My new fixer upper in Tennessee has decent bathrooms, but I feel the kitchen is abysmal. Sheesh. Oh, let me count the things I don’t like about it…
Let’s start at the top
Allow me to preface this with my apology if you happen to love any of the things I’m going to mention. I don’t mean to offend, but there are some things I really, really detest.
1. Popcorn ceilings. Who invented that idea and can we find him/her and shoot them? Of course the popcorn problem is in every room of the house.
2. But I have never heard of anyone putting popcorn on the soffit over cabinets. I’m not going to tackle popcorn removal on the ceiling, but it’s coming off the soffit so I can paint it the same as the walls.
3. The gold walls, but like the popcorn that exists in every single room of the house. The same hideous paint that wipes off with a cloth and absorbs everything that comes in contact with it. Note to self — don’t ever think cheap paint is a bargain. As stated with the living room and hall, I’m not a chair rail kinda girl and that needs to go too.
4. The green paint on the cabinets. Not only is it a yucky green, it was poorly applied, and is even more hideous when juxtaposed with the gold wall. It’s gotta go. The style of the cabinets is clearly 30 years old and so is the cabinet hardware.
5. Digressing a little upward — the 80’s light fixtures. Another thing that’s gotta go.
6. The counter tops — they are a pale leafy pattern . They aren’t in terrible shape, but Formica is Formica. When I paint the cabinets white the counters are going to need some color. I have no idea what I’m going to go with but I know I want more color.
7. The black toe kick. I understand the practicality of that choice and it probably didn’t look bad when the cabinets were really dark wood, but it doesn’t work with green and it’s not going to work with white. I rather have to touch it up every once in a while that leave it black…
Okay – now facing the other direction… After rearranging the shelves that were set up to accommodate nothing by soup cans I think I can live with the pantry. I fixed the light at the top of it, so it even has light at night. Most importantly it has room for the dog food container and dog biscuit container on the floor. We have our priorities, after all 🙂
8. I could really live without the spindle railing in the kitchen and would love to have a real wall there instead. It’s not very strong — I started to trip at the top of the stairs and grabbed the rail — it’s very flimsy at that end. I realize a wall might have the same issues, but I’d like the solidity of a wall painted the same color as the rest of the kitchen.
9. Vinyl flooring. Now that I’ve cleaned it up I realize it’s not in bad shape. If I stay I will want to change it, but if I decide to turn around and sell the house it will stay.
10. Electrical issues – the cheap flourescent light over the sink isn’t hard wired — a cord goes to one of the TWO outlets in the backsplash. Two outlets? What kitchen has only 2 outlets in the backsplash?
I bought a microwave cart from Ikea before leaving Dallas and may go to the Ikea in Charlotte and get an island. There is ample room in the kitchen and I think the added work surface would be awesome.
But first I have to resolve all the above mentioned issues…
