I'm Back! With Kitchen Reno Plans

And just like that six months passed without a blog post.  Oops.  We have big plans for 2014 around here.  Hopefully getting a step closer to having the house completely almost updated.

2014 house wish-lists and dreams:
Renovated Kitchen! (see design boards below)
Updated paint jobs (random ceilings, dining room, kitchen)
Update light fixtures
Renovate the back porch into a deck

The kitchen is obviously a major project, that we are nervous about taking on.  Right now we have a kitchen that is ugly and outdated.  Yellow countertops, yellow sink (YUCK?!!), ugly cabinets, and cream appliances.  We plan to do this project ourselves to save as much money as possible.  Our plans include: new counters, sink, faucet, light fixtures, and hardware.  The kitchen cabinets themselves are solid wood and in good shape so we (and by "we" I mean my husband) are going to make new doors, and reface the existing cabinets.

This blog could turn into a great DIY tutorial.... or a DIY "pintrocity."

Here are some designs we are currently thinking of.  We have light, original hardwood floors that will be staying and we want to try and make our kitchen seem larger than it really is.

Design Board #1

We recently discovered we are both in love with the crema mascarella counters, paired with a sand colored granite sink and oil-rubbed bronze hardware and faucets.  We will definitely be doing mission/shaker-style cabinet doors, but we are unsure of the color yet.  The color swatch is off, but this was the best I could find at the moment.  We will most likely be sticking with the same color our current kitchen is: tan.

Design Board #2:

Same thoughts, different touches.  A darker counter (golden mascarella), with these awesome lights from Home Depot. At this point we are still in the idea-gathering stage and are looking to make some decisions in the next coming weeks.

Oh, and one last piece of information to leave you hanging with: we have a soffit in our kitchen.  And it HAS TO GO.