New Kitchen! Kinda...

So I have not loved my Honey Oak floor to ceiling look for awhile now. Too much of the same monotone wood color. When we moved into the house the red you see was blue color that I painted over. And I don't know why waiting until I had three one-year-olds sounded like a great time to change my kitchen cabinets, but why not create more insanity? I think I have been cooped up in my house to long, that's my reason for needing a change. Since I am OBSESSED with painted cabinets right now, I decided it would be easier to paint them, then try to strip them and stain them a darker wood color. It took me about three back breaking weeks whenever I could spare a free minute to finish the project and I just kept on telling myself it would all be worth it in the end.

Here's a before of the kitchen (who can spy the half naked kid in this picture? Madison wanted to be involved with the process...)

The hutch/desk next to the kitchen needed the update too...

Here's a sneak peek of the color: I went with an antique white and stained the cabinets to give them a beaten up look since they will naturally get that way anyway with three toddlers. I also learned that Premium Primer is a must, I actually didn't have to sand too much because the primer held to the surface so well.

Walah!!! Come on... the after looks sooo much better don't you think? I just felt like it brightened up the kitchen so much and I always think kitchens should be bright and happy... And you can't really tell in this picture but I painted the inside of the hutch yellow (gotta get my yellow in somewhere) and did strip and re stain the top of the desk in a dark walnut color. After re staining that small piece I was pretty glad I hadn't attempted that on the entire kitchen.

And then after some heated debate and deliberating and repeating that process over and over a few days... I finally decided to paint the island black.

And then I sanded it up pretty well so that you can see the red (and the prior blue) coming through on the sanded parts and I love it that way! I bought an old bread box at D.I. for a couple bucks that I am planning on painting an antique blue to put in the kitchen. Plus I have my yellow kitchenaid and bowl and red toaster to add some other colors in the mix.

And lastly, I found these cute cups on clearance at Fred Meyer that I think go perfectly with the new look. So for less than around $50-60 I have a brand new kitchen that I actually like to cook in now! But I might be done with painting for a little while... I'm a little painted out. What do you think of the new look?