Kitchen Sneak Peek

Our kitchen is the room I've had to get most creative with. It has some wonderful features--tons of natural light (there's a window above the sink, a door to the screen porch that lets in light, and a window above the area where we eat), lots of storage and countertop space, and the layout is super functional. It's a great kitchen to cook in.

There are other things (aesthetic things) about it that aren't my favorite--namely the honey oak cabinets and laminate cream countertops. They aren't horrible and I'm grateful that at least the kitchen is neutral, it just isn't really to my taste. What I've discovered though is that the challenge this room presents excites me--it's been fun to figure out temporary renter-friendly ways to make our kitchen feel more modern and beautiful and to make it more "me."

I think painting the walls a deep rich color (maybe a midnight navy blue) would do wonders in here and I may try to eventually get permission to paint from our landlord, but in the meantime I'm focusing on simpler changes.

To bring in a little vibrancy I made this hanging rope planter for the kitchen window. I'd been wanting to try this tutorial for a while! I potted a succulent in a simple white bowl and then followed the instructions on how to tie the knots. I love how the plant spills over the sides, and the bright green lends a welcome dose of color.

Another change I made was taking the doors off of some of our cabinets. I didn't do this on all of them, just the ones holding our glasses, mugs and dishes. I've always loved open shelving and I think this look makes the space both more modern and more eclectic at the same time. If you're proud of your dishes, why not show them off?

I also hung a piece of art on the "backsplash" underneath the cabinet with our dishes to break up some of the beige-ness. I've noticed that having art in the kitchen isn't super common but I love it. It can add so much personality and charm.

I have a few more changes in mind--a DIY rug that I'm making out of a funky vintage piece of cloth, a potential lighting fixture change, and I'm considering making a white backing for my open shelves (do you think that's a good idea?). And I'm dying to try out these Smart Tiles near the stove area.

I'm actually so glad our kitchen looks the way it looks. It's giving me the chance to be creative and clever and really make something beautiful out of a pretty basic kitchen. I can't wait to keep plugging away at it and recruiting my brother to take some higher quality photos when he's here in a few weeks.

Do you have a space like this in your home? One that needs a little extra creativity and love to look its best?