You guys have created a Feng Shui monster.

[wildeyed]

It started with a thread that suggested a mirror over the stove. So I tried it and it was great. Then I decluttered and reorganized the kitchen drawers and my spice cabinet. Even better! So I rearranged the furniture and figured out how to get an extra 4 feet of counter top space. Score! Then I added a pot rack so now I have all my beloved pots and pans close at hand and even more cabinet storage. Wow! My husband thinks the kitchen altar is a little weird, but I love it, it really make the room feel homier. In the spring I plan to plant a flowering scented shrub outside the kitchen window to add even more of that Feng Shui feeling! :bounce:

Anyone else having a kitchen reorganization/Feng Shui moment?

[NMDemDist2]

1. ROFL

:spank:

[NMDemDist2]

2. my bad! sorry wildeyed

but mine is shaping up nicely too

I had to get the pot rack to make room in the cupboard for the toaster oven to get it off the counter so I could get a MixMaster

Poor hubby, he spent half the afternoon hanging my pot rack (good thing we have Tivo so he could pause the football games)

[wildeyed]

4. LOL!

My husband is only half way done with the pot rack hanging project. We replaced the bolts that came with the set with beefier ones because I have very heavy pots. Then we didn't have S hooks. Sigh. Two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward, one step back.......

I am thinking of redoing the back splash next. The cabinets I have to live with, we just don't have the $$$'s to replace them right now, but the back splash shouldn't be too hard. Anyone have experience with painting tile? That would be easier than doing new.

[NMDemDist2]

6. before you paint the tile, try throwing a coat of paint on the cabinets

my MIL did that in her "park model" (aka single wide very old trailer) vacation home

she painted them a base color, then used a pale coordinating color on the raised part of the doors

came out very nice and she didn't have to replace them :)

[wildeyed]

9. The cabinet are melamine.

I don't think they would hold paint, would they? I would love to paint them cheerful colors! Maybe some stencils, too. But the real problem is the kitchen layout. The stove is poorly placed and I would like to knock out two walls, one between the kitchen and family room to create a great room and the other between the kitchen and dining room to create a serving bar/pass through. Major money, effort and irritation. So for now I am striving to make the existing kitchen as livable as possible without investing significant money or effort. Then maybe when my kids are both in school I can get a part time job and afford to remodel the kitchen :)

[NMDemDist2]

11. ahhhh gotcha! the melamine would probably need "roughing"

and then priming first, major hassle and probably not worth it

but the Feng Shui helps a lot I bet :hug:

[Frogtutor]

19. I don't know anything about painting melamine or tile,

but it seems like nowadays there's a paint for everything. But, what about changing your hardware, or adding some if you don't have any? New knobs and handles can really make a difference.

I watch way too many decorating shows...I LOVE the Home and Garden Television channel! Here's their website; they have some really cool ideas and tips.

http://www.hgtv.com/

[wildeyed]

25. BBC America has some great home shows, too.

I like 'House Doctor' where this bitchy American come in and re-decorates British homes that are on the market and not selling. What is great, in addition to Alistair the host, who is a cutie, is that she fixes up the homes on a tight budget. The transformations are really amazing.

I may change the knobs on the cabinets, but the back splash is really offensive. I think that the grout wasn't sealed, so it absorbed grease and looks dirty. I can't get it clean. So maybe a new coat of paint is just the ticket!

[Stinky The Clown]

44. Scrape out about 1/2 the grout and regrout it.

It is actually fast and easy. Get a grout saw at the hardware store. It looks like a short section of extra thick (1/8") saw blade set into a handle. Makes short work of grout removal. Cut down about 1/2 the depth of the grout and then regrout. It is actually easier than you think. A whole bathroom might take a 1/2 day start to finish.

[wildeyed]

49. I used a grout paint product.

It worked great in the lower use parts of the kitchen, but I may have to re-grout, as you suggested, behind the stove. Here is the before and after.

Before:


After (actually during, it is still drying, I have to wipe down the tiles with a damp cloth)



It looks better, but I think the grout might have been too far gone. I will see how it looks once I get everything back in place.

