bored in the kitchen

When we bought our house, I loved how big our kitchen was. Of course, I had dreams of changing it to make a space I would actually enjoy doing the dishes in. Well, I have cooked, cleaned, and washed for six months now, and I have no idea what direction to go in first. I know when I see a kitchen I like, but there are so many different aspects that go into creating it (and money). I'm not looking to totally tear everything out and hire a contractor, etc. I just want to add a little oomp.
So where do I start right now?

Here is my kitchen now::

I like black & neutral colors. I like rustic woodsy things (note the table chairs) mixed with vintage hollywood glamour trends (which is lacking, obviously).

pure style home

The floor in this shot is very similar to the hardwood we picked out for our entire first level. If I decide to go darker with the kitchen colors, I could paint my white fridge with chalkboard paint like this one (do you think i'll get sick of it?) Of course, I would never rip out all our upper cabinets to have open shelving like this (even though I love it!). Notice how they painted the bottom part of the dishwasher to match the lower cabinets so it blends in. When we go to re-sell, do you think people will hate that we painted our cabinets?  

we heart it

This kitchen has some of the same colors, but the appliance are all stainless steel [which our wallet isn't ready for yet!]. I like the upper cabinets are white, while the bottom are a darker neutral color. The counter tops are dark- much cleaner looking than my yellow grout tiles (yuck). David Bromstad said tile grout on kitchen countertops is soo 70s (even though my house was built in 2006), and i totally agree.  we tear out the tile countertops in our kitchen now, do we have to get granite countertops? I love the idea of putting down butcher block instead. The cabinets here go all the way to the ceiling and include crown moulding, and mine aren't quite as high. I also like the white subway tile for a backsplash.

What do you think? Where should we start?

my christmas list

growing up, my favorite part of christmas was making my list.

i grew up with all sisters, and when we were little, my parents would set up our presents christmas eve after we went to bed. as we got older, they soon realized it was more fun for us girls to do our own shopping then it was for them. thus began the christmas tradition of making lists for ourselves. the day after christmas, mom & dad would take us to south coast plaza and we would get to pick out all our own presents. i am more fond of these memories, as i can actually remember waking up early, piling in the car, and running around like crazy women all over the plaza with my sisters. since nothing was opened on christmas day, and we didn't have as many presents to open, we were able to spend all day bonding with each other.

now that we are growing up, my mom has been complaining she doesn't know what to get us. even my 17-year-old sister doesn't have a list. (well it's short: french bull dog named francesca and an iphone). maybe it's because as we get older what we want changes. we start to want to do things that we enjoy... more than get things we like right now.

so mom, here is my christmas list this year:

1. wrapping your christmas presents.

2. hanging wreaths.

3. collecting christmas cards.

4. baking holiday treats.

5. and, laying on the couch enjoying cold days next to fireplaces.


what are you wishing for this christmas?

"the courtyard"

This weekend, we finally got a front lawn! It makes me so happy. I can't wait to wake up and go to work, and walk by the grass instead of mud :) Thank you Steven, Miguel, and Daniel for helping Cory, and thank you Jim and Kathy for getting this show on the road! 

before

after

The first room we worked on after we moved in was the dining room. My paternal grandmother (Lou Lou) gave us a full dining room set she bought when she was in France, and had it shipped to the states. My dad bought us paint and painting supplies. Then he came over and helped us paint that weekend, and set up all the furniture. He suggested we do like CBU and convince people to "sponsor" different parts of the house, and then honor them by displaying their name. Since he did everything for the dining room, he said he wants a plaque that says "Rodney K. Couch Dining Room", hahaha. So, if we keep this tradition up, I think we'll have to make a yard sign that says "Jim and Kathy Wells Courtyard", haha.

 (just kidding)

before & after fireplace

This past weekend, while Cory was in a Tuna Club fishing tournament with my dad outside Catalina (hopefully, I'll get some pictures of that to put up!), I was busy changing the fireplace. Before, the fireplace was a brownish tile, and the frame was the original white. I bought oil based black paint for $6 at Home Depot and spent 2 hours changing it to all black. I didn't realize how dramatic the black would be, and how much more the fireplace is a focal point of the room now... so I have no idea what to put over it.. Any thoughts?

before

after

new things at home

We've been faithfully watering our front and backyard trying to get the soil to loosen up so that we can replant my garden, and cory can get his lawn looking nice and green. In the meantime (since I couldn't wait), I went to Home Depot and got a 16 inch pot with some organic soil, and set up a little herb garden of oregano, basil, and thyme.

