The Kitchen Cabinet Overhaul

Last year, when Ryan and I moved into our new house, the first order of business on our make-over-the-move-in-ready-house list was to demo a wall between the kitchen and living room and open up that space a bit. If you missed it, you can read all about that fun here. Ryan had one more project he wanted to do, but we were so weary of all our renovations (all the house projects combined took up four months of our 2016) that we tabled his idea until winter. He said it would be a good winter project.

But apparently a better winter project was having a gallbladder removed and overseeing the goings-on of a hip replacement. So it wasn't until March that we actually tackled this last project: the cabinet overhaul.

The cabinets in our kitchen are actually really nice. Good quality, nice and strong, well-cared-for by the previous owners. We'd thrown new hardware on them when we moved in and that was good enough for a while. But Ryan really wanted them to be darker. Espresso, actually. Allow me to say at the beginning of this post that we know darker cabinets aren't for everyone. Most people want them lighter to make the room feel brighter. But for our coffee-shop-feel kitchen, espresso was the way to go.

Allow me to ALSO say at the beginning of this post that Ryan did 99.9% of the work on this project. It wasn't that I was unwilling, but he had a particular way he wanted it done, and it was just better for everyone if he did that himself. (I get it. I feel the same way about my own projects. I'll do them myself.) So please direct all kudos to Ryan, because he earned every bit of it!

I've had a few people ask how this process works, so here's the outline for you! First of all, the before pictures:

The kit (plus supplies) he used cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $100, which is MUCH cheaper than purchasing new cabinets! It's a Rustoleum kit (same brand we used to overhaul our garage floors last year!) that you can purchase in a variety of colors.

One of the big keys to this project (which you already know if you heard the podcast where Ryan talked about it) is organization. So we started with this "totally-to-scale" drawing of our kitchen. (HA!!!) We numbered each cabinet and drawer so when it came time to put the room back together, we weren't guessing about the locations of drawers and doors!

We took the doors down and the drawer-faces off, and we labeled each one with a masking tape number to correspond with the map Ryan drew. (You know. The map where the fridge is sitting on top of the trash can and said fridge is also 1/4 the size of our lazy Susan cabinet.)

We also put the hardware from each cabinet (handles, hinges, all of it) in baggies labeled in Sharpie with the appropriate number.

The result was an unsightly looking kitchen, but for the most part, it was functional. Not efficient in any way, you understand, but functional.

Ryan started by working on the cabinet frames. This was a pretty tedious part. He had to tape off all the areas (on the walls, on the inside of the cabinets, etc) that did NOT need the product applied, just like if he planned to paint with regular paint.

Then he cleaned the frames with an all-purpose cleaner and used a product called a de-glosser that came in the kit. That product basically stripped off the finish so the color would adhere to the cabinets. He did the de-glossing step twice, just to make sure he got everything.  This was also when he filled any holes he found (from old hardware, etc) and sanded down the excess filler. THEN he could start applying the "bond coat," which was the color coat. It's hard to describe that part, because it doesn't quite act like paint, but it also doesn't act like a stain. It's somewhere in between. He applied it with a brush, though, like he would have applied paint. He had to be careful to make sure it applied evenly and didn't drip or get pooled in corners. He applied two, sometimes three coats to the frames and of course he had to allow for drying time between coats. After that, two (sometimes three, if he felt it necessary) coats of polyurethane went on top to give it some sheen and to  protect it.

Here are some photos of the frames in process.

A couple of things to note: first of all, he found the headlamp to be very helpful in this part, especially since he did a lot of the work at night and so there wasn't any natural light coming in to help him. We did have to unload a lot of the content of the cabinets during this part, because we didn't want to get any chemicals on our food or dishes. That was kind of a nightmare, but that's why he worked so hard to get the frames completely done first. That way at least I could have my kitchen back to cook! Another note: this really was a low-odor kit. I didn't notice overpowering smells from any steps in the process!

