Another Completed Project -- Check!

"Before"

"After"

I spent the past weekend working on a project

that has dogged me since

I moved in a year ago.

The mantle of my fireplace

got a "slapdash" coat of paint

just before I moved in.

In addition to only having one coat

which really did not completely cover

the original paint,

it was painted with latex over oil,
which took foreveeeeeer to dry,

and the underside of the mantel shelf

never got painted.

So, lots of problems

I have lived with for the past year.

I also lived with the original red brick 

surround for a year,

trying to decide whether or not to paint it as well.

As you can see from above,

I decided to paint it.

My first coat on the bricks

which you see above

was with KILZ Hide-All.

After that I painted two coats a white latex 

on everything.

The black vent behind the fire screen

also got a coat of an oil based enamel.

I do not have a lot of experience

painting with enamel and while painting

with it, every brush stoke seemed to show.

I am happy to  say when it dried,

it was as smooth as satin!

I am very happy with the results of my

weekend project.

I am also happy to have this project off my list!

My Cottage Kitchen Reveal!

I have been silent for a bit,

busy settling into my new cottage.

I had in my mind to wait until

things were a bit more finished,

( bit more perfect?)

before posting pictures.

I have now decided,

there is no perfect time,

the house will be an ongoing 

project for a long time to come.

I am still waiting for the painter to finish,

the electrician to

 work me into his schedule,

and a call back from the handyman.

So, I am just going to start sharing.

The room most finished at the moment

(and one my favorites)

is the kitchen.

Do you remember the original kitchen?

It was entirely gutted.

After some extensive wall work,

the floor was the first new addition.

This room has come together exactly as

I saw it in my mind's eye.

That doesn't always happen.

White cabinets,

black granite counter tops,

white subway tiles and

a black and white floor

are the elements that created this kitchen.

It's a small, galley style kitchen

that totally fits my lifestyle.

This is the view from the dining room.

My old black cabinet,

purchased from a moving neighbor

in my previous neighborhood,

found a perfect home here.

It now stands in front of what was

previously the doorway to the pantry.

The pantry is now gone,

so the opening in the hallway,

around the corner could be created...

...to house the stackable washer and dryer.

The existing kitchen windows

were perfect for glass panels

I had designed and made

for my previous house.

I love them in this space.

When planning this kitchen,

I knew I wanted a white cast iron sink.

I needed a fairly small one because

of this kitchen's size.

I found just the right sized one from Kohler.

The original kitchen was without a dishwasher,

but a space was created for one.

My benevolent sheep's head

keeps an eye on all the

doings in the kitchen.

I have never had a gas stove before.

So, since that's what was here before,

I decided to give it a try.

SO glad I did!

One of the features I am particularly enjoying

is the griddle in the center.

It makes remarkably good bacon!

Window treatments thus far 

are a matter of using what I had from 

my previous house.

This was a window topper at that house,

which was folded over a rod for a

triangular effect.

This canister set has been with me

for at least 25 years or more,

during which all but one lid

has gotten broken.

They are now nicely housing

some of my violets.

Are you seeing a color trend,

besides the black and white?

I have used and loved

red, blue and yellow together

for a long time.

For this house,

I have used the same gray

on the walls throughout.

But, I am certainly

still using my favorite

color combination! 

Linking this week to
Metamorphosis Monday at
Between Naps on the Porch

Wow Us Wednesdays at
Savvy Southern Style

Saying Farewell to Buttermilk Cottage

I have certainly known this day was coming.

I have been working toward it for

quite a while.

But still...

...the day this sign

appeared in the yard

was a bittersweet one.

I have a fantastic real estate team,

Linda and Ginger,

(who also found my 

little Cape Cod for me)

pulling out all the stops.

Their photographer took some

tremendous photos 

for the house's listing.

So, as a last homage

to this wonderful house,

I'm sharing them with you.

And, guess what...

We have a pending sale

after one day on the market!

So, this house won't 

spend a single day

not being loved.