I'll start this off: Oh Wow. You really came through on this project. And now that the draperies are up, your "twins" don't look as lonely on the walls. The daylight photos are especially good. Very warm and inviting.

What a wonderful change! You've done a great job. The curtains are great and I love the white kitchen. I really don't think it needs anything else. You've taken a dark space and made it light and welcoming and very pretty.

Beautiful, beautiful job!!

Jane

I have enjoyed following your thread/progress - NICE job, big difference in your dinning area - I like the drysink caddied - the trim painted white really brightens the area - Did you make your window treatments? Nice job

Like your idea of stain for the table, and the check fabric for chair cushions would tie in nicely. Not sure about the chalkboard - but I'm a fan of clean lines
there is a wooden calendar on the other side - can't see all that well - but I think it should be lowered.

As an aside - and one who rented a home w/brick flooring - I wanted to brighten it - so I found a good brick cleaner, scrubbed away & although I'm not a "shiny" person, after it was cleaned really well - I put 2 coats of wax on - it really brightened the floor & made it easier to keep clean. On your backsplash, a thought.... a lighter grout color would help tie into the counter - a light grey would be nice - You could "paint" the grout w/grout colorant (see link below) - there have been several threads on this that I've seen over in the bath forum GW

I'm longing for my parents - looking at your lovely view -they purchased 20acres of farmland in North central Pa almost 40yrs ago. They retired & built their dream home on it - It was really "God's country" an oasis. I lost both parents w/in the past 2yrs & "the Farm" was recently sold :(

Enjoy your space it's lovely you should be proud

Here is a link that might be useful: grout colorant

Great job! Everything looks fresh and happy!

As for the dry sink, I think it either needs to be really set at a definitive angle across the corner, or left flat on one of the walls. As it is it kind of looks like it is waiting to be moved back into place after being moved out away from the wall for some reason. Personally I think the angle across the corner might be a nice change, tho you would have to move it to be sure.

Have you ever considered turning the table the other way? If it would fit, you could put the end of the table by the bow window, with no chair there, and then have two chairs on each of the long sides.

Congrats on a job well done!

Thank you for your comments and suggestions.

I forgot to address the brick tile floor in my opening post. I will be scrubbing it with a grout brush and then either sealing it again, which doesn't really seem to work, or I will check with the person that installed it and see what he suggests. The brick tiles have been installed since 1996. The brick tiles look great every time I wash them, but the grout, not so much. I usually use Murphy's Oil Soap. My DH did not want to go through the upheaval of installing new tile so we need to make them the best they can be. The grout is a charcoal gray, and when seen in person blends with the countertop. We will also be getting a new range hood, and lighting in the kitchen.

The drysink seems overly large for the area where it now resides, but that is the only space available. I did not care for it back , and flat against the wall. My DH does not want to angle it any harder because he feels it would stick out at the archway to far. We did try it in the corner between the sliding glass door and the bay window but it looked like a monster hanging over the table. We also took the leaf out of the table which made it square, but neither of us liked that look, and it did not help the 'monster' in the corner.

As far as the calender height, I am 5'3", and my DH is 5'10". He tried to strike a happy medium, but it can be lowered if it looks awful. Are the 'twins' to high, also?Is there a 'formula' for placing pictures, decorations etc. on walls? He likes to place them lower than I like, but I guess he is right since that is what you are advising. If I tell him to lower them, he will say. "see, you listen to your HD buddies, but not to me". : )

Thanks again. Jane

PS: The drapes were ready made tab tops that I turned in to drapes. Both the tab tops and the valances are from Boscov's where I hope they can get me fabric to match from their distributer. The manufacturer is A.L. Ellis (made in the USA), and the floral pattern is called Glenboro.

I haven't been online much in the last few days, but boy am I glad I didn't miss this thread! Great job. Truly. It looks much more current, lighter, even "cleaner" (though I'm sure it was perfectly clean before). Congrats on being so brave and taking on such a big change. It is an inspiration!

Jane,

Your room looks soooo good! What a huge makeover - I can't believe how fabulous it turned out. I bet you are so proud to go in that room and just sit and look at all you've accomplished. It looks terrific!

Very well done!!

An amazing transformation -- the whole kitchen seems fresh and lighter! The curtains are lovely!

As for the drysink -- I do like it better placed against the wall -- Perhaps (and this is JUST a suggestion!!) if you wanted to blend everything together -- paint it white like the kitchen cabinets ...... remember this is JUST a thought ...... OR simply add a small lamp to it -- for another lighting option?

Jan

myredhouse - I am glad you like the little remodel. I really do try to keep it clean, but we have a German Shepherd dog in the house all of the time except for play, and potty time. We need to sweep every day and wash the floor as needed (think rainy days), but the grout does not get scrubbed each time. I have a call in to the installer for suggestions.

pam-md --I do get a good feeling each time I enter the kitchen/dining area. I had changed the countertops when we got the tile floor installed, and I had a vision of what I wanted to accomplish, but it never quite hit the mark. I lived with it since 1996, but I am really glad we did the update and I am pleased with it. So are our family and friends.

Jan - When I was first considering what to do with the drysink (100 yrs old from DH's family) I visited the forum Antiques and Collectibles and asked about changing the color, and they all advised NO, NO, NO. I am not a serious collector, but I do have a few antiques. I need to love something to have it on display. I don't love the drysink yet, but it gives storage space for the grand kids' games, binoculars to watch the birds, etc. I have some pretty Mikasa White Antique pieces that I might try there. Someone suggested I change the 'blue' background of the sink, but that is the original zinc lining. A small lamp might make a nice soft light in the evenings. I will see what I can find.

Thanks again everyone. Jane

PS: Nothing much was done inside today. Here in central PA, we had a gorgeous day, and I spent it outside in the garden. I will show you tomorrow a photo of the new (old) garden decoration I added. It is 'HOT'. : )

I'm so happy you painted the trim white, it just makes the room look so clean and cherry. I love how it looks. If it were my kitchen I'd spray paint the table and chairs a dark barn red but that's me. I'd like to see just a bit more color put in to the kitchen. It can be little things like towels or a piece of pottery on the counter top. It must be so nice to sit and have a cuppa looking out to that view.

yayagal - what you would do to the table and chairs is close to what I was thinking. I thought of painting the drysink the deepest red (not the orange family) in the brick tiles, and the table top the same color, and then varnishing the drysink with a coat or two of the Minwax Polyshade in dark walnut along with the table top. The edge around the table top, the base and chairs I thought of doing in a very dark brown/black (another color in the brick tile). The 'true collectors' told me not to touch the drysink because it would lower it's value, but no one in the family seems interested in it so I guess we can do what we wish. I think it would look great with the brick floor and the deep reds in the valance.

I do have a bit of touching-up to do on the wall/baseboard. There is a miniscule gap from the baseboard to the wall at a few places and the paint looks like it made a 'bridge' from the baseboard to the wall that I want to get rid of for a clean edge.

Thank you. Jane

PS: Here is the 'hot' item for the garden. It is not completely finished but getting there. I will have the picnic table nearby along with some outdoor seating. I thought the grand kids and Pappy and Grandma could use it to roast hot dogs. It is an old stove I found at a local sale a couple of years ago, and thought it was really neat.
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