• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Dinner Party Menus
    • Themed Dinner Ideas
    • Tablescapes
    • Cocktail Parties
    • Buffet tables
    • Designing Dessert Tables
    • Best Party Tips
    • Parties by color
  • special occasions
    • Birthdays –>
      • for Adults
      • 1st birthday
      • for Girls
      • for Boys
      • for Teens/Tweens
    • Bridal shower
    • Baby shower
    • Engagement / Anniversary
    • Weddings
  • Seasonal | Holidays
    • Spring
      • Easter
      • Graduation
      • Cinco de Mayo
      • Kentucky derby
      • Mother’s Day
    • Summer Entertaining
      • Father’s Day
      • 4th of July
    • Autumn
      • School Days
      • Football parties
      • Halloween
    • Holidays
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
      • New Years
    • Winter
      • super bowl
      • Awards Night Party
      • Valentine’s Day
      • St. Patricks Day
      • mardi gras
  • Recipes

Celebrations at Home

Entertaining, Party Recipes, Cocktails, Tablescapes

  • About
    • Disclosures
    • Privacy Policy
  • Let’s Work Together
  • Food Photography
  • contact
  • SHOP
  • Nav Widget Area

Subscribe for Email Updates

GET UPDATES!

You are here: Home / Home / Our Home Kitchen Tour

Our Home Kitchen Tour

our classic kitchen

I can’t believe we’ve been in the new house for 7 full months.  The time has flown by and we’re enjoying it so much, and we’ve got some great neighbors! Now it’s time to think about Spring cleaning and entertaining, and thanks to a partnership with Granite Gold these past couple of months, I’m ready for it.  I’m excited to give you our home kitchen tour and tell you about some of my favorite features and how I’ve created a space that’s conducive to parties and entertaining.

As you may remember we built this model and had the chance to pick finishes but no major “customization” so to speak.  No big deal – this was already a great upgrade from our first house that we lived in for 15 years.

islandcounter topcleaning caddysink area

  • Let’s start with the floor which was our big upgrade and we decided on hardwoods throughout the entire downstairs {except my office which is behind closed doors}.  We chose the darkest finish they had, without going up to another upgrade level.  I LOVE them!  They look even better than they did in the showroom.
  • I HAD to have light cabinets {another upgrade}. It’s my thing.  I love these creamy colored cabinets from Timberlake, and all the shelves in the base cabinets roll out so it makes it easy to grab things in the back.
  • The only area that I’m still not sure I made the “right” decision about is the back splash.  My initial choice was a classic cream subway tile which would have given the whole space a bit more modern feel.  However, my husband and the lady at the design center both urged me to go with the more natural looking tiles, saying it would be timeless.  I’m happy with the outcome but I have to admit I feel a little yearning every time I see a subway tile back splash…
  • Two things I was so glad to get in our new kitchen were stainless appliances and granite counter tops.  When we built our first house {16 years ago} stainless appliances were just starting to hit the kitchen design scene, but we didn’t choose it because we didn’t know if it was just a fad.  You know what they say, hind site is 20/20.   Here, we were able to get a double oven on sale at Lowes, and took the regular oven that came with the house, to our old house which is now our rental property {we also upgraded the refrigerator & dishwasher over there to match}.
  • The granite we chose is called Tropical Brown and it’s a pretty standard pattern.  I’ve always liked it and I thought it would tie in to the floors beautifully.  It also has silvery gray flecks that pick up the gray used in the family room decor.  When we moved in I wasn’t even sure how to care for the granite but I knew instinctively that you shouldn’t use ‘regular’ cleaner on it or you can dull it.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to use the Granite Gold 3-step system {clean, seal, polish} to keep my natural stone looking like new – it shines like a mirror!
  • Finally, I never knew a sink and faucet could make a person so happy.  Our old sink was not very deep and although we had a goose neck faucet it was pretty standard otherwise.  I love my Moen faucet with the pull out sprayer – like, seriously love it! It just makes cleaning up in the sink so much easier, not to mention it’s pretty! The sink is much deeper too so dishes can get ‘hidden’ from view.

our kitchen tourbulletin board and counter stools 6 art2

  • I don’t think you can tell from the pictures but the center island is pretty huge at over 3 feet wide and 10 feet long.  It’s the real work horse in our kitchen with tons of storage underneath. The kids sit here for all their snacks, and it’s where we do all of our food prep. I wish I had thought to put in pendant lights above but I can still do that later.  I have a pot rack from our old house, that I’m thinking of hanging at one end so we’ll see.
  • I found counter height stools at IKEA. That was such a difficult thing to find because everything I saw was either super modern or super traditional.  I would have loved something with an industrial-contemporary look but these work well for now.
  • The walk-in pantry is in the walkway between the kitchen and dining room {which I actually use as a studio space}.  On the plain wall I’ve hung a cork board to hold all the kids activities and important dates to remember at a glance.

wine bar8 wine spot

  • We have a tall bar on the side of the morning room {which you can see some of here}, that I’ve kind of turned in to a wine bar with my favorite wine opener at the ready.  A small silver dish holds a paper seal cutter and a couple of bottle stoppers.
  • The bar stools are from our old house and I’d like to upgrade those soon.

