family / home / IN MY KITCHEN / life on thomas run

I should go away more often

but now i'm thinking

There are two things in my kitchen that are lacking : (practical) working counter space and electrical outlets. So when we first moved in, the toaster had only one home–tucked underneath the counter right beside the stove. I'll get back to the toaster details in a moment.

The people who lived in this house before us, "fixed it up." There were two shades of carpeting throughout the house–baby blue and rose pink. And no two switch plate covers were the same–cows, sunflowers, hummingbirds, morning glories, pigs, pineapples. There was lots of gold and oddly ornate (gag) mantle pieces. And we won't discuss the "hillbilly wiring" that ran all around our farm–bare wires tucked into PVC pipes and run underground out to barns, sheds and workshops. 

So their kitchen "remodel" involved lots gold knobs and white-plastic-y covered cabinets.

We discovered the plastic covers on our cabinets thanks to the location of the toaster. After several weeks of use, the toaster heated the cabinet doors, which in turn melted the plastic laminate covering on the cupboards and caused it to pull away from the wooden cabinet frame underneath.

Soon, I began to discover places all around my kitchen where this white cover was peeling away from the cabinets. It was like a nasty hangnail–so tempting to pull off, but painful (to look at) if you did.

Dan would often casually mention that he could probably heat the covers off the cabinets and paint them any color I wanted. Some day. I knew this wasn't high on the "to-do" list–seeing as the basement is so wet it causes our living room books to mildew, I still turn on my shower with a wrench and pair of pliers, the door on the chicken coop is about to fall off, and we still don't have enough firewood for winter. 

But it never fails that if the girls and I disappear for a day or two, Dan always gets into some project, like the headboard he made me one weekend when the girls and I slipped over to my mom's house for a visit.

a bedroom corner

It is always exciting to come home and see how he's rearranged furniture, what pictures have been added to the family wall, how much of the laundry he's gotten done, or what toys have "mysteriously" disappeared.

But this weekend, while I was rediscovering my family's history and he was taking care of three girls, the house, the animals and the cleaning…he also managed to melt off the ugly white plastic laminate and repaint ALL my kitchen cupboards.

i should go away more often

I don't know how he does it.

And even though my kitchen still has no great counter space, vinyl floor that always looks dirty even when it's clean and popcorn-textured ceilings, I'm in love. With my husband, of course, and my new happy kitchen.

but now i'm thinking

There are two things in my kitchen that are lacking : (practical) working counter space and electrical outlets. So when we first moved in, the toaster had only one home–tucked underneath the counter right beside the stove. I'll get back to the toaster details in a moment.

The people who lived in this house before us, "fixed it up." There were two shades of carpeting throughout the house–baby blue and rose pink. And no two switch plate covers were the same–cows, sunflowers, hummingbirds, morning glories, pigs, pineapples. There was lots of gold and oddly ornate (gag) mantle pieces. And we won't discuss the "hillbilly wiring" that ran all around our farm–bare wires tucked into PVC pipes and run underground out to barns, sheds and workshops. 

So their kitchen "remodel" involved lots gold knobs and white-plastic-y covered cabinets.

We discovered the plastic covers on our cabinets thanks to the location of the toaster. After several weeks of use, the toaster heated the cabinet doors, which in turn melted the plastic laminate covering on the cupboards and caused it to pull away from the wooden cabinet frame underneath.

Soon, I began to discover places all around my kitchen where this white cover was peeling away from the cabinets. It was like a nasty hangnail–so tempting to pull off, but painful (to look at) if you did.

Dan would often casually mention that he could probably heat the covers off the cabinets and paint them any color I wanted. Some day. I knew this wasn't high on the "to-do" list–seeing as the basement is so wet it causes our living room books to mildew, I still turn on my shower with a wrench and pair of pliers, the door on the chicken coop is about to fall off, and we still don't have enough firewood for winter. 

But it never fails that if the girls and I disappear for a day or two, Dan always gets into some project, like the headboard he made me one weekend when the girls and I slipped over to my mom's house for a visit.

a bedroom corner

It is always exciting to come home and see how he's rearranged furniture, what pictures have been added to the family wall, how much of the laundry he's gotten done, or what toys have "mysteriously" disappeared.

But this weekend, while I was rediscovering my family's history and he was taking care of three girls, the house, the animals and the cleaning…he also managed to melt off the ugly white plastic laminate and repaint ALL my kitchen cupboards.

i should go away more often

I don't know how he does it.

And even though my kitchen still has no great counter space, vinyl floor that always looks dirty even when it's clean and popcorn-textured ceilings, I'm in love. With my husband, of course, and my new happy kitchen.

