PORCH
a soft place to land
a calm weekend haven
a gentle pause from life's busyness
so we may experience
the tender lovingkindness of Jesus
as we do life together
in community
a soft place to land
a calm weekend haven
a gentle pause from life's busyness
so we may experience
the tender lovingkindness of Jesus
as we do life together
in community
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For years, our dining room featured a big, blank, forlorn looking wall. She looked sad and awkward, like a wallflower shrinking into the background at the middle school dance. She wanted to step out of the shadows but we weren't doing anything to help her.
She should have known that I had big plans.
The resident woodsmith craftsman and I put our heads together and she's finally made her big January debut. The belle of the ball. I couldn't be happier to have shelves to play with, open spaces to enjoy the things I love instead of having them buried in boxes in the basement. And wonder of wonders, she looks just like her big sister upstairs in the loft, who made her grand entrance about a year ago.
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With each project we complete, this little house feels more like who we are. I'm grateful. Now ... for the 1980s kitchen. 😬
Love the shelves in the dining room! Must be nice to be married to a taented carpenter!! I never thought the plain white wall looked boring, but now it is totally changed! i love the blues and rose colors you have brought out! Makes it cozy!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mah! Cozy and kind-of-minimalist can rub shoulders, right?
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Love the new cabinets and all the white. The big change we made it our kitchen was painting our very nice dark brown cabinets white. As nice as the others were the transformation is wonderful. So much light. Since it’s up your money and not mine😉 I’d have cabinets that go to the ceiling. Non of that dust catching space above. You can add fake front pieces that make it appear that way. I’d also paint the cabinets for a fresher look. You have nice space in there and one of my favorite kitchen features: a window over the sink. Beautiful pieces you have in your after pics, Linda. - Debby
ReplyDelete'Since it’s up your money and not mine'
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You're too funny! I have so many questions about having the cabinets painted, Debby. They're in great shape, I'm just not sure who and what and all the details in between. We just know it's something we can't do ourselves. I'm afraid they'll chip and not wear well.
It's easy to get stalled out over details that haven't even been investigated, ya' know? I'll be emailing you for some specific pointers. Thanks for confirming what I kinda know to be the right thing to do.
Our kitchen renovation back in 2018 was monumental. And your beautiful shelves are going to be a gift that keeps on giving!
ReplyDelete* email response
Monumental. Ugh. I know that. We spent all day yesterday looking at appliances. It's all a bit overwhelming.
DeleteAny pointers?
Meanwhile, I think I'll just putter around with my new shelves. It's easier than making all kinds of decisions. Even though the dishwasher sounds like a freight train every time we use it.
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Just wow, Linda! The shelving upgrade is absolutely perfect, my friend. We have done lots of improvements around here with replacing our aging and dangerous decks, and I wish we had the extra cash to tackle our cabinets in the kitchen. Those will just have to wait. I do hope the inspiration and the ability to make something positive happen is in the offing for you sooner than later. :) In the meantime, enjoy each upgrade as it comes.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
I remember when you did your decks, Martha. It was a huge task and wasn't one you could put off. I think we've gotten all the must do's done. Now it's one project at a time as the spirit moves.
DeleteWe're getting slower at making decisions. Tell me we're not the only ones!
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Oh, Linda! This is just beautiful! Your resident woodsmith craftsman and you make an amazing team! I love your loft area, too. So cozy and inviting. I can just imagine that it is a lovely place to go and pray and spend time with the Lord. Your home is so warm. Even in the pictures, you can feel the love of Jesus. I can't wait to see your renovated kitchen and know it will turn out as awesome as all the other projects. Thank you so much for sharing with us! God bless you, sweet friend.
ReplyDeleteCheryl, your words are so kind and generous. I wish you lived a whole lot closer so we could have a cup of tea together and you could give me a peek at that new book of yours!
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Linda, both sets of shelves are beautiful! The ones in the loft are very warm, cozy, and inviting! Take your time thinking about the kitchen and I bet that project will come out just as lovely!
ReplyDeleteYou encourager, you!
