Kitchen Facelift, Part I

My kitchen cabinet post last week got me thinking about how far this kitchen has come since we bought our house a few years ago. In the 3.5 years we've been here, we've managed to update our kitchen with new appliances as needed (fridge and oven), hardwood flooring, paint, and most recently, new window treatments. What a difference those items have made!

2006 Kitchen, Right-side. Previous-owner-installed vinyl flooring and original appliances.

2009 Kitchen, Right-side. Features new-ish appliances and a peek at the dark hardwood flooring.

2006 Kitchen Dining Area. Good view of the vinyl flooring the previous owners installed. And you may notice Erica's kitchen table, which is now enjoying life as a white kitchen table in her home!

2009 Kitchen Dining Area. After living with the vinyl floors for so long, I worship the hardwood flooring and gleefully mop it at least once a week, and handwash it once a month. Speaking of new additions, Christian installed three Ribbon-Border Roman Shades from Pottery Barn on Sunday. It's amazing the difference a few window treatments can make!

Phew, much better! I've learned a few things from Kitchen Facelift, Part I:

1. Nothing will update a kitchen faster than new appliances and paint.

2. Hardwood flooring is worth the investment.

3. Roman shades work well in a bay window, and are an easy way to bring simple sophistication to any room. In the kitchen, they're the icing on the cake.

Stay tuned for Kitchen Facelift, Part II this spring/summer, where we'll cost-effectively update the kitchen by painting the cabinets, adding hardware, and hopefully adding a little crown molding, too!