DIY: Fabric Painting with Dye on Drop Cloths

<center></center><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 2IMG_2575copy.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda032/2IMG_2575copy.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I am excited to experiment with this technique more (I know there's a lot I need to still figure out), but I'm pretty happy with how the fabric painting/dyeing technique worked out with the drop clothes I used for <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2014/08/back-to-school-make-over-for-mudroom.html" target="_blank">our mudroom makeover</a>. I wanted this project to be as inexpensive as possible, but I didn't want to just use some fabric I had laying around. I wanted it to be kid-friendly and playful.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_6071.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Mudroom/IMG_6071.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><a name="more"></a><br /><br />I used a few bottles of liquid RIT I had laying around in Apple Green, Lemon Yellow, Denim and Rose Pink, and then diluted them down a bit with water. The main leaf color is Denim, which is sort of a purpley-black-indigo.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0776.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda032/IMG_0776.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But first, I cut out all the pieces I needed to make the three box cushions before I started (and I included generous seam allowances just in case the fabric shrunk after washing, which it did). To make sure all the patterns would match right and would wrap down the edges, I careful marked out all the center spots of the X pattern.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_6085.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Mudroom/IMG_6085.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I used different sizes of brushes to apply the patterns, which I wanted to all feel organic (leaves and insects in abstract patterns). I used a 1" foam brush to do the main pattern and I love it the most. I want to do a whole room of curtains in just this pattern!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0759.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda025/IMG_0759.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_6110.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Mudroom/IMG_6110.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />The girls wanted to help and I wanted more color in the pattern, so we kept going with colors and shapes. We added really loose versions of bees and dragonflies and just some circles for splashes of color.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0772.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda025/IMG_0772.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I love how the fabric looked at this point and part of me wishes we would have stopped here, but I didn't know what would happen to the dye if we didn't set it. I figured it would be disastrous if (when?) watered spilled on the fabric, so I threw it all in the washer on cold and delicate. I wish I would have hand washed them all, which I think would have left the background a little more cream and less blue and maybe would have left a little more color in the pattern.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_6154.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Mudroom/IMG_6154.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />The soft dreaminess is still nice though and I wasn't about to redo all my and the girls' hard work, se we just went with it. :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 2MR11.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Mudroom/2MR11.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 2MR7.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Mudroom/2MR7.jpg" /></div><br />I think the white piping helps brighten things up a little.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 2IMG_2708.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda032/2IMG_2708.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Any tips on setting dye without washing it all out? I can't wait to try round two of fabric painting!</div>

DIY: Fabric Painting with Dye on Drop Cloths

I am excited to experiment with this technique more (I know there's a lot I need to still figure out), but I'm pretty happy with how...

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Black and Ivory Wire Stools

<center></center>Remember <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2014/03/new-barstools-and-give-away-from-ez-mod.html" target="_blank">my wire barstools</a>? I had been planning to paint them for a while and when we finished the kitchen redo, it was time to figure something out.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><center></center></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo zIMG_0611.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda020/zIMG_0611.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Any time I'm looking for inspiration (or if I'm just bored, which is weird, I know) I hop over to <a href="http://1stdibs.com/" target="_blank">1st Dibs</a> or <a href="http://www.chairish.com/" target="_blank">Chairish</a> to get inspired by beautiful antique and vintage furniture. I saw these Bertoia stools on 1st Dibs and I LOVED the color combo of cream on the seat and black on the legs.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><center></center></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo b1_l.jpeg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda020/b1_l.jpeg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I found the perfect color of ivory semi-gloss spray paint called Navajo White from Rustoleum. It's so pretty and warm!<br /><a name="more"></a></div><br /><img alt=" photo stools1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda007/stools1.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I used Rustoleum's black enamel for the bases and then reconnected the two.</div><br /><img alt=" photo stool2.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda007/stool2.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">They looked instantly more vintage to me! And somehow the paint helps the metal not feel as cold to the touch? Either way, the paint job was a big improvement!</div><br /><img alt=" photo stool3.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda007/stool3.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><center></center><div style="text-align: left;">And I really love how they look in my kitchen! The wire backs are surprisingly comfortable, but I wouldn't be opposed to figuring out a way to add some additional padding.</div><br /><img alt=" photo 61.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/61.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo 50.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/50.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Right now we just have some little white vinyl pads on the seats that came with the stools.</div><br /><img alt=" photo 59.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/59.jpg" /><br /><br /><center></center><div style="text-align: left;">I like the look of these black seats against the ivory.</div><br /><img alt=" photo 1007.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/1007.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">But I also really like the fully upholstered look. The official Knoll pads are prohibitively expensive, but I think I could maybe figure out a way to make something?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 859807_l.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/859807_l.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Last time I was in New York a month or two ago, I sat in these stools at ABC that had leather Knoll pads on the seat and on the back. I really love the clean look and the back pad upped the comfort level by a LOT. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_4347.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/IMG_4347.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm thinking this version might be a little more DIY friendly, too. I think the tricky part would be figuring out a way to stiffened or double up the leather. It was pretty stiff stuff. </div><br /><img alt=" photo IMG_4349.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/IMG_4349.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Dying over those little straps. :)</div></div>