Next I will prime over the weird cartoon animal tiles and maybe do a stencil or something.

[Stinky The Clown]

62. That's a pretty dramatic improvement.

Looks like it may well buy you some time.

Don't paint that tile! He looks like Senor Toucan!

[wildeyed]

66. Alas, Senor Toucan is destined for the trash heap.

I am sure that he was the finishing touch on someone's dream kitchen back in the day. But his day has passed. I found some simple medieval style tile stencils that even my craft impaired self can manage to paint. I think I will do that instead.

[NMDemDist2]

64. wild... that looks MUCH better

very nice!

[wildeyed]

67. Thanks.

I feel better looking at it. I am no clean freak, but the greasy grout was unpleasant to look at. Next on the list, paint over Senor Toucan.....

[politicat]

38. Prime them, then two coats of latex... or better...

We did that three years ago, and they're still looking good.

However, since you're on this keeping organized kick, why not go buy a lot of 1x2, sand it and stain it, build frames the same size as the cabinet doors and staple copper screening or lightweight cheesecloth on the back and hang them instead? Get new handles and you have an entirely different look for the whole kitchen - plus, airflow makes sure that you don't end up with damp, dank cabinets. My kitchen, with 32 cabinet doors (small cabinets, sadly) would cost about $150 to do this to, but DH says that he is afraid he'd not stack things neatly enough....

Yes, I saw this on Martha Stewart once when I was too sick to read, but not sick enough to sleep all day. It's a nice look, though.

Pcat

[wildeyed]

42. Sounds very beautiful,

but I doubt I am organized enough to maintain the see through look. Plus we have two little kids which means plastic dishes, sippy cups and all manner of clutter in the cabinets. Maybe just do some of the upper cabinets. I will think on it.

But seriously, you painted white melamine cabinets and they still look good? Did you use a special primer? Sand first?

[politicat]

57. Used kilz as the primer.

No sanding. 2-3 coats of latex. I didn't know I was supposed to sand (DH did not tell me they weren't wood and I didn't figure it out until 3 or 4 cabinets in. Oops.)

Pcat

[Stinky The Clown]

43. Melamine **WILL** hold paint

If you use the right primer, you can successfully paint melamine. We found the primer at the local Sherwin Williams store. It isn't cheap - about $32 a gallon - but it works great. Once primed you can paint them with anything. We painted our spare bathroom cabinets to stall the need for complete replacement for a year or three (just cuz we're feeling kinda lazy). The person at the Sherwin Williams store suggested this special primer and then an acrylic water based paint as the top coat. We're very happy with the outcome.

[wildeyed]

50. I will think about it.

The cabinet are white, so it is not too terrible, but it would be nice to have something a little bit cheerful. I'll get the tile finished up and see how the room is feeling then make a decision.

We are planning to landscape the front yard in the spring, and my husband is building a climbing wall in the garage, so it might be that we have too many projects going already. :crazy: But green and blue cabinets would be huge fun, too!

[bettyellen]

3. get a really nice shrub... how about a camelia

http://ecolage.safeshopper.com/175/1893.htm?199


but also grow some moonflowers so you can watch them open at dusk......

[wildeyed]

5. I love camellias.

I had many at my old house, both Japanese and Chinese varieties. They were heaven. The spot that my kitchen looks out on in this new house is very narrow plot next to the driveway on the border with my neighbors house, so I am limited in what I can choose. I was thinking Okame Cherry right across from the kitchen window and then a row of Osmanthus Fragrans next to the neighbors fence. I will add some camellia in the front yard this spring. Camellia grow really well in NC, they are a joy. Ooops, time to switch this conversation to the gardening forum!

[Stepup2]

7. I am afraid, very afraid

I saw a post in which some one included a photo of fantastic stainless shelves on a kitchen wall. I'v spent several hours now planning how to incorporate something similar in my kitchen.

[NMDemDist2]

8. that was Husb2Sparkly--- he must be in the commercial food

industry, but his wife swears he's just a "pot head"

ROFL--- see this thread for explanation

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x2899

[wildeyed]

10. Watch out!

You too may become a kitchen Feng Shui monster if you hang out enough in this forum.

