My vision: kitchen and breakfast area

First things first today, how do you like my new layout??? It's a bit simple, but I'm just starting out so simple is best! It's a step in the right direction, in my opinion!

Also, my apologies for getting my posts up so late. I know most bloggers post in the morning but I am SO not a morning person and my job takes up 10+ hours of my day, so it is hard to post before 6 p.m. each day! I might just have to change something around so I can crank these out in the morning. Don't hold your breath, though!

Let's move on into the kitchen. I have big aspirations for this space and I'm really hoping my dreams will come true sooner rather than later!

The kitchen area is a huge space. It is a galley style with a breakfast area and a lot of free space I'll call "traffic space". I only say that because it is pretty much empty space between the back and garage doors, from the actual kitchen counter top area to those two doors, and then to the living room and hallway transitions. It is kind of a five-way intersection! 

Here are some beautiful examples of galley kitchens that I can only aspire to:

I'm already seeing a common theme here...

Like I mentioned before, the sellers (will-be "previous owners" in about 8 days!!!) installed a built in desk on the north wall of the breakfast area. I don't hate it, but I don't love it. Like I said, if we can move it, I plan on it. So if we do end up moving it, I'm thinking of doing a massive armoire there or elsewhere that will be transformed into a pantry. That is one kitchen downfall in this house: no pantry! I think Mark is more upset than I am, to be honest! I would love to put an armoire on the east wall by the breakfast table, but that would require moving the table which would mean moving the jbox for the light fixture and I'm not sure we are ready for all that nonsense yet. (keep reading if you zoned out during that part)

My mom and dad have again 'graciously' offered us their 50+ year old kitchen table, and we are accepting it with open arms. It is in dire need of refinishing, but I'm not quite decided on what I want to do with it. Amazing that I haven't decided this, right?? Feel free to offer suggestions. Unfortunately I don't have a photo of this, but picture an old dining table with black detailing, peeling polyurethane, and 'peter pan' etched into the table top by a 6 year old. Yes, that was my older and wiser sister's genius idea. Currently the matching kitchen chairs have red fabric with plastic covering on them. Obviously I didn't get my advanced sense of design from my mother...

Ok, enough jokes. Let's get to the good stuff. As soon as I walked into this galley kitchen my mind was swirling with ideas. The first idea I had just happened to be the one to stick: rip out that tile counter and backsplash, replace with butcher block and subway tile. Done. That is the plan! Mark has subconsciously agreed to this and we hope to do this before we move all of our furniture and supplies in at the end of August. We will be buying lottery tickets every day until then.

I would also love to rip the sink out and put in a simple stainless steel under-mount sink. We just have to do scratch-off tickets to accomplish that. 

The cabinets, while cheap, are new-ish and white so we are going to stick with them. Here are some pins I've found that are similar to the white cabinet/butcher block/subway tile idea that I'm currently loving:

how great are the lights in this kitchen?

I think we will go a bit darker on the butcher block. I'm LOVING the gold pulls in here, though. They make this kitchen so hip and cool and better than all the other kitchens!

And in case you are like my aunt Ninny and have your butcher block doubts, read this! (someone ratted you out Ninny! hehe)

We will also be painting the walls (grey? some fun color? undecided.), buying a fridge, and painting the dead-end wall with chalkboard paint, like this pin-spiration:

My thought is to tile all the way across the wall at backsplash height and go down to the floor on that odd dead-end wall and then chalkboard the rest of the way up. The bead board will have to come down on that side of the kitchen.

While we don't LOVE the floors, they are one of the less offensive types of tile that I would settle for, so we aren't planning on making any big changes at the moment. I do plan on cleaning the grout, though. I believe they were updated about 6 or 8 years ago.

Well, this area of the house has occupied most of my mind since we made the offer, which is why I'm so long-winded in this post. If you have any suggestions on wall color, table finish, or know of any great resources, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email with your ideas!