Hey there…hope you all had a great weekend! Ours was pretty low key, and therefore, pretty wonderful!
So I decided it’s finally time. Time for a full-blown house tour. Does that mean my house is decorated perfectly and exactly how I’ve always imagined it? Um no. There are still bare walls (even a bare room or two) and things that I don’t absolutely love…but I’ve accepted the fact that things like this take time. I want to pick furniture and decor that mean something to me and not just rush to fill a space. Plus, when the city planted our trees they forgot that one that grows money…so I guess I can’t have everything I want right this moment. Bummer, right? 😉
I thought the easiest way to do this would be to share one room at a time…and what better place to start than the heart of our home? The kitchen!
The kitchen is without a doubt what sold me on this house. Although the model we saw had a totally different color scheme, I could just imagine it in a bright and airy white. I also love the size of the island. It’s big enough that we can unload groceries, eat a meal, and dry dishes on it all at the same time 😉 It’s so nice being able to make the kids their meals and pass them right over. I feel like I spend half of my day around that island…and it doesn’t bother me one bit!
Here’s my typical view…minus the cute kids in their booster seats! I am totally in love with the pendants over our island. I spent ages looking for the right pendant lighting to suit my kitchen, it was such a difficult decision. They had to be perfect! They’re one of the many things in the house that just make me so happy when I look at them. Oh and see that bare wall above Arden’s pink kitchen? Someday I would love a wooden word sign like Joanna always uses…bakery, farmhouse, super market…I’m not picky!
Whoops. Speaking of booster seats. Let’s just pretend you can’t see those, mmkay? 😉 Anyway, here’s another view of the kitchen, looking into the foyer and dining room area. When we were building one thing I knew I wanted was a cabinet design that went all the way up to the ceiling. I think it’s so hard to decorate above cabinets…so this took care of that issue!
If I could go back in time, I would change 2 things about our kitchen. One…I would’ve done flat subway tile instead of beveled. I thought it would add some interest, but now I find myself wanting a softer look that’s not so reflective. The other thing…it’s hard for me to even admit…but I would’ve chosen a whiter paint color for the cabinets. Ohhh it pains me!!! The worst part is that it’s my own fault. I told the builder to use the same color as the model because I didn’t want the pressure of picking the perfect white. I know that whites are complicated and can look very different in different spaces. Well I figured since I’d liked the white in the model (which was very close to our house)…that it would look just the same in my house. Nope. Half of the day it seems white and the other half it seems cream. But since the color is used all throughout our house, the only thing I can do right now is just squint my eyes that other half of the day and pretend it’s perfect. But if anyone out there wants to come paint my cabinets, wainscoting, and trim throughout…for a killer price…please, please, please let me know 😉
If I had to choose one thing that I love the most about our kitchen it would probably be the countertops. I wanted carrara marble so bad (like SO BAD), but I knew in my heart that it just wasn’t practical. I want our house to be well-loved and well-lived…and I didn’t want to spend all of my time obsessing about keeping our countertops from scratching or staining. So after hours on Houzz, I finally found the perfect alternative–Viatera Minuet quartz. It has the same classic look of marble, but it’s virtually impossible to damage. And the older Nash gets, the more I’m realizing that durability is incredible important. Ha!
Speaking of practicality…at first I wrestled with the idea of the kids’ toys being part of my “dream kitchen”. However, Chris and I discussed the fact that this is just the stage of life we’re in. Someday that pink retro kitchen will probably be replaced with a bench or a chair…and there won’t be an easel blocking our view to the backyard…and who knows, we’ll probably be a little sad about it! So for now, I’m just going to enjoy this time and embrace the stage that we’re in. Plus I like the pop of color the pink adds 😉
Well I think that’s about all I’ve got for today, friends. Thanks for letting me show you around our kitchen!
SOURCES:
pendant lights – medium (or similar here)
counter stools
custom sign
dough bowl – medium
buckets
kitchen table
kitchen chairs – gunmetal (or similar here)
kids kitchen
galvanized letter (similar)
curtains
cabinet color: SW natural choice
island color: SW dovetail
wall color: SW anew gray
countertops: Viatera Minuet
Oh! I’m so excited for the home tour! Love your kitchen!!! I never would have thought white paints would be so different.
Oh my gosh I’m obsessed with your kitchen! The size, the cabinets, those pendants! And I love your styling too! We too have toys mixed in with our decor and I too feel like it’s just where we are in life, and before I know it I will have all grown up decor and miss having a play kitchen in my dining room!
Your kitchen is beautiful!! I wanted carrara marble so bad too! Our countertop guy actually was the one to talk us out of it, so I went with black granite instead 🙁
Yay for a home tour! Even though I’ve seen it all in person (well, maybe not the kids’ rooms), I could stare at your house all day and it would never get old!
It is beautiful Vanessa, I love it!!! We have a white kitchen, but it doesn’t get much natural light at all (we didn’t build it!, which is such a bummer!
I honestly love everything about it! Perfection!
Oh Vanessa, your kitchen is absolutely stunning! You guys did an awesome job, and it is just so bright, airy and lovely. I feel like Joanna would be proud!
Your kitchen is my dream kitchen! That island is amazing and I love the bright white and airy feeling! It totally looks like something you would see on an episode of Fixer Upper! I can’t wait to see more of your home!
It’s beautiful! We used to keep our pretend kitchen in the kitchen too. It’s worth it for the time it’s used!
Vanessa! I’M OBSESSED. Seriously, love so much. and pinning for future home building escapades 🙂
House envy for sure 🙂 One day I hope my kitchen looks as pretty as this. You can come help me decorate if I give you a budget- K?
Gorgeous!!! I feel like everyone else lives in these beautiful bright grown-up houses! 😉 Can I just move in?!
Such a pretty kitchen! I love the white and the size of it! When we move one day I hope those are things that I get in my new kitchen. Also, that island is amazing.
LOVE your kitchen, it’s gorgeous x
LOVE everything!! We struggle between having our HOME and having the kids’ stuff everywhere, and we’ve decided that our home is our kids’ stuff (although we like to hide it as much as possible). LOVE that sign…I’ve wanted one forever! Beautiful!!!
It is all so wonderful and beautiful and perfect. It would have sold me too!!
Absolutely gorgeous!! I love how bright it is. I think the little pink kitchen is adorable in there. 🙂
first of all i’m SO EXCITED for a house tour!!! and i LOVE YOUR KITCHEN!!! like more than anything. and im going to need to take a page out of your book with the play kitchen dilemma. embrace it. . . right?
So, so, so gorgeous. I love it all. Every single bit of it.
And we selected quartz for our kitchen counters and I love them something fierce. The durability is amazing.
I can’t wait to see the rest of your house!
LOVE your kitchen and am dying over the gorgeous white! We’re renting right now but I dream of my perfect kitchen all the time. The island. The white. The cabinets. The pendant lights! I love it all!
Love your kitchen!! It’s so beautiful- you did a great job!!! 🙂
Oh my goodness, your kitchen is GORGEOUS!! I love everything about it! It’s so light and airy! I’m beyond jealous of your island, that’s the one thing we don’t have and it makes me so sad! I can’t wait to see the rest!
FRIEND!! I am soooo glad your doing a home tour! Now I can feel like I’ve visited?!? Except I still really do want to visit! BUT seriously! Amazing! You made the best choices! I love everything! Sorry too many !!
This is absolutely gorgeous! I’m completely in love with your kitchen!! And I totally understand what you mean about having the kids stuff in your kitchen, It’s something I’ve had to get used to and am still adjusting to as well!