He did all the work for the drawers and doors out in the garage. The steps were the same as outlined above, and I did help with the cleaning/de-glossing steps for the doors and drawers. Please make note of his very creative makeshift work space!

Another note: there is also an optional middle step between the bond and the poly called a decorative glaze. We tried it and because our cabinets were so dark, we couldn't even see it. So we skipped that step. He observed in the instructional videos that if you go with a white or very light color cabinet, that middle step does give it some more personality. I think he was relieved he did not have to do it, because this was a long-enough project as it was!

One last note about the kit: many of the online reviews mentioned that the protective topcoat in the kit wasn't that great. Ryan did a test area behind the stove and didn't like how it went on, so we bought a can of Polycrylic Protective Finish by Minwax (clear satin) and were pleased with how it went on and looked once it dried. 

So....wanna see the after??

Yes, they are darker, but with our vaulted ceiling and lots of natural light (after pictures were taken at night so there's not as much natural light flowing in), it doesn't feel dark and confining.

And yes, now he has his sights set on new appliances. LOL!!! (To be fair, everything but the microwave was original to the house being built and we fear we're living on borrowed time with a couple of them. We'd like to replace them when the sales are good, rather than necessity dictating!)

So to just wrap up this overhaul experience, Ryan did say he feels the process was worth it. Obviously the DIY project saved us several thousand dollars compared to buying new cabinets. We wouldn't have even done that. This just lets us put our stamp on the house in an affordable way. But even Ryan, with his unending patience, was tired of this when he was done. LOL! He knew going in that it wouldn't be a weekend project, and he had mentally prepared for that. But it still took a lot longer than he planned. Only being able to work on it at night and on the weekends probably didn't help.

But we love the look, and here are the befores and afters side by side if you want to compare!

(Click on photos to enlarge if you like.)

Thanks, Ryan, for working SO HARD to make our kitchen reflect us even more! You're amazing!

The Saturday Six

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I eavesdropped on hundreds of author conversations during my WBCL days. I listened to Lynne talk to authors about their topics of passion, how they write, what they write...all of it. But one of my favorite authors to listen to on the subject of writing itself is Colleen Coble. And therefore, I loved this post she wrote about continuing to grow as a writer. Even if you're not a writer, I think some of the advice in here crosses career lines and can speak to you, too!

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I haven't talked much on the old blogaroo about oils lately, but they're still going strong in the Shafferland household. Ryan usually gets about one cold a winter, and I'd read that the oil called R.C. was good for the respiratory system, so I bought a bottle to get him through last winter. He loved it and felt like it really helped him. I loved that for him, but I thought the stuff smelled like ripe floor cleaner. LOL! Well, last week, after spending an evening in the chilly wind and rain for that softball game gone awry, I came down with a cold myself. My colds get so crazy out of control and last forever {two weeks minimum}, and I just don't have time right now with a retreat coming up, where I have to speak four times in one weekend. So I pulled out R.C. for myself and found that it still smells like ripe floor cleaner, but it's a powerful little thing! I rubbed it on my chest and inhaled it, too, and I will say that this cold  has not magically evaporated, but it has not gotten as bad as my colds normally do. Worth suffering through the ripeness, for sure!

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I just love Carmella Rayone's blog of simplicity in living, and this week she blogged about modest kitchens. While some of these may be a bit too rustic for me, I loved the pictures.

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Ryan mentioned to me this week that he was surprised I hadn't ever finished decorating our guest bath. I confessed it was because I wasn't sure what theme I wanted to use in there, but I think I may have found one! A nautical theme with this sign worked in!!! 

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A couple of weeks ago, I told you about the utility vest I got from Simply Bliss Boutique, and today I wanted to tell you about something else intriguing I spied on their site! Shirt extenders! They're like camis that go under your shirt, but the lace on the bottom is quite long, so it gives a great layered look without making too-hot-by-nature people like me wear a whole extra shirt. They have one in black and one in ivory, and I'm pondering both, because my current camis with lacy ends always shimmy up and get lost under my shirt. {Side note: they also have skirt extenders, which create the same effect for skirts/dresses that are too short for your liking!} 

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One of the beautiful blessings of the blogging world is the chance to meet people that geographically, you'd never have the opportunity to know. And one of the blessings of the book world collaborating with the blogging world is the chance to meet authors whose blogs you'd not found yet (though you may wonder how you missed it!), and at long last, you get to hear their stories.