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Love, love, love the shelves!! We have replaced our sink, dishwasher, and refrigerator this winter...hopefully we won't have to do anything else in the kitchen for a while. Good luck with the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the basics are all we need, right? Sounds like you're doing a fine job of settling in to your new home, Cindy ...
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What a lovely project!
ReplyDeleteNot for us. I wish. Here in a border state, it's gotten hard.
They went and let the cartels in,
into these nice communities,
and the only way to win
is with cold-steel immunities,
a rifle racked at every door,
a Glock at each nightstand;
they don't know what is in store,
but test us, and then understand
that we will not go gentle
into that Good Night.
Victory is mental,
and attitude must be a fright
such that he who aims, and tries
is the one who simply dies.
May God bless you with peace and rest in your community. For Jesus sake.
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Linda, this is beautiful and I know you are excited to get this project completed. Your resident craftsman is quite talented!
ReplyDeleteYes, we're on a roll and I want to keep on going. It's too easy for us to stall out over details.
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I really really like those shelves. You inspire me!
ReplyDeleteI'm getting inspired just by being around all you guys!
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Your shelves look so nice! It will be fun to play with them for different seasons and holidays. No big house projects here at the moment. We need to repaint all the rooms and got one bathroom and two bedrooms done. But I think my husband is putting off all such projects until he retires, so he can work on them without having only weekends to do so. We're trying to cover beige walls with a light grey. But it's SO hard to find a grey that's not too white, blue, or yellowish. I'm glad not to have to think about it for a while.
ReplyDeleteWe have wooden cabinets that I would like to have painted, too, to brighten them up.
Pinterest is my inspiration for house ideas.
Retirement gives you more time to focus on stuff like this, for sure. And I absolutely hear you about all the tints and tones and shades of paint color. Ugh. These are the kinds of things that make our eyes glaze over.
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What a transformation, Linda! You did an expert job curating those shelves, and it must be a delight to see your lovely collections, instead of just remembering what was in those basement boxes. We had our kitchen gutted and took out the wall between kitchen and dining BEFORE we moved into our current home. Made the job so much easier, not having to live with the mess. Ours is just a Home Depot kitchen, but I love it. An in-store designer helped us work out a perfect floor plan and choose some specialized cabinets and drawers. For example, some cabinets have pull-out shelves--SO helpful for reaching the stuff in the back! Am also glad we invested in a pull-out cabinet for trash and recycling (No waste can in the way!) and a two-tier drawer for flatware and utensils. Twice the storage in the same amount of space!
ReplyDeleteOh I love when people take out a wall to open up a living space. We don't have to do that here ... everything is bright and airy and open and I love that. And yes, we got more info and help at HD yesterday than at the fancy-schmancy appliance store. Go figure.
DeleteYour kitchen sounds lovely and so well thought out. How fun to have all those wonderful cabinet and drawer options! I'm kinda glad all I have to do is decide on painting the cabinets. Picking out appliances. And replacing the awful 1980s ripped and stained vinyl floor.
Thanks for motivating me to keep moving on this, Nancy.
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Beautiful shelves - well done!! We have no projects in mind for this year, because we are living in a rental, although we do need to pick up a couple pieces of furniture. Who knows if next winter we'll have some projects, depending on whether we buy something by then!
ReplyDeleteKym, I like those seasons of life where there aren't a whole lot of big decisions to make and you can simply enjoy being where you are.
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I love your shelves, Linda. So bright and cheerful with all your arrangements. I even showed my hubby. :) Love and blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteBright and cheerful is good right about now. Yes!
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Your dining room wall and your upstairs loft look absolutely amazing, Linda! Online pics for kitchens can inspire you and help you whittle down what you "really want" in your kitchen. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteLisa, thanks for the reminder to make this fun!
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Love the shelves Linda, white always looks so fresh!
ReplyDeleteI have an original 70"s kitchen that I love, which we have kept, its retro which is all the rage. It actually has bespoke hardwood timber cabinets (which my hubby newly stained with a darker stain a few years back) & has an original nice colored bench top & tiles.
