BREAKFAST ROOM RENOVATION BEFORE AND AFTER

Looking back at the renovating projects we’ve tackled thus far,designing our kitchen was my favorite part of transforming this house – especially the breakfast area and pantry corner. We had several goals for the project, but at the top of the list was to transform this dated area into a bright, airy, functional and clutter-free spot where we could enjoy breakfast in the morning. That meant a few elements had to go, like the shutters on the windows (that kept the room really dark), all the impractical wire shelves inside the pantry closet, and the flimsy sliding doors. With just those minor changes, that area of the kitchen immediately felt more open. It was as if we put a defibrillator on its heart and got it beating again. Ha!

After a fresh coat of paint on the walls (Farrow & Ball ‘All White’), we had the French doors installed on the pantry and painted them in contrasting grey color (Sherwin Williams ‘Let it Rain’ to be exact) similar to the grey on the kitchen island. I hung some leftover brick wallpaper inside the pantry to keep everything from skewing too cold or stark. Additionally, replacing the white plantation shutters to grasscloth roller shades in a natural tone inject a well-balanced touch of texture and warmth. Such simple details but yet, they took this room from feeling dark, drab, and neglected into a bright and homey spot to start our day in.

When it comes to art, I much prefer an eclectic collage of framed photos of our favorite memories from our travels and/or old vintage calendars to movie posters. Not only is such a display more meaningful, but it makes the greatest impact to an interior. In this little corner of the kitchen, the goal was to add color by incorporating a unique arrangement of collected photos that mean something to us – ranging from a photo of one of my Pina Colada drinks (one of the most requested of my cocktails with a favorite fun caption), and other snapshots of our Alaska vacation to a favorite Lillet poster. I just love how minor details such as these add warmth and make a house feel more like home.

It was wonderful to watch this part of the house blossom. As this room’s decor came together and reflected more of our personality, it helped us to feel more relaxed being in the house and gives us a calm respite after a long tiresome day.

One thing I get asked often is: how do I keep a clean house and/or clutter-free pantry and kitchen drawers.I’ve answered/written about it many times before and here it is again. My biggest decorating advice is to cut the clutter and just live with what you absolutely love – meaning use those special nice items, instead of saving them for only “special occasions”. Life is too short to not enjoy the special things because you, my dear, are special and should treat yourself as such on a daily.

Now, I’m almost ready to debut the before and after of the dining room makeover once I replace the head chairs for the table.

Happy renovating!