from dark & dreary to bright & cheery

I have been {very} slowly trying to turn my house into a home I can be proud of.  We have been here for 6 years now (has it really been that long???) and my house is still someone elses.  Sure I have my furniture in the rooms, my touches here and there but for the most part, I haven't really made this house a home.

I don't know why...it isn't like we are moving again...at least until the kid's have grown and we retire.   Maybe it is because I am afraid of color, but that can be changed right?  Or afraid of putting something on the wall, table, floor, etc. because I might not like it, never even thought of returning it (until a friend told me that was how she turned her house into one she loves).  Maybe it is because I don't really know what my style is, although I am slowly fiinding it.

Anywhoo...one of my goals for 2010 was to finish the house.  Now to me that means doing what can be done.  I am certainly not talking major overhauls (which really need to be done in the kitchen, basement and upstairs bath) I am talking cosmetic changes that I can do...paint, pictures, accessories and a little bit of crown molding.  Here it is July and I am in no way close to that goal (I think it was that fear...lack of style thing).  I don't know what has come over me lately (could it be all the fabulous home decorating blogs I have discovered???) but I WANT to get a move on.  Summer is so hard for that now because I don't have any me time to scour stores and work on fun projects...but Fall will be here soon enough and I can start shopping and bargain hunting.  Til then, I will be loaded up on ideas.

In the meantime, I wanted to share the first part of my home's transformation (file it in the DIY kitchen makeover category).  Keep in mind that the master plan is to have the kitchen gutted and redone professionally in 5 years (keeping my finger's crossed).  So I am not talking replacing floors, cabinets, countertops.  I am talking working with what I have and sprucing it all up with paint. 

I started with the cabinets and went from this:

(Please note this pic is in progress...notice the removed doors...and please excuse the mess.)

To this:

I painted the cabinets in 2 tone colors and replaced the hardware.  I also painted the trim of the window above the sink.  The result...I am really beginning to love the kitchen.  The colors actually almost make the ugly mustard yellow tile look pretty...not too much hope for that floor, but it is a slight improvement. 

Next step is the trim and walls!  I will post more pics when I get that done...hopefully shortly.

I will be sharing more as I slowly transform my house into a home.

Thanks for stopping by -

Tracy