Hello Week 2 of the One Room Challenge!

This week l feel like a lazy cheat.  I Honky tonk’d my way through Nashville on a girl’s vaca, while my husband slaved away on our kitchen.   And WOW the progress he’s made.   Sanded and painted cabinets and installed the subway tile.  I genuinely came home to a new kitchen.

PROGRESS SHOTS

back splash removed, cabinets sanded, in process of building uppers

uppers built, up next tile

uppers built & painted, tile in (pre-grout), cabinet doors are easily painted once removed

THE DESIGN PLAN

So what you ask, what is the design of this kitchen???  Good question.  As we speak I am sitting on the kitchen banquette looking at 2 taped wallpaper samples and four very different paint colors on the walls.  I have no idea which one is going up.  I’ve asked too many people for their opinions and created a murky pool of indecision in my brain. I am going to let this corner of the kitchen go for a moment and get into what I DO know.

The other side of the kitchen is the true working portion with appliances, sink, island, counters, cabinets, stovetop, etc.  I’ve known my vision for this from the moment we moved in.  Light & Bright.   I consider myself a connoisseur of coffee shops after years of working remotely. Well styled modern cafes give me all the juju to sit and design a day away.  I want to create a kitchen that I’ll call Modern Beach Café.  White subway tile to ceiling, black glossy shelves, gritty old art, glamorous pulls, hints of blues, beachy naturals, and a mix of vintage & modern style lighting.   Here’s the Style Board for this area.

I say “we” a lot when really, although I design every last detail, my husband is the “we” who executes.  This guy is not a tradesman.  He is a forensic accountant.  His ability to become master of any and all of my projects amazes me daily.  The total task list he’s working on was shared in Week One

DESIGN CRAZIES

So while husband slaves away on the tasks that I have designed, I am wallowing in my crazed brain of indecision regarding the banquette side.   What to put up on the walls??? The line-up of options I am tossing have no connection to one another.

Jade- inspired by a lacquered paint color we found all over the island on a recent trip to Nantucket

Blush- sparked by a favorite Restaurant with glam beach vibes, While We Were Young in NYC

Black or Dark Indigo- based on a sunlit filled sunroom I painted black once, and loved

Featherfest Wallpaper in Smoke- a light and airy way to create interest while still keeping neutral

We narrowed it down to Light Beryl or Featherfest wallpaper. To help the decision we painted a larger patch.  I am positively smitten with this color.  However, I never meant to create a moody dark Breakfast Nook and I am afraid to mess with the sunny vibes of my favorite corner in the house.

THE DECISION

After I just added this last photo, mid blog writing, I hit purchase on the wallpaper. My husband, sister, and local bf’s can sigh relief, this tumultuous decision will not live one more day.  Ultimately I need to remember to circle back to my original instincts.  Light & Bright, but interesting.

This Schumacher wallpaper felt right from the start, and I love her.

I apologize that my design schizophrenia has trickled down to my blog writing this week.   Seriously feel like a major weight was just lifted.  Onward & upward!

In the meantime take a moment to check out the amazingly talented folks participating in the One Room Challenge.  Such inspiration to be found!  Thank-you, thank-you to Linda at Calling it Home and sponsor Better Homes & Gardens for making this all possible!