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Who cooks here? Brittany, her husband Michael, and their Boston terrier Rufus Jay
Location: Portland, OR
Owned or rented? Owned
Kitchen size: 108 square feet
What challenge have you overcome in your kitchen? The cabinets were stained "cordovan" color (which completely clashed with the floor), so we just painted them white. This contest's timing was perfect because we'd already started the painting process. The before photo was taken last week, so we're just getting used to our bright new kitchen. (continued)
Give Brittany a THUMBS UP if you think this kitchen belongs in the finals!
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What challenge have you overcome in your kitchen? (continued)
We also changed out the light fixture above the sink, added the stainless steel backsplashes, and hung the pot rack after moving in. Next might be curtains.
What's the story of your kitchen?
Our house was built in 1907, but the kitchen was remodeled right before we bought it in 2008. It is actually quite a big space, but much of it isn't useful because there are four doorways, two windows, and a fridge the size of an elephant. We had to hang our pot rack in front of the window because there wasn't any other spot, but we have a non-view of the neighbor's house so we don't mind blocking it.
What is your favorite meal to cook here?
Meal? Can dessert be a meal? We cook almost every night, but my favorite is baking desserts. This weekend will be Faith's adaptation of the strawberry, mascarpone, and ganache tart with the toasted oatmeal crust.
Your kitchen is beautiful! So bright and classic. Painting the cabinets really made a positive impact, and it looks like you did a high-quality job with the paint, too.
view heather77's profile
What a difference with the white paint! With the floors, it looks gorgeous!
view gourmandizzy's profile
this is a wonderful improvement over the old kitchen, I love the all white kitchens.
view acushla's profile
yes, quite different. when our dog needs to go out in the night (see: back door, to the left in the first photo) it's like walking onto sunny snowy slopes with no sunglasses. i cooked a meat and tomato heavy chili the first or second day all the doors were up (the day before these photos were taken) and i was afraid i would get splatter all over everything, but it turned out fine. also, when i deglazed the pan with alcohol, i was unsure whether the fire would leave black marks, but it didn't. i have to say i'm pretty happy with the change, britt did such a great job.
view miguelaron's profile
LOVE the white cabinetry. So much better than the before photo! :) Good job.
view seattleallie's profile
Love the paint- Any pointers for prep/sanding/painting? Our cabintes are due for a new paint job.
view OlyMom's profile
Thanks for the nice comments. We're really happy with it. I did research, bought the recommended paint, and followed all of the instructions from the paint store guys. Even after that, it was super frustrating and they are rather imperfect. I'm ok with it because the overall effect is so much better, though.
First, I cleaned the cabinet fronts really well. My husband removed the doors, then I labeled each door and all of the hardware. This was helpful because we didn't have to adjust the hinges at all when we put them back up. I lightly sanded everything, then wiped it down with a damp cloth. I used a primer, then it took three coats of paint on top of that (even though the paint guys said it would only take two). They recommended I use a small roller to apply the paint, then drag a brush across it to add texture. I wasn't so sure about this, but the rolled texture was pretty bad so I started doing it. Also, I wondered why I shouldn't just apply the paint with the brush and skip the roller, but I tried it and ended up with drips. I think the roller keeps it even. Hope that helps.
view brittanykate's profile
Cute! Never would have guessed it was a re-do and not new cabinets, until I saw the "before."
Question about the beadboard backsplash (at least, that's what I think it is) - are you happy with it? That's what I want to do, but my husband is skeptical, thinking it'll be harder to clean. I think we can keep it clean and also paint it interesting colors.
view suzee's profile
Suzee, the kitchen came with the beadboard backsplash. I really like the way it looks, but we added the stainless steel sheets behind the sink and stove because it WAS hard to keep clean. Part of this may be because it is white, and part because we're a little sloppy, though. We didn't have money to redo anything, and since we liked the beadboard, we just added the stainless in those key areas.
view brittanykate's profile
nice job! I love the color!
view parichb's profile
Fantastic! Looks like a whole new kitchen. Now about the bunny drainer...where did you find it? SO cute!
view veslabeachgirl's profile
veslabeachgirl--we got it at Frozen Fountain in Amsterdam, but I'm sure it can be found elsewhere. We tend to bring home odd souvenirs. Glad you like it.
view brittanykate's profile
What are your countertops made of? Love the look with the undermount sink!
view Abbe's profile
Just YES to this, love love love it. What a difference a coat of paint makes - I'd never have realized it was a redo!
view hilarybue's profile
Abbe--the countertops are "cambrian granite". I don't know what that means, but I love them. They aren't slick and shiny like most granite countertops. They're sort of a dull black with a few little flecks of lighter areas (which hide crumbs a bit). I don't worry about it if I need to set a hot pot on the counter for a minute and I like rolling dough out on the counter. I have chipped the edge once during some over-zealous dishwashing.
view brittanykate's profile