before you know it anyway.

    Reply
  20. Jamie says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:50 PM

    I love this!!! We are moving into a new house this week and the cabinets are beautiful, but they aren’t white. I will miss my white cabinets, but this post brings me comfort 🙂 The funny thing is, so many people outside of blogland don’t even realize there is a white cabinet trend right now!

    Reply
  21. Corry Oosterhouse says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:52 PM

    Loved this post too! We have beautiful oak cabinets and trim in our kitchen and wouldn’t change it for anything!! I am of Dutch descent and have Delft pottery that I use to hold utensils, etc. On the bulkhead above the sink I’ve hung Delft plates depicting my favorite windmills and other Dutch scenes. On another wall I have a Delft coffee grinder. I love my kitchen!

    Reply
  22. It's All Connected says

    June 4, 2012 at 1:58 PM

    Your kitchen is lovely and you have given some really great tips for adding some lightness to the rich woods! Who knows what next year’s fashion will be. ~ Maureen

    Reply
  23. Lisa @ Before Meets After says

    June 4, 2012 at 2:00 PM

    This cracked me up! I have lived in a house with beautiful dark cabinets and dark countertops. The house we live in now has bright white cabinets and dark countertops. I’ve loved both looks. I say embrace it either way! Your kitchen is beautiful and not dark at all 🙂 I love the fridge disguised with cabinetry!

    Reply
  24. Tonia L says

    June 4, 2012 at 2:16 PM

    I adore you kitchen and have never wanted a white one! 🙂

    Reply
  25. Betsy@ coastal-colors says

    June 4, 2012 at 3:16 PM

    So pretty! I love everything about this kitchen! It’s so classic and rich! The “Spring time” towel is lovely!

    Reply
  26. Andrea@ourbluefrontdoor says

    June 4, 2012 at 3:17 PM

    I’m with you and I don’t have a white kitchen either and it’s ok! Your kitchen is beautiful, the white moldings really do make your cabinets stand out. Your decorative accents make all the difference too and add some cool into the mix! Love it 🙂

    Andrea xo

    Reply
  27. CAS says

    June 4, 2012 at 3:33 PM

    What a great post & so timely, Vanessa! I had white cabinets in our previous kitchen & just loved it, but that kitchen would have been so dark had we not put in white cabinets. Our kitchen now is the “a bit better grade than builder basic honey oak” style cabinets. I keep vacillating between painting them white or making them darker or doing nothing, which is what The Man would prefer. We’ve been going through some model homes lately (great way to see where the trends are going), & the majority have very dark, rich cabinets. They look beautiful & so do yours. Your entire home is gorgeous! I love blogging & get so many wonderful ideas, but it some times feels like there is a trend toward “keeping up with the Joneses.” It’s kind of sad when everyone thinks they need to paint everything that doesn’t move some chalk paint color just because a few popular bloggers are doing that. I just think everyone needs to be true to themselves & decide if a “trend” is really the way to go for them. Wow, I kind of got on a “soapbox” didn’t I? Sorry, I’ll just shut up right now.
    CAS

    Reply
  28. Mdegraeve says

    June 4, 2012 at 3:46 PM

    I have white cabinets and I have to be honest, I HATE them!!! lol
    I have four young children and two very large dogs. That leads to dirty cabinets all the time. I wipe and I wipe, I feel like I’m wiping things all my cabinets multiple times a day. I’m have some serious dark cabinet envy going on!!
    But it’s ok. I’m blessed to have a kitchen that I can call my own, but I have a dark cabinet dream:)
    -Blessings

    Reply
  29. Shelia says

    June 4, 2012 at 3:49 PM

    You little silly! Well, even if you don’t have a white kitchen – your kitchen is gorgeous and you’ve really added some marvelous touches! It’s bright and very happy!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia 😉

    Reply
  30. Shirley says

    June 4, 2012 at 4:06 PM

    I do have white walls AFTER painting the entire kitchen (-cabinets & built in hutch) THREE different times THREE different colors! When my son said ” just paint the kitchen white” I dream of the white cabinets sometimes ONLY as soon as I do paint them everyone else will have changed to some other color. My cabinets are a honey type color people adore them when they visit so I am ok with it. I refuse to paint the cabinets after removing all the doors and painting the base to match the doors when we first moved in…until I forget how hard that was..and I haven’t forgotten.