Black and Ivory Wire Stools

Remember my wire barstools ? I had been planning to paint them for a while and when we finished the kitchen redo, it was time to figure some...

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Arsenic Kitchen Doors

<center></center>Is it a big surprise that I love almost any shade of green? A recent favorite is <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2011/07/b-wallpaper.html" target="_blank">Farrow & Ball's Arsenic</a>, one of their brighter shades. It is such a happy color! We used mostly neutrals in <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-mostly-done-kitchen.html" target="_blank">our kitchen</a> (creamy white cabinets, black counters, mid-tone gray floors, pale gray walls). I really wanted to bring in a pop of color and the two exterior doors in the room felt like the perfect place. This image from Domino of Ruthie Sommer's office kitchen kept coming to mind:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DominoRuthieSommersKitchen.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/DominoRuthieSommersKitchen.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Before we did anything to the kitchen, all the cabinets and doors were a really deep chocolate color:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0593.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/DSC_0593.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br /><center></center>A couple coats of Arsenic (and a whole kitchen redo) later and we were in business!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 50.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/50.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There are still some touch ups I need to do, and some cleaning on the glass, but I LOVE the color.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 60.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/60.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you don't have an exterior door or two in your kitchen like I do, I think a pantry door is a really great place to have fun with color. <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/04/i-changed-my-mind.html" target="_blank">Yellow doors are another favorite of mine</a>. :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 59.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda015/59.jpg" /></div>

Arsenic Kitchen Doors

Is it a big surprise that I love almost any shade of green? A recent favorite is Farrow & Ball's Arsenic , one of their brighter sha...

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DIY Geometric Cube Painted Floor