I also put together my own flower arrangement (faux for now) using an assortment I picked out from Tai Pan Trading Co. I started off with a beautiful red/yellow/orange mix, and realized it wouldn't really go with my dining room. So my mom and I put it all back, and started over. I love red, and since the holidays will be here before we know it, I decided to stick with red and white. Don't you just love the little apples since everyone is going back to school these days?
Here is a quick peek at my china cabinet. Starting from the left top are my hand-painted Christmas wine glasses given to me by my good friend Kelly. Next in the top right is a wide variety of Christmas plates. Since I was a little girl, my grandmother (we just call her Lou Lou) has given me a different Christmas plate each year under the tree. When the holidays get closer I'll show you all the different styles. On the middle shelves I have all my Ballet Ribbon Waterford China that we got from the Wedding, along with our Waterford bubbling toasting glasses from the wedding. The bottom shelf is just for pictures and photo albums.
I originally bought this rug to go in my bedroom at my parents house, well now we are using it under our kitchen table. I just love plaid, regardless of the season.

before & (not quite) after

Since we moved in, we have changed a few things around the house. 

Nothing is done, of course, but I thought you'd 

like a little peek at what is going on.  

Remember the downstairs white bathroom?

Here it is today::

Remember that horrible blue room?

Here it is today::

Remember that yucky wallpaper border, and bright red 1/2 wall?

Well, we decided to keep the red, but we got a new border::

That's it for now, but I'll post more as we work around the house :)

more painting in the new house :]

here are some "before" pictures.. we'll post some "afters" later on; enjoy :]

painting the formal dining room
painting the loft:: becca, me, & laura
hanging out in the kitchen after painting & moving furniture
downstairs bathroom before
blue room before

keys, cubs, & graduations

Today we spent almost three hours signing papers for our house, ughh, it's been a long day. We should be getting the keys next week :] :]

Anyway, Cory spent last weekend in Chicago watching his favorite baseball team, the Cubs..





While I have been spending the past week packing up my classroom, and graduating my 8th graders. It's so bittersweet to say goodbye, but it means summer is finally here :]

john hancock, please

In my last post, I showed you pictures of my favorite house from the last series of offers we put it out. Well... We heard back from my favorite :) And they accepted our offer! We start a 45 day escrow on Monday. I'm trying not to get too excited, until the house is officially ours. But, I just want to move all my stuff in already!

Here is another picture of the outside:

and, Cory & me signing papers from the inside :)

... speaking of new stuff to move in- my second wedding shower was today. I'll post pictures as soon as they are uploaded :)

my homeboy {take 3}

We heard back from some previous offers... a few were placed on the backup offer list, and some we just didn't bid high enough. So we are still looking :) We put in two more offers on houses this past weekend. Here is my favorite::

my homeboy {take 2}

update:: we put in offers on 3 more homes.
here's a taste...

house #1.


house #2.


house #3.

my homeboy.

We haven't heard back from the Riverside home we put an offer on, but we did put out more yesterday. We chose our top four favorite... hopefully this time we'll hear back soon!

house #1. Isn't the outside of this house so pretty? The inside is bare with white walls and blah carpet.


house #2. This one we love the kitchen, plus it has a huge pool and outdoor built-in grill.


house #3. This is our favorite. [of course it is a short sale] It has a salt water pool and spa. The cross street is Twilight Hill... hmm, maybe it's a sign? :]


house#4. We think this home was one of the models because of all the details in design. The bathrooms have wallpaper, rooms have woodwork, etc. And don't you like how the entrance isn't so cookiecutter?

cory calls it the {house fever}

I have become obsessed with home blogs, interior design magazines, and everything and anything even close to what I could do to my future home. Above all, I am craving a stand alone bath tub. Cory keeps telling me his grandma has one, which makes me very jealous. Isn't the one above just delicious? I found it here. It pretty much sums up my entire bubble bath being.

it's a maybe.

As promised, here is my take on the house we viewed.

Great landscaping, backyard, pool, RV parking... everything Cory wants :]


Floor plan was awkward, no formal dining room, upstair rooms (including master) share a bathroom, and while the cabinets were brand new, the kitchen still needed some sprucing up.


We decided to put in an offer since the location is great: off Victoria and Washington by the orange groves. It is a short sale, so it could and probably will take forever. But, of course, we are still actively looking since we have plenty of time.

Ideally, I would love to transport one of the new Murrieta homes interior into this house. That would be perfect.. But it is our first house, so we really should get a fixerupper and put in the hard work.

house hunting

We have been looking for a house for quite sometime now. We have been viewing houses mainly in Murrieta, but a little bit in Riverside too. Walking in and out of countless bank-owned homes has been such a rollercoaster process. The "ewww's" and "Ahhh's" of houses are all over, and have been causing me to constantly think about the design of our future house. We would love to buy a stripped house, and re-do/diy all parts from flooring to cabinets and appliances. But then we walk into the "Ahhhh" houses that have already been carefully designed by the previous owner, and I feel overwhelmingly grateful they didn't tear out every single window and rail for us to replace.

I've been checking the style files, and design sponge like every day. They are both helpful and lovely, so check them out for your own home inspiration.

Since finding and buying a home is a big part of our life together, I decided I'll start documenting the process on here to share with all of you. This Wednesday we will be viewing a home in Riverside, not even 5 minutes from my parents home (should be fun!), so I'll be back to report how it goes...