Danica123's Profile

I agree with those who said to paint over the red, and leave the cabinets. Cabinet work is a LOT of work and I think you'll see big changes in the space if you follow some of the other recommendations. I recently did something in my kitchen where I put bead board over the old tile back splash that didn't match my counters this is a picture:

http://pinterest.com/pin/123849058474898462/

The bead board is actually a vinyl product but you could use a wood product too. I think the wood is more affordable and easier to paint. We've opted not to paint ours for now. If you wanted to save even more money you could put up plywood and then do some vertical slats with some trim pieces to fake the look. If you cut all the pieces right you don't really even need to glue them. We used a liquid nails type product to adhere it to the tile and then did some trim pieces around the edges that really hold everything in place.

For the breakfast nook area a built-in type bar would be great. For the built in you could buy a "base" off craigslist or at a garage sale like a low dresser or credenza or build your own. I was thinking you could make cubby areas for the dogs underneath and then top it with butcher block from IKEA, which is pretty reasonable and have it overhang on that front edge to make it more of a bar area where you can sit on stools and look out the window. It can also double as extra workspace when you need it. Just be sure to put a plywood backing on the butcher block from IKEA otherwise it will warp over time—speaking from experience.

If this was your kitchen or your landlord was willing to help with the costs—after all kitchen updates will increase the value of a home—I would say do some work on the cabinets. But I think you can achieve big results by making small changes that don't include messing with the cabinets.

I have kids and a dog so I know clutter is like a monster that no matter how much stuff you recycle, give away, trash it never seems to go away. Unless your kids are REALLY playing with those magnets and staying out of your hair long enough for you to prepare meals because of them I would give them away or move them to another room. You can buy a magnet board or even make your own with magnetic paint. Either way try and move all that magnet stuff to the SIDE of the refrigerator that you see the least. I'm thinking the side that faces the door that looks like it leads outside.

My new refrigerator is not magnetic so I switched to some natural balsa type wood magazine storage for keeping the myriad of papers that come home from school, etc. close at hand but not plastered around the house.

I'd definitely change the window treatments on both windows.

I would focus on declutter, paint (the walls), lighting, window treatments. Your kitchen is small and is trying to serve may different purposes. Try and create spaces that can double as something else.

You could do an exact match as far as the width of the planks but paint it white, or gray or whatever color you choose AND if you don't like the curve you could cut the existing floor and butt the new flooring up against it in a straight line or maybe even just mask off a straight line and extend the paint onto the existing hardwood.

No written instructions but still a very informative and DIY-able walkthrough of Tom Rossau making an ST 903 lamp.

http://www.contemporist.com/2010/01/13/photos-of-tom-rossau-making-an-st-903-lamp/

Did you try Ohmega salvage in Berkeley?

Also try Materials Unlimited (http://www.materialsunlimited.com/index.php). As a side note if I was your landlord I would deduct a considerable chunk of change from the deposit for the damage to the fixture. There is a reason why you are having hard time finding a replacement and why they're not cheap.

Also

http://www.lindholm-kakelugnar.com/index.php?lang=en

I think they will ship the tiles that make up the stoves facade and you can hire someone in US to build it.

Seems like this could be a business to go into.

I'm pretty sure that's an Alpaca fur blanket. I always see them for sale in Lake Tahoe.

You have to scroll down a bit but there is a great walkthrough of the process using plywood on frugal farmhouse design blog.

http://frugalfarmhousedesign.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-10-01T18%3A14%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=10#

Amy Butler.

I know right? Were our previous suggestions not good enough???

I like this color combo. http://pinterest.com/pin/15812241/. Or you could do the reverse.

http://www.decorpad.com/photo.htm?photoId=86728&index=18&currentPage=3&searchQuery=bathrooms&searchType=photos&spaceId=2

I think you could do just about any color above the white wainscotting.