<center></center><center></center>For the longest time, I've had <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-balcony-floor.html" target="_blank">plans to paint a geometric cube pattern</a> on an exterior floor. I really hoped to get to do it on our balcony porch in Brooklyn, but we moved before the weather gave me a good chance to patch the cracked concrete. When we moved to the Valley house I thought this little back porch area we have just off the kitchen and living room would be the perfect chance to scratch that itch!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_5747.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/IMG_5747.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I ended up going with a <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2014/05/bathroom-reno-progress-and-new-sputnik.html" target="_blank">tumbling block tile</a> in the bathroom, so I wanted this pattern to feel different. I saved this image a while back and it felt like the perfect inspiration - the proportions seemed easy enough to recreate (which, WRONG. Triangles, you kill me!) and it seemed like it wouldn't be too crazy on the eyes when painted on a large surface.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo MVML23.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/MVML23.jpg" /></div><a name="more"></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The first step was cleaning the concrete. We used a power wash sprayer to clean the old concrete and then we tried to not step on it before we got the first coat of water-based porch and floor paint down. I ended up watering down the paint because I wanted the finish to be a little mottled or translucent, so it almost, almost looked like a stain instead of paint. I mostly just didn't want the solid, flat look of a painted floor. Not that I was trying to age it, but I also didn't want the floor to look brand new and I think the watery paint helped get that look.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_5507.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/IMG_5507.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then Kate and I worked to tape out the beginnings of the pattern. We knew we wanted the pattern to be on the larger side, so we made the main criss-cross pattern 12" wide.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7447.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/IMG_7447.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then it was time to put our heads together and do some serious math. I don't hate math at all, but I can't remember a lot of what I learned in trig and calculus, but luckily my smart husband has a memory like a steel trap and he busted out some formulas that helped us figure out the right angles. The most helpful measurement ended up being the hypotenuse (which was a little under 27 and 3/4"). Once we had that line measurement, we could back our way into the distance between the other angles and lines and it was easy to mark and then lay down the diagonal lines of tape.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo bIMG_7450.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/bIMG_7450.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7454.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/IMG_7454.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It felt a little tricky when we were in the thick of it, but it really wasn't all that bad. I think I was just nervous because I knew every measurement had to be spot-on perfect for the pattern to look right.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo bIMG_7481.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/bIMG_7481.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo vIMG_7486.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/vIMG_7486.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Somehow I can't find the photos of this part, but I divided the 27.71 hypotenuse number in half to figure out the dimensions of a diamond. I draw and cut out a diamond shape on poster board and used it like a stencil to trace out the smaller diamond in each of the larger diamonds. I also used a straight edge to make a line connecting the side point of the smaller diamond with the larger (you can see this in two photos down).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7465.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/IMG_7465.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We watered down more porch and floor paint and filled in the shapes. We used Benjamin Moore's Titanium on the background, the white is Swiss Coffee, the yellow is Ochre and the darkest gray is Martha Stewart's Seal.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7496.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/IMG_7496.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Kate and I have pretty steady painting hands, so I felt comfortable free-handing the lines, but it wouldn't have been too hard to tape off the small shapes one by one for perfectly perfect lines.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_5509.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/IMG_5509.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There were some spots that the tape pulled off the bottom layer of paint, but I think that had more to do with the concrete prep than the paint or the tape. I could have easily just touched up the lines and called it good, which we did to a little of, but we used a light hand there and even ended up lightly sanding the whole floor to take some of that new edge off. (again, that was a personal preference thing).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 5.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/5.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The result was just what I was hoping for. I know this floor is going to take a beating, so I didn't want it to look too precious from the get-go. We put two coats of porch sealer on top, and so far no big problems with scraping or flaking, even in this 115 degree heat! :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 9.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/9.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 2.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/2.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I love seeing the pattern peek through the living room doors, and the girls love playing a crazy version of hopscotch on the pattern. We're excited for better weather too, when we can really start to enjoy the porch again and eat our meals outside. :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda014/1.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div>

DIY Geometric Cube Painted Floor

For the longest time, I've had plans to paint a geometric cube pattern on an exterior floor. I really hoped to get to do it on our balc...

