HH is out of town on business. I do some of my best work when he’s away. HH is half joking when he tells people that he’s afraid of what he’ll find when he returns home from a work trip. He’ll be happy to discover that I’ve only made little tweaks this trip. I blame the kids.
For this month’s Wayfair in the House post, I jumped at the chance to add some stylish and practical accessories to the kitchen. The kitchen is finished from a reno standpoint but I’m just now getting to the good part – tweaking ’til my heart’s content. Which, realistically, could take years.
I’ve been dying to add something to the left of the kitchen window. I was holding out for the perfect piece. A living art frame ended up being that piece. It probably has something to do with the fact that I’m aching for spring. We got another 6″ of snow yesterday. Spring? A friend described it best, “Ohio is drunk.”
My original thought was to fill the planter with herbs. But I wasn’t willing to drag three kids around town in search of them. So I went to Home Depot and bought a bunch of small houseplants: succulents, African violets, fern.
I love the mix but am a little worried about how the fern will do alongside drought-loving succulents. There is a watering chamber at the top of the unit. I have a tutorial coming on how I filled and hung the planter. It’s unique and deserves a post all its own.
HH better watch out. If spring doesn’t get here soon, our kitchen may become overrun with plants! All joking aside, I’m loving all the greenery in the kitchen. It makes dishwashing tolerable.
Speaking of dishwashing…the dish towel is new too.
It has a subtle geometric pattern and contrasting ribbon trim. Again, dishwashing is becoming slightly more tolerable.
I get emails all the time asking how our walnut-topped island is holding up. {Read more about how we finished and installed the wood countertop.} My best answer is to tell those who are curious to check out the bar top at a restaurant the next time they’re in one. It’s pretty much spot on for how our island top looks. There are some scratches in the Waterlox topcoat but nothing deep enough that penetrates into the wood. In essence, the scratches could be sanded out if they were bothersome but they don’t bother me at all. You can only see them at certain angles and they’re just signs of life. We don’t cut directly on the walnut but we don’t baby it either. Homework and drawing is done at island. Dishes are slid around on the island. Casual meals are eaten at the island daily. Lunch boxes are packed at the island. It’s the busiest surface in our house and we love it. It still looks rich and is a cinch to clean. I use a wet washcloth to wipe it down and a towel to dry. That’s it.
One thing I’ve been looking to invest in is a marble pastry board. But not for pastries. {I don’t do pastries.} I thought it would be nice for meal prep or to use as a serving tray when knives are involved. And, let’s be honest, I like the layered marble-over-walnut look.
This marble board is substantial. It’s 20″x16″ and weighs a good 25-30 lbs! It’s not an accessory that is easily moved around the kitchen but, due to its size and weight, it stays in place when in use. I like it so much I think I may just leave it out all the time.
Can you spy the new accessory on this side of the kitchen? You may recognize it from my Joss & Main event.
Yep, it’s the pizza peel. I was in dire need of one. Currently, I count 4 scars on my forearms from reaching into the oven for a baking pizza. I’m a bit of klutz in the kitchen. Last week, I singed my arm hairs.
I put it on display instead of shoving it into a cabinet. I wish I could turn it so the handle was up but then it would be too large to fit under the shelf. It ties in to the wood shelves and walnut island top well.
What do you think of the new kitchen accessories? Layne and Everett especially like the living art frame.
I planted and hung the wall planter at night while the kids were asleep. In the morning, the boys noticed it right away and made a point to tell me how much they loved it. If hanging plants on walls makes you a cool mom, I’m in.
Thanks to Wayfair for supporting my habit.
images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking
budget decor, food, inspiration