First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. As the harvest season approaches I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.
In KC and David's last house, the kitchen was painfully small, and cooking and food preparation was less than convenient and pleasant. KC was thrilled that the kitchen in their new home featured more space and included a dishwasher, disposal, and a functioning oven. It was dull and drab the day that they moved into the house...but not for long. KC had a dream, and she went for it....
She took it from dull....
and lackluster....to....
a personal expression of herself, full of shabby chic touches and cottage colors. The island is an old butcher block table that we used to have in our home years ago. She painted it the same sky blue that is on the living room walls. The goblets underneath are Waterford Marquis. The lace panels above the wooden cabinets were installed to provide some additional storage for items that don't necessarily have 'display value. The vintage lace fabric was in that old box of Nana's that Sweet Mr. gave to KC when we cleared out his mom's house. Can you see the black rod that stretches from wall to wall. Have you ever needed to hang an extra long rod, only to have it sag in the middle because you didn't have the ability to place a center support? Tip: Electrical conduit is the size of many curtain rods. It comes in 12 foot lengths and costs less than $10.00. The cool thing about it...it is incredibly stiff, and it will not sag when stretched a long distance. Have you ever tried to hang a cafe curtain across a huge picture window? Sagged, didn't it? Electrical conduit will not sag; just spray paint it black to look like wrought iron...or any color that you want. You can find rings to fit it, and your can locate brackets to attach it. In this situation, we used the cup type holders that are used for closet rods. You can adapt finials, if needed. I've been known to use bottle stoppers, tennis balls covered with fabric....you'll only be limited by your imagination!
Cups are always such a pain to store! KC spaced cup hooks over the sink, and used her Johnson Brothers "British Pink Castles" to create a valance over her kitchen sink. I thought that it was a brilliant idea that solved a space shortage with flair! Her whimsical ceramic placards provide inspiration and humor for anyone standing at the sink, up to their elbows in soap suds.
KC appreciates her great-grandmother's old bread box, that sits alongside one of a pair of 'straw hat' lamps flanking either end of the counter. The Pottery Barn sage green linen panels are simply hung from an extension rod across the double wide door to the laundry area. They provide camouflage for the utility room, if desired when entertaining.
KC created a pot rack from a metal wall plague that she found at Ross for $12.00. She mounted it with toggle bolts to provide support for her pots and pans. She built the book case for her cookbooks from scrap wood, and she painted it the same yellow that she used in the dining room. The piece that you see holding her utensils and pot lids is actually an antique wooden ironing board that she bought at a flea market years ago.
After removing the leg apparatus from the back, KC used scrapbook papers from her stash to cover the ironing board. She cut the paper into squares, and using good old Mod Podge, she created a charming collage. She attached hooks for her utensils and a lid rack, and voila!...her kitchen utensils are at hand each time that she needs to access them.
KC definitely had a vision for the breakfast room, and it had nothing to do with a dinette table and chairs. This is probably the most popular space in the house when KC and David are entertaining. The drop leaf table is just the right size for dinner for two.
The Soleado/Pierre Deux fabric covered ladder back chair and the blue and white plaid sofa were in KC's room as a child. She has carried them with her for years, and they still have a classic timeless look. I had to choose to be a really nice mother to let her take the ladder back chair....I adore ladder back chairs! The lamp table in the corner was Nana's. It's part of a nest of three tables. Enlarge the picture to take a closer look at it. It's a pretty neat old table.
The pink and white toile smocked panels were ready made and bought from The Lime Leopard, in Oklahoma City. KC took antique glass door knobs and mounted them on strips of white crown molding. The knobs were from KC's sister-in-love, http:www.blackberryvine.blogspot.com. She sewed grosgrain ribbon to the top of the panels to attach them to the knobs. Also purchased from The Lime Leopard, the Italian Tole chandelier is another one of the light fixtures that move with KC and David. . I've seen a number of Tole fixtures on eBay, if you want to find one. The antique Welsh Dresser belonged to KC's aunt and uncle. They were generous to give it to her. She uses it to display one of her wedding patterns, Vietri, Sorbetto. The side chair is one of four that I painted for her many years ago.
That's our tour for this week. If you come see me some day, we'll go have a cup of tea with KC and David. This is my favorite spot to sit and visit for a while. Next week, I'll share the Master Bedroom and Sitting Area. See you then!
You can check out KC's music at www.kcclifford.com, on iTunes, and on YouTube. I hope that you'll take a few minutes and give her a listen. You'll also enjoy reading back through her blog on this site. The girl can really write! Her latest CD is called "Orchid."
I am linking to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for her weekly meme, Metamorphosis Monday. On Sunday evening click the button below to link to all the wonderful bloggers who are participating in Susan's party this week. Thank you, Susan, for providing this marvelous forum.
