Okay so a few years ago I did a blog post entitled My Kitchen Want List. To this day it is the most viewed post on my blog. I couldn’t tell you why. Maybe it has something to do with search words or something. Who knows.  But anyway, not a single thing from my previous Want List made it into my kitchen. Chalk it up to changing tastes and a desire to funnel funds into other projects instead.

to this.

Huge transformation? No. Dramatic change? Not really.

Honestly, there really isn’t much to see here. I’m such a minimalist and a cheapskate that I don’t push my decor into the interesting column. It’s just an everyday kitchen with nothing too special about it. I post it not because it’s particularly post-able but because I like to document the story behind where and how we live.

The wall color is a continuation from the wall color in our family room. I wanted to paint more walls but Rob tends to like an accent wall. I actually thought I would like the color a little more than I do, otherwise I’d probably go ahead and paint more. The blue/black (depending on the light) pulls out the orange in the cabinets which I’m not thrilled about but at least it brings a little more personality to the space. The white outlet covers are so noticeable!

I decided to clear as much as possible off of the countertops because I cook with the kids all the time and need all the space I can get. I keep only mandatory, much-used items on top. The Bosch mixer is used many days of the week. I have a wood cutting board and bread hidden on the side of the fridge along with a basket for Rob’s misc stuff (keys, etc).

The stool has become Cara’s most beloved item in the kitchen. I bought it because of all the help the kids give me, and they certainly use it for that, but it’s most often used as a little table. Caroline sits on the bottom step and puts her food on the top and eats most of her meals that way.

I like to use a pepper grinder and a little salt bowl that was handmade and given to us.

Cara doesn’t eat most things but she has recently decided to love kiwi. I buy the big packs and she eats them all. And yes, her poop is very green.

This is going to sound a little odd but I need to give some love to this silly soap dispenser. We’ve gone through many dispensers and this is by far my favorite one ever. I got tired of the metal ones rusting and making marks on my countertop. I got tired of the fake metal ones peeling and looking gross. This plastic one has a soft, rubbery touch that feels nice. It can also be washed without any issue. The perfect amount of soap comes out and the spout doesn’t get all gunked up. I like it so much that I may replace all my other dispensers with the same one. It comes from Target in many colors for like six bucks. I’ll get off my literal soapbox now 😉

And a plant. I had two in the pot but one has already perished.

I don’t know the technical name of this guy but I always thought these things were fun. I bought it a couple of years ago when I saw a mass of them in a bin at Ikea. I felt sorry for the trapped little wooden people and rescued one of them. I didn’t have anywhere in mind to put him (pretty sure it’s a him) but when I was looking around my house for top-of-the-cabinet decor I thought he would bring a bit of whimsy and kookiness to my personality-less kitchen. Honestly, he might be my favorite part of the whole thing…up there waving to us below.

Now for the part the threw me for a few months. What do I do with the window over the sink? I didn’t have enough fabric left over from the drapes. I’m not a valance person. I needed to keep the blinds because the sunlight is super harsh in the afternoon. After musing houzz photographs time and time again I finally got up enough nerve to just paint the window surround the same color as the other wall. I needed to carry that color somewhere else in the room anyway and it’s more up my minimal alley. It took me a couple days to decide that I actually like it.  

The silver tray was passed on to us from Rob’s grandparents. I believe it is handmade from their stint in Pakistan and is beautiful.