    Reply
  31. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    June 4, 2012 at 4:41 PM

    Great post Vanessa!! You have a beautiful kitchen, and even though you have dark cabinets your kitchen is so light and bright!! I have to say it again, I LOVE those panels you have near your sink!!

    Reply
  32. Susan (My Place to Yours) says

    June 4, 2012 at 4:50 PM

    Cute post, Vanessa! When we rescued our old house, I toyed with the idea of an all-white kitchen, but the house kept saying “NO.” Instead I went with cherry cabinets (more brown than red) and light quartz countertops … but I did paint the dish pantry shelves and the original built-in china cabinet a creamy white. I’m so glad I listened when the old gal spoke and steered me away from all-white! 🙂

    Reply
  33. ❀❀❀Ðαωᾔ❀❀❀ says

    June 4, 2012 at 4:53 PM

    I love you kitchen the way it is, white is not for everyone. Beautiful space:)

    Reply
  34. Our Pinteresting Family says

    June 4, 2012 at 5:05 PM

    Your kitchen is just beautiful!!! Megan

    Reply
  35. Renewed Upon a Dream says

    June 4, 2012 at 5:12 PM

    Yea! I have a non-white kitchen too. We rent, and it’s tiny, and the counters on the left don’t match the counters on the right. It’s the room I feel like I have the least amount of control over in our rented space. It can make me feel sad about our house when I see all these beautiful kitchens everywhere when ours is so obviously a renters kitchen, done as cheaply as possible. Sigh… someday… Thanks for this.

    Reply
  36. Julie says

    June 4, 2012 at 5:13 PM

    Great post Vanessa…you’ve seen my kitchen…I lean towards dark cabinets! Mine are BLACK (w/ white buffet)! I think your kitchen is beautiful the way it is!!! But… I still hear a little voice saying “I want white! I want white!” I just got done painting my laundry room cabinets that were that exact shade. It went on easily. Your going to probably ban me from your blog after I say this (hopefully not!!) would’t the island and section where the ovens are look cool painted white?? It is so much fun doing it. I have had a blast doing mine, well, not a blast. But you know what I mean! 🙂 I say go w/ your gut! XO

    ~ Julie

    Reply
  37. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    June 4, 2012 at 5:14 PM

    Love this post Vanessa…I am in the group “I don’t have a white kitchen”….but by doing things as you did, I feel that it is light and bright with a very cozy feeling….Your kitchen is beautiful and I have many of the same elements that you have in your kitchen to make it feel “lighter”…sparkly crystal, shiny silver, and other light textures!….Yes, I so drool over the gorgeous white kitchens out there that are showcased in blogs and magazines, but I am happy with what I have..

    Reply
  38. I Know The Plans I Have For You says

    June 4, 2012 at 5:34 PM

    What a CUTE post Vanessa! I wouldn’t care what color my kitchen was if I had yours lol! I love your kitchen 🙂 I don’t have a white kitchen either. Actually we just moved into our home and the kitchen was BRIGHT yellow! I just painted the walls gray and our cabinets are painted white. Although I love white cabinets, I don’t love how they “look” painted white. I have even thought about stipping them and staining them. I don’t know if I would hate them though and that is SO much work to end up not liking them, ya know! I have a lot of work to do in there to make it how I want….but all in due time. Thanks for the cute post!

    Reply
  39. Darleen@Places In The Home says

    June 4, 2012 at 5:35 PM

    Excellent, excellent post! When you don’t have a white kitchen you need not make any excuses. You have a kitchen that at one time or still does “do it for you”. Styles change, trends tend to have a shelf life and the remodeling money tree is non producing more times than not. A room/space that reflects the the life lived within our home & the decorative creativity we amaze ourselves with separates us from the crowd. Decorate to the beat of your own drum, talent, tastes and pocketbook. White kitchens are lovely and very pleasing to the eye, but I need to “Color My World” at times. Your kitchen is a perfect example of what our decor should reflect~ our individual personality!