I have been plotting on how to get copper pots myself. Need to make a trip to Marshall's.

[Stepup2]

12. THAT place is

dangerous!! There is a locally owned kitchenware etc, store near my home that calls my name...

I am so broke I try to avoid the neighborhood altogether.

I did walk past one eve after they were closed.

I left nose prints on the windows... :crazy:

[NMDemDist2]

13. i did my entire kitchen for less than $100 (pic heavy)

$20 for curtains and rods
$15 for cobalt blue planters
$20 for fruit basket
$10 thrift "scores" ala spice rack, knive block and other small treasures
$40 for kitchen rugs (at a half price sale)

and a $50 gift card at Pier One that I've had for 2 years from opening a bank account I used for the pot rack and baskets

mine is more the "Design Remix" action

[wildeyed]

14. Nice!

And thrifty, too. I would like to do thrifting, but it is so hard to shop with little kids that I mostly don't bother.

I spent a little more when I bought this to add storage and work space.

http://images.crateandbarrel.com/is/image/CrateandBarrel/CucinaDropLeafCart

I also bought a modestly priced pot rack at Lowes and a few drawer organizers. But it is a pittance compared to a complete redo, so I am happy.

[NMDemDist2]

15. thanks, I am pleased. It needs paint now and then off to the bedroom

I am trying to convince DH that we should paint the bay window wall (opposited the window in the pics) in the dining room (it's all one big space the whole width of the house for the kitchen/dining) some color.

DH seems to think color makes the room "smaller" :shrug:

But with the pink Pink PINK of the curtains and countertops I'm at a bit of a loss as to what color to look at. Perhaps a pale mint green?

suggestions?

[wildeyed]

16. Maybe gray?

I am partial to gray. I know it sounds boring, but there are many kinds of gray. You could go greeny gray or a more neutral gray. I have brown/gray (Ben Moore silver fox 2108-50)in my kitchen/family room. I have a red couch and the gray is sophisticated enough to balance it. It is also strong enough to stand up to the bright furniture color. I don't think it makes the room look smaller or darker. And it adds character to what I consider a very generic space.

Benjamin Moore gray owl OC-52 might be a nice, light neutral. Also, horizon gray 2141-50 is greenish gray. Hard to tell without seeing the room and the actual pink in person.

If you want to get really wild, you could go with orange. If I recall, pink and orange were THE color combo a season or so ago.

I always buy a pint of paint and try it out in one spot before committing to a whole rooms worth of paint.

Good luck! Color is hard.

[NMDemDist2]

17. orange LOL DH isn't gonna go for that, but looking at my art and

"southwest" patterned dining chairs, it did enter my mind...

he has said "no way" to green too (don't know why he hates green, he just does)

wonder if I can buy a sage green and tell him it's gray?? ROFL but if he hates it, I'll be stuck doing the re-paint job and I really HATE painting! It's a long story......

as far as the color, the pics that show just the edges of the curtain both are good color matches for photos

[wildeyed]

21. Well the orange/pink combo is a little on the bold side.

Is there a color in any of the cool retro signs you have up that you particularly like? Maybe you could match the wall color to that. I really think a color, and not too wimpy either, will be so much better than the white. It will make your signs and accessories pop.

Sounds like your DH is colorphobic. Are there any colors he actually likes?

[NMDemDist2]

23. ahhhh Blue? LOL

i think he is also... he swears it makes the rooms look small and only a HUGE house can handle wall color

IMHO this room is large enough and bright enough to handle it :shrug:

edit to add... glad you noticed my signs! I've had them for years and they go from kitchen to kitchen with me LOL

[wildeyed]

24. Yellow?

My last house was very small and somewhat dark. I painted all the common rooms a subdued yellow (except the kitchen which I painted, big surprise, gray) and really liked it. It was cheerful and airy without being overbearing.

Well looks like we have covered every single color in the rainbow as a possibility. So we have definitely narrowed it down.

