A Farmhouse Kitchen {In the Making...}

Hello, I hope your day is going well.

We are in the process of planning some updates for our kitchen, and I wanted to share with you some of the details. We've been gathering information and comparing products, including new countertops, a backsplash, farmhouse sink and faucet. 

The driver for us to renovate the kitchen is our countertops. 

But before I get into that, let me tell you what I love about our kitchen...

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I love the three double-hung farmhouse-style windows that let in lots of light. I also enjoy  the large range for cooking. I like that the kitchen opens up to the family room, and am thankful there's enough room for all three of our boys to eat at the counter (especially because we don't have an eat-in kitchen apart from the counter).

I can't say enough about our kitchen stools. We've had them for three years, and use them daily. They look exactly like they did the day we bought them. With three growing boys, that's saying a lot. You can find our French Bistro Barstools here. Or, if you're looking for counter-height stools, you can find those here.

Now, back to the countertops... 

The picture below was taken just before we moved in three years ago. I knew we didn't have a budget to update the dark green formica countertops right away. We were just so happy to be here, that I decided to look away from the counters. ;)

We lived with the formica countertops for about 18 months. When I couldn't take them one day longer, I decided to paint them. What did I have to lose? I hated (sorry, but I did) them as they were, so could it really be worse? 

It wasn't! I loved the effect.

While I knew that painted formica wasn't a long-term fix, it completely lightened the kitchen and took the focus off of the (dark green) countertops. And no, the paint was not food-grade, though it was non-toxic. This means that I don't do food prep directly on the countertops. Think of it as you would a painted dresser. ;) Cutting boards have been my answer.

 Fast forward a year-and-a-half. Our countertops have lots of scrapes, scratches and stains.  
It's getting to the point that it's hard to even feel like the kitchen is clean, even after I clean it.

The antique olive bucket was an anniversary gift. You can find similar ones here.

Do you see the Antique White 3-Tier Glass Drying Rack? You would not believe how affordable it is! And it's perfect for keeping on the counter, letting people help themselves to a glass - especially little ones who can't quite reach the cupboards and shelves. It would also make a great gift. You can find the Antique White Glass Drying Rack here.

I've started to strategically place items on the countertops to cover scratched, peeling paint. :) 

Yet would I paint the green countertops again? In a heartbeat! 

But, we are ready (or at least getting ready) to find a more permanent fix.

For so long I had my heart set on Carrera Marble. Nothing, in my mind matches its beauty. 

But for our home, I've changed my mind. After three years of having to be careful of the countertops, and not being able to use them fully, I don't want to have to worry about the countertops. We eat a lot of red sauce around here, we drink cranberry juice, and we don't always wipe the counters dry. 

 
(Similar clocks can be found here.)

I don't want to be concerned with staining marble. For some people, it works beautifully. I've also heard that stained marble can be fixed. But that's just not us. We have good intentions... but we also have our hands full. Any more required maintenance would probably just not get done in the time it should.

So we're leaning towards a quartz that looks like marble. If you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear!

Have you renovated a kitchen, or are you planning to? I'd love to learn from your experience. 

What were you most happy with? Anything you would do differently?

Xo

Shop the Farmhouse Kitchen Look

French Bistro Stools | French Olive Buckets | Cutting Boards | Antique White Glass Drying Rack