In My Kitchen: Before & After

I'd say our kitchen is the only room in our house that is 99% completed.  This makes me happy.  Of course, if I had unlimited funds, this would be up for debate.  But, given what we have, our kitchen is complete.  So, let me invite your into our kitchen:

Our kitchen is small: 11 x 11.  We redid the kitchen shortly after we got married and I moved in.  It was a gut job (including the ceiling and floor but the walls remained).  My husband and I designed our kitchen.  He performed a lot of the manual labor: installed ceiling, recessed lighting, cabinets, and appliances.  We had professionals install the flooring, granite countertop, moldings and subway backsplash.  

Since this is not our "forever" house, we decided against taking down the walls and just working with what we have.  While it is not large by any means, it's functional and quaint.  

There use to be nothing on this wall.  Just a aluminum rack to hold pantry goods and dishes.  Do you see my kitchen stool to the left - the only place to sit in the kitchen! :)

A close-up of our backsplash.  Originally, I was planning on going with Ann Sacks tiles, but given our tight budget, we opted for good 'ol Home Depot subway tile.  I love how it turned out. 

Okay, and now for the before.  Let me just set the scene.  This was my husband's house before we got married so when I moved in it was his bachelor pad.  The kitchen was exactly the same kitchen that existed in 1948!  His priority, at the time, was his basement (he loves woodworking), not the kitchen.  Go figure.  Oh my goodness, I can't believe I'm posting these pictures.  

Bleh...how about that copper kitchen clock?  Or the contact paper back splash?  That light fixture?  Those horrible dirty cabinets?  Do you want to see where the oven was?

Yes, right next to the refrigerator and do you want to know what was to the left of the stove?  Oh yeah, the washer machine.  Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of that.  The good thing about that is you could do a load of laundry while simultaneously cook dinner!  I think this should be the new trend.  :)

And, look at that linoleum floor!  Lovely.  I believe when we were dating, I tore out a tear sheet of a kitchen as inspiration and there it hung on the side of the refrigerator.  Well, all I have to say, is that after we got married, this kitchen was history.  As the slogan goes, "You've We've come a long way, baby!"