    ~Darleen

    p.s. I love the idea, sentiment and use of the silver ladle which belonged to your husband’s grandmother. Genius!

    Reply
  40. Ellie says

    June 4, 2012 at 6:10 PM

    You may not have a white kitchen, but you have a beautiful kitchen just the same. Love this post!

    Reply
  41. Katie @ Wildwood Creek says

    June 4, 2012 at 6:20 PM

    Love this post! Thanks from all of us in blogland that don’t have white kitchens. I go back and forth on painting my cabinets.

    Reply
  42. Lynn @ UpCountry Olio says

    June 4, 2012 at 6:33 PM

    I love this “hypothetical” kitchen, it is just beautiful. The sea of white kitchens out are so pretty too, but I decided to paint my butler’s pantry cabinets a different color. I feel like I’ve had to explain my choice some times. You have just erased months of self-doubt. Thanks for this fun, uplifting post!

    Reply
  43. Debbiedoo's says

    June 4, 2012 at 6:48 PM

    Can you see me standing up and applauding you? Well I am honey, because I don’t have a white kitchen. I did however have a white kitchen in our South Florida home and I hated it. So really, I am so happy and content with what I do have and really never ever envy those kitchens. I like them to look at based on the person and their personality..it works for them, NOT me!~ Your kitchen is gorgeous, very warm and welcoming.

    Reply
  44. Linda Young says

    June 4, 2012 at 7:45 PM

    I have a white kitchen, but that doesn’t mean it’s anything special. It’s just what was in my new house, and it’s up to me to make it warm and charming, we’ve got to work with what we have.
    Your kitchen is fabulous with very fine, rich-looking cabinets and countertops, and beautiful moldings! You’ve done a beautiful job with the pretty curtains, and your little cube seat and all your accessories and decorations! It seems like a wonderful, inviting place for the family to gather, and a great spacious place to prepare food. Enjoy it and be proud of it!

    Reply
  45. Leslie says

    June 4, 2012 at 8:00 PM

    Great post!! I like the idea of a light bright kitchen, but I also appreciate the warmth and coziness of depth and color. You’ve made yours the best of both worlds! I just decorate according to my personal taste! Yes, sometimes that happens to be in style or trendy, but I have to LOVE whatever space I live in. 🙂
    Blessings!
    Leslie

    Reply
  46. Thoughts for the day says

    June 4, 2012 at 8:04 PM

    Oh I love your kitchen… it is beautiful and rich looking and I love your humor too.

    Reply
  47. reFresh reStyle says

    June 4, 2012 at 8:18 PM

    It’s not white, but it’s beautiful! And it’s light and bright and warm and welcoming 🙂 Love it!

    Reply
  48. Summer @ Summer Scraps says

    June 4, 2012 at 8:50 PM

    I have white kitchen envy but there is no way it is happening right now. Your kitchen is beautiful! Perhaps I need to make peace with what I have because there is no way I can afford changing it to a white kitchen right.

    Reply
  49. Kelly @ View Along the Way says

    June 4, 2012 at 9:20 PM

    And THAT is the way non-white kitchens should be done! Your decorative touches are just gorgeous. My off-white kitchen is getting kinda jealous right now… it just figured out how to peg its jeans.

    PS – I hear we’ll be meeting at dinner before Haven! 🙂 Excited!

    Reply
  50. Robin says

    June 4, 2012 at 11:11 PM

    Can I please join your support group? I left my cream cabinets and hardwood floors 1000 miles away when we moved to FL. Now I have cherry cabinets and black granite in a room that gets no direct sun all day. It may keep our AC bills reasonable but it’s like a cave. I had a huge skylight in my old kitchen too. Sniff! Yours is really beautiful but I just wanted you to know how left out I feel too. Next house has got to have a white kitchen!

    Robin
    Robin Flies South

    Reply
  51. Kim @ Savvy Southern Style says

    June 5, 2012 at 12:33 AM

    Your kitchen is beautiful just the way it is and nice and large. I had shiny white cabinets when we built our house and then got new door and drawer fronts a few years ago and had them painted and glazed. So mine aren’t white either.