9 chalkboard wall 10 flowers 2 10 side table 313 mail 11 shelf 1 12 shelf 2 16 entertaining

  • Finally, the plain wall I turned in to a chalkboard wall, inspired by these, is a major focal point.  I use it to write lists and menus, and to write fun messages on occasion.
  • A couple of small shelves add some much needed height to the wall, and the collection of white pottery pops dramatically against the dark wall.
  • An old rustic table holds decorative items, a basket of spirits, and the mail caddy, and doubles as a bar or serving area for entertaining.  This is also one of the only areas I’m able to showcase lots of color in this mostly neutral space.
  • Speaking of color, after we have our 1-year builder touch ups taken care of I want to focus on getting some paint on the walls throughout the house. For this kitchen and family room area I’m thinking of a light gray. What do you think?

kitchen

Well, there’s the kitchen tour.  It may not be the  lifestyles of the rich and famous but I feel truly blessed and grateful, and I hope you enjoy taking a look inside our home. There will be more rooms to share soon.

A big thanks to Granite Gold for their sponsorship of this post and for literally teaching me how to maintain my granite.  I’ll be able to protect it and make it shine for years to come, and if you have stone counters I hope you’ll visit their site as well.

Sign up for the latest via Email

 

Follow me: Google+ | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram

 

 

Previous: Honeycomb-themed Baby Shower {Guest Feature}
Next: Greek Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce

Sharing is caring!

  • Share
  • Tweet

March 11, 2014 10:50 am Chris Filed Under: Home

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. candice says

    March 14, 2014 at 4:08 am

    This is absolutely beautiful

  2. Jennifer ~ BellaGrey Designs says

    March 12, 2014 at 10:34 am

    Chris, it is absolutely beautiful!!! Let me know when the spare room is ready for me to come visit!! ♥

    • Chris says

      March 12, 2014 at 3:57 pm

      Working on it Jennifer! 😉

  3. Maureen says

    March 12, 2014 at 9:01 am

    This looks so gorgeous! I love it all! I think you will be happy with the backsplash…. It is more timeless and warms it up nicely!
    Great job!

    • Chris says

      March 12, 2014 at 4:09 pm

      Thanks Maureen. I’m sure you’re right. I love what I’ve seen of your new home too!

  4. Carrie @ The Cake Blog says

    March 12, 2014 at 6:22 am

    I want to live in your kitchen Chris… absolutely lovely in every way. And that chalkboard wall the best! Looks like a perfect space for your family. Love!

    • Chris says

      March 12, 2014 at 4:16 pm

      Thank you Carrie. Come visit any time!

  5. Katie Meyers / Meyers Styles says

    March 11, 2014 at 3:58 pm

    I adore your kitchen! Beyond perfect for family celebrations and cozy gatherings. (The chalkboard wall is fantastic!)

    • Chris says

      March 12, 2014 at 4:17 pm

      Thanks Katie. I’m so glad I painted that chalkboard wall. It’s been such a hit!

  6. Bird says

    March 11, 2014 at 2:42 pm

    So jelly!!! LOVE this kitchen and need one!!!! Santa is it too early for my Xmas pressie? 🙂

    • Chris says

      March 12, 2014 at 4:07 pm

      Hmmm, I’d say living in France is not a bad trade, Bird! 😉

      • Bird says

        March 13, 2014 at 4:42 am

        I love the chalkboard wall the best!! That’s so clever!! Yeah, I agree, the subway tiles are chic and cool! Love them too!

  7. Jessica says

    March 11, 2014 at 12:14 pm

    Loved seeing this! I need to do a whole house tour of our “new” home which we moved into almost two years ago now. We had granite in our old house from a kitchen renovation we did, but our new granite is SO SO lovely! Only negative which I wouldn’t even consider a negative, is that it hides everything so well that you only know if it needs cleaning by touching it and feeling it. Will definitely try this granite cleaner.

    • Chris says

      March 12, 2014 at 4:04 pm

      I love what I’ve seen of you house Jessica. Can’t wait to see more!

Primary Sidebar


The most important thing about parties & entertaining is the guest list! Next, it should be delicious, beautiful, unique, and fun. Chris Nease shares her years of experience for how to pull it all together with style. Cheers!

Footer

Celebrations At Home is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. All our thoughts and opinions are our own and we are not paid for or mandated to provide a positive review.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Search

Categories

© Copyright 2022 Celebrations at Home · Scroll to TOP · Log In