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Painting Upholstery

<center></center><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_4498.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda007/IMG_4498.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I tried <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2009/03/spray-painting-upholstered-furniture.html" target="_blank">upholstery spray paint</a> years ago with pretty good results, and I've been wanted to try painting upholstery with a brush for a while too. I got a pair of little white swivel club chairs a few months ago for $30 for the pair. I love the shape of the arms, but the fabric was pretty dingy and old. I knew I would want to reupholster these eventually, but I didn't know what room they'd go in and I wanted to wait to choose a color/pattern. These felt like the perfect candidate for painting the upholstery.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1155.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda007/IMG_1155.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I followed <a href="http://www.hypheninteriors.com/2011/03/painted-upholstery-process-revealed.html" target="_blank">these instructions</a> and used textile medium and Valspar paint from Lowes which is actually acrylic paint. The color I chose was Sunburst Orange from Benjamin Moore. It's a bright, fun coral that's perfect for accent chairs.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1167.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda007/IMG_1167.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />The basic idea is you mix textile medium with really, really watered down acrylic paint (so you can buy craft paint if you don't have a huge surface area to cover like I did with two chairs). You spray the upholstery with a water bottle and then softly brush on the paint mixture.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1174.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda007/IMG_1174.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You have to do several coats with drying time in between and you sort of have to find that sweet spot of even coverage and not too crispy from the paint. These chairs are a little stiff, but if you use a sanding block to knock off any uneven bumps and to loosen up the paint a little, it ends up feeling sort of like canvas. Not exactly like silk velvet, but not too bad.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_4517.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda007/IMG_4517.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I wouldn't do this with special chairs that you're going to sit in all the time or a primary use sofa, but it's a perfect option for accent chairs or (and maybe especially!) dining chair seats.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_4507.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/jkomenda007/IMG_4507.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Have you tried painting any of your upholstery? How did it work out for you? I'd love to see any links if you've posted about it.</div>

Painting Upholstery

I tried upholstery spray paint years ago with pretty good results, and I've been wanted to try painting upholstery with a brush for a w...

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Kitchen Mini-Reno - The Cabinets

