From "Farmhouse" to "French Country" Part One

Hi all!  Hope you're all enjoying your summer!

We have been so busy around here with house guests, babies being born and lots of summer fun.  I promised myself I would not spend my summer working on home projects and I've done pretty well! lol

And our kitchen changes are not done yet but we've done a few things that I love.

Last year I posted our long over-due kitchen make over.  Before starting I went back and forth between making our cabinets pure white or going more French Country.  In the end, I made the wrong decision.

It wasn't long after I spend 3-4 months painting everything Sherwin Williams Alabaster that I looked around and realized I had gone too 'Farmhouse' and not enough 'French Country.  For more photos click here.

So we've been making some changes.

I started out by painting our island in the dining room a chocolate brown and then antiquing the cabinets in the kitchen.  (I still have not painted the lower cabinets in the kitchen island and the family room.  I will finish them when the summer is over.)

Then we started adding some architectural details.  We added some corbels and a shelf to our vent cover.

This spot used to house an ice maker...that has never worked since we've lived here.  We searched for about a year for a wine fridge that would fit this space but could never find one that had the right dimensions, price and quality that we wanted.  So we finally finished this space with a raised floor and an arch.  I found this vase at a Pier One store closing for half price.

We also added some corbels on both sides of these pillars that hold the built-in china cabinet.

I had originally bought these corbels for another project that didn't work out and they fit perfectly for what I wanted in the kitchen! I found them on Amazon and was going to attach a link but it looks they're no longer available.

We are still planning on getting a new stainless gas range (our white stove really stands out now)  and doing a travertine back splash.  I'm also hoping for a farmhouse sink with an oiled bronze faucet.

When we're finished I think the kitchen will have a much more romantic, rustic feel like the rest of this space.  I don't know how soon we'll get this done and when I'll post 'Part Two' but hopefully it won't be too long.

From Farmhouse to French Country Part Two
Here's one of my sweetest guests hanging out in the guest room while his brother and sister swim.

He can hang out whenever he wants.  :)

love and blessings~

 "Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel." Psalms 22:3

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