Last thoughts. Martha Steward has excellent colors and she doesn't have too many. Sometime confronting those huge color books is completely overwhelming. All her colors are good and there are like 50 to choose from instead of 500. I am also extremely fond of Benjamin Moore. Their colors are so much better than Duron.

[NMDemDist2]

26. yellow is just a step from white.. and since we smoke in the house

all the white will turn yellow anyway :evilgrin:

how about this?

[wildeyed]

27. That looks pink on my monitor.

Didn't the hubby nix the pink? Besides "painting" the house yellow via smoking will be soooooo much easier than the old fashioned style of painting. :P

[NMDemDist2]

28. ok so it is pink.... I think I'll try for a Sedona sandstone yellow/pink

that would probably look awesome

and after I put 3 or 4 samples on the wall, we'll have to paint hehehe

[wildeyed]

30. Post what you finally end up with.

Hubby will get so sick of the project that he will say yes to something just to be done with it ;)

[NMDemDist2]

32. LOL that's the ticket, wear him down!! will do! n/t

[politicat]

39. Send him up here. I'll fix that.

DH was the same way, so when he went to Canada a couple years ago for a two week project, I painted the whole bloody house. The original walls were nicotine stained white (previous owner who used cheap paint) with beige molding. We'd redone the floors after the ex wife took an exacto knife to the carpets. (LOOOOONG story.)

I can't find the pics so you'll have to use your imagination. I sponged the walls in the LR and the hall in blue, lavender and green, and painted the formerly beige crown molding bright white. The carpet in the LR (only carpet) is dove gray. The LR is 15 by 15, about. The LR walls have a rather dreamy, impressionistic feel to them, very restful.

The kitchen has cream walls, but the cabinets are blue marbled with bright blue trim and borders everywhere. Floors in there are mosaic tile with blue borders on the tiles.

Office was the hard one, and DH hated it at first, but now he likes it. It's Tripoli green (a Federalist color, on the National Historical Society's list of approved colors for Federalist houses, and is a dark sage-ish) with a green mosiac looking border at chair rail height. It has ash hard wood laminate for flooring. What we learned is if you use a light colored floor, you can use dark paint, and getting rid of carpet totally changes the room. (Also, the laminate is MUCH cooler in the summer, though we do put down area rugs in winter.) The office is only 9x10, and there's a foot of book cases around the perimeter of the room, so it should seem even smaller. (The book cases are the Elfa shelving system, and are totally flexible on space.) However, the dark paint and the light floor give it a feeling of space, which can get bizarre when we're both in there and forget that it really is a not very big room!

Bedroom is Museum white with a black and white and grey stenciled border running at head height. Crown molding is grey, floors are red maple laminate. Bedding is black, red and white, and DH loves that room because of the brightness of the floor and furnishings. He's thinking now about repainting the BR with some tricks he's learned on HGTV. (seems he wants the walls different colors....) BR is 17x16, but feels about 12 x15 for some reason. I don't find that white makes a room seem bigger.... I really think it's the flooring, not the walls.

Master bath is underwater blue, pearlized and dry brushed; guest bath is leaf green sponged over pearl with white fixtures.

Other than the location - and the configuration - of the house, he likes what I've done with it, especially after what the ex had done to it.

Pcat

[Stinky The Clown]

46. Pink and gray is a **classic** color combo

Kinda retro when done, but very, very nice, indeed. That combo was all the rage for tile colors in bathrooms back in the 50's.

[wildeyed]

48. I am totally digging the pink counter tops.

I still think the orange and pink would make a, um, statement. :silly:

[NMDemDist2]

55. oh! i remember those, I had several place with that color combo

now you really have me thinking......(alway a dangerous thing for me)

[wildeyed]

61. If you did the cabinets white,

they would look great with the pink and gray. But what kind of pulls for the cabinets? Maybe crystal?

[NMDemDist2]

63. finger pulls on my cabinets, no hardware needed

and I think crystal would be a bit over the top LOL

[wildeyed]

65. It would be different........

Actually, I had crystal and brass pulls in my last retro themed kitchen. But it was a black and white 1920's theme, not 50's. I am not sure what style pulls would go in a pink and gray 50's kitchen.

