I Found My (Realistic) Dream Kitchen

I've mentioned before that my kitchen needs some renovation love, but I don't want to totally lose my kitchen's 1940s vibe. I'm also leaning towards keeping my cabinets, which aren't anything fancy, but are original and in good shape. If I bought cabinets, I'd buy ones that looked old anyway, so why spend the money? I was having a hard finding inspiration of the look I want (and I'm very visual, I need visual inspiration) until I visited Casapinka's blog last week and spotted these two shots.

While I don't want a tile countertop, I love the subway tile backsplash and the cabinets. In fact I'd kill for those pantry cabinets. But it's so great to see a kitchen that kept its classic roots and still looks contemporary.

But then, while visiting Apartment Therapy today, I hit the motherlode. The inspiration of all inspiration.

This kitchen, which was featured on the 2007 Architectural Heritage Center's 11th Annual Kitchen Revival Tour (in Portland), is not only gorgeous, it also features a pretty darn close layout to my kitchen. I love everything about it, the cabinets, the subway tile, and the countertop. In fact when I showed the boyfriend, he thougt I'd photoshopped a picture of my kitchen with the changes I want (I only wish my Photoshop skills were on that level). If only I could find pictures of the rest of this kitchen. If anyone has pics of it, or knows where I can find them, please, please let me know.

Just imagine these bottom cabinets and the countertop above them gone, and you can see how close the layout of my kitchen is to the picture above. I want to remove this section of cabinets and countertop anyway, so I can have a proper dining area.

I'm so excited about finding the inspiration above that I'm almost ready to start demo now.

Spring Cleaning Tip: Don't Forget Your Filters

Spring is a great time to address some of those easy-to-forget chores: changing smoke alarm batteries, cleaning windows (ha, ha, ha), and cleaning/changing your filters!

I've noticed that for the last two days that my basement dehumidifier wasn't getting the air below 70% humidity. Not good. There goes another $300 I thought. Luckily before going shopping, I decided clean the washable filter. And boy did it need it! So I washed it, let it dry, and put it back in and voila, the humidity is already down to 60%. I'm sure after three hard years of use and lots of neglect, the dehumidifier also needs a good vacuuming and cleaning, but until then at least it's not a complete waste of electricity.

If you haven't changed your furnace filter in awhile (guilty) now is a great time to do that too!

What other neglected chores do we need to tend to this spring?

Now It's Spring: First Blooms of 2009

Spring doesn't really begin for me until my spring bulbs start blooming. This year Spring began on March 13, when these crocuses bloomed though I didn't get around to updating my Garden Bloggers' Bloom day post.

Then just three days later the first of my lovely daffodils started blooming. It's amazing how quickly they can go from bud to bloom. Have I mentioned how much I love daffodils? How can you look at these flowers and not smile?

What means Spring to you?

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - March 2009

I'm so delighted to see this little primrose bloom again. I bought it two years ago and have since almost killed it several times due to neglect. But lately I've remembered to water it more often than not and it rewarded me with two cheerful bloom just when I needed it most.


Things are starting to wake up outside in the garden too, reminding me that spring is near. The crocus buds are starting to peep out, as you can see here.

Soon we'll enter one of my absolute favorite times in the garden, when favorite flowers, like these daffodils begin blooming. I can't wait to resume my daily walks around the garden, when you never know what lovely surprises you'll find.

Want to see more blooms? Visit May Dreams Gardens every month on the 15th to see what's blooming in gardens around the world.

The Living Room Fan Search Is Over. Maybe.

The amount of loathing many people harbor for ceiling fans shocks me. I agree they're not the most attractive things in the world, but they're so practical that I can't imagine not having one in most rooms. But that doesn't mean I'm not looking for the most attractive ceiling fan I can find for the living room.

And I may have just found it today on Apartment Therapy:

All the commentors who are questioning the functionality took a little wind out of my sails. I USE my ceiling fan, so it has to be functional.

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day - February 2009

Seeing as I'm in zone 5, my garden is still sleeping for winter. Inside, however, there are a few blooms. First up is my first ever amaryllis, Apple Blossom.

Isn't it gorgeous?

And despite getting me another present or two, the boyfriend came through with roses on Valentines Day. Red roses aren't my favorite, and I've never gotten white before, so I was pleasantly surprised at the color and to receive flowers.


Actually the boyfriend has been on a roll, he bought me flowers the week before Valentine's Day too. They really help cheer the place up. Keep em coming honey!


Want to see more blooms? Visit May Dreams Gardens to see what's blooming in gardens around the world.

On Rewards

So far this year I've been focused on getting healthier. Of course when I say focused on I really mean obsessed with (hence the neglect of this poor blog). It's paying off though, I've been doing really well and making progress. Which brings up a problem, how do you reward yourself for a job well done (which I think is important) when food rewards are verboten and new clothes are out? Inspiration struck last weekend at the grocery store: flowers. A small treat for both me and the house, how perfect.

Buying blowers weekly is also a big part of the Apartment Therapy Cure, which I've participated in twice. They see it as an offering to your home, which is a little hokey to me, but it's amazing how some fresh flowers really liven a place up and add a splash of color.

My favorite flowers are daffodils and tulips, which is why these beauties were a no brainer choice. I even like them when they get droopy as pictured below. And with all the snow and ice outside lately, they remind me that spring will come again one day, hopefully tomorrow.