By Kathleen Wilson
Frugal Kitchen Spruce Ups Most of us spend a good deal of time in our kitchens these days, and it’s not just for cooking. More homes are being built with the kitchen as the hub of the home, and even if you’re on a tight budget, that shouldn’t stop you from making it a pleasant and personal place to be!
If your cabinets are in need of a total overhaul, consider painting them. Nothing changes the look of a kitchen faster! Visit the library for info on faux finishing, or go to www.paintedhouse.com or www.fauxlikeapro.com, and turn a simple paint job into a one of a kind kitchen.
If you don’t want the hard work that goes into total repainting, consider removing a cupboard door to make a display cabinet. Paint the entire interior of the cabinet a light or bright accent color, and put your prettiest on display. Or have someone good with power tools cut out the center panels of the doors, then shirr fabric over the inside to hide the contents of the cupboard…secure with a staple gun or Velcro tape.
Pick up inexpensive plate hangers from the hardware store and hang the saucers from your good china around the backsplash, or as a border. Don’t have any china? Visit garage sales and thrift stores this weekend to pick up a bunch of sweet little plates for a song. (No, they don’t have to match, or be fancy!)
Hang tea towels on the diagonal over your curtain rod for a fresh summer valance, and save some extra to stitch up into potholders and placemats.
Make a floor cloth to perk up your tired floors from a piece of remnant vinyl flooring you get at a home improvement center for just a few dollars. Turn the piece over to the backside, and give it a coat or two of good primer, then a coat of any basecoat color. Then use masking tape, stencils, stamps, sponges or freehand painting to impart a design that fits your room. Be sure to seal it with a couple of coats of water based polyurethane, and it will wipe clean for years! This is a great way to customize your kitchen for little money…lets face it, rugs are expensive, impossible to keep clean in a kitchen, and are usually the same old boring thing. This is also a great way to cover an aging or damaged floor, as you can make the floorcloth to whatever size you need.
Save empty bottles and fill with colored water to set on the windowsills, or line up the bottles and fill with one flower each from your garden.
Grow plants from seed on your windowsills! Even grass seed has become very vogue. (Don’t tell anyone, because I usually shy away from “vogue”, but I really like the grass thing!J)
Above all, invoke your family into the place where you spend the most time. I’ve heard some designers say you should keep your refrigerator clear to prevent clutter, NO MAGNETS! But honestly, what would my kitchen be without my kids drawings stuck all over the door? It wouldn’t be the place I want to spend most of my time. I even have a couple of framed photos of my kids, right on the kitchen counter! So make your kitchen YOUR home, and have fun doing it!
Copyright 2002 K. Wilson
Kathleen Wilson is the editor of a free ezine and website called The Budget Decorator. When she’s not decorating or gardening she’s caring for her 5 kids, 3 stepkids, and wonderful husband. You can get more info and free projects at her website http://www.thebudgetdecorator.com
By Kathleen Wilson
By Kathleen Wilson
Frugal Kitchen Spruce Ups Most of us spend a good deal of time in our kitchens these days, and it’s not just for cooking. More homes are being built with the kitchen as the hub of the home, and even if you’re on a tight budget, that shouldn’t stop you from making it a pleasant and personal place to be!
If your cabinets are in need of a total overhaul, consider painting them. Nothing changes the look of a kitchen faster! Visit the library for info on faux finishing, or go to www.paintedhouse.com or www.fauxlikeapro.com, and turn a simple paint job into a one of a kind kitchen.
If you don’t want the hard work that goes into total repainting, consider removing a cupboard door to make a display cabinet. Paint the entire interior of the cabinet a light or bright accent color, and put your prettiest on display. Or have someone good with power tools cut out the center panels of the doors, then shirr fabric over the inside to hide the contents of the cupboard…secure with a staple gun or Velcro tape.
Pick up inexpensive plate hangers from the hardware store and hang the saucers from your good china around the backsplash, or as a border. Don’t have any china? Visit garage sales and thrift stores this weekend to pick up a bunch of sweet little plates for a song. (No, they don’t have to match, or be fancy!)
Hang tea towels on the diagonal over your curtain rod for a fresh summer valance, and save some extra to stitch up into potholders and placemats.
