Friday, May 1, 2009

Show Us Where You Live Friday - Kitchen Photopalooza!!

Kelly over at Kelly's Korner started a new feature this week called "Show Us Where You Live" Friday. This week is Kitchen photo week.


We moved to a new state last summer, and decided to rent for 2 reasons. One being the current market conditions, because as a licensed real estate agent (but in referral due to disability), I have to know that there is equity and we won't lose money in 3 months. And (because like the Nester) we took this opportunity to get our finances in top top shape! I'm sure many of you can relate to that.

We were so lucky to run across this home. The owners had just purchased a new home and had trouble selling in this market (another reason that led us to happily rent!) We are the first renters in this home, and I think it made a huge difference. The first thing I noticed was the color! Color speaks to me, cheers me up, brings my personality to life. I honestly get down and brood when I am forced to reside in a colorless home. No kidding. Once we figured this out, we've had color in our lives ever since and have been very thrilled. With paint especially, you can always change the color. So be brave and take a chance!


I think the gold color is nice and warm, and we love how the kitchen is open to the living room and eating areas.



The breakfast area is right next to the kitchen. I love our black and oak table - just perfect for the space. I am debating what I want to do for window treatments and wish I could decide.

I LOVE iron decor for the walls, as you can see from the various photos. This photo was taken during Christmas, when I had large red bows on the lamps. That iron piece is one of my favorites.


The formal dining room was this lovely shade of green, and I think it sets off the table perfectly. One of my favorite rooms.


And here is the view from the dining room to the kitchen. The floral arrangement in the corner is my all-time favorite arrangement I have made. We have allergies and asthma in our family, and all flowers must be silk. No live flowers and greenery allowed.

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One of the last homes I was able to put my personal touch in to:

Prior to moving back south, we lived up north and my all-time favorite home had even more color than this one. Here are the kitchen and dining photos from that home - I MISS it!! (And as you can tell, we change furniture and accessories often!) As an active real estate agent at the time, I used my staging certification in my business, and would stage any home I listed. I truly think staging is a key to selling for top dollar in any market, particularly a buyer's market as we are experiencing now in most parts of the country.


I loved the cherry cabinets, granite island and this table - it was perfect for the space. We had to sell it when we moved as our next house had no place for it.





The view into the main living area. Loved the white trim, columns, French doors into the sun room and the open floor plan.



This was the formal dining room, just as you entered the home. You can see that floral arrangement again in the corner and the iron work on the walls.

This color was my absolute favorite of all time. Granted it was a risk, but I say - if you have white trim, go for it!! This color was called Carob Chip by Pittsburgh Paints. The chip looks brown, but as you can see on the walls, it has the PERFECT eggplant tone without being too purple or too brown. The next time I have an opportunity, this color will be seen again in one of my homes! (I suspect we have a few more moves in us!)



When we first moved into the home, I used the front room as my office, and look at this beautiful desk we found. I changed it to a formal dining room for staging purposes - more people have the need for a dining room than an open office. The wall color originally was navy blue when we moved in, and that did not do it for me. Nor did the hunter green carpet. Given a little time, I tried, and let me stress tried to go with a neutral color, but I just wasn't happy. When I found the Carob Chip, I was thrilled. (And yes, I paint a lot 'cause I'm crazy like that! lol) This color tan just dulled my senses and I couldn't work to my potential (that was my story, anyway!!).

If you really look at these photos, you will see almost all the wall paint change colors, the carpet changes, the furniture changes and we lived in this home for 2 years. Can you believe it!! One word to describe me is HYPER. And no, crazy is not another one. lol Just hyper, full of fun, love change. And love to decorate. But on a budget - almost everything you see came from TJ Maxx or Marshall's in the way of accessories.


Here is a view from the sun room and you can see the dining room to the upper left.


View into the sun room, yet another color that was already there!


View from the front door. As you can see, we neutralized the carpet eventually! I suppose you can tell that I loved this home. I was so sad to leave it. I look forward to owning another home in the future that I can put my personal touch on again!

Sigh......so fun to look at past homes. We have moved many times in our marriage (and as a child, I lived in over 20 places before I was in the 8th grade). I'm pretty sure I have some gypsy in me! lol Always happy to move and explore new opportunities with my husband and his career.

Thanks for visiting! Have a great day!



Cheri Share/Bookmark

19 comments:

  1. LOVE every photo. I think I might have to borrow a few of your ideas. You are so creative.

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  2. I'm so jealous of such a beautiful rent house! We've lived in a lot of renters, but nothing that looks like that! Wow!

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  3. I love your black and oak table!Did you paint it yourself or did you buy it that way?I just bought one that is almost exactly like yours and I want to paint it black.Great pictures of your home,thanks for sharing!

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  4. We have the same paint color in our kitchens :)

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  5. Monica, we got that table just like it is at Furniture Factory Outlet for under $500. Our previous table, as seen in the photos, was a tall, larger table and just didn't fit in most homes. This black one is perfect. Had I not found it, I was definitely going to paint a table to look just like it.

    Thanks everyone!

    Cheri

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  6. I'm renting too but feel blessed to have the kitchen I have. It is actually a step up nicer then the one in our last house we owned. This kitchen is just missing a few amenities...dish washer, pantry...

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  7. VERY COZY, clean and adorable! Love your style!

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  8. I love your colors. We have very similar taste. My entry and halls are painted Benjamin Moore Caramel Apple....looks alot like the color in your other house.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog.
    http://mizjuneytalks.blogspot.com

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  9. Your kitchen is beautiful! I really like the gold color, it looks so warm. I also liked the iron light fixture in the dining room! Thanks so much for visiting my blog.

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  10. That desk in your old office is beautiful. I need color too. White walls are too boring... lol. thanks again for the email. mishelle

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  11. Wow you have excellent decorating style! You could teach me a lot I can tell. Love how adventurous you are with color. Thanks for stopping by to check out my kitchen and for your compliment on it! Enjoy your weekend!

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  12. Love your kitchen and the colors within your rooms. I also love that gorgeous desk in your office. Great taste. Thanks for sharing. Found you via Kelly's blog. I just got my kitchen tour posted on my own blog today. I'm a little late. Ha ha!

    Blessings, Angie Seaman
    www.angelicagracedesigns.com/blog/ (blog)
    www.angelicagracedesigns (website)
    www.angieseamanphotography.blogspot.com/ (photography blog)

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  13. I really like your dining room table! Both homes look great. I'm all about staging to sell, too! :o) Thanks for letting us look!

    www.lifeofashleylancaster.blogspot.com

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  14. Thanks for stopping by!

    You may have been in Lancaster around the time my parents were. My Dad was working out at Edwards and mom did some fabulous temp work with NASA between 82 and 83. We only stayed for 5 weeks after I was born, so this is definitely an adjustment for me.

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  15. Thanks for your comments. My floors are a real slate. They are nice but it is odd to have an uneven floor.

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  16. I love the TUSCAN color you have in one of your rooms and the scroll above your piano. Great deco!

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  17. Your home is so beautiful! I'm so happy to see that I'm not the only one that hasn't painted her natural wood cabinets. Yours are proof that cabinets doesn't have to be painted to be beautiful.

    Sherry @ A Happy Valentine

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  18. The main functions of a kitchen are to store, prepare and cook food and to complete related tasks such as dishwashing.how to reset furnace

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  19. This is a truly cool post. I love this kitchen. Totally the style would fit me.how to reset furnace

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Thanks so much for your lovely comments!