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Let the Dust(y Trail) Fly!

OUR 1st HOUSE

The boyfriend and I are in a mad scramble. We are trying to get the den/kitchen done for this weekend. And if tasks were grains of sand – we would be swimming in the Sahara. This weekend was a good start but we have so much more to do. AHHH!!

We began by sanding the rough spots off the walls in our kitchen and beginning the painting process. Cutting in (or going around the doors, baseboards, or crown molding for all you non-paint-a-holics) was definitely the worst part. There were eight doorways in these two rooms!

I have a ton of photos to share – so it might be easier to walk through everything with a little pic help.

This is where we left off…backsplash was adhered to the wall with our friend thinset but the cracks need scraping. On the wall with the fridge, our ‘boxes’ still need a coat of primer too. The ‘boxes’ is what we call the piece of drywall located above the cabinets….it has the trim and crown molding attached to it. We call them ‘boxes’ because when we hung the cabinets, I asked the boyfriend to build a box to put above the cabinets so I wouldn’t have to dust up there. Anything to get outta the chore of dusting!

The painting has officially begun. The paint color I chose was named Dusty Trail – it’s Olympic brand. I usually prefer Benjamin Moore but there is a reason we went with the Olympic. The paint color in our living room is fab – everyone loves it. And the dining room got a quick coat of it below the chair rail. Above the dining room chair rail is the color called Dusty Trail. It was on the same paint chip as the living room color, just one shade lighter.

Jeremy tested out hanging the hood. I think it looks darn shmancy! But it’s not permanent (yet) because we still must scrape the cracks for thinset spillage and then grout. But just seeing it there makes me smell bacon…

The hallway from the kitchen to the dining room has a little wall space and the door to the bathroom. The bookshelf I found with my mom at the Mexican Goodwill. It is actually named “Thrift Store” but all the signs are in Spanish and everyone who works there is Latino. So the moniker stuck. It was a way to differentiate between all the thrift shops we go to…ANYhoo! The bookshelf was only 10 bones. I had to get an inner shelf. And I painted it black. And I think it looks just spiffy with my white dishes and a mirror on top!
Note that the previous wall color in this little hall and continuing into the den was more yellow. It was called Churchill Wheat. I love it but it has golden undertones and we were going with grayish-greeny undertones (which you can see near the bathroom door).

Now you can see the hallway to the dining room. Also, look at the paint difference. The sheen is different too. I am glad to say that we are going with the more matte look.

The far left door is the pantry. It is disgustingly small. When I buy the three cans of beans for chili and some diced tomatoes…it takes up the entire space. It is my arch nemesis in this house.

The middle door is the hall to the foyer.
The last door is the stairs to the basement.
The hole is the opening to the living room.

Our tree got stashed in the corner. Jeremy had a good idea to put it in front of the window so we could see it from the street. So when it comes time, it will be moved. We also need to decorate it…it only got plugged in 🙁 How come Christmas sneaks up on us every year?!?!

Another before. Another wall of Churchill Wheat. Oh and the door on the far right is to the deck.

And the fabulous (although cluttered) AFTER. The painting of the walls is complete. I think the color really showcases the warmth of the cabinets. And yes, my counters are messy. I don’t know how you gals do it. Or who can put every single thing in place prior to taking a photo…but I am not a freak for having clutter. Don’t be judging me in your heart. I am a clutterbug. I am not proud! I can’t ever seem to find the time to clean up a room just for a picture. I will, however, make Jeremy move furniture back to where it was (even if he already started a project) just so that I can get an accurate “before” photo 🙂

Around the fridge is now screaming ‘Dusty Trail’ too. Ok – and maybe I should take the stuff off the front of our fridge…I see what you guys mean about that just looking dumb.

And the living room in our new color. I love it. At first I was unsure – but it totally won me over in the morning light.

So there you have it. A painted kitchen and den…so here is the list of things still stressing me out on our To Do List:

  • tile on opposite side of kitchen behind microwave
  • scrape any remaining thinset (or icing as Jeremy calls it) from the cracks.
  • clean the entire backsplash
  • grout
  • seal grout
  • install breaker so hood can get some juice
  • install hood
  • reattach any moldi
    ng
  • paint window and trim
  • replace light above sink
  • sand kitchen wall
  • paint kitchen
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Comments

  1. Your Christmas Tree is so full and sparkly! Everything else looks gorgeous too – great thift store find!

  2. your kitchen looks awesome! I’m trying to convince my hubby of the fabulous-ness of a hood like that, but he’s not buying (yet).

    and I saw leave the tree undecorated! last year I took a three day break between removing the ornaments and tackling the lights (we have a real tree) and I loved it! I keep saying one day I’m leaving mine naked (with lights of course). looks like you have plenty to keep your busy anyway!