That is how I "met" Sarah Rodriguez: through her new book, From Depths We Rise: A Journey of Beauty from Ashes. Sarah has a blog, but somehow, even through all its many shares throughout the road she's walked, it never made its way to me, so I had the privilege of learning her story through her book.  

Her story started out much like most of us would consider our stories: terribly ordinary. She grew up in Oklahoma, lived in a good home with good parents and was a good student and good athlete at a good school. But as she so wisely states in the introduction to the book, "all the things I simply viewed as normal were gifts I didn't even know I should be thankful for until they were stripped away piece by piece.

In another typical young adult move, Sarah transplanted to New York for work after college, and there she met Joel. Though she had no intentions of meeting and marrying a New Yorker, Joel captured her heart and they married. A year or so into marriage, they moved back to Oklahoma, thinking ahead to their someday-desire to start a family. They thought Oklahoma seemed more family friendly than the cramped-and-loud lifestyle of New York City.

And that's where normal ended for the Rodriguez family. Faith-shaker after faith-shaker pummeled them. A multi-year battle with infertility. An unexpected cancer diagnosis for Joel. Treatment, success, and celebration. The pursuit of IVF treatments and the news of twins on the way. Miscarrying one twin. Celebrating the survival of the second baby while simultaneously grieving the first. The devastation of cancer returning to Joel's body. More treatments, mixed in with their son's birth. And though he fought hard, Joel's body succumbed to multiple complications, and Sarah and little Milo were forced to say goodbye.

And that's just the first half of the story. Sarah's decision following Joel's death surprised everyone and began to plant seeds of hope where loss prevailed.

Written in a conversational blog-voice, this book is a quick read and certain reminder of the importance of embracing even the smallest moments, because in no time, they could be the only memories to cling to. Sarah wrestles with the same things any of us would wrestle with in her shoes: do miracles still happen today? Will they ever happen for me? Her tenacious faith in the face of loss after loss is inspiring.

She's not Super-Woman. Sarah is ordinary, just like you and me. But her faith and trust are extraordinary and this book is a beautiful reminder of how beauty really can rise from ashes.

* I received a copy of this book from Barbour in exchange for an honest review. *

The Saturday Six

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You know how much I dearly love organization, but I will be truthful...organizing a kitchen can be one of the hardest things. How do you decide what you actually need and how do you make all the varying shapes and sizes of things fit? This article has many helpful tips - including learning to let go of a few things!

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The Olympics have brought out the curiosity in me, and one of the items I Googled this week was how do the horses get to the Olympics? Well, ask and you shall receive!!! This article explained it well!

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Maybe you saw this floating around Facebook, but I found it particularly interesting, as I never would have imagined there would be THIS much invasion of privacy from nibby tourists toward homeowners from Fixer Upper. I can't imagine stopping at a stranger's house and walking up to the door to ask if I could see the house, no matter HOW darling I found it on TV!!!

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When I worked at WBCL, we usually got to sample a DeBrand's caramel apple now and then. Those apples worked nicely for a work crew because each person could take one slice and it was PLENTY, since they were so huge. But I loved this idea of caramel apple slices for the average, every-day, at home enjoyment. Easy to manage and lots of topping!! 

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Found another new photography blog that I just fell in love with! This blogger shares tips on photography, but she also has a great heart {and lives somewhere in the Midwest!!}. I am looking forward to learning more from her!

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I'm excited to tell you about the book I read this week. I learned a good handful of names when I worked at the station, and Scotty Smith was one of them. That's when I was introduced to his prayer-writing and began to read the prayers on his blog, so when I saw he had a new book coming out, I knew I wanted to read it.