[Stinky The Clown]

68. Black plastic pulls

shaped like this:

http://store1.yimg.com/I/hardwareaccents_1824_19361076

(The picture is of a stainless steel pull, but the shape is right.)

[wildeyed]

69. Oooohhhhh....

Well you sold me. Just got to work on Azdem since it is her kitchen :)

[NMDemDist2]

70. LOL I'll go for the gray and pink no prob, but I be darned if I'll spend

a bunch of money for unneeded cabinet pulls :D

remember the whole point of this was a little or no cost make over, right?

but H2S is right, if I had handles to begin with, new ones would be a cheap way to update a look and I have used that trick before in other kitchens ;)

[wildeyed]

71. But we are Americans!

We spend money we don't have on things we don't need. Or maybe you need to be sent to the Consumer Re-education Camps? Motto: We have ways of making you shop. ;)

[NMDemDist2]

72. make ya a deal, if I find 20 black pulls in a 50's design at the thrift

store or on Freecycle, we'll talk hehehehehe

but the gray thing is starting to take root in my pea brain. since it's only one wall, why not?

[wildeyed]

73. And if I find 20 black pulls second hand, I will send them to you :)

[NMDemDist2]

74. DEAL!! but they have to be the clean, classic 50's style :-) n/t

[wildeyed]

75. Right, no tacky stuff. n/t

[Frogtutor]

18. How about another shade of pink? Like a really pale one...n/t

[NMDemDist2]

20. i thought that too, DH says he's not going to paint ANYTHING pink

argggggggghhhhhh

I thought a pale dusty rose (a few levels up from the counters) would work and give the whole room a "glow"

or maybe the "Las Vegas Sunset shown here



or the Regina Beach?



how about Zanzibar?



argghhhh I hate picking color

[wildeyed]

22. I like Zanzibar and Las Vegas Sunset.

Regina Beach is too light.

Picking colors is impossible. It makes my brain overheat.

[Stepup2]

29. Fantastic pot rack

I need to do the lino in my kitchen, but I am chicken to try the peel and stick squares. I don't know why, because ANYthing would be better than the existing.


I like the Las Vegas and, but I really like the Zanzibar.

It looks like the Zanzibar will "reflect" many colors and you could change it with window coverings.

[NMDemDist2]

31. peel and stick!! they are soooo easy... I did my entire house here

with peel and stick planks (the whole house except the kitchen looks like wood but it's all peel and stick). We even have the pattern going unbroken throughout the entire house in all 4 rooms and the hall.

I did 3 rooms in California with peel and stick (kitchen, bath & hall and the dining room)

here are a few tricks to help

always start in the middle of the room and work out to the edges (when we did the whole house, we snapped a line right down the center of the house and worked each room from that)

get a small rubber mallet to "tap" the squares tight to each other

prep the floor very well, make sure it's clean and dust free.


I always started with concrete since both houses were built on slabs. I did take the time to patch any cracks first. If you are working with a sub floor, or if the existing floor is OK to stick over, be sure you prep the surface well. If you are covering an existing floor, be sure you strip any wax off the surface first.

go for it though, there's nothing to it :D

[Stepup2]

33. Thanks for the encouragement!

I think the hardest part will be ripping up the old stuff.

I have seen the "real" wood and ceramic peel and stick that was convincing! I had to bend down to touch it to be sure!

[NMDemDist2]

34. actually if the floor is in really bad shape, you may be surprised

how easy it comes up. You can get what is basically a 4' razor blade on a handle and once it starts it usually just keeps on coming...




but don't do it unless the floor is badly damaged if you have a wooden sub-floor. If you have a concrete slab just go for it, if it's lino over wood you may just want to leave the old floor down to protect your sub-floor.

(PS if it is a wooden floor underneath the old lino, check carefully--- you may have hardwood flooring under there that can be uncovered, refinished and Voila! tres chic flooring for $100 and some labor) :D

Good Luck!! and get a few pals to come help and it goes FAST!!

[Stepup2]

35. Thanks!

I am not sure about sub, certain no hardwood..boo hoo.

