Decorate Above Your Kitchen Cabinets
Many homes have unused space above the kitchen cabinets, and it’s about time we figure out what to actually put there. While I prefer to have the cabinets built upon to add more cupboard space between the existing cabinets and the ceiling (see picture above), here are a few alternatives that we can draw inspiration from…
For a country kitchen, dull colored baskets and ceramics that don’t draw too much attention fill the space nicely.
These pictures from pier1.com show that if you choose a color family, all your collectibles look well-thought out.
Where I don’t necessarily care for wooden words, painting a word or quote on the wall above your cabinets would be a subtle and clean way of addressing the space.
Choosing one corner is a good way to make sure you don’t go overkill. After all, there are probably better served places to draw your attention. Placing items above your kitchen cabinets should compliment the kitchen, not steal the show.
And lastly, my favorite application for above the kitchen cabinets, is a collection. Maybe your collection could be kitchen items that actually get used in the kitchen, like mixers, bowls, colanders, appliances, etc. Below are a few ideas for other collections that might look great in that empty space:
Today’s Market
Though families already in homes may be experiencing some turmoil thanks to the downturn in the housing market, first-time homebuyers and couples looking for starter homes (like me) may be able to take advantage of the market. My husband and I just bought a new home for a great price in a great location—an area we couldn’t even consider a couple of years ago. We had to wait in line for over 24-hours to get this great deal, but that was a small price to pay for a great investment.
If you are considering buying a new home in today’s (2008) market, here are a few tips from my own experience:
- Read up on the real estate market. You can find blogs in your area or set a Google Alert for “Bay Area Housing Market” or terms that pertain to your area. Jason and I have been renting in the Bay Area for sometime, with little hope of buying anytime soon. But we paid attention to the market anyway, read some great advice from local experts, and continually weighed the advantages and disadvantages of owning a home in this area. When the opportunity arose to buy our new home, we already knew the investment would be wise, how much we could afford to spend, and that the pricing we got was lower than anything we’d seen in months, if not years.
- Buy new. We discovered that many new home builders are having trouble selling all of the units they’ve built. Since they are in the business of building and selling homes, excess inventory prevents them completing the process and moving to the next property. To fix the disparity, they will offer incentives or be receptive to negotiations that could help you purchase a home. For example, in negotiating our deal, we got closing costs paid and great financing without any money down. You might not get what you ask for, but if it’s the difference between buying now and waiting, then it’s at least worth asking.
- Stay within your means. If you’re going to stretch yourself to get into a new home, now would be the time, but do so responsibly. Families currently experiencing difficulties making their mortgage are the ones who stretched to get into a home when prices were at an all-time high. Now that the market has dropped, they are upside down on the loan—meaning they owe more than the property is worth. Another reason for difficulties making payments is that they may have taken out an adjustable rate loan to ensure monthly minimum payments were manageable, hoping their income would grow before interest rates would increase. Now that interest rates have gone up, they’re unable to refinance into a lower, more affordable payment plan.
- Factor in all of the numbers. The mortgage payment is only one of the obligations you take on with a new house. Little things like property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, mortgage insurance, HOA, utilities, and upgrades can increase the amount of money you need to spend each month to be in a home. Plus, there is ALWAYS something to fix when owning a home – dishwasher repair, roof leak, broken lawnmower, etc. To better anticipate monthly expenses, talk to a realtor or other homeowners in the area you’re considering.
- Love the house, not just the price. Chances are that your first home won’t be your last, so go into the deal knowing that one day you’ll be trying to convince other families to buy the very house you’re going to be living in. Besides price, what else does the home have to offer? Consider: Proximity to grocery store, school districts, public transportation, the year the home was built, quirky features, size of the yard, status of the neighborhood, etc.
- Focus on the Big Stuff. Carpets can be changed out and walls can be painted fairly inexpensively. Replacing a heater, adding an air conditioner, upgrading a roof, and so forth are bigger investments. Think about the ones you’re willing to make versus those you hope to pass on to the next home buyer. And remember, new home buyers expect a house to have functioning appliances and a good roof—they don’t pay extra for those things.
If You’ve Got It – Use It!
Often we get nice things for wedding presents or anniversaries, etc. For example: Your China Set. Things like this end up filling up the linen closet, or tying up the extra kitchen storage. My philosophy on your nice dishes is: USE THEM! If you tuck your china away in the depths of your storage closet, you’ll never use them, and they will take up precious space for the one time every 3 years you decide to use it. If you keep it at the surface, you will be more likely to pull them out on a whim when guests pop in for dinner. So, make your nice things accessible, and make good use of them! It doesn’t make sense to keep something you don’t use, right?
Sneaky Futons
A designer friend of mine has some friends coming into town for the weekend. She was asking my opinion on the ever-present guest bed or futon debate. The word “futon” makes me want to shudder. However, in my recent search for new couches, I have found that futons have become more sneaky. You can easily find a pretty hip looking futon without the clunky wooden frame.
