What about a light like this one for your eating area? Shade makes it easier on the eyes, and style is maybe a little more trend-proof. Linear Chandelier

I see my posts were not helpful. I will leave them up, though, in case they may help someone else.

I would think you should maybe hold off on other purchases and decisions until you paint or reface the cabinets. Wood is in and is classic. But you obviously don’t like the wood cabinets, even though you also said you were kind of liking the retro vibe. I don’t know if your husband likes them and that is what this exercise is all about (fairly common occurrence around here. wife often shows up to get support from forum for painting wood and or stone and or brick, etc.) You are entitled to like what you like. So just go ahead and do the cabinets and then take it from there. The rest is pretty much a waste of time.

freedomplace1 - I found your suggestions helpful - why are you thinking not? I am still saying we are not painting them yet. Husband and I are on the same page. I think where I am at the moment is feeling so much buyer’s remorse and thinking that if I make a few changes that I’ll magically love the house but it’s not happening yet and so I am just taking a step back. Other than painting walls since I already bought it and seems a good idea. I think all the thoughtful responses and suggestions on here have been incredibly helpful.

Best wishes with all of it.

The flush mount is from Amazon.

No worries Sarah. Taking a step back is a good idea. I know how overwelming it is to buy a home that has so many things that you wish you could change with the snap of a finger and monopoly money. Been there!

Maybe my story will give you some hope. Ha! When we bought our property (unbelievable story, purchase price was $100 bucks) the house was uninhabitable. To walk the 9 acre property you needed a machete to hack a trail. The previous owners had been dumping all their household garbage there for years! I cannot tell you how many truckloads of trash we pulled out, but years later, we still find garbage digging around sometimes. We even found an old rusted out truck hidden in the brush and dozens of old tires and car batteries. The main house had ripped up screens instead of windows. Think bugs and rats! The only working faucet in the house was the bathroom tub and that tub had a gaping hole in it. I had friends walk through it and say, “Wow, you’re brave! Even if it was free, no way I would tackle this!”

We had just enough $ to fix up the two bedrooms and one bathroom with some materials we had already or bought as cheaply as possible. We couldn’t afford to rent a separate house and be able to save the $ to fix it up. It was, let’s just say, ”an experience” for about two years before we could do the kitchen. Here was the makeshift kitchen I dealt with.

It was actually way worse for a while because this picture was taken after we got decent appliances and scored the island granite slab off craigslist.

Still have plenty more to still finish, but here is after.

Oh and the little house with the wood kitchen I posted upthread looked like this! You could not walk inside or you would fall through the floor!

I will mention that my husband is a general contractor so free labor helps!

Anyways, please keep in touch with this thread. I know you will grow to love your home as you slowly fix it up and make it your own. Little by little really does add up. Just the few things you have done so far, like the new kitchen light, made a big difference. It’ll get there! Please post a picture after you finish painting. What color did you end up getting?

Thank you rebunky!! You did an amazing job on your home! Without giving you my life story, the reason we were looking for a new house was because my mom was thinkng about moving here and so we looked for something with some land so we could have an in law building for her. We hadnt found anything good and then we did. Before we put our offer in, I knew that my mom wasnt ready to move after all (my dad passed this year) and when she would, it would be a separate place. So we knew if we went with this, it would all be ours.

We got caught up in having found something and offered way too much and disregarded what it would be like to go from fairly new

build in sub to 1968 house with 8 acres and no neighbors for me to talk to. And all the ”ergh ” things just got amplified after we moved in. We were dumb and didnt realize how much more the oil burning furnace would cost to run. We are on well and septic now. Even though we only moved 4 miles, it is a different township and different library. Seems minor but I struggle with change. The house cost 2 1/2 times our last one. We can manage it but when you live 18 years a certain way (financially and just living), it is very difficult to completely do an about face. This is all us. We knew what we were doing but got caught up in this crazy market and didnt want to look anymore.

I hope I get used to it because at the moment I feel I have a 500lb weight on my chest and I cant breathe. This is why I am also terrible at making decisions - am terrified of screwing up and regretting. It is one thing to regret a light fixture; another to regret an entire house purchase.

Thank you Houzz therapy team!

P.S. Went with shoji white for the walls. Will post a photo when done.

lisedv had a good angle, option to at least try. The opaque white bulbs remind me of schoolhouse lighting, with the milk glass look.... ?

"What to do?" -- why not a bench against the wall [by the door] and move your set over to it, saving room.

This large island 'no' but seems was mentioned on your thread earlier.