62 comments on “I should go away more often”

  1. I so feel your pain… our house is the same way… we have no bathroom sink and I’ve ripped out our “fancy” kitchen cabinets and replaced them with an ikea dresser and bookcase with glass doors… and we still don’t have enough wood for the winter and the list goes on and on! But I am also always amazed at how my husband can just “do” some of these things like build chicken tractors or fix our well pump! It’s such a blessing to have a handy husband!

  2. What a beautiful color! I know my husband could never pick out a color like that :)I feel your pain with the lack of electical outlets in the kitchen. We do have a 3 foot or so stretch of usable counter between the sink and the stove, but there is NO OUTLET on it. It took me a long time, but I finally found a power strip with a long enough cord to run it behind the stove onto the counter. I keep my canisters on the counter so that I have something to put the power strip behind. Now I can plug in my coffee maker (yay!) and the mixer when I need it or the iron if I’m sewing. That one little purchase made a HUGE difference in my life!

  3. Did you help him pick this color? Or perhaps dropped some strong hints? It was the perfect choice! Clean, charming, and bright. I love it when they surprise us like this. Feels like falling in love all over again.

  4. wow Molly…that is so wonderful. What a keeper you’ve got there. I love the color of the cabinets…he did a fabulous job and all while holding down the fort. amazing!

  5. I am an habitual lurker, BUT I think I can say that many of us readers are in love with your husband! Wow! Kids, chores AND a new (looking) kitchen?!?!?!

    AND the fact that he remembered your comment about the paint color? I love my hubby, but he can’t remember what I told him 2 minutes ago (he’s my absent-minded professor).

    I know you know this, but that man is a KEEPER!

    You better give that man a few kisses from the many female fans he has won. At least give him a peck on the cheek from me. 🙂

    It looks GREAT btw.

  6. What a great husband. It sounds like our house. When we moved in, everything was pink and none of the swtch plates matched. And it still needs plenty of work too, lol.

  7. that was beyond sweet. i “awwed” out loud. 🙂 what a man! and what a kitchen! don’t you love the surprises they come up with?

  8. It looks terrific! What a sweetie he is to do all that just for you! I *love* the color.

    Although I have to say–I really have to say–that I never once thought your kitchen was unattractive, and never once noticed the cabinets–my recollection of the kitchen is that it was pretty. So, should I have my eyes examined? 😉

  9. Sweet job on the cabinets! I feel your white tile pain. I had shiny cream tile for years that showed every speck and I hated it.

    Now i have one of these http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productList&N=4294961544&Ne=4294967294&Ntk=i_products&Ntt=vinyl+tile(the naturale copper slate to be exact).

    This stuff is vinyl peel and stick – realativly inexpensive, easy to install and can go right on top of what you have. It looks pretty good too – many people mistake it for ceramic tile. And the best part…it NEVER looks dirty. NEVER. So I don’t spend time mopping!!

  10. How great! My husband also manages to get a lot (more than me) done while watching our two kids. How do they do it? The kitchen looks great – it has the clean and simple look I want for our kitchen. Someday…

  11. OMG! I think I’m a little in love with your husband too. I’m the handy man around this house (this old and falling apart rental house) and while my husband can wow me with a 6 course gourmet dinner all prepared from scratch, if I went away I’d have all the housework to do when I got home. SIGH. Now we also have that crappy white laminate covering on our kitchen cupboards that is peeling off (and no bench space and not enough power outlets)-did he seal the cupboards in any way? I’d love to know how he did this. Can you wipe down the paint? Molly it looks so beautiful. I can understand how you are so happy with it!!!

  12. Are you sure he didn’t have secret help from elves? Wow! Lots of work. My husband is similar – when I’m gone on a Saturday, I come home to find a clean kitchen, lawn mowed & weed wacked, & innumerable other tasks done. Me? I can’t seem to accomplish much but mess.

  13. My husband has been really focused on re-organizing our tiny kitchen lately. I guess he got the garage to the place where it’s working well enough so he’s focusing his efforts inside! Sometimes it frustrates me to have temporary disorder, but I know it’s going to be worth it.

  14. oh. my. goodness. not only did he manage all that work with the kids, but it looks so fantastic molly. you must be tickled!it’s really gorgeous! i am going back to stare at the picture now.

  15. Your kitchen looks beautiful!! And don’t fret your counter space…. I have half as much space as you. And thats not counting your table. I had to put a bakers rack with cutting board infront of the only window so I wouldn’t have to prep everything in the dining room. And, we have the exact same white with diamonds ‘always looks dirty’ flooring. Our current slow moving project is peeling up the floor and just floor painting the subflooring black.

  16. The cabinets look great! My husband is the same…he will accomplish so much if he is home alone, but if the family is around it won’t get anything done…why is this??Anyway, you must have been very pleased!!

  17. Ugh, we have the same laminate covering the cabinets in our very small kitchen. Any chance of you giving up your husband’s secrets on melting away the plastic so that I can pretend I will one day do this in our house? I’m hoping he didn’t use the toaster all over the kitchen.

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