Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts

Monday, August 22, 2011

K is for Keeping Kitchens Organized


The kitchen is generally the busiest room in the house -- used for cooking, eating, storage, homework, socializing and more. Here are some quick and easy tips to help you keep it organized and looking great:
  • Create zones -- one area for food preparation, one for storage, one for eating, etc.
  • Store items near where you use them. Don't worry about whether it makes sense for someone else -- I keep plastic kid cups in the fridge beside the juice.
  • Free up drawer space by using a decorative canister to hold often-used utensils, such as spatulas and spoons.
  • Storing small appliances in cupboards will free up counter space and keep the room looking less cluttered. The ones you rarely use can be stored up high or in the back of the cabinet, and the ones you use often in easy-to-reach areas.
  • Inexpensive baskets or plastic containers are great for storing bottles of vinegar, oil and other sauces. It's easier to pull a basket out of the cupboard than it is to root around for the right bottle.
  • In a small kitchen, putting the sink in the corner creates more usable, uninterrupted counter space.
  • If you have space in your kitchen, an armoire is a terrific organizer. It can hold your microwave, freeing up counter space. You can use the shelves and drawers for anything from cookbooks and tablecloths to mixing bowls and baking needs. Paint the inside of one of the doors with chalkboard paint and you have space for quick notes and lists as well.
  • Baskets placed in the area between cabinets and the ceiling are great for storing seldom-used items.
  • If you're really short on space, add a shelf above the window or door.
  • Hang tablecloths on a towel rack attached to the inside of a cabinet or closet door.
How do you keep your kitchen organized??

Sunday, May 1, 2011

A Budget Kitchen Makeover

A while back I did a blog post about our ugly kitchen (you can check it out here) - the previous homeowners had re-done the kitchen with things they liked, not worrying about whether or not they went together (they didn't). We did a quick makeover to keep me from crying every time I walked into the room - a temporary fix until we were ready for a bit more work.

Here are the original before shots - busy backsplash with dark grout lines, orange wood, ugly brass handles...


And the in-between fix - painted the busy backsplash to get rid of the headaches, added a valance (made with $4 placemats!).


I still didn't want to spend a lot of money, and the cabinets and counters were in good shape. We painted out the wood trim, changed the cabinet hardware (29 handles...), painted the walls and backsplash, and added some new accessories. The entire thing was done for less than $200.

Final Results:


Now I actually don't mind spending time in the kitchen - it feels much cleaner and more open!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Quick & Easy Kitchen Makeover - On a Budget


This kitchen had several things that bothered the homeowner (aka me!)...the previous owners had chosen everything they liked without considering whether or not they went together (they mostly didn't!). The biggest problem was the backsplash - the contrasting grout
and the pattern on the tiles made the room look way too busy. Since a full kitchen makeover was being planned for a couple of years from now, all that was needed for now was a quick fix to make the room bearable for the homeowners who frowned every time we entered the kitchen.

Our quick and easy solution? A quart of paint (Davenport Tan HC-76) covered the backsplash and got rid of the busy lines, instantly making the room seem less cluttered. And a few $4 placemats were used to create a custom valance for the window.
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