Posting A Pic Of My Kitchen Is Like Being Asked To Undress At The Doctor's Office!

It's something that I don't like doing.  I mean, my husband doesn't even see me.  And as the aparment is also supposed to be a reflection of who I am as well, not many people see it either.  (Can you tell that I have issues?)  But, whilst everyone is posting pics of their gorgeous kitchen redo's on their facebooks (and blogs),  I am confined with my apartment one, complete with very limited potential.  As I try to feel inspired by watching apartment-themed movies like Breakfast At Tiffany's (and some movie I saw the other night with Sandra Dee and Bobby Darrin), I am left disappointed, as I find not one single hint of european cabinetry anywhere.  (And yes-- I know that stuff didn't come out until the late 70's/early 80's!)

So, how can I change this~

Into something like this~

Or~

Or even this~

Exactly.  You can't.

(Okay.  Don't scroll back up and judge.  It was cluttered that day.  And when you have european cabinets, they make everything look like crap!)

When I was a teen, european cabinets were the "in" thing-- along with the Miami Vice-inspired glass bricks in your bathroom.  (Fortunately, I have been able to escape the latter!)  Back in the day, rich classic woods were made for old people.

Now that I am old, I want them.  And I can't, because circumstances (aka not being a homeowner), has prevented me from doing so.  Rich wood.  Yes.  Joke all you want.  (It is something that this apartment and my husband lack.)  But what do you do with these ugly things?  I mean white laminate? It's all throughout my apartment.  (The kitchen, and the two bathrooms.)  I've tried looking up ideas to camouflage them, but there's nothing that one can really do.  Since it's not a condo, it's not like I can rip them out (let alone even afford to) and get new ones installed.  I can't stain them, because the bedroom, bathroom and closet doors are done in that ugly blonde oak color as well.  And contact paper?  I scoured the internet, and the ideas I came across were... well... uglier than the laminate itself. 

So, kitchen idea  No.1.  Use them as a canvas, and accentuate the other things going on in there.

Border's Books is having a clearance sale.  And mind you, the store isn't just books.  It's full of wrapping paper, toys (which thankfully, they were mostly out of the other day), fixtures, etc.  While my husband felt compelled to get Rob Zombie's Halloween Two and a Grateful Dead scrapbook thing, I went over to the area where the picture frames were.

Now, I should have waited a little bit longer for them to reach 75% off.  But usually when I go this route, I go back and whatever it is that I wanted is no longer there.  So, I settled for 50% off and went home with my first step forward into my little kitchen redo:



(I'm planning on getting rid of that tile on the back oven splash wall area, and replacing it with some kind of mirror.)




The little pantry on the end, I have plans on painting an antiqued/rubbed black, and putting a better knob on it.  The recipe shelf on the refrigerator, I am thinking about doing the same.  Oh-- and that hideous overhead fluorescent?  DON'T REMIND ME!!!




This shows the layout.  The dining/kitchen is split.  (And don't worry-- those ugly lamps are the next to go!)



Overlooking into the dining.  Unfortunately, it would probably be best to keep that 100-year old corner inheritance the way that it is.  But I am planning on redoing the breadbox in an antiqued/rubbed black as well.

Of course, I had to go into my recently-discovered Picasa mode-- because you can make things look all glow-y like.  (Which is so neat, because...  well... I'm an idiot when it comes to technology!  But it makes everything look a little bit better!)

I purchased the frames (at $9.98 each), because they were already finished.  (This way, I wouldn't have to bring out that cutting board onto my dining room table again, paint it (in what would probably the wrong shade), and just end up spending more than I had intended.)  They weren't exactly what I had in mind (I was thinking a little bit longer), but throw some of those 3m Command picture hanging strips on the back, flip the brand label over to the blank white side, and voila!--  you've got a dry erase board.  A temporary fix to a permanent problem: 



Again, warm glow-y hue!

And I'm assuming you don't necessarily have to make this a dry erase board-- it's just what came in as the cheapest for now.  You can go out and by a $10 can of chalkboard paint, and you've got a chalkboard.  Slip a piece of black scrapbook paper behind the glass and get a $5 marker, and you've got one of those menu boards like they have at the restaurants.  Maybe even a mirror (which might go for the shabbier look, and it would reflect the light coming in from the window opposite of this wall)...  But like I said, this was the cheapest fix for now.

So this is Kitchen Babystep No.1.  I detest baby steps.  I wish I had a few hundred dollars to go out and do what I want with this place, but unfortunately, I don't have those rich woods that are required!  But I will be posting more as I go along.