I picture this shelving in yours, but reversed, with corners to left of sink. Shelves above dishwasher could hold cups/mugs/plates?
Farmhouse sink.

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Adobe Falls Kitchen Remodel · More Info

Shelving by your window. But also what would you think about new frig as it here? It'd eliminate your peninsula... ?

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I'm sorry you have buyer's remorse... Your kitchen/dining certainly has lots of potential. Perhaps if you updated your dining area keeping in mind the style you would like for your kitchen it would help you feel like it's your home. Below I show a few inexpensive items that would give your dining area a boost should to opt for a white kitchen (I just show a different pendant / chandelier / semi-flush lighting options):

Thanks all. Each day is helping a little. And my mom has come for a visit so we are making some memories :)

Having family come to visit is so helpful! You have a lot of support here from many of us who also had buyer’s remorse but ended up feeling good about our homes. You will definitely get there. 😍

You are very kind RedRyder!

Back again about my post 11 hours ago - say the frig could be surrounded by wood panels, etc.... possible an efficient pull-out shelf pantry cabinet [where frig is currently]?

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Little changes can be great - do you need the interrupting door/opening in front of the frig? if not, possibly cabinets or something useful could go there...

The cabinets to the right of the fridge are actually pull out (never had those

before; of course they are also old). For the door opening, do you mean the doorway between the fridge and stove? That goes into our living room and is very much used at the moment. We may move the fridge down the line - at the moment just smaller things.

I got brighter bulbs for the kitchen light

and it made a big difference. Night and day (literally!). And I bought a framed art something which is TBD location but I like it a lot and got to use a house warming gift card so win win! And also got lower profile bulbs for the eating table light.

I hope everyone wants light bulbs and paint brushes for Christmas :)

I would actually love to get paint brushes for Christmas! It won't happen, because my SO is not anxious to have any more reno work happen right now. But speaking of brushes, that's one crucial piece of painting where you should NOT go bargain. Get a good Wooster or Purdy brush for your edging and your trim work. It makes the job so much easier.

On long wall? neutral seems good color, and accent wall might not be too much at all with floor, and if cabinets were altered a bit. mcarrol's transitional light was an update too.

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Ok, it leads to LR. What about removing uppers, as many do, to add shelving?

I am a big fan of purdy brushes!

If do only do 3 or 4 shelves. I hate open clutter.

And I'm back :) So we've had the new kitchen light for about a week now, and I like it ok but not loving it. I know this style is everywhere at the moment and I like it to a degree, but I'm also realizing I may not be a fan of the exposed bulbs and even with putting in a higher wattage, I'm just not sure (plus I would prefer something more timeless if that's a thing). Are there any suggestions for other semi-flush or flush fixtures that may work here (without the exposed bulbs)? Not for sure going to change it but curious what other options may be at this point? We are getting ready to install the sink pendant light (similar style) so I'd rather figure out what really will work before we get too far ahead. Thanks and thanks for your patience!

I suggest that you choose a style that ties-in with the pendant in your dining area, doesn't have to be necessarily from the same collection but similar finishes. The semi-flush you installed is silver and your pendant is black and brass. All your ceiling lignting should be in similar finishes.

The dining area light was the previous owners' and we were looking to switch that out (at some point) so I don't even have a style at the moment (or ever!). The semi-flush is black and the dining light is a light bronze (hard to see in the photos) - I'm not concerned about matching at the moment just because things are all over the place - anything is fair game :) (also prefer not spending toooo much $$$ if possible also).

I can't handle exposed bulbs at all. I'd recommend a semi-flush fixture with an enclosed, or mostly enclosed, frosted shade. I put this in my eating area, it was a huge improvement over the boob light it replaced.

I love the look of this fixture, but it's only one bulb. I'm still poking around to see if I can find something similar that uses 2 or 3 bulbs.

(Lisadv I agree about coordinating with the eating area light, but I think she said she's sending that one back too.)

The eating area one that I bought (black, exposed bulbs) is going back. The one that's currently there (earlier photos) is what came with the house. I plan to switch it out at some point but more focused on the kitchen ones first. Thanks for the suggestion!

Basic 2-bulb semi-flush available in 3 finishes, neutral enough to let you do lots of things with the eating area light.

And a 3-bulb one with a little more flair, also available in 3 different finishes.

Thanks. I actually bought a couple of ones similar to your first one (for the upstairs hall) but have not committed yet (imagine that!)

You showed this pendant as being the pendant you ordered, black & brass. Perhaps I'm mistaken but your flush-mount looks silver in the pictures.

