CottageCore: Hemp Sink Skirt (No-Sew)

I'm approaching the finish line on our cottage kitchen refresh. The new paint color—"craftsman" gray, as one of you so aptly described it—has added a warmth and dimension to this modest kitchen. Now that the cabinets and trim are all one color, from toe kick to backsplash, it feels more built-in and solid and so cottage-y good. How would it look if I went full "cottage core" and added a sink skirt to cover the washer dryer? I don't have my sewing machine with me at the cottage, but I do have some iron-on hem tape from some long-forgotten curtain project. So, I decided to give no-sew a try. 

CottageCore: Painting the Kitchen Cabinets Farrow & Ball "Pigeon"

You've heard of "pandemic baking"? Welcome to my version: pandemic painting. Rather than dwell on the sad prospect of a summer with no guests, I'm seizing this opportunity to spruce the place up. Most of the walls haven't seen a lick of paint since we bought the place and painted it top to bottom in 2007. The kitchen was in slightly better shape; we'd renovated 11 years ago using plain IKEA pine cabinets (no longer available), painted a nondescript off-white. I've been itching for a cabinet-color refresh for years, and now—with no guests underfoot—is the time.

Spray-Painted Kitchen-Sink Faucet One Year Later

Our kitchen renovation is a year old, and I'm still smitten! It is a pleasure to cook in. But more than this, I love that point on the backsplash where the arc of the veins in the bookended marble slabs seek each other out, like the reaching fingertips of Michelangelo's "Hands of God." You may recall that I took a risk in this renovation and spray-painted my drinking faucet to match the Delta Trinsic sink faucet in Champagne Bronze. (I did what?!) Wonder how that's holding up? No holds barred photos after the jump.

Painting the Cottage Kitchen Cabinets a "Beachier" Color

Despite its modest size and lack of insulation, our 1925 beach cottage has its charms, and we spend nearly every weekend of summer there. Cabins of the era, even when not a primary residence, can be a source of endless projects. Every year it seems something needs repair or sprucing up. We renovated the kitchen 11 years ago using IKEA cabinets that we painted ourselves, and it's held up fairly well. I only just refinished the wood countertops last summer. This year I'm planning a cabinet-color refresh to something a bit more "beach-y." After considering dozens of possibilities, I've arrived at the perfect paint color. Let's take a look.

My Honed Marble Bath - SIx Years Later

When the design for our bathroom renovation was just a gleam in my iPad but I was starting to investigate marble for the tub surround, I was definitely concerned with how marble would wear in a bathroom. I did some research, and articles like this one from Houzz, "Why Marble Might Be Wrong for Your Bathroom," gave me pause.

"Marble is easily etched by acidic materials, such as lemon and certain cleaning products... Because marble contains minerals, there's always the risk that its iron content will turn to rust in a bathroom." 

Fixer Upper Friday: 1 BR in Carlton House Converts to 2

Via Streeteasy

This week's fixer upper special is 1,000 sq ft 1 BR in the Carlton House—with a terrace!—that could convert to a true 2 BR with grace and ease. Comparable two-bedroom homes in this neighborhood go for upwards of $650k, and that's without the outdoor space. This home is listed at $465k, so at the very least there is $185k of instant equity on the line—and that will pay for a nice renovation, indeed. Let's take a look.