My biggest frustration with Every Season Prayers was that I only had one week to read it before I needed to write the review. This book, my friends, was not meant to be read in a week. And you can know it's going right back on my every-day-reading stack so I can go back through and read it properly, slowly savoring it and learning from the wisdom on each page.

I want to also say that I'm generally not a big fan of written prayer, Scotty's being the exception to the rule. I never want to get so lazy in my own prayer life that I resort to reading prayers written by others as my own prayers. But Scotty makes it absolutely clear in the introduction to this book that his intention in writing prayers for others to read is not to do their praying for them, but rather to guide them in prayer. There are many who didn't grow up in a home where non-scripted prayers were prayed and they might not know how to really approach the Throne of Grace without some teaching.

 This book is teaching.

Scotty previously wrote a book called Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith, and this book is the sequel to that. After reading that book, many people contacted him asking for a variety of other kinds of prayers...long ones, short ones, and covering a variety of topics. From those requests, this book was born and he indeed delivers what was asked.

The first and largest section of the book includes longer prayers for all kinds of random occasions, from shame to trust to good days. Each prayer begins with a Scripture verse and then moves on into the body of the prayer itself. There are also sections containing prayers for marriage, confession, Advent, Lent, struggles, and more.

I appreciate Scotty's spirit so much, and as I raced through the book, I already started underlining, taking note of his phrasing, and learning new things I'd never even considered in prayer before. I am beyond eager to go back through this book - so slowly - and focus on a prayer a day for as long as it takes to re-read the pages.

A few of the phrases I loved...just so you can get a feel for the rhythm of the book:

* "Thank you that you intend for us to abound in hope and not just have enough hope to get by on." {page 24.}

* "Turn our whines into worship, our daily carping into carpe diem, and our frets into faith." {page 50.}

* "You knew the full extent of their weakness, so you showed them the full extent of your love. Washing their feet was a prelude to washing their hearts. Water sufficed for the first; your lifeblood was required for the second." {page 111.}

* "When I do the mercy math, all the wonderful things you are to us and have done for us far outweigh all the provocations, irritations, and exasperations of life." {page 164.}

* "We all matter, but none of us is the point in God's story. The gospel comes to us that it might run through us." {page 245.}

I am so thankful for this book, for what I've already learned and for what I have yet to learn as I read it slowly, as it was meant to be read and absorbed. If you want to challenge your own prayer life, I highly recommend this book!

* Thanks, Baker Books, for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and thanks, Scotty, for so bravely sharing the prayers of your heart!

Our AirStone Wall

Many months ago, I shared with you about our first ever DIY project, which was the Giani kit that transformed our 80's peachy leafy kitchen counter top into something that looked a bit more this-century and granite. It was a weekend project that took relatively little time and really enhanced the look of the galley kitchen in our first house. It was still holding up great three years later when we moved out, and I would 100% recommend it to anyone looking for a kitchen overhaul!

So our huge DIY project at our new house was the stone wall. And today I thought I'd tell you about the good, the bad, and the ugly of that in case you're interested in trying it in your house!

It all started with this pin from Pinterest, which I found months {maybe even years} ago when we were merely dreaming of a new home that might have some sort of open concept transition from kitchen to living room. I tucked it away, and when Ryan and I were dreaming specifically of the changes to make in this house, I casually showed it to him. He was on board with it in about eighteen seconds and started researching companies that made stone to use in such a manner.

If you didn't know this {and I most certainly did not}, you have to be very careful if you use real stone on a wall like this because it is {obviously} heavy and can actually pull down a wall if it's not done properly. Plus, stone is just expensive. And you know expensive is not our love language.

So Ryan found a company called AirStone and did some research, read some reviews, and declared this was the company for us. This product can be used inside or out {though we can only vouch for its inside use} and is 75% lighter than true stone. It really does look like stone and feels that way to the touch - until you pick it up and feel how light it is. You also do not use any kind of mortar or grout that has to be mixed. There's an adhesive that you put on the back {like buttering bread} and that is what keeps it in place. And if you need to cut a stone, you can do it with a hacksaw, so you don't even need any special fancy power tools.