    Reply
  52. Cozy Little House says

    June 5, 2012 at 12:56 AM

    Your cabinets are very pretty! We don’t need to all be the same. I live in a house 78 years old. I have open white cabinets. Just a couple, as it’s a tiny house. I love your table and chairs! I covet those!
    Brenda

    Reply
  53. Sheila R - Blessed and Distressed says

    June 5, 2012 at 2:03 AM

    I am so glad I am not the only one who doesn’t have a white kitchen. Yours looks bright and cherry. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  54. Linda@Coastal Charm says

    June 5, 2012 at 2:11 AM

    How boring, if we all had white kitchens. Your kitchen is very pretty and you should be very proud of it…love the new curtains.

    Blessings,
    Linda

    Reply
  55. Eclectically Vintage says

    June 5, 2012 at 3:34 AM

    Forget those mismatched socks – you’re a leader, not a follower! Now, unroll those jeans, and keep on decorating (so we can all follow)!
    Kelly

    Reply
  56. Shannon @ Cozy Home Scenes says

    June 4, 2012 at 9:20 PM

    I’d love a white kitchen too, but for whatever reason when we built our house, the cabinet makers would not install white ones for us. Something about the way the cabinets are made and installed when they are custom. Instead, we opted for lighter stained cabinets. We liked them for a while, but are in the process of trying to decide whether to leave them alone, stain them, or paint them. Eventually, I’m sure we’ll be painting them, though not any time soon. I do like darker kitchesn in other people’s homes, but I like the airy feeling of the white ones and wish that is what we had. Maybe someday.

    Reply
  57. Cindy @ Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home says

    June 5, 2012 at 2:02 AM

    White kitchens are pretty for sure, but I love the look of cherry cabinets, warm, easy to clean and shine up with a bit of Murphys Oil Soap and never show dirt, chips or base board scuff marks! Yours is beautiful!

    Reply
  58. ♥ Sonny ♥ says

    June 5, 2012 at 9:03 AM

    You have a very beautiful kitchen with high quality cabinets and you have it decorated in a creative way.

    Those of us with builder grade oak almost HAD to paint them white in order not to live in uglyland:-)

    Reply
  59. Dawn says

    June 5, 2012 at 2:27 PM

    Such a fun post! And your kitchen is beautiful.

    Reply
  60. thistlewoodfarm says

    June 5, 2012 at 2:51 PM

    Vanessa,

    You made me laugh! I have a white kitchen….but I definitely need to join the “missed out on the peg jeans” group 🙂 Your kitchen is amazing! I love those moldings and skylights….seriously? All I have is people jumping and playing basketball above my kitchen 🙂

    I hope you and your kitchen have a wonderful day!

    blessings,
    karianne

    Reply
  61. limejello says

    June 5, 2012 at 3:12 PM

    Be blessed that you don’t have a horrific galley style kitchen like I do. I dream of a kitchen with an island, space for more than one person to work, and enough cabinets to hold all of our small gadgets.

    Your kitchen is beautiful. I’m particularly in love with the desk area and coffee tray. If you want to change something, I would change the tile you have behind your counters. Add a bright, cheery color and you won’t even miss that you have no white cabinets. 🙂

    Reply
  62. Laurel Stephens says

    June 5, 2012 at 4:23 PM

    I love your gorgeous kitchen. Variety is the spice of life!

    Reply
  63. Melisa says

    June 5, 2012 at 5:58 PM

    Your kitchen is beautiful. The dark cabinets are very elegant. I love the little ivy planter. I don’t have a white kitchen either, and don’t want one. I think they are very fresh and pretty in photos but I don’t think I’d like to actually live in one on a daily basis. I need warmth and color. White kitchens have been in for a while now so I imagine their time is coming to an end before much longer.

    Reply
  64. Melisa says

    June 5, 2012 at 6:00 PM

    I should add that I clicked your link to visit here because it was so refreshing to see a kitchen that wasn’t white! Not just more of the same old thing.

    Reply
  65. Richella says

    June 5, 2012 at 6:30 PM

    This is a great post, Vanessa! I know just how you feel. I have a lovely kitchen, but sometimes I feel so ridiculous not having a white kitchen. Meanwhile, I can forget to be grateful for what I DO have!! Sigh. Maybe you should have a party for those of us with non-white kitchens to share our spaces! 🙂

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      June 6, 2012 at 2:57 PM

      Jumping in here to say that is a fabulous idea Richella! We may just have to do that!

