Kitchen & Family Room Redesign - The Finish Line is in Sight!

Despite all the shows on TV showing complete transformations within a matter of days...if not hours...in reality projects can inch forward at a speed that can even test the patience of a designer! This project is on schedule, originally estimated to take three months it is now entering week eight, though it seems longer and feels as if it should be wrapped up by now.

The second roman shade, in the delightful Thomas Paul print, has been hung. In front of it hangs the new light fixture, a floor sample purchased from Crate&Barrel. It had been marked down twice, so even though it was not the right finish for the space, the design was great therefore I decided to refinish it. Primer and paint transformed the finish to mirror the finish of the island pendants. The interior of the shades were originally gold, which made the fixture appear gold once again with the light turned on. A couple layers of silver metallic paint applied with a fan brush corrected this, and the shades now cast a warm silver glow that works with the other finishes in the room. As a bonus, once this light fixture replaced the original "builder special" fixture that hung in the nook, the island pendants suddenly didn't look so bad. So, for now they will not be replaced, as was the original plan. Someday I'll stumble across a couple of fabulous pendants that will be the perfect replacements, but until then these work just fine.

So what is left to do? I am a huge fan of refinishing and repurposing and the kitchen nook chairs, which after several years of use are looking a bit worn, will be refinished. Currently black, the chairs feel a bit heavy in the space. They will be painted a lighter tone, similar to the cabinetry color. For the family room, a coffee table that was once in my husband's apartment when I first met him is being brought in and refinished. I have also found a new wholesale source for upholstered goods and have just ordered new seating. With the fabric selected for the sofas I can now make a decision on the fabric for the nook drapes. Finally lamps, side tables and a rug will be being brought in from our previous family room, and the last project will be to accessorize the bookcases. The goal is to be complete by the end of March...that date might be pushing it. We are hosting our neighborhood potluck then, however, so it would be nice to be able to have a finished space (and seating!) to welcome people into our home!