If your guest room also happens to be your office, you need to be a little more creative about the space. AND – you know how I don’t like to buy furniture unless it fulfills more than one purpose. These futons below provide seating for your office by day, and crash pad by night.
Pottery Barn Teen’s Convertible Sofa
Convertible Sofa by Primo International
Violet Microfiber Convertible Sofa from AffordableFutons.com
Futon from Wholesale2you.com
More Cans
My friends and I adapted the Tin Cans as seen on Soup Can Simple. We used these to put memories of our mothers in the cans for Mother’s Day. Other great uses for this cheap and green idea (it IS recycling, after all!) could be organizing your craft supplies, holding flower bouquets, a pen holder at your desk, a candle holder…
Tidying up the Under-Desk Mess!
After reading this article, it seems so easy!
There are countless products on the market for keeping the area underneath your computer desk clean, however, this do-it-yourself pegboard solution looks easy and effective. The article is found on The Closet Entreprenuer and these pictures are from Tomas’s post. Those clean desks look like a breath of fresh air compared the disaster that is at my feet. This will definitely give a new feel to your office.
Deep Cleaning
Cleaning a house after a tenant moves out or in preparation for putting your house on the market can be tough. You never know what you are going to come across or if you can clean it or not. I found a good resource for Cleaning Tips, and here are a few of my favorites:
Sinks
“Once a month, pour one cup of baking soda, followed by one cup of white vinegar down the drain. Wait an hour and flush with warm water. The combination fizzles away most of the buildup. Works for shower, tub and kitchen sink drains as well.”
Mildew
“Keep ahead of mildew so it doesn’t become a problem. Every six months spray your bathroom ceiling with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water. Peroxide is a safe bleach and won’t harm the environment or your lungs. Find larger quantities of peroxide at beauty or medical supply stores.”
Removing Candle Wax from Cloth
“Once wax has dried onto a tablecloth, cloth napkin, or placemat, several steps are required to remove it properly and completely. The first thing to do is to apply an ice cube or ice pack to the wax. This will make the wax brittle, allowing you to scrape off what you can. Use a credit card or a thin butter knife to gently scrape away as much of the wax as you can. Never use a regular dull knife that has serrated edges since this may damage the cloth.
Once you have carefully removed as much of the wax as you can, it will be necessary to get your iron and a few clean paper bags. Place one paper bag underneath the cloth while you set the iron to heat on a medium to medium high level, depending on the fabric. Place a second paper bag on top of the wax.
Gently iron the area until the wax has been transferred to the paper bag. Throw the paper bag with the wax residue into the trash once it has cooled. Repeat the process with another paper bag until all of the wax has been removed”
Cleaning Kitchen Cabinets
“Painted wood, metal, laminated plastic or wood-grain vinyl surfaces can be cleaned with detergent and warm water solution. Rinse with a cloth or sponge dampened in clean water. Using a dry cloth or paper towel to wipe the surface dry prevents streaking. Painted, plastic, and metal surfaces, may be cleaned occasionally with a creamy liquid wax, which leaves a protective coating that retards soiling. If the finish is hard and in good condition, this extra step may not be needed.”
- “Loosen Up – Before cleaning bathroom tile, run a hot shower for five minutes to steam dirt loose.
- Brighter Bathroom – Wash dull tile with a solution of vinegar and water, then polish with a soft towel.
- Grout Grunge – To keep white grout joints clean, wash with a solution of one to two tablespoons chlorine bleach in one quart of water. Dry thoroughly, then apply an acrylic sealer or three coats of lemon oil. Let dry one hour between coats. Never use bleach on colored grout.
- Mildew Miracle – Remove mildew and make tiles sparkle by sponging them off with a solution of ammonia and water.
- Soot Solution – Remove soot from fireplace tiles with a mixture of lemon juice and salt, then rinse.”
More Storage
Because I like to keep things simple and tidy, I am always looking for things that do two things at once. I saw this bed a while ago and filed it away as a potential purchase. A bed is the center of attention in any bedroom, so why not make it work double-time? This bed from EQ3 has plenty of room for storage, which you can never have enough of. I think this would be a great solution for tucking away seasonal clothing, surplus toiletries (like the costco toilet paper pack that always looks larger when I enter the front door), or blankets.
Deck Renovation
My sister Shelley (co-author of The Million Dollar Idea In Everyone) has had a love/hate relationship with her deck since she purchased her house some 4 years ago. The deck's offense: splinters in her kids' feet, drying wood, and emanating heat. However, it is the main entertaining area in her large backyard, a place to lounge next to the pool and grab a hot dog off the grill. This last weekend, Shelley took action and for a small budget and one afternoon, she completely revamped her deck.
After Sanding the entire surface, she and my other sister Shannon painted two coats of Benjamin Moore's Exterior Stain on the deck. Lastly, they added some color in a fun sun design and colors on the steps.
Here are the before and after shots!