" I miss my kitchen island" : Remove the uppers. Demo is cheap. When you get your new counters expand the peninsulas top to be as large as that lower piece that should be removed ASAP. It will give you all the features of your old island.

Lisedv - you are correct about the pendant. I bought that for over the dining table but am returning it. I just have what came with the house at the moment. I bought smaller

bulbs for that so they did not poke out over the top but it made a buzzing noise with them. Always something! I also tried incandescent bulbs but they looked no different. The semi flush in my photos above is black. I also have a pendant for over the sink that is black but likely returning due to exposed bulb situation. See it is easy to change one’s mind on small things like this - even if it does drive me and everyone else nutty :) This is the current kitchen light.

We said no to that one.

i quite like the look of this pendant. And what does anyone think of a schoolhouse light? I did not even know what one was until tonight. Could i mix the pendant style with schoolhouse both in kitchen or no?

A glass one will show more light. The globe one over sink unless u want pendent. Globe can go to hall or stairs.

I think the schoolhouse fixture would perform well as the central kitchen light. Good all-round ambient light, no harsh exposed bulbs. With pendants the important thing is whether the bulb sits high enough in the fixture to be shaded from direct view. Going by the picture, the blue one seems to work on that level. No comment on whether they work well together, that is not something I'm good at judging.

I love the schoolhouse fixture for the kitchen area. I think it’s easy to choose something for the eating area to complement it. I had something similar in my older home in the hallway, and then took it to my next house. I think that style is neutral and works anywhere.

I’d replace the fluorescent light box first. Your budget will help you decide how far you can go with improvements now. Collect an ideabook of looks and color you like. Live with this kitchen for a while. Is the counter space sufficient for the way you work in a kitchen? Would you want an extended peninsula? Is there enough storage for your equipment? If you have a nice view from the kitchen window, use just a valance and a window shade for sun control.

If you are so unhappy, and really feel like you have “a 500lb weight” on your chest, feel like you “can’t breathe”, etc. - then why not just make a couple of minor revisions, and potentially sell the house close to what you paid for it, or for profit, and find something else more to your liking?? In other words, do a flip. I really don’t think it would take much. Some minor revisions and a good stager.

Or -

@lisedv’s suggested light fixture would also be a good choice for this - and very inexpensive.

Thanks freedomplace - We are not in a position to sell it yet as we paid quite a bit over. Also I am trying to give myself time to adjust - it is a big change and also my family likes it. And I dont trust myself to not make a similar mistake next time. I think making some changes and living in it for a while (not in winter) could hopefully help. My Feelings towards it ebb and flow.

Zebedest, hoping you had a wonderful Christmas day with family, and started making the memories that will make this house a happy place for you.

Thank you so much mcarroll16 - we

did have a good day! I hope you did too.

Thanks, we did! And if everything goes well, it will be the last Christmas I cook in my ramshackle kitchen. 10 years of memories are enough. It's time for new memories with new cabinets and a full-size oven.

Hello again! I just wanted to post an update. We replaced the first new light fixture with one that does not have bare bulbs (someone suggested this style in the comments). I am much happier with it and very glad we changed it. Also got a new fixture for over the sink, removed the scalloped thingy, got a new kitchen faucet (same one we had at our old house, familiarity!), and a new toaster oven (totally not planned but my beloved faithful one just died. Not so faithful I guess). Haven’t painted yet but feels better and day by day I am feeling more like this is home and no longer in quite the panic I was. Of course we are learning just how expensive it is costing to heat this house (oil furnace) and that has been insane (we keep it cooooold!). Anyway thought I would update!

Thanks for the update! I've been wondering how things were going for you. It's amazing how much your changes have already improved things. And very glad to hear that you are feeling happier in your new home.

Those light fixtures look pretty nice and I kind of think your rug needs some black in it I like the stage in it it currently has but maybe you can get one with some black

Yes the rug was just a ”this will do” situation as the choices are limited with the busy floor design :)

try a black jute/sisal

walmart

CB2

or a jute trimmed w/the black

or maybe a black trimmed w/one of the floor colors

Fab! Idk why most any kitchen couldn't benefit from undercabinet lighting, with simple strips or other way.

https://www.lepro.com/learning/how-to-install-led-strip-lights/#:~:text=1%20Dry%20and%20clean%20the%20surface%20Before%20adhering,LED%20light%20strip%20and%20turn%20on%20the%20light

Agree about under cabinet lighting

and thanks Beth - those are good mat options