Home Sweet Home

This post is primarily for my sister, Kristen, who keeps asking to see pictures of my "new house." I direct most of my rambings to her and appolgize to everyone else. (Although you're welcome to make your own comments and participate in our online conversation via blogging.)

I'm so pleased by the way it all turned out!

The kitchen! Love the granite counter tops? Notice the painted island?

This is to give you a view of the paint we chose for the upstairs and downstairs and how they work together. The fabric I have to make new drapes for the bay uses the same two wall colors as well as the green in my family room. Plus I wanted you to see my new pictures of Christ. I'm thinking about using some vinyl lettering with short scriptures underneath each of them. What do you think?

As you can see, I couldn't match the tile for the step with the tile on the floor, so I matched it with the paint on the cabinets. I really like the way it turned out because it makes the step sort of disappear.

Now everything on the walls pop! It's so much more dynamic and interesting to look at. Plus it's more warm and cozy.

Here's a closeup of the island. The color is really kind of a non descript color. I describe it as putty. It looks great with the granite and coordinates wonderfully with the natural maple. (Now I just need to get a stainless steel microwave.... I'll add that to the infamous "List")

Here's a picture of what it looks like now with the picture and clock hung and the puck lights lit. I still want to do something on top of the cabinets, but I haven't yet been inspired. Ideas?

Here's the view from the bottom of the stairs. I LOVE how the fireplace turned out. Everything coordinates so well. I don't think I'm going to frame and hang that picture there permanently, but I wanted to see how it looked with the color palate. How do you like the new hanging light over the table and chairs?

This picture was taken at night so you could see how it looks without any ambient light through the windows. It is much brighter during the day.

Finally, I thought I'd post a few picture of the music room for you so you can see how it all came together. I finished this room just two weeks before the flood. (And then had to move all the boxes containing my kitchen into it.) I scored when I found the drapes, rod, tiebacks and pillows at Ross for almost NOTHING! I love a good deal. They bring out the burgandy's in the painting of Venice that I bought when we were together last July. I still plan to hang the smaller painting of France to the right of the music cabinet. (Another score off Craig's List.)

In this picture you can see the two additional light I had installed to balance the two on the other side which you can't see in this picture. The lighting in this room has always bugged me, so I jumped at the opportunity to have it fixed. And look! The magazine rack is hung!

Thanks for taking the tour and thanks for leaving your shoes at the door!