There are two color ensembles to chose from: Autumn Mountain, which is a brown tone, and Spring Creek, which is a blue/gray tone. We used Spring Creek in our house. They sell flat stones, which are the ones that you put on a regular wall surface...natural edge stones, which we used on the end of the wall that did not meet up to another wall...and corner edge stones, which we did not use, but you would use that if you were wrapping around a corner onto another wall you planned to cover with stones. And we used the bucket of putty they sell.

Now, I will say, the online calculator failed us. {And if I had been the one doing the calculating, I would absolutely claim user error because we all know my math skills. But Ryan did it and he's both good at that stuff and accustomed to that stuff, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't his fault.} The calculator recommended two boxes of the flat stone to cover the living room side of our wall, and we needed somewhere between six and seven boxes. {We ordered eight total when it was all done, but that was after we also decided to also do the backsplash in the kitchen.} So I'll just throw that out there for what it's worth. Obviously it did end up being a more expensive project than we planned, given we budgeted for two boxes and had to buy eight {and a second bucket of adhesive}, but we still feel the end result was worth the extra funds, because this is our favorite part of our house.

I absolutely giggle at the cute girl in her white mini skirt and perfect pedicure in the installation videos, because our experience at this process was nowhere near as neat and tidy as this. We had a whole lotta dust, a whole lotta stone fragments hanging around, and a whole lotta adhesive mess, but again, worth it in the end. I would NOT recommend wearing a white mini skirt for installation, however.

Each box of stone comes with multiple sizes and color tints of stones, and Ryan learned, after he got his groove down, that it was good to work two rows at a time and alternate the sizes and colors of each stone. {Some stones, as you can see in the picture, are long and some are short. Some are narrow and some are thick. Some are light and some are dark. You want to puzzle it together so you have a good variety of thicknesses, lengths, and color tone.}

We painted the wall the Autumn Fog color we used in the kitchen, since it coordinated with the stone, and that way if there would happen to be any paint showing through between any stones {which I don't think ended up being the case} it would at least blend in. Ryan "buttered" the stone with the adhesive, which worked really well. It stays soft for about 30 minutes, so if you need to pull a stone down and reposition it, you can. And we haven't had any issues with falling stone since it was installed, so I would say it holds well! Ryan did have to pull a few stones off after the adhesive had "cured" so we could install the counter top, and they did pop off without breaking, but the removal damaged the drywall on the way off. That was totally fine, since we put them right back on after the counter top was in, but I wanted to let you know that if you do this and undo it someday, you'll have some wall repair in front of you. Also - the adhesive has a pretty strong smell, and that's saying something from the girl who wishes Sharpie made a candle. I didn't get a headache or anything, but you'll probably want some good ventilation or a fan going if you're sensitive to smell.

Ryan is a perfectionist, so every stone had to be tested with the level, and now and then - especially when he got started with the bottom row - he had to use shims to hold things in place until the putty hardened. This part of the process slowed us down quite a bit, but I know the end result was worth it, because we didn't get to the top to find the entire thing was not level.

One HUGE frustration he had was that one of the two boxes of edge pieces we purchased was not level. Like every single stone had to be filed down to make them level. That was probably the biggest holdup of the project. I would say that's probably not typical since only one box was that way, and thankfully it was just the edge pieces, which meant a much smaller box. But it did happen and it did cause a slow down, frustration, and a few cuts on his hands!

The stones were easy to cut, but they did leave a dusty mess. Definitely put down towels or tarp if you're going to do this inside!

In the end, I would estimate Ryan put about sixty hours into this wall. But we do love it, we think it makes an incredible statement, and we both feel it was a good investment!

Decorating Above the Cabinets

It's podcast Tuesday!!!! Hope you enjoy this week's tales of house guests, birthdays, and missing socks!

 Click here to listen.

