Show Us Your Life: Kitchens

My kitchen is one of the smallest rooms in my house. In fact, I've often called it a butler's kitchen, because in big fancy houses, the butler's kitchens are just about this size! But I love this room so much. Won't lie to you - I love it partly because it's WHERE I FIND THE FOOD!! :) But I also love it because it's one of my favorite themes! (It is also my only officially "themed" room. I save themes for Christmas trees.) Anyway. The theme?

COFFEE!!!!

When I first moved into this house, I gave the kitchen a garden theme. It was cute. Little white plastic picket fence above the cabinets and terra cotta pots for holding utensils. Then I found the world of coffee decor, and I've not turned back.

My curtains have coffee words on them, and these two little metal cups used to have hooks on them, but I twisted them off and just used the cups for decoration. Got them at Hobby Lobby on a deep clearance shelf several years ago.

 Another Hobby Lobby find: my wall art!!

 When I happened upon these, they were two of the only pieces of wall art I'd found that didn't use red and brown as the key colors. I wanted to do the blue/teal/brown color scheme!

 More altered clearance items. I found three of these wooden squares with hooks...removed the hooks...and I'm all set!

 Yeah I probably shouldn't post this one, but I will. I'm very glad that above my cabinets, I have space to put decorations since the room isn't big enough to add shelves or other furniture. I'm hoping my someday house has the above-cabinet space too! I found this sign years ago - also at Hobby Lobby - and bought it for fun. Most people don't notice it in my kitchen since it sits up so high (thankfully) but it's a good conversation piece. :)

 A present I received a few years ago...who can't use a coffee fund!?!?!?!?

 Sorry about the ugly Styrofoam under the decorations. The cabinet sides extend above the tops so if I don't elevate the short decorations, you can't see them from the floor! Anyway. Found these cute little decorative cups at Shipshewana a couple of years ago...and the plate was a birthday gift. "Friends don't let Friends drink decaf" - and ain't THAT the truth!

 These are my latest additions. Found these when I shopped at Shipshewana THIS year.

 I got the basket free from hosting a Homemaker's Idea party several years ago, and the fake food came courtesy of Mom's redecorating/getting rid of stuff. Kind of gives the end of the cabinet a bistro feel.

 Bought the espresso machine at a garage sale, filled a vase with coffee beans, and displayed a couple of mugs I received as a gift. Love the final look!

 And it is, of course, a FUNCTIONAL coffee kitchen. My trusty coffee pot and coffee canisters. Love those little jars!

This house used to be my grandparents' house, so I have MANY memories in this kitchen...watching Mom and Grandma prepare Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter meals...and all the dinners Grandma cooked for me when I'd spend the night at this house when I was a kid. But I also have a lot of great memories in this kitchen from my own time here.

This is essentially where I learned to cook. I knew pretty much nothing before moving in here. (Including that having an Amish boy haircut wasn't a great idea.)

 This is where I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner. I hosted the whole family, and while Mom helped with the cooking, I did my fair share! (Another interesting hair era.)

 Every year, it's the cookie factory!! LOVE cookie baking!!!

 Memories of cooking with Angela...again...I miss her!

 And I've even done some cooking with my kiddos in there. This was from a Savannah sleepover many years ago. We made pancakes for breakfast! :)

And when I move??? Keeping the coffee theme. :) But hopefully upgrading to a bigger kitchen!