Our $650 Kitchen!.... Before/After

We just installed the kitchen for the rental side of our house. This was fun for me because it's my first kitchen design. It's no fancy $30,000 remodel mind you! I was able to design the whole thing for about $650 - including appliances!! 

The room was at one point a kitchen then it was converted to a bedroom and now we're making it a kitchen again... whew! It's a small room - maybe 9' x 11' so every inch counted. Below is a collage of the major elements I planned on going into the kitchen...

Since the space is so small I wanted to try and keep it open and airy. I felt that traditional cabinets would be too much in this tiny room. 

Going with my love of the industrial look, I decided on two stainless tables that will act as the counters.

 In the picture below you hopefully can make out what I am talking about (look to the bottom right corner of the "soon to be kitchen")

The fridge was free - we just moved our old fridge into the room.

The gas stove is from Craigslist.

The sink is actually one of those deep laundry sinks! It sounds weird but I think it looks fine - it's free standing too which definitely helps because we're not doing any built ins. And let's face it - this is for a rental so I am not investing too much into it - especially because we plan on converting it back to a single family home in about 3 - 5 years.

My mom says it looks like a Barbie sink!

We also put in a stainless upper shelf from Ikea. We plan on installing a second one but they were sold out of the small version. 

The paint color is Benjamin Moore Aviary Blue. (I happened to have an extra gallon)

So, ya ready for some before and afters!? I love this part!!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I love the way it came out! We are still waiting on a couple of organizational items for the shelving from Ikea but I couldn't wait!

Cost breakdown:

Stainless Shelves (2) -    $350

Laundry (Barbie) Sink - $130

Ikea Shelf -                      $35

Gas Stove -                      $100

Fridge (free) -                   $0

Rug (Target)-                    $20

                                     = $635!

Disclaimer: The labor was FREE!! Gotta love a dad that's been an electrician, plumber, contractor, and now electrical engineer :) Thanks Dad!! :) 

So for less than a month's rent we were able to put in a whole kitchen - best part is that the counters and sink we will more than likely reuse once we take out the rental!

Hope you liked it!

- BOO

Hollywood South Invades The Block....

I think it's pretty well known by now that Louisiana is now nicknamed "Hollywood South" - it's now ranked 3rd as far as film production in the U.S. Over 95 films are scheduled to shoot in Louisiana this year! I just never thought they'd be on MY block in the Bywater!

A neighbor of ours never really fixed up his house after Katrina so it has this great weathered look that the movie chose to use as a home of one of the characters. I hear they pay tens of thousands to film in your house - PLEASE come use ours!!

Neighbors house - it's actually been in a couple of movies! (side note - he's the cousin of the family who once owned our house for over 100 years!)

It was very weird seeing these huge 18 wheeler trucks with film equipment trying to squeeze through these tiny old streets...

They would not let me take any pictures of them actually filming but let's just say SYLVESTER STALLONE is the lead!! Haahaaa... maybe a "Rambo" type movie filmed on the mean streets of da Bywata?!

- BOO

Cool DIY For A Bed...

Saw this cleva idea while at Anthropologie last week... Looks like a pretty easy DIY that packs a lot of punch!

Just get some ribbon and tie from a headboard to a makeshift bracket nailed into the ceiling.

I love this idea because the possibilities are endless...

Some things I would do:
 - use all white ribbons and some ropey twine mixed in for different texture and have a shabby chic look going on...
- get bright and crazy and make it look like a circus tent for over a crib in a nursery... or a child's room
- the French Bohemian girl in me would really like to use a corona on the ceiling to really boho glam it up with the above mentioned white and twine goin on!

via 1st Dibs

Of course I have to find a $2,800 antique corona to make this cheap and easy DIY into some ridiculousness!

- BOO 



Banana Leaf Love...

Remember this post about my undying love for banana leaf wallpaper?! Well, Robert Allen has one upped it with this FAB elephant ear fabric from Calico Corners!

If you don't want to be as bold as this:

You can now have the same bold look but not as in yo face:

I would love to use this fabric for window treatments! I think I love the banana leaf so much because they literally grow likes weeds here in New Orleans and they just remind me of home.

The very unfortunate reality is that this fabric is $54 a yard!! Whhaaaaa.... times like this I wish I still worked there for that discount! Guess I'll have to settle for a pillow or two instead...


** UPDATE! - Went to Calico and the fabric was a let down in person! Very drab greys and more upholstery weight than drapery... ah well!

- BOO