Reclaiming Our Home–The Kitchen, Phase 2

Remember back a few months ago, when my kitchen looked like this?

Then after some elbow grease, and a lot of paint, it looked like this?

Well, now we’ve moved onto Phase 2 (which SHOULD be the final stage) of the kitchen makeover.   It started out with some free, used cabinets…in a pile.

And then…there was a bar made of pieces parts.

Hanging the wall cabinets was a challenge since I had to hold them in place until he secured them.   Yep, my upper back is sore already.   Once he had a couple of screws in the wall, I was able to break away and take some photos.

Then it was time to work on the counter top.   This doesn’t match the other counters, but I think once I paint the bar, it’ll really look cool.

Now it’s time for more painting.  I knew I wanted the wall cabinets white, to match all the others.  I wasn’t so sure about the bar.

First I painted on a couple layer of Kilz to cover the “pickle” finish, and the oak grain in the cabinets.  Let me just say, Kilz gives you quite the buzz…and headache.

Then I painted the wall cabinets and the support brackets on the bar in the same shade of white as the rest of the kitchen cabinets.

This is where I got nervous.   I decided to go ahead and paint the bar peacock blue.  After the first two coats of paint, it was looking like this. 

Then the husband went to Lowe’s and stumbled across some bead board, on clearance, yes!   Then it looked like this.

I decided I really liked the white beadboard on the bar.  I had the husband go ahead and trim it our and get it all finished up.  We added bar stools that totally contrast, but for $25 for the two, you can’t beat the price.  I may change the finish on them at some point. 

The front of the bar is currently blue.  I kind of like it, but haven’t made up my mind completely. 

Things I’d like to do in the future include:

~new lighting above the bar & sink
~add some greenery above the new wall cabinets
~new flooring.

But for now, we’re done.  And I’m good with that.