A Killer Kitchen, Before and After

Yesterday, one of my friends commented what a shame it is that just when you get everything exactly how you want it in your home, it's time to leave.  Never were truer words spoken, particularly as it related to our kitchen.  My husband and I had talked about redoing our kitchen since the moment we moved in...the layout was good and cabinets were of excellent quality, but it was terribly dark and stuck in the 1950s.  I tore out countless shelter magazine pages, built my inspiration board, picked colors, picked knobs, hemmed, hawed and trusted that we would do it ...someday.  But then when my husband landed his new job and we were faced with the stark reality of putting our house on the market, our big dark kitchen faced us too. Our real estate agent, a consummate professional and trusted friend, advised that we think seriously about redoing the kitchen if we wanted our house to move quickly.  He said to trust him, and although it was hard for me to swallow that we were going to make such a substantial investment, just to turn around and leave it sitting there in the honed granite and stainless steel, we went for it.  I even said I'd kiss his feet if we made our money back. 

Guess it's time for me to pucker up.

BEFORE (in case you couldn't guess)

 

AFTER (hear the angels singing?)

Miss me?

Writing. Blogging.

Creating.

Designing.

It's been a looooong time.  Miss me?

Over the past six months, my family has had a *few* changes, causing me to take a little unexpected break from The Mudroom.  Between the husbandlosinghisjob-goingbacktoworkfulltime-startingasidebusiness-husbandfindinganewjobanhourandahalfaway-puttingthehouseonthemarket-gettinganoffer-havingtheofferfallthrough-puttingthehousebackonthemarket-gettinganotheroffer-searchingforahouseinatownwithnoinventory-lookingintorentingforayear-finallyhavinganofferaccepted-researchingnewchildcareandschooloptions-finishingkindergarten-packingpackingpacking-movingclosingmovingagain-anddecidingthatmyhusband'sformercompanymayhavedoneusafavor-{breath}-                                                              eventhoughitdefinitelydidn'tfeellikeittwodaysbeforemybirthday, it's been a little busy, y'know?

Anyway, I have missed The Mudroom so very, very much, and among the many wonderful things that have come out of this last six months is that I now have a new house (well, not *new*, but new to me) on which to make my mark!

To whet your appetite, check out some rooms that I designed and decorated from the asoflastTuesdaynolongerourhome...

Hope to see you again soon!

XO

Paige

Chalkcloth Tabletop

I am so done with rectangular placemats on my round kitchen table.  It drives me nuts.  Just NUTS.  But a standard issue round tablecloth is a no-go either with my two jumping bean boys who would most certainly rip the thing off, dinner plates included, the first minute I put in on. But a chalkcloth tabletop?  I could get behind that.

Spotted two weeks ago on one of my daily reads -- Sweet Sweet Life -- I haven't been able to get the image out of my head.  Amy just bought some yardage from a local Etsy seller and cut it to size. 

Voila!  Table covering and kid distraction all rolled into one. 

Image credits: Amy Hanson of Sweet Sweet Life