"In the Pink" DIY Kitchen Project  

Posted by Heidi in

I've been in a pink and white frame of mind as of late.


Now that my living/dining room has green walls, there was only the kitchen left to meet my pure pink and white sensibilities (mind you, my pink, white and green sensibilities are alive and well).

(The kitchen window area as it has been for nearly five years.)
I've had one of those door trim kits, the Victorian kind with the rosettes, hanging around in the garage for far too long. It was time to put it to work. While I was at it, I intended to purify the palette a bit.

(It's difficult to know how to be-curtain a corner window.) (In a brilliant piece of engineering, I nailed this valance to the wall. When I removed the nails, I discovered that cooking fumes make for a satisfactory sticking agent. After poking myself full of holes with straight pins in order to create my new valance, I remembered that the old one is actually fairly pink and white--once it has paid a visit to the washing machine.) (This is one of those situations that we put under the label of "poetic justice".)


I'm a big fan of those trim kits but I'm a hater of crooked walls. In spite of my handy dandy level (one of my favorite Christmas gifts from my husband--ever) I had to re-do one particular piece of trim SIX times. I guess I was being pretty loud about my extreme disappointment over the shoddy construction standards of whomever built my house because my Little Guy was hanging onto my legs, whimpering with empathy. "Please, Mommy, just stop!" he begged.
But I persevered.
I'm not sure if I actually like it better or not but I have always wanted a balloon valance so at least I can cross that off my bucket list (yes, my bucket list is fairly pitiful).

There is not one stitch in this valance--I did it all with straight pins, including the curtain rod pocket. I plan to take it down one day and use actual thread but by then, it will all be stuck together with those oily cooking fumes, rendering my efforts pointless. (What was that? How do I dare wash it? I think I probably dareth not but since that goes right along with my cleaning habits (or lack there-of) it's all good.)
(There's still that minor problem of my around-the-corner window. I tried, valiantly, to make a valance that would go around but I finally gave up and called it good.)


Please note that the curvature of the window trim you see is not due to the shoddy construction of my house or the lack of intelligence on my part of any kind. It's all on account of my darn, nuerotic camera.


Ahhhhh, the pink and white of it all . . .

Meanwhile: "One of these things (below) is not like the others. One of these things just doesn't belong. Can you tell which thing is not like the others by the time I finish my song?"





(Proof that I make good stuff.)
(Sorry, I just couldn't resist.)

This entry was posted on Friday, May 21, 2010 at Friday, May 21, 2010 and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the comments feed .

26 wise, witty and wonderful comments

I love it! It looks like a Shabby Chic antique shop. My kind of place.

May 21, 2010 at 4:14 PM
Anonymous  

The trim looks fabulous! The pinned together valance is pretty impressive, too. Glad you persevered.

May 21, 2010 at 5:26 PM

Absolutely gorgeous, Heidi! I love the trim on the window! You are amazing. :)

May 21, 2010 at 6:08 PM

I am swooooning over your kitchen. I love pink and green combo's. I ADORE it.
good job.

May 21, 2010 at 6:09 PM

Heidi, I don't know how you find the time. It all looks beautiful and is so "You." Great job!!

May 21, 2010 at 7:19 PM

when we first moved into our home (8 years ago) I made a valance for the sliding glass door... made it the night before a LOT of company was coming for a big family hoop de do (a baptism counts as a hoop de do right?) and since I was in a hurry I made it entirely from straight pins and attitude.

took it down earlier this year and replaced it with long curtains... now I'm glad I never took the time to sew that silly thing :)

May 21, 2010 at 9:43 PM

Great job on the trim - it really gives it a finished look. Well done my friend!!

May 22, 2010 at 9:11 AM

Yours and my decorating sensibilities couldn't be farther apart but it's always fun to see what you're doing. Whoever we bought our house from loved LOVED roses and I've inherited some lovely rosebushes. I think about you just about every day when a new bloom comes out and I think, "Heidi would like that one!"

May 22, 2010 at 10:41 AM

The trim looks so, so lovely. A vast improvement in my mind!

May 22, 2010 at 12:35 PM

Your house is to beautiful, and I love the valance--and the picture of the cute boy at the end of the post. :-)

May 22, 2010 at 5:22 PM

I have always wanted a pink and white kitchen, but so far no go. It looks beautiful, all of it.

May 22, 2010 at 8:37 PM

I am thoroughly impressed! Straight pins....and I didn't even see a shiny glimpse of one! Beautiful!

May 23, 2010 at 1:06 PM

Your place is so beautiful and feminine. Really gorgeous.

May 23, 2010 at 4:41 PM

I love the pink & white!!! I love it all, especially the last picture. That's one work of art, that boy. :)

May 23, 2010 at 4:56 PM

You have a real talent for making your space lovely and soft. How do you think the BG might look in pink?

May 23, 2010 at 7:34 PM

Heidi,

I adore your very first image, very feminine all, and yes you did great with that last one!!

Karena
Art by Karena

May 23, 2010 at 9:02 PM

It's so beautiful! It's like you get to live in a real life Victorian dollhouse! And what a husband you've got to let you do so much pink and pretty! I wanna come have tea and scones with you!

May 24, 2010 at 8:36 PM

Heidi, as someone who's vast home improvement plans and dreams are matched only by a lack of skill (like seriously inverse relationship) I am really impressed. Your kitchen looks lovely and I bet it felt really good to do that yourself. Congratulations

May 25, 2010 at 6:41 AM

Lovely, just lovely. Love those pinks and greens...now that I've sat and fantasize over your gorgeous kitchen, can't look at my retro red, black and white....going out to eat! lol!
Hugs
Marta

May 25, 2010 at 10:04 AM

I will hire you to come decorate my house - you are very talented that way!

May 26, 2010 at 11:46 AM

Oh my goodness! You should have lived with George Eliot. You are amazing. I love the last pic too. So funny!

May 27, 2010 at 9:27 AM

Did you grow those lovely roses?

May 27, 2010 at 12:36 PM

Your kitchen is so darling. I love all the details you create.

Patty Hammond and I go way back to BYU in 1988. Her and her husband lived next door to us for 3 years. We went camping---hung out on their couch and watched Anne of Green Gables and ate smarties. Our husbands played Dungeons and Dragons ALL night. We signed their adoption papers for the state of Utah. They adopted their 3 children while in California. We have visited with her family a few times. I consider her my mentor in so many ways and I love love love keeping in touch with her through blogging. Such a dear and powerful soul!

Did you meet her through blogging?

May 27, 2010 at 4:55 PM
Anonymous  

You do make beautiful things. =]

May 27, 2010 at 8:49 PM

Your house is so romantic!! I love it.

June 1, 2010 at 8:31 AM

When are you coming to do my place? My children will happily cling to your legs too... It's gorgeous!

Wow, your Big Guy looks SO much like a young rumply version of your husband there.

June 4, 2010 at 8:19 AM

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