  3. Beautimous Katie. Y'all rock….will you build me a house?
    Ok, I've got a BIG bone to pick with all those "neat, anti-clutter" peeps (not you). There is a world of difference between clutter, junk and personal stuff. I say leave your family photos wherever the heck you want them… even if it means guests HAVE (gasp) to see them. I personally would much rather see folks' family photos than a generic print that any Joe-Shmo could have. AND, leave whatever the heck you want on your fridge. Seeing my 4 year old nephews homemade cards & colored pics each time I go for the salsa makes me infinitely more happy than seeing my sparkling naked fridge front. I say there are NO rules when it comes to your personal space, even though I know most folks would have a heart attack at my mismatchy house and gobs of family pics everywhere. But it makes my heart happy and my husband cozy:-)
    You rock it however YOU want Katie…..there are no rules or decorating police! And don't be a hater when you see Willow junk on my fridge 😉

  4. the new color looks great! i am wanting to do something like that in our kitchen…one day….

    haha i love seeing finds from goodwill. i drag the husband to goodwill every saturday morning – and he doesn’t understand it when i say we have to go early to get the “steals”

  7. everything looks great!! i love it! your house it so gorgeous! 🙂 yay for getting things done 🙂

  8. Wow, very impressive! I am sure you guys are saving TONS of cash by doing everything yourselves-WAY TO GO! You know, I have to admit, I have never gone to a goodwill store to furniture shop, but it looks like you find some awesome deals, and just a little touch up makes it look completely different. I have been desperately hunting for a small-med size bookshelf for my sons room, without spending $300, and am having NO luck…thrift stores, here I come! Thanks for sharing!

  9. The pictures of your home are great! It looks like you spent a lot of time working on every little detail, from the crown molding in the kitchen, to the hardwood floors…and it’s definitely all paid off.

    Great Job.

  10. I seriously want you to live next door to me and be my best friend. I think that this would help me be cooler and more stylish… (I hope you take this in a non-stalkerish way).

    I love love love the hood. I’m totally envious. And, your tree is so sparkly. And, that bookshelf! love! Great deals….

  11. I seriously want you to live next door to me and be my best friend. I think that this would help me be cooler and more stylish… (I hope you take this in a non-stalkerish way).

    I love love love the hood. I’m totally envious. And, your tree is so sparkly. And, that bookshelf! love! Great deals….

  12. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery… please keep that in mind when I steal “Dusty Trail” from you. 🙂
    You ROCK at finding the Goodwill deals, missy! I’m very impressed.

  15. Everything is looking GREAT Katie! I’ve got to hand it to you for doing renovations this time of year. That’s a lot of work and a lot of stress but you are doing a great job! Can’t wait to see more!!

  17. Absolutely beautiful! And you’re such hard workers. I just want to hibernate right now, have no oomph at all so you just amaze me.

  18. Shut up, your kitchen looks effing awesome!! I adore the wall color, too and would like to lovingly caress that range hood. Creepy? Perhaps but I love it so much. This makes my kitchen reno look absolutely pathetic!!

    If you call that clutter, then girl, come clutter up my house, seriously. It looks fab, clutter and all. GL w/ getting everything done on your list =)

  20. This is beautiful! I have a question for you about all your handiness — could I do it? My dad has drawn plans for turning our two small rooms upstairs into a master suite with closets and big bath, and hubby and I want to do some of the work ourselves (leaving things like running new plumbing lines to professionals). My hubby is a mechanical engineer, has worked in construction and is quite handy. Is dry walling terribly difficult? Could I actually be helpful? I want to work on an improvement project with him, since he’s done just about everything so far, but I’m afraid I’d get in over my head.. Since you’re experience with building walls, what do you think?

  21. Hi Ya’ll,

    Thanks you guys for your encouragement! You definitely provide the ‘itch’ in my kitchen improvement projects – I can’t wait to get them done so that I can share them with you!

    Jennifer – I hear ya on the naked tree issue…it can look stunning! If only I could NOT be OCD about the little balls of ornamental fun 🙂

    Steph – I will build you a house if we can live in it together 🙂 and I could never be a hater of anything Willow related…oh how I love her!

    Long Brake – girl, go for it! I know you have the internet…duh…so just google FYI projects till your fingers fall off. Then pick them back up and get to drywalling! And you will definitely be a help – it is sortof like cutting really big pieces of dusty construction paper out to staple onto a birdhouse. If I can do it, anyone can. And just FYI – you will have to mud the seams…which has a uncanny resemblence to icing birthday cakes. Maybe you can practice that first…then move to joint compound. Even if you stink, at least you have cake 🙂

    XO – Katie

  23. Hey Anonymous,

    So you don’t think I am classy because I gave a thrift store a moniker?! Man…tough crowd.

    And just so we are clear – I identified the language used in the thrift store with the closest country that speaks that said language…mexico. It isn’t so much a matter of heritage but of global proximity to what is familiar to me.

    I don’t think there is anything wrong with being Mexican…do you? And I don’t think there is anything wrong with speaking Spanish – heck, I would LOVE to get a love language under my belt!

    Just my personal opinion…since this is my blog and all…if you wanna talk about something like racial diversity in georgia…leave your name…maybe there is something we can both learn from each other 🙂

    XO – Katie

  24. Hi Katie! Congratulations on the birth of little Will. He is beautiful. You must be soo busy shelling out all kinds of love for him =).

    I am going through your archives slowly but surely and I love what you have done with your kitchen! What color did you choose for the afters? I am not sure if I missed the reference. We are in the middle of choosing paint color for the kitchen and this one looks promising.

    Thank You Katie and Jeremy and Enjoy your baby. He is going to grow up so fast!!! Mom of a 16 and 13 year old here!!

  26. Hi there, I looked up Dusty trail on Olympics web site and they don’t seem to have it listed on the web-site. Do you happen to have a formula number handy? Thanks so much, Lynn

  27. Anonymous, seems you are a wee bit paranoid. Not everything is a racial slur. If you were proud of your heritage you would see that. Katie, good on you for standing up to this cowardly comment.

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