      Heather

      Reply
  66. Sharon @ mrshinesclass says

    June 5, 2012 at 8:32 PM

    I think white kitchens are absolutely dreamy, but I do love my dark cabinets and black counters. Like you, I’m enjoying the creative process in making it feel lighter…we have taken a very similar approach. Thanks for the encouragement and inspiration.
    Sharon @ mrs. hines class

    Reply
  67. Debbie says

    June 5, 2012 at 8:45 PM

    For some oddball reason, this is one of my favorite of your posts.

    Well, actually, it’s not so odd. I’m in need of the “I don’t have a white kitchen” support group. I don’t have one either, and my reason for not painting my butt ugly old oak cabinets is that I’m waiting to afford the counter tops that I really want. My current ones would look cruddy with white.

    And so. I wait…
    I love your ideas.
    Actually, I’m just about nuts over your kitchen table and chairs. I would like to replace mine with something like that. I’m currently on the lookout.

    Reply
  68. ritajoy says

    June 5, 2012 at 9:27 PM

    Beautifully said! What a great reminder to be thankful for what we have and to make it uniquely “us”.

    Reply
  69. Anonymous says

    June 5, 2012 at 10:18 PM

    Great post Vanessa – photos and text! I’ve always thought that your kitchen is beautiful!

    Mom

    Reply
  70. Kristens Creations says

    June 6, 2012 at 2:05 AM

    Great post! You really have a beautiful kitchen and I wouldn’t change a thing. I do know what you mean though…seeing all of the beautiful white kitchens in blogland. In fact, I think everything is going to white…furniture and all! I do like it but I LOVE color. When it seems like everyone is taking their color away, I am adding more! lol…I’m doing what I like and am not going to do something just to be in. If you wait long enough it will come back anyway…right? =) By the way, my kitchen is not white either. My cabinets are painted and glazed…not white.

    I really enjoy your blog!! Kristen

    Reply
  71. The House at Bluebird Lane says

    June 6, 2012 at 4:16 AM

    Your kitchen is amazing! So rich and warm feeling! I love all the little touches especially your grandmother’s silver ladle and the precious picture of your children. Just beautiful! 🙂
    Sharla

    Reply
  72. Toni says

    June 6, 2012 at 8:25 AM

    Great post. I love your kitchen! I don’t have a white kitchen and don’t want one! I love my cherry cabinets, red granite and cherry floors! I guess I am a rebel.

    Reply
  73. Scribbler says

    June 6, 2012 at 2:34 AM

    Well stated, and I suspect this could be an allegory for many other aspects of blogging. Very clever.

    Reply
  74. Pothys says

    June 6, 2012 at 12:14 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    Reply
  75. Jordan@the2seasons says

    June 6, 2012 at 12:43 PM

    I had to work hard for my white kitchen and I said I would never do it again. It was a ton of work. So sit back and enjoy your kitchen and think how many more projects you can do since you are not dealing with painting your cabinets white!

    Reply
  76. Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door says

    June 6, 2012 at 1:41 PM

    I loved this post! Great job, Vanessa! I loved your take on this and how you wove it into the post. (And for the humor! Thanks for the giggle this morning!) There’s always going to be something out there that catches our eye but we can’t have at the moment. Or maybe never. But to take what we do have and enjoy it is key! Thanks for sharing this perspective on kitchens! Oh, and for the great idea of storing the coffee grounds in the mason jar! LOVE that idea!

    Reply
  77. Budget Design Girl says

    June 6, 2012 at 4:02 PM

    I love this post! It does seem as though everyone in blogland has a white kitchen. Yours is classic and lovely. EMBRACE it!
    I love the saying, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” It’s hard sometimes to not want what it seems everyone else has.

    I am in the non-white kitchen group, but due to a major leak, we are renovating right now, and I am planning to lighten up my already painted cabinets. I do fear that as soon as I have a white kitchen, that look will be on the way out! Haha! 😉

    I hear that we will be meeting at Haven! I’m looking forward to it!