Make a floor cloth to perk up your tired floors from a piece of remnant vinyl flooring you get at a home improvement center for just a few dollars. Turn the piece over to the backside, and give it a coat or two of good primer, then a coat of any basecoat color. Then use masking tape, stencils, stamps, sponges or freehand painting to impart a design that fits your room. Be sure to seal it with a couple of coats of water based polyurethane, and it will wipe clean for years! This is a great way to customize your kitchen for little money…lets face it, rugs are expensive, impossible to keep clean in a kitchen, and are usually the same old boring thing. This is also a great way to cover an aging or damaged floor, as you can make the floorcloth to whatever size you need.
Save empty bottles and fill with colored water to set on the windowsills, or line up the bottles and fill with one flower each from your garden.
Grow plants from seed on your windowsills! Even grass seed has become very vogue. (Don’t tell anyone, because I usually shy away from “vogue”, but I really like the grass thing!J)
Above all, invoke your family into the place where you spend the most time. I’ve heard some designers say you should keep your refrigerator clear to prevent clutter, NO MAGNETS! But honestly, what would my kitchen be without my kids drawings stuck all over the door? It wouldn’t be the place I want to spend most of my time. I even have a couple of framed photos of my kids, right on the kitchen counter! So make your kitchen YOUR home, and have fun doing it!
Copyright 2002 K. Wilson
Kathleen Wilson is the editor of a free ezine and website called The Budget Decorator. When she’s not decorating or gardening she’s caring for her 5 kids, 3 stepkids, and wonderful husband. You can get more info and free projects at her website http://www.thebudgetdecorator.com
By Kathleen Wilson
By Anonymous
PHILLIPSBURG, N.J. January 14 2004--Kitchen Magic, Inc. a family owned and operated kitchen cabinetry and refacing company, has contributed a new, completely renovated kitchen to 180 Turning Lives Around, a Hazlet NJ based women’s abuse facility formerly known as The Women's Center of Monmouth County.
Kitchen Magic, founded by Jost J. Fleck in 1979 and now based in Phillipsburg New Jersey, is now celebrating its quarter century mark in business and has transformed over 20,000 kitchens. Kitchen Magic was recently named #1 in the Kitchen category by Qualified Remodeler Magazine. 180 Turning Lives Around specialize in families affected by domestic violence and sexual abuse. Women, children, teens and men have all benefited from the services of the organization.
Michele Mitchell facilities Director of Residential Services for l80 Turning Lives Around commented, “The Safe House has 2 kitchens, and one was in particularly dire need of replacement. The renovated kitchen is not only for cooking, but we also have meetings in it. Having the space made more efficient and attractive makes a difference to clients and staff alike. Our facility received and responded to 6,389 hotline calls this year, and 75 families resided with us. The new kitchen is now a place for us to welcome newcomers, guests, as well as hold our everyday meetings.”
We feel very fortunate to have received this gift from Kitchen Magic” continued Mitchell. “To do what they did here is amazing, they did such a great job. The craftsmanship and professionalism are superior. The clients that come to 180’s safe house have many needs. We give them a place to stay for 30-60 days and work with them to find housing or other services to begin to rebuild their lives”.
Kitchen Magic spokesperson, Renate Fleck, states, “We felt that a welcoming kitchen would offer comfort and support to the residents of the facility.”
Every year, 180, services over 10,000 women, men and children who are devastated by the pain of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Donations play a vital role by assisting with the services provided. The communities’ care and support are the heart of the Center.
Kitchen Magic currently works in four states-- New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Kitchen Magic custom manufactures its own refacing and cabinetry products, as well as their Dupont Corian® Countertops and warrantees their kitchens for the lifetime a customer owns their home. For more information, Kitchen Magic can be visited on the Worldwide Web at http://www.KitchenMagic.com or call 1-800-237-0799.
The main office for 180, Turning Lives Around is located at One Bethany Road, Building 3, Suite 42 Hazlet, NJ 07730. Hotline: 732-264-4111/ 888-843-9262
This article courtesy of http://beds-dressersindex.krapoo.info/.
You may freely reprint this article on your website or in
your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author
name and URL remain intact.