Ten years ago, I had big plans for this kitchen.

Time passed and other projects just continued to take precedence. I could have slapped on some coats of paint, but I have been holding out hope for those big plans.

So years passed {this happens quickly when you are child-rearing, business-building, and people-educating}. Ten years later, I still have big plans. But…. I can taste it. Change is JUST around the corner for this kitchen!

The never-before-seen kitchen at Fieldstone Hill:

Our kitchen meets all of our practical needs.

But not one ounce of it reflects my personal style. And this is why I haven’t ever shared it on the very blog that DOES reflect my style.

The kitchen, as seen in these pics, has not been changed since we moved in, with the exception of removing wallpaper, doing some needed window replacement {lets just say the wind used to move through my hair while I was in the kitchen}, and fixing a failing popcorn ceiling.

But with hopes of a kitchen renovation in the near future, I am starting to dive back into my big plans again. And I am excited to share these ideas with you – even though there is still a chance we might not move forward with the redesign.

Our Kitchen Renovation Inspiration and Plans

{Be sure to follow my Inspiration Kitchen Pinterest board, and here is the link to all of my boards. Pinterest is still SUCH an amazing resource for inspiration and project planning!}

1. Knock out a {serious} wall.

This is, hands down, the reason why this project has been slow in coming. Let’s just say it is not easy to remove a load-bearing 2.5 foot thick stone wall that is 200 years old. {PS you can’t quite see the wall I am talking about in the pics above}

2. Add a peninsula and move the sink.

A sink directly and skinny-ly across from a fridge is a bad idea, people. Trust me. It has to be moved! The view would be somewhat like this if you were standing at the fridge and looking away from the door:

3. Paint the cabinets.

This color-ish:

Or this color-ish:

4. Replace the hardware and sink.

Brass-galore and farmhouse sink:

5. Remove that corner cabinet and replace with two cabinets at each end of the kitchen

6. DIY the floor {don’t faint!}

7. Replace and/or move appliances.

Beg husband for new stove and range combo. and for this hood:

8. Change the countertops:

Quartzite:

or marble:

9. Add open shelving:

10. Add texture with butcher block and wooden accents:

These pictures excite me and make me want to say, DEMO TIME!

But what excites me most is the prospect of togetherness and family. The whole point of the renovation is to connect our kitchen to our dining room. Ultimately the point is to connect a hard-working momma to her hard-working homeschooled children and to her family. 

I will sketch out a before and after floor plan for you {and my contractor} soon, and share!

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this inspiration!! Do tell! What is your favorite? Any other brilliant inspiration I am missing?

Y’ALL!!!! I am super excited about an AWESOME special my main sponsor is offering this month. You have probably been hearing lots of buzz about essential oils. If you are curious about why they are taking the world by storm, you have to read this post. There is a very real reason everyone loves them. You will love your oils too! One great thing about the oil kit is that you can use it to make your own holiday gifts! Soo…. a gift for you, and a gift for everyone else on your list! Gets yours by clicking here to sign up.

This post is generously sponsored by my Young Living:

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Take daily, bite-size steps toward living in a home you LOVE: Be sure to subscribe to FHD via email, bloglovin, your fave reader, and follow Fieldstone Hill on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

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 Don’t miss a single post from Fieldstone Hill Design! Have regular decorating goodness delivered {free!} directly to your inbox.

{This post contains affiliate links. Thank you so much  for reading and supporting FHD! }

Five Faves :: Dream Kitchen Design

I have kitchen on the brain. There is wee chance, if the stars align just right, that I will be redoing our kitchen.

I am not one to disdain the roof over my head.  But if I am being honest with you, I would tell you: I don’t like my kitchen. Lets just say, there is a reason why I have not shared it on the blog before {although I will be sharing soon!! It is so NOT my style. Crossing my fingers for #projectkitchen }. Anyone else out there with a kitchen they just don’t like? Surely, I could paint my oak cabinets… but I have bigger plans for the space – and they include demolition. Or, maybe I am secretly hoping that a decorating elf will come in the middle of the night and do that cabinet-painting-thing for me. And paint my wallpaper-scraped walls, while he is at it {or she. I am open to any kind of decorating elf}. I need my friend Nester to pull out a can of whoop-decor on me, reminding me to do the best with what I have. But this interior designer can see only one thing in my future …. a dreamy kitchen with a more open floor plan, a new back door, and marble countertops {hush, you doubters}. So instead of painting, I save moolah.

Today I am sharing a quick photo inspiration list of gorgeous Dream Kitchen Design – for my someday kitchen.  I shared a few of these in my 31 days of favorite rooms series, so some might look familiar.  Join me in kitchen dreaming??

{PS YOU should do Five Faves too!! Well, to define your #personalstyle of course! Why Five Faves? If you narrow down your OWN collection of inspiration pictures, down to 5 or 6 pictures, you will really have an excellent grasp of what your personal style vision is for your space. This step saves lots of money. True story}

 My Latest, Most Favorit-est Dream Kitchen Designs

and WHY!!

WHY:

This is a favorite because of the stunning gray and brass combo, the clean look, and the classic classy accessories. I love the idea of several chunky wooden cutting boards, and practical  glass containers for flour, etc. I also love the farmhouse style: aged wooden floors and a farmhouse sink. #Farmhouseglam indeed!

{ via Martha Stewart }

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WHY:

I love the custom cabinetry and their deep gray-green feel. I love marble countertops, of course. I love the splash of Ralph Lauren style leather – it adds such a rich touch. I love the open shelving and how it highlights the window and adds storage. I am truly in love with the structural and large sink.

{via this post}

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WHY:

I am in love with the drama of this space. I have always loved contrasts, and so the boldness of black and white really speaks to me! I love how the white shelves and dishware pop against the black subway tile. And I am head over heels for that geometric floor. These pops are balanced by a rustic wood table and simple cabinetry. But of course, the piece de resistance in this kitchen is that HOOD! Wow. I also would not mind that range, for Pete’s sake.

{via this post}

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WHY:

I love the cabinet color and the amazing built-in china cabnet. This kitchen also speaks volumes to me because I am using it for floor plan inspiration. We are hoping to add a peninsula type thingy like the one on the right. We will {happily} move our sink over there. It is currently directly across from our fridge and causes all sorts of butt-bumping.

{ via this post }

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WHY:

This picture contains so many of the design details I am loving. BRASS! Gray. Love me some Mixed Metals! I also love the pretty and useful chrome appliances and that HOOD!!! The knife display actually adds an architectural element. Also, the raw wood shelved add so much warmth and texture to this space.

{ via Domino }

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These are actual inspiration pictures that are MAJOR faves of mine that will be influencing my upcoming kitchen design. I hope you will follow along with all of my renovations and decorating projects on Instagram.

Hop on over to my Inspiration Kitchens Pinboard and my Design Elements Pinboard to see more