    Hope you and that beautiful kitchen have a fabulous day!
    xo-Lisa

    Reply
  78. Anonymous says

    June 6, 2012 at 4:55 PM

    This was soooo timely for me! We are moving to another state at the end of July, and the brand new house has BRAND NEW dark cherry cabinets and BLACK yes I said Black granite counter tops. Now I know I should not complain because everything is new and upgraded and all, (wish I had been in on the design choices) but I just wanted my white kitchen somethin awful!! So I have been searching blogland for dark kitchens and see what ideas I could borrow, I’m bookmarking you right here and now.

    I did see one other site that may help (wishful hoping) and that is to beadboard the back splash area and paint it shiny white to reflect the light. I’m a beach girl born and raised here at the Jersey Shore, so if it ain’t blue, sandy, white or green I’m lost. LOL

    Reply
  79. Vickie @ Ranger 911 says

    June 6, 2012 at 6:51 PM

    Obviously you’ve struck a chord with your readers. My problem isn’t kitchen cabinets, but mix and match trim throughout the house. I think I’m finally over the “I need to paint my trim white” feeling and happy with the rooms that still have 1921 original dark wood trim. In another 10 years everybody will be trying to figure out how to strip that white paint off of everything. :@

    Your kitchen is lovely, by the way.

    Reply
  80. scrapmebaby says

    June 6, 2012 at 8:32 PM

    Yay for non-white kitchens:) yours is truly lovely, I have a bright red kitchen, and while I do certainly love it – it definitely is more complicated to work with than something all neutral. Thanks for sharing, this is my first visit here. I will be back!

    Nicole @ scrap me baby

    Reply
  81. Becca says

    June 6, 2012 at 11:02 PM

    Ah, yes- this was a GREAT post! Thanks for sharing your space- and your thoughts!
    xoxo Becca

    Reply
  82. Bonnie says

    June 7, 2012 at 1:39 AM

    Quite a lot of comments. Great post. Your kitchen is wonderful and has all the amenities. Your cabinets are beautiful. They are way too nice to paint.You have great light which I envy. Every detail is nice. I especially like your coffee space. What a delightful idea to put the coffee filters in a pretty bowl, use a Mason jar with a vintage spoon for the coffee and fresh flowers in a mint julep cup. Great creativity.

    Reply
  83. Leslie says

    June 7, 2012 at 1:56 PM

    I’ll trade you my white kitchen for your gorgeous, cozy kitchen if it’ll make you feel better 😉

    Reply
  84. Jenny says

    June 7, 2012 at 2:56 PM

    Your kitchen is beautiful! and the part about the layered colored socks just cracked me up!! Hahaha…….oh how I remember those days! Thanx for sharing!

    xoxo
    jenny

    Reply
  85. Erica {let why lead} says

    June 8, 2012 at 3:23 PM

    It really is a gorgeous kitchen! I love this – We’ve gotta own what we have!

    Reply
  86. Heaven's Walk says

    June 9, 2012 at 1:11 AM

    Well, count me in as a member of your support group, Vanessa. lol! I’ve always wanted a white kitchen….and have never had one….yet. And yes, I still want one. But I’m gradually learning to appreciate the rich oak color of my cabinets which were built back in 1895 from the trees on this property. I have learned, as you said, to keep things clean and uncluttered and introduced open shelving with lots of white ironstone, and white painted beadboard walls. I can live with it the way it is….until we downsize and maybe then I can find my white dream kitchen. 🙂 Thanks for the peek at your beautiful kitchen!

    xoxo laurie

    Reply
  87. Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia says

    June 10, 2012 at 1:02 AM

    I think your kitchen is gorgeous. The wood does not date your kitchen at all, still looks like a new kitchen. Unlike my ugly oak.
    XO
    Kristin

    Reply
  88. La Vie Quotidienne says

    June 11, 2012 at 12:51 AM

    I don’t have a white kitchen, or a white any room ~ I like color to much for that. But I do love my french-inspired kitchen with it’s dark cabinets and marble counters anyway. Actually I think it is a more of a design challenge to decorate with color than with white. Your kitchen it lovely.

