A Kitchen Revisited...

I know many of you have seen my kitchen before. However, I am participating in Julia's (of the fabulous blog, Hooked on Houses) house tour (make sure you head on over there...after leaving me a comment, of course), and I thought I'd give her readers a quick look around my favourite room in our house. I also figured, you don't see a kitchen with blue cabinets that often, so here it is:
My husband built the cabinets himself, although we purchased the doors from a cabinet maker, and the kitchen island was my 10th anniversary gift from my husband, which he made to my specifications. The colour on the kitchen cabinets is Summer Shower, from Benjamin Moore. We settled for laminate counter tops disguising themselves as a marble look-a-like. They don't pull it off, of course, but they fit the budget and are easy to clean. I applaud those who invest in the real thing, but I am not yet into higher maintenance surfaces, and certainly not into trading my children's college fund for high-end counter tops. Maybe someday...

I love my schoolhouse lights, and they were bought at a great price from local building supply stores. The light over my dining table is from Homesense, and was a steal at $130. I love great lighting, and I believe every kitchen should have lighting that draws the eye up.

Most of the accessories in my kitchen are from yard sales, flea markets, or Homesense. I like the less is more approach to dressing your counter tops, although it is an ongoing battle to beat the clutter bugs living with me. For some reason, pockets tend to get emptied onto my island, and I often find Barbie shoes, "special" rocks and seashells, and gum wrappers that simply don't make it to the waste bin.

Our flooring is hardwood - I prefer wood to tile, as I am very clumsy, and would otherwise have to replace my dishes more often than is reasonable if I had tile underfoot. I also love the warmth of wood, and find it lends a more cozy feel to an otherwise cool palette.

My back splash is miniature subway tile with a line of glass mosaic tiles thrown into the mix.

One thing I would never change about my kitchen is my open shelving. They offer such easy access to everyday dishware, and provide great display space for my favourite treasures. I know some feel dust is an issue with open shelves, but our dishes are used and washed on such a frequent basis, that I give it nary a thought. I love the look of an unfitted kitchen, and while my kitchen has more of a traditional design, the open shelving is my nod to old-fashioned kitchens.

My kitchen isn't perfect - it isn't large, and it isn't filled with high-end appliances or finishes...but, it is bright, welcoming, and fills our needs. I have attempted to create a space that has vintage style paired with modern conveniences. It is, to me, a pretty kitchen, and I am happy it is the heart of our home...