I almost forgot to show you this wonderful wallhanging I finished for my kitchen. It's called Apple Basket by Lakeview Quilts. I bought the pattern in a quilt shop in Colorado last summer when we were camping in Estes Park. It's super easy - the checkerboard part is strip pieced and the basket is machine appliqued. When we bought this house five years ago it came with a blue formica countertop, which we haven't replaced. I'm voting for the replacement but my husband is voting against it so we're stalemated. His philosophy about everything is "does it still work? if so, keep it till it doesn't." My philosophy is, "but I love tile, I want tile, tile is beautiful." After almost 44 years of wedded bliss, well okay, sometimes bliss-sometimes whatever else marriage is at the moment, I have learned to bide my time. Tile will come - eventually. Back to the kitchen. I know you already know I love yellow so of course I used yellow with the blue counters. Yellow dish towels, yellow flower pots, etc. But then I discovered red. Ah, red - a passionate color, an in-your-face color, a forgiving color (doesn't show dirt). My yellow and blue rug was not forgiving and it drove me crazy trying to keep it clean. Sooooo, I switched to red. Red rug, red dish towels, red embroidery on my valance.
This window is to die for. It looks out on the lake and is shaded all summer. A girl doesn't mind doing dishes here. The embroidery was done on my Janome 11000 - a wonderful machine for those of you who are interested - and each little item is something related to the kitchen (an orange, a pie, a teapot, yada, yada). Oops, just noticed the dishes draining there. Well, at least they're clean dishes! If you can see the little vase on the left side of the sink, it's the vase from the very first flowers I ever received. I was five years old and having my tonsils out. That's 55 years ago! Good grief, how did I get this old? And on top of the cabinets the Blue Willow platter is from my very fist set of dishes when we married. I have a pretty good collection of it now and love every piece. There are several different Blue Willow patterns but mine are the ones marked "Japan" on the back. I think we should have a contest. I need to convince my husband that I really, really need tile. So, how about you vote. Just go down to the "(number) Comment" at the bottom of this post and leave me a comment telling me if I should keep the blue (if you have to) or if I should get tile and what color the tile should be. Can't wait to get the results of this one!
Oh I think you should have tile! I lived for a number of years with a kitchen that wasn't quite right and I didn't enjoy being in there as much as I do now that it's nearly finished. The countertops make a BIG difference. What color? I don't know. White or off-white is always nice because you can change your colors whenever you want without having to convince your hubby to change the counters again. But you should 'shop' for tile in advance and know exactly what you want when you get it. Hope it's soon! ~Adrienne~
ReplyDeleteI found your blog through just us quilters. I definately think TILE! If mamma aint happy, nobody's happy, right? Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWelllll, the blue is very retro. But if you don't like the retro look, it's not so good. Tile is such a classic and you can go in pretty much any direction with it that you choose.
ReplyDeleteI love your window and your view...and your valance with red embroidery. And your Blue Willow. But then I'm prejudiced - have kitchen walls that are white beadboard on the bottom and BRIGHT yellow on the rop and lots of red stuff and also blue stuff.
After 44 years you deserve to have the tile---NOW! But with such a lovely window who cares? Very cute wallhanging and adorable valance. Soo..oo..oo---you got married at 16? And I thought I was[too] young at 22!
ReplyDeleteI vote for tile! Something on the neutral side so you can switch accent colors on a whim. And I totally agree with Adrienne. Figure out exactly what you want and don't want before you take your hubby shopping. That way, it's much easier to convince him that what you want is actually "his idea".
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Liz
do you have an island that you could try out the tile on first and then ease into the other counters? I have tile floors and the grout is a bear to keep clean so be sure and seal properly... I have yellow cabinets and blue formica countertops too with a splash of red here and there...after the blue counters, I would go more neutral myself...
ReplyDeleteI think tile is great. I have it and I dont have to worry about setting hot pots or anything else down on it. It is very tough. A word to the wise though, seal your grout and keep it sealed or it gets very grungy and hard to clean.
ReplyDeleteI vote for the tile! I too have lived with a kitchen that I didn't love. It makes working in there more unpleasant than it needs to be. Funny, I had yellow counters and put blue with it! I had tile counters at my last house and I miss them. I had white - well, not stark white but not tan either, and everything goes with it. And you can change your color scheme pretty easily, AND it just looks CLEAN! Just my opinion, of course. The upkeep is so much easier, and you never have to worry about a hot pot on it! BTW, love your cute valance! And I agree with the other commenters - go shopping w/o hubby and know what you want, right down to the price! It may not be as much $$ as he thinks it is! Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteI think you should have tile, too! I vote for a neutral -- white or off white (I'm not real adventuresome) I prefer off white stationary objects and you can add all the color you want with accessories! I have quarry tile floors in some parts of the house -- definitely keep the grout sealed -- it's a pain to clean.
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