I’ve been trying to mentally envision the results of a few household projects I have in process. This kind of endeavor is honestly not my strength. I simply don’t think I imagine very well. I just can’t easily envision how a bunch of individually pleasing items can potentially come together in a cohesive, yet unique way.
Unless it’s fashion, in which case I think I do ok.
So, I’ve been working my head pretty hard in recent weeks. I’m trying to imagine how copper and stainless steel and subway tile and a paint color called “fresh balsam” are going to complement one another to create a kitchen that meets my needs and satisfies my desire for a room that reflects casual warmth.
At the same time, I’m trying put together a second kitchen in a different space. This particular additional kitchen is smaller and more closed off which demands a most precise design. Or, more optimistically speaking, invites an interesting approach. I’m thinking richly colored cabinetry, a tin or copper backsplash, white countertops and carefully selected, cool pieces of furniture to function as storage. Definitely unique and site specific.
But, as I said, I’m not completely comfortable with the manner in which my aesthetic comes together in design. My intuition isn’t necessarily as spot on as I might hope and I don’t have a distinct style in mind to which to adhere. I like to think that makes me eclectic, but that’s certainly debatable.
What I am confident about, however, is the new layout of my kitchen and how the space will work for me. The last time this space was reworked was 20 years ago and life was very different then. The budget was so tight at that time that a couple of thousand dollars seemed a tremendous amount of money and we ended up with cabinets and counters that weren’t of great quality. I’m happy to see them go, believe me.
Fewer people reside in my house these days and the new kitchen will be a room primarily for adults, not children. Selecting copper for the countertop is a choice that would have been wildly inappropriate when my kids were younger. While it’s still a material that people debate, I’ve decided I don’t really care what anyone else thinks or has to say about it. I like it and I’m excited to finally have what I want, critics be damned.
To reflect the reality of a smaller household, I’ve purchased a couple of appliances to replace their full sized counterparts. The new microwave, still designed to be mounted above my range and functioning also as an exhaust fan, is a low profile model which should be less obtrusive than the previous one.
My other replacement appliance is going to require more of an adjustment. After a decade of living with a side by side refrigerator, I’m switching things up and have ordered a new freezer on the bottom, counter depth model which is significantly smaller in capacity than it’s predecessor. Instead of 25 cubic feet, I’ll have slightly less than 13 cubic feet of grocery storage in the new unit. I’m considering this a challenge.
As my children have moved out and on, I’ve been forced to alter my grocery shopping habits. This has not been easy. I like to take advantage of sales and specials at the grocery store, but am finally, and reluctantly, accepting the fact that having 8 or 10 boxes of cereal in the pantry is unnecessary. Buying an entire gallon of milk is also a custom best left in the past. I’m tired of the effort to consume it prior to the expiration date. It’s half gallons from here on out.
Despite my lack of skill in kitchen design I am certain that, once the work is complete, what comes out of my kitchen will be worthy of all that went into it.
How about you? Do you have any renovation or design experiences to share? Are you perhaps one of those people who actually enjoy reconfiguring interior spaces and selecting materials?