We try & keep all the original fittings but just update them with a coat of paint & decor. As I find new modern kitchens are without character. And I love character.
My suggestion for your kitchen cabinets is a coat of paint 😉 but thats entirely up to you of course.
Blessings, Jennifer
You're right, everything old is new again, Jennifer. I love hearing about your retro space ... makes me wonder how we'd approach updating our homes if HGTV and Pinterest and all the things weren't around to tempt us.
DeleteBut when all is said and done, there's nothing like a fresh coat of paint to make all things around us new and bright. Thanks for the nudge forward, friend ...
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We are the worst at updating our house. There are some things that we are going to be forced to do soon though, so ready or not, I hope I'll enjoy the process. I love your new shelves so much! I would be so tempted to fill every shelf with books. :) But it's so lovely the way you've filled them.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you're not the worst at updating, maybe you're focused on living a fulfilling, interesting life?!
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I absolutely love the new shelves, Linda!
ReplyDeleteYour home is so warm and cozy!
Hugs and blessings!
Veronica, thanks! It's fun to share with you all. And even more fun to get feedback and ideas for what's ahead.
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Hi Linda, Love, love your new dining room bookcase. Your collections adorning them are amazing
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You're such an encourager!
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The shelves look spectacular. And as one who can't have enough book cases, I'm so thrilled to see such a beautiful one -- and well decorated, too!
ReplyDeleteI could fill all those shelves with books. It's time to go through some of those accumulated books again and send some of them packing to more appreciative homes ...
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The bookshelves are amazing, Linda! They make me happy just looking at them, so I can imagine how much joy they are bringing you. And good luck with the kitchen. You know what you like, so I know you will end up with something beautiful. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's a good nudge, Lois ... to know what we like and aim toward that. That helps clarify a few things ... and not just in home decor.
DeleteYou're a wise one.
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Your shelves are lovely, as are the ways you arranged things in them! It looks like I'm in the minority here, but I actually think your wooden kitchen cabinets are warm and inviting. :) Something I've done when considering a color change is drape whatever I'm considering changing with something in the color I'm considering - I've used pieces of clothing, towels, sheets, or pieces of paper. So perhaps taking white pieces of paper and taping them to your cabinets - or draping white sheets over them would give you an idea of how it feels before opening the paint can and committing. :) Maybe white appliances or a change in other things like your light fixture... could give you the fresh update you want? I'm relate to you taking a long time to make such decisions! :) You'll KNOW when it feels right! Carla
ReplyDeleteThat's such a great idea, Carla! Maybe it's time to head to the linen closet and pull out some sheets.
DeleteBrilliant!
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I'm hiding this porch edition from my wife. :) :)
ReplyDeleteThat's FUNNY!
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Love, love, love it all!!! So fun!
ReplyDeleteI was standing in the checkout line and was glancing through a magazine the other day. I saw a kitchen with painted white cabinets on the bottom and open shelving on top…I loved the look!!! Find someone experienced in painting your lower cabinets…add a new countertop and have Tim make his beautiful shelves for uppers!!! Wish he was close enough to do it for me!!! ❤️
Oh, NOW we're talking!!! I can see this! I'm not sure he's a fan, but I've read your idea to him and I'm just gonna let it marinate for awhile. Let's see what happens!
DeleteYou always were brilliant, Carole ...
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Lol
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DeleteThe shelves are beautiful! We bought a condo in Alaska last summer and are in the slow process of renovating it—it needed a lot of TLC (carpet, doors, trim, kitchen). Hopefully we’ll finish it this summer!
ReplyDeleteAlaska. Wow! That is so cool, Anita. Literally?!
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Wow! Linda, simply gorgeous! And I love seeing your collections happily displayed.
ReplyDeleteHappy's a good word, yes!
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Linda, your shelves look fantastic! And I love your decor on them. Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you bunches for sharing this with Sweet Tea & Friends this month sweet friend.
And thanks to you for continuing to be such a generous hostess to all us bloggers each month. What a gift!
Delete🎁