Retro Kitchen Makeover

When we moved into our house, all of the walls were painted were a color I can only describe as "toilet water," the kitchen counter was a nauseating mauve and all the cabinets were cheap, unpainted wood with gold handles. I wish I had a picture for comparison, but I never thought to take one. I think the previous owner of our house just picked out whatever was on sale and didn't worry about making it look nice. Or maybe mauve was his favorite color, who can say?

The kitchen should be the happiest room of every home, but I didn't even like being in ours. However, I was 9 months pregnant when we moved in, so we didn't do anything about it for about eight months. But I planned it all and when the time was right, my husband and I worked hard for several long nights until my vision unfolded: the retro kitchen. 

Most of the small items in the kitchen are things I have collected over the years from flea markets or garage sales.

These amazing barstools are from Amazon. Someday when I'm a millionaire I'll buy a Smeg fridge and oven to complete the look.

We painted the walls, the cabinets, replaced the cabinet handles with these red knobs (from Amazon), and redid the countertops, (these are just cheap white Formica countertops from Home Depot). The cabinet doors are a little bluer than they appear in the pictures, and I do actually regret not going a shade darker. Someday I'd like to redo our floors too.

The toaster oven/ coffee maker in the corner is from Nostalgia Electrics. We had a matching microwave too (pictured in top picture), but it has since broken. 

 I almost didn't include this picture because I'm not happy with the red paint in this shelf area. I bought more of the cabinet color (light turquoise) and will be repainting it when I get a chance. But this is where I store all my kitschy knick-knacks and pyrex and random cute salt and pepper shakers.

Little fruity ceramic decorations are from a flea market. The back wall above the oven and sink has a strip of checkerboard pattern that we painted on. We taped it all and it took forever.

This wall already has more potholders on it since I took this picture, I kind of collect them because I'm secretly ninety-seven. That clock used to be brown and I painted it with the cabinet color, too. Chairs are from Ikea, and the 1950's table was from my grandparents. 

We painted the wooden edge around the countertops red and I like how that turned out a lot. Sugar container was from an antique store, the flour containers are from my grandma.

Plants on the windowsill, plus my antique wedding cake topper which was from Etsy. 

The little greenhouse in the windowsill is from Ikea, and the bread box was from a flea market. Baby is from me.

Anyway, that's all. We got all of our paint from Lowe's, and it was all cheap and is already chipping off the cabinets but otherwise I am very happy with our kitchen makeover and I no longer feel sad to be in my kitchen. Thank you for reading and hopefully if you aren't happy with your kitchen you might feel inspired to make it a happier place, too.