<center></center><center></center>This week is a little crazy. Our church does a stay-away camp for hundreds of teenage girls in our area that I was asked to help with and that finally, after months and months of meetings and work, is happening this week. Balancing the end stage planning of that really fun project with all the recent house projects going on here has been a little tricky, but also so exciting! It feels like things are really starting to <i>happen</i> this week! The <a href="http://instagram.com/p/oyWueDQW-3/" target="_blank">bookshelf installers came yesterday</a> and they are a good halfway there and the other projects are ahead of or at least right on schedule. I only hope this pace continues until our big photo shoot deadline at the beginning of July (Knock on wood!).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0583.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/DSC_0583.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo aDSC_0445.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/aDSC_0445.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />So, the kitchen. Many of you have weighed in as I've bounced around different thoughts and plans. I've swung from wanting to do a full-blown-knock-down-tear-out kitchen remodel to "let's just leave it all as-is for another year or two and then renovate" - and every version of a remodel in between.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo ssDSC_04481.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/ssDSC_04481.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo IMG_0815.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_0815.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><a name="more"></a></div><br />One of the first things I try to figure out about a new client before we start working together is their change tolerance. Some people need more time on decisions, some people move very, very quickly. Usually somewhere in between yields the best results. Unfortunately, I swing a little more on the side of "very quick" decision maker when it comes to my own house choices, which comes back to bite me sometimes. I've been trying to learn how to slow down and pace my decisions, but I am super comfortable with change. I'd love to move to a new house every year if I could! Or at least I'd love have a new kitchen every year if it wasn't so expensive and wasteful! :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_08071.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_08071.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_4785.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/IMG_4785.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Anyway, what I'm getting at is that I spent a little more time thinking about what I wanted to do in this kitchen than I might normally spend, and I still waffled right up to the very end on how much money and effort we should put in here. This room is a head-scratcher for me. It really, really bothered me how much I didn't like the room we spent a huge amount of time in every day. But I think we've finally figured out a longer-term plan that makes sense for the house and for us.<br /><br />I'm sure you remember that we're going to need a new roof here in the next year or two. The roof (which is going to cost a ton) is higher priority than a fully brand new, re-worked kitchen. So we decided to spend the next 1-3 years putting our pennies away for a new roof and a new kitchen. And in the meantime, we'd do a Jenny style make-it-work remodel in the kitchen. Because of the photo shoot, I can't show you one or two angles, but I want to share a lot of the process with you over the course of a couple posts. We're about 90% done now and I can't believe how new the room feels! And it also feels bigger! A huge part of the change was removing the granite.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aaDSC_0500.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/aaDSC_0500.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I really tried guys. I wanted to make this work, but it was a doomed relationship from the start. It's not you, Granite! It was me all along.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aDSC_0508.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/aDSC_0508.jpg" /></div><br />Slowly and carefully we scored and pried, and the granite was removed. The cut out parts by the sink and cooktop ended up snapping, but all the other lengths were successfully salvaged and are being reworked for another family's bathrooms.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aDSC_0490.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/aDSC_0490.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo IMG_4931.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/IMG_4931.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And we used plywood to build countertop bases for concrete. I was really tempted to go with stone, but it was a pretty obvious choice to go with the concrete overlay. It looks great and it's CHEAP. Like less than $100 for all the materials required here (concrete, plywood, concrete color additive). Actually scratch that. The sealer I bought this time was about $100 alone, but it was worth the splurge. It's really good and it's food-safe, which is so important for a kitchen space, obviously. I'm totally getting ahead of myself though. More on concrete later.</div><br /><img alt=" photo IMG_5015.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/IMG_5015.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">After removing the granite, it seemed like a good time to have our handyman install a vent hood. There had been a downdraft vent at one point, so we just had to open up the drywall and connect the new overhead hood with the existing vent to the outside. It was so simple and I have been SO HAPPY to cook lately. :) No ventilation is bad, bad news, guys!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_5026.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/IMG_5026.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I wish the hood didn't show at all, but we only had a couple of inches to work with (the HVAC vents are right above this, so we couldn't get any more height - grrr) and this was the thinnest vent we could find for the money. It's worked out though - we ended up running concrete all the way up the back wall, so now it's a lot less noticeable. I'd rather have an inch or two of hood visible than no hood at all I guess.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_5021.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/IMG_5021.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_5020.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/IMG_5020.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You probably noticed the color change on the cabinets here. This is the primer coat, so it's brighter than the final color (Ben Moore's Swiss Coffee). We wanted to go with a really warm white to balance out the cool wall color (Titanium). The floors are probably going to get a change too. We had a few drips and spills while doing the cabinet frames and the concrete so we need to do touch ups anyway. Might as well go a little lighter.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aaDSC_0431.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/aaDSC_0431.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aDSC_0423.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/aDSC_0423.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">The cabinets were updated with some L-shaped corner moulding, cut with my miter saw and installed with a really cheap pinner gun I got on clearance at Lowes. It took a full day to get just the moulding on (sooooo many cuts), but I love the cleaner look of the shaker style fronts. We saved a ton of money by going this route and salvaging the cabinet doors, drawers and frames, so it ended up being worth the effort.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_4766.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/IMG_4766.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I bought a new spray gun with a wider spray radius than the Critter. I will defend <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-best-and-easiest-to-use-spray-gun.html" target="_blank">my undying love for the Critter</a> til the day I die, but it does spray a little slower and finer than the bigger guns. I found <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CLWWQIO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CLWWQIO&linkCode=as2&tag=littgreenote-20&linkId=FFVEH4LLV3RBWEP4" target="_blank">this Grace airless sprayer</a> at Lowes on clearance (they have the BEST deals on clearance tools!) and it's been pretty great. The airless feature means you don't need an air compressor. You just plug it in, fill the cup with paint and start spraying. I'm really happy with how fast it sprays and how smooth the finish is. This is the primer coat below, after we had sanded and caulked the new moulding.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo cIMG_4937.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/cIMG_4937.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After taking these photos, I sprayed a second coat and covered the drawer sides and glides on that pass, so everything is white now. It is such a clean look.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_4341.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/IMG_4341.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The cabinet frames are not the best, but they function and now they're much prettier. I'm waiting for the hardware still and I'll show some afters soon and talk more about the counters. We went with black and I'm pretty much in heaven with the combo of the dark counters and the creamy white cabs. Good stuff.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_5029.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%2020/IMG_5029.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I'm so happy we decided to just make the big stuff work for another year or two. To me, a few days of hard labor and a couple hundred bucks are work it to have a prettier kitchen, even if it is just a temporary fix.</div></div></div>

Kitchen Mini-Reno - The Cabinets

This week is a little crazy. Our church does a stay-away camp for hundreds of teenage girls in our area that I was asked to help with and th...

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