The Heart of a Home

The kitchen is the heart of a home and if that's true, I say my kitchen had a heart murmur!  

It has ample cabinet space, stainless appliances, dark cherry cabinets, and all the necessary pieces--- it gets the job done, but it's always been just a little off.  It's the one room in the house that's never really fit in with the rest. I didn't know how to add some pizzaz without adding clutter. I need lots of counter space for baking, baby food making, and let's face it, the dirty dishes.

After blog surfing and daydreaming about redecorating, I was inspired to make an EAT sign that would hang on the one wall that I actually like in the kitchen. The trouble is that the one pretty wall in the kitchen is tucked behind the pantry and out of sight.   Here's a picture of it...

Even though I wasn't very inspired by my kitchen, I decided to make the EAT sign anyway.  I think they turned out perfectly!

Once I made the letters (and was very pleased with my coordinating papers), I realized the kitchen needed more than a little refreshing.  It needed a big change!  We are renters so there's no painting, staining, remodeling, or replacing---just redecorating.

First, I tried taking everything off the counter top.  But, it just looked bare.  And the outlets and switch plates were taunting me--- Why are there so many on that one little wall?!?

I looked past the switch plates and inspiration hit!  Here's what I did....

Brendon hung the utensil bar for me and I strategically placed the dish towel to cover the switches.  I put the new EAT sign on the next wall.  And, completely revamped the back wall.   I hung a new dry erase-magnet board that I made -- then made a menu planner using the left over paper from my EAT letters.

Here's a close up of the menu planner.  It's just scrapbook paper that I printed the days of the week on and covered in vinyl so it could be easily erased.

Now, I'm so excited to walk into the kitchen.  I love that it looks like a nicely decorated kitchen, instead of just being a room where we keep the food.

What do you think?