It would be too easy to be able to do this over the old lino..

[NMDemDist2]

36. if it's not cracked and peeling, do it!

minor cracks are ok as long as it lays flat and you can strip all the old wax off it.

you will probably have to put a new threshold strip in to disguise the level change, but in two days you'll never even notice (and guests NEVER will)

have fun, they have some great patterns and styles out at very reasonable prices.

Post a pic when you're done and get a "before" shot too :bounce:

edit to add: you may be able to fill small to medium cracks with a filler/bondo/spackling stuff ask at the home store, they'll have something

[Stepup2]

37. Thanks!

I'll get pic's out, (I'll borrow a digi camera) a motivator to do this project.

[politicat]

40. I hated those... we are wood laminate converts.

The peel and stick will stick to EVERYTHING... but the floor, it seems. Grr. I'm forever replacing them.

The Armstrong laminate that Lowe's carries, though... it goes in FAST (like a day for a 17x16 room) and it has a 20 year warranty. The peel and stick is coming up after 4 years, but the laminate is looking to hit the long haul. Plus, if your room isn't square, the tiles can be cruel to get properly shaped.

If you can afford the laminate, it will last probably as long as you'll have your house, and it's low maintenance. We paid about $400 for the tiles for kitchen, baths and hall, and about 475 for the laminate for the same surface area for bedroom and office. Had I to do it over, we'd have done laminate in the kitchen and halls, too.

Pcat

[NMDemDist2]

41. I only have had one space in all the rooms of two houses that I had

trouble keeping stuck. Floor prep is everything

they didn't have the wood laminate when we did ours and 7 years later it is still stuck and looks fine

you have to be careful what you mop with too, as some cleaners will break down the glue

seems if you use the "mallet" it makes the seams tighter and less water can get in between and under the tiles

[politicat]

56. See, we did all that.

You could have performed open heart surgery on that floor with no risk of infection; we used the leveller paste, we used a mallet and wedger, we took a class in how to do it at Lowe's...

It may be the humidity. Colorado's pretty dry, but it's not the Southwest. Or it may be the lack thereof; some glues require the moisture.

We don't use cleaners on the floor, just a dust mop and a floor steamer. So I dunno. Bad luck, I guess.

Pcat

[DemBones DemBones]

47. It must be the Y chromosome; my DH also said

"It'll make the room look smaller" but I won and he loves our one dark red wall, has talked about maybe painting another one, too. He thought crown molding would look weird, too, but, again, I won and, again, he loves it. I keep thinking he'll catch on and just give me carte blanche, but convincing him of my newest idea is always fun. ;-)

[NMDemDist2]

58. ahhh Bones, you give me hope LOL thanks! N/T

[Stinky The Clown]

45. We have that same espresso maker!

Except in all black. We also have the Vienna DeLuxe.



Long story how we wound up with two. I know it seems an extravagance but we actually use both of them every day. One is in the kitchen and one is in the office.

[wildeyed]

51. Whoa, two espresso machines!

If I drank that much coffee, I would be on life support or something. I can't even have coffee after 3 PM anymore, otherwise I am up all night. Too much caffeine in the AM gives me the shakes. So I have developed a serious green tea habit instead.

[Stinky The Clown]

52. Yanno ... espresso has **less** caffeine than regular coffee

When you make espresso you use steam and pressure. The caffeine is forced out by that combo. If you look at how they make decaf, you'll find it is an espresso-like process carried to the max!

Espresso **tastes** stronger, but really isn't.

[wildeyed]

53. So when the caffeine is forced out, where does it go?

[Stinky The Clown]

54. Into the air, actually

It just evaporates

[NMDemDist2]

59. also, with espresso the water is only in contact with the grounds for

less than 30 seconds, most of the caffiend stays in the grounds (along with the bitterness)

it is the brewing for a 10-15 minute cycle that pulls all the caffine and bitterniss out of the grounds

you can have a double espresso, if made right, with less caffine than a "regular" cup of coffee made in an old Mr. Coffee

[NMDemDist2]

60. yes I remember that from one of your earliest posts

:bounce:

made me like you right away LOL