Simple Staging: Retaining a "Sense of Home" - Kitchen Makeovers

Anyone can buy furniture, pick up a table, throw in a few pillows, add a lamp or two - and call a room "decorated."

But does it really "work?" Does is give a house a "Sense of Home"?
The answer is: Maybe.

My vision of Simple Staging involves using basic items to "Keep It Simple," 

while retaining the "Sense of Home," - BUT leaving out the personal component.  

So thats the tricky part for most of us who love to create that "Sense of Home," in our spaces. Depersonalizing while retaining the warmth. 

I mean, no one likes to walk into a "cold" environment, so that feeling needs to be obtained by taking another direction. Being impartial to your personal style, I can help you create a space that is inviting to new home lookers - without holding on to your personalization. 

In my next few blogs: I hope to give you a sense of my home decor background, eye for design and budget friendly makeovers. I will share a few of the before and after projects at the
No Fences Farm Farmhouse. (Our homesteads name is another story in itself! Hint: It's named after a famous country singer's album. Guess who?)

Todays blog feature: 

Kitchen Updates. 

Throw back to first mini remodel in 1996 (left).

Basic paint and wallpaper border provided an inexpensive update. And with a many other projects going on in the farmhouse
- it worked!




Then on to 2003.

It was time to change out the ugly 70's avocado green vinyl  floor, with new Congoleum flooring! I was sooo ready for that! It's not the hardwood or tile of this age, but it is tuff stuff and survived two growing boys and a large dog! 


All in all, for less than a $1000., we changed out the cabinet hardware, flooring, and painted the cabinets. 


Where to save big:
Check out Ebay or Amazon for bulk hardware. 

Where to spend your $$:
The best primer and paint you can afford for the cupboards. It paid off!
The paint held up well for ten plus years. I like Kiltz 2 low order primer and Behr satin gloss finish. 

Fast forward to 2014: (left)

 It was time for another Kitchen  update!
 This time with a more contemporary/classic feel.

Again I did a paint refresh. A classic white for the top, and Behr Bittersweet Chocolate for the bottom. Updating the hardware to a classic brushed silver and the walls to a soft greyish with pink undertones. (Sorry, I don't have the name, as I had it mixed between two colors I liked!)

As projects go in a 1900's farmhouse's, this one became huge.
Needless to say, I can relate to the problems they run into on the HGTV show, Love it or List it! Two words: Ceiling Issues!

In our kitchen, the ceilings drywall had been added in 1970s.
As it turns out, it was a very bad era for adding drywall over plaster ceilings. They used a glue that had a history of releasing after many years. And ours was coming loose. 

The three choices we were faced with:
* Replacing the drywall with new. Too costly. 
* Re-screwing it and filling the holes. We tried and didn't work. 
* Adding architectural beams. The latter is what we did. (below)
   And I love   them!

Decor: Adding Inexpensively 

Not everything has to new. Think about how you can repurpose items. This, Eat, Pray, Love sign, (left) had actually been the rooster sign (right). 

Tin lantern: (above)
This piece was brought to life with a bright green glass lantern placed inside. Using rubber bands to add a bit of whimsey, I spray painted a clear glass lantern glass lime green.


Framed Word Art: (right) 
The saying was taken from  Pinterest, printed to 8 x10, and then placed in an inexpensive frame.

Bar stool update:

Go from plain wood (right) to gloss black (left)
for about $15. for all four stools.

Just apply a coat of Rustoleum spray primer and 
two coats of black spray paint. 

Keep in mind, these photos have that feel of "home."

IE: They are personalized to my taste and the age and style of our home, a 1900's farmhouse.

For more farmhouse kitchen ideas, visit Hometalk at via my blog post. Then create boards of your own, with tried and true ideas from other bloggers.  

Create your own design board on Hometalk. 

For Simple Staging services: 

My plans will bring the "Sense of Home" to your house. Matching the style you would like to convey to buyers - but leaving out the personalized touches. Objective: We want your home's new owner to feel welcome, but look forward to navigating it and make it their own! 
Just as you will when you find that perfect "New Home."