Farmhouse Kitchen Reveal (with details!)

 My kitchen is complete, just in time for fall baking!  The tile guy finished up the backsplash yesterday and I couldn't wait to make some pumpkin bars.

We wanted to go with the farmhouse look, without looking too country.  One of the most important design elements on my list was a window over the kitchen sink.  It was on the list even before we knew it would be overlooking a pond.  There's just something soulful-happy about a big kitchen window.

The only request my husband had for the design was simple: two dishwashers.  Who can argue with that??  Yes, we keep them busy!    

I love, love, love the divided farmhouse sink.  It's deep but not so deep that it hurts my back to wash dishes.

 The black and white maintains the streamlined farmhouse style.  Our countertops are honed (not shiny) granite.  We had the same countertops in our last house and I never got tired of them.  Originally, I wanted the look of Carrera Marble, but we couldn't find a local granite that had only white/grey (without browns) so we played it safe and stayed with black.  No regrets.  ;)

 The other priority on our design plan was a large island that could seat several people.

We eat many meals here.  I love having the cooktop in the island.  The kids sit at the bar and chat with me while I cook.  So many good memories already!

 I found the pendant lights in the Ikea catalog and prayed they would be in stock.  Two over the island and one over the kitchen sink give plenty of task lighting.  They also make me very happy.

 The other end of the island holds our microwave and keeps the cookbooks within reach.

The kitchen and keeping room are very open to each other, so we kept the paint color the same in these two rooms.

The details (for those who care):
Paint: Sherwin Williams Front Porch
Countertops: Absolute Black honed granite
Pendants: Ikea
Cooktop: Bosch Induction (love it!!)
Microwave: Kitchen Aid
Dishwashers: Bosch
Double oven: Maytag (we're not lable loyal.... we like the best deal with the best reviews)
Backsplash: subway tile in matte white finish
Barstools: 24" from Overstock.com
Faucet: Moen Brantford
Sink: Barclay white double bowl farm house sink Fire Clay

I'm linking up with Southern Savvy Style's Wow Us Wednesday
and Common Ground and Elizabeth & Co. and No Minimalist Here and Grace at Home and The Inspired Room

Fall at the Farm

 Our first fall at the farm.

  

Our wicker furniture just got a coat of black paint and I love it on our front porch.  I bought the 6 piece set at a yard sale about 8 years ago.  It started out in a 90's hunter green (remember when hunter green was all the rage??)  Since then the set has been painted white, brown, and now black.  Black is timeless, doncha think?

 I found these giant lanterns at Ikea.  The fall picks and ribbon came from Michaels.  Since I'm a little late to the fall party, they were 50% off.  ;)

 A little fall fun greets us when we enter the mudroom.

 My back porch is beckoning me to come sit with a good book.  I haven't quite managed to squeeze in the time yet, but tomorrow when the kids are having their reading time, I'm going to try to make time.

This week, the colors seemed to burst around the pond.

If you live near me, come for a visit.  I mean it!  We'd love to share the view!

I'm linking up with Southern Savvy Style and Cowgirl Up Party and The Inspired Room

Happy Little Things

 We've been on fall break and I'm trying to savor every single moment.  Even though I still have boxes calling my name, I'm trying to just enjoy each day and not become overwhelmed.  I unpacked this scale and decided that my mother's dish belonged on there.

Do you remember those bowls?  I have no idea what the name of the style is, but I DO have fond memories of my mom making dinner using this one, and it's brown counterpart.

I've been trying a low-carb eating plan.  I couldn't find our scales when I started the plan, so I'm not going by the pounds I lose, but rather the jeans I can fit into.  :)

These have helped me get over the "munchies."  So far, my favorite is the Cinnamon Roast.  If you live in the region, Harris Teeter has them on sale buy 2 get 3 free (but the sale only lasts through today, so get over there!)

Have you seen these Andy Worhol soup cans?  I walked past the display in Target, sucked in air, and backed up the cart.  My kids thought I was crazy because none of us eats canned tomato soup.  Silly children, they're not for eating, they're for decorating!

I captured this wondrous beauty early one morning.  It truly made me stop and praise the Creator.

New Home Details

 Thank you for your sweet words of excitement for our new home last week.  It feels like a dream.   There are still lots of little details to finish up, but it is coming together.  I finally worked up the nerve to drive a couple of nails into the walls.  Curtains are going up, but we still have sheets tacked to the master bedroom windows.  Baby steps. ;)

I thought I'd share some of my favorite little details from the house.

I bought this funky light at World Market.  I love it in our little hallway to the laundry room.

 My painter thought I was crazy when I asked him to paint my pantry door.  Crazy = happy!
  It is Sherwin Williams 6478 Watery.

I'm not quite ready to reveal my kitchen yet.  We still have the tile backsplash to finish but I will show a little peek.  Our cabinets are white cottage style (which means they rough them up a little bit to give them character so that I don't feel guilty when I put my first ding into them) with chocolate glaze to accent the edges.

 I found my kitchen knobs at Hobby Lobby for $1.50 each. They were the perfect compliment to the door knobs in the house.

The foyer holds several treasures.  The weather vane light fixture was an inexpensive find in a little mountain antique store.  A touch of black spray paint and it was ready to make its home here.  Remember the stained glass window?  She looks beautiful with new trim, allowing light to spill in from my laundry room.

 I have to mention the rug.  It's a 5x7 rag rug that I found at Ross last week.  For $10.99.  Seriously, can you believe that price?!  I love the pops of color that match the picture (from Art.com)

My painter equally thought I was crazy when I said I wanted a Robin's Egg/ Tiffany blue door.  Once it was done, his thoughts: "Muy bonita!"

Settling In

Six days ago we moved into our new home.  We're getting used to the sounds, the feel, the living.  Pure chaos and contentment wrapped into a pretty package called settling in.

This is my favorite room of the house.  We calling the Keeping Room, but it's more like the Unwinding Room. By the way, the stain votes won.  We can always paint it, but for now, I'm thrilled with the results.  This is the only room that is semi-settled.  I needed to have one room that didn't have boxes.  The rest of the house looks like this:

 The Mud Room (most essential room of the house!)

 I don't mind doing dishes looking out at this view. ;)

 We opted for a large, open kitchen rather than a breakfast nook and a dining room.  Our former dining room table, lovingly handcrafted by my sweet man, fits perfectly.

I haven't put a single nail into the walls yet.  Possibly because we haven't brought over our pictures/art from storage yet.  Tomorrow night I have a date with a cute curtain rod hanger/guy.  I'm ready to add a little softness to some of the windows.

Even Rocko is settling in.  He's found his favorite sunning spot.