Last week, after I showed our kitchen reveal, I was asked if I could talk more about how I chose to decorate above our kitchen cabinets. HAPPILY!!!

My parents' kitchen didn't have any space between the top of the kitchen cabinets and the ceiling, so when I moved out on my own after college {into the house we just sold}, I was delighted to have a decorating canvas above those cabinets. That's what it felt like to me - a whole opportunity to add decorations that would tie into the theme of the room.

And you know how I do love a good theme. 

I had no idea what I was doing and it showed. It probably still shows in some ways. But in my opinion, it's important for a home to reflect the people who live there. So my goal has always been to try to tie in the decorations above the cabinets with the theme of the room at that time.

Obviously I'm not a design expert, so I did some hunting on Pinterest to find some additional ideas and help, should you be interested! Among my finds...

This article gives some actual design advice, using photos from kitchens in need of decorations. This article gives a tutorial on how to install lighting above your cabinets if you like that look {which I do!} This blogger has a much fuller collection than I do, and she has a Tuscan look, so if your theme leans more that direction, she's got some great ideas. This article gives 10 different decor ideas, ranging from baskets to Ball jars and more! And one more for you here...this blogger shows her own kitchen, and offers tips on how to use textures and heights and more.

I will also tell you that when I first had my own kitchen, years ago, I purchased a package of garden edging that looked like a tiny picket fence, and placed it above my cabinets. I would weave garlands of seasonal flowers around it. My whole kitchen had a garden theme, which is hysterical given that I don't garden and have never been a gardener. {And at that point, I even hated vegetables!}

But as you know, we have a coffee shop feel to our kitchen now, so here's what I chose to do above our cabinets.

Our kitchen cabinets, like most, I'm sure, have a top that sits recessed from the edge of the cabinets. Because of that, anything you place up there is hidden by a couple of inches. That's not a big deal for big items, but for smaller ones, it matters, because you're so far away from the space anyway. I went to Hobby Lobby {years ago} and bought rectangular pieces of florist foam and cut them to fit in each cabinet. I used that so I could stab the fencing pieces into it and they would stand up without bowing. If you just need to have height, you could use old books or magazines - anything that doesn't show from below.

I added burlap as a cover over the foam, since it does stick up just a bit beyond the cabinet top, and it ties in with our curtains that way.

On this end, I took a big basket I've owned for years, turned it on its side, and filled it with burlap and a coffee trivet. I also have a decorative plate sitting beside it that says "Friends don't let friends drink decaf." The flowers {which look much less haphazard from the floor than they do from this eye level perch} match flowers on the curtains at the windows.

So this is one little collection. This part sits above the refrigerator.

I like every room to be personalized, so my next collection includes a monogram {it's burlap too...just hard to see that in this picture} and a little resin coffee cup that says Cuppa Joe! I got it several years ago at some little artsy small town store somewhere. I found a picture frame that fit the feel of the room and put in one of our engagement photos that caught us drinking coffee. I'm a big fan of not excluding pictures from kitchens, so I really like this section.

At our old house, I had a string of Christmas lights scattered at the back of the line of cabinets for soft light, but I decided here, I wanted a lamp. So I pulled this one from our collection of little lamps and put it up there. {The previous owners ran an extension cord to an outlet for a TV that sat up there, so the plug was easily accessible.} Next to that, my very simple piece of art from Lindsay Letters, framed in a plain black frame. The little picture frame next to that currently holds a wedding picture that has nothing to do with coffee at all, but I plan to use the picture from our podcast {our hands with coffee cups} and print it for that frame to tie that area together.

A couple of gifts that represent our coffee love - and were large enough to be easily seen from a distance.

And at the far end, a garage sale find of non-functional machine, a pair of mugs, and a vase filled with coffee beans. {Got those for free from a friend who roasts his own and messed these up.}

While this may be too sparsely decorated for some, I like it that there's some breathing room between the collections, and I like it that each part means something significant to us.

I'm sure it will change, with time, but for now, it's perfect for us!