    Reply
  89. Linda @ it all started with paint says

    June 11, 2012 at 8:33 PM

    I know what you mean. And I decided to tackle my kitchen before I even knew of this crazy blogging world … and if I had there’s a very good chance I would have gone white and not dark …

    But either way it’s a HUGE improvement over builder grade orangy oak.

    And your kitchen is stunning just as it is! Envy inducing. And remember what I said …. I have builder grade oak still. I just painted it myself …

    🙂

    Linda

    Reply
  90. The Captain's Daughter says

    June 13, 2012 at 7:53 PM

    I have a white kitchen, (and love it) but I see MANY things to covet about your gorgeous, albeit not white, kitchen!

    Reply
  91. Amy says

    June 27, 2012 at 6:34 PM

    Ha ha ha ha ha! LOVE THIS POST! Cannot go to blogs without seeing all the white kitchens..well guess what? The day we put the offer on our house they installed the new DARK granite counters. And the dark kitchen table, stools, chairs aren’t paid for yet. But I still LOVE my kitchen and I love this post 🙂

    Reply
  92. Anonymous says

    June 28, 2012 at 1:50 PM

    We have a tiny, galley kitchen with dark cabinets in our 100-year-old Victorian. We are moving and there are dark cabinets in our new-to-us 100-year-old farm house. I am okay with that. Although I do love the look of white kitchens, have you noticed they all look the same? Same subway tile, same white cabinets, same wood or faux wood floors, same industrial-style lighting. It’s so boring. Plus, I comfort myself with the thought that in a few years, all those white kitchen folks, bless their hearts, will be stripping their cupboards down to the wood. — JulieBaby

    Reply
  93. Dorothy says

    June 29, 2012 at 1:46 AM

    Wonderful! I happen to like but not have a white kitchen (don’t really want it white-white or all white, but just lighter) but you know darn well, by the time you make it white, the new “must have” will be something else entirely. If all you do is join the crowd, you’ll have a very frustrating and expensive existence.

    Reply
  94. Susan @ homeroad.net says

    August 16, 2012 at 12:12 PM

    Vanessa I don’t have a white kitchen either… though I think they are beautiful… You did a great job in yours…why do they ALL have to be white anyway? Are we all white? I think we should love our kitchens for what they are! You (and I) have beautiful kitchens full of character which makes them unique and awesome!
    Susan
    Homeroad.net

    Reply
  95. Mary Richmond says

    August 16, 2012 at 7:49 PM

    Your kitchen is beautiful. I love the coffee station with the filters in a pretty bowl. Great idea! Thanks for all the inspiration! I’m feeling a little hopeful about my kitchen now.

    Reply
  96. Elena says

    August 21, 2012 at 4:42 PM

    Oh my goodness did this ever resonate! I *might* have an entire pinboard devoted to my desire for a white kitchen. But those white cabinets would mean new granite which would mean a new backsplash and… well, you get the picture…. Thanks for making the rest of us feel a little less alone 😉

    Reply
  97. Recreate and decorate says

    January 6, 2013 at 10:52 AM

    Great read! I too just got through spending a day with a friend who don’t have white cabinets.

    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?
Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of rain lately (which is saying something when you live in Oregon) and I’ll admit that it’s affecting my moods a bit. I feel like I’m dragging and struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. So don’t mind me if I’m over here looking at photos of my garden in the summertime and finding that it keeps me hopeful about those days to come. They will come, right?! 🤪. 

What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

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?

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
― Charles Dickens
“The next day the large crowd that had come to t “The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ – John 12:9-19
#palmsunday
When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the pa When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the payoff of your investment in your children, it is truly one of the greatest gifts. We had that experience twice this week with our 18 year old son and were overwhelmed by this opportunity we had to watch as he handled two very different situations (one personal and one professional) with grace, maturity, integrity and courage. Those of you mamas of little ones, don't ever minimize the job you are doing in raising this next generation. 

Every story read at bedtime
Every correction made to strengthen character
Every outdoor exploration
Every nose wiped
Every bandaid applied
Every time you say no when the world says yes
Every night of helping with homework
Every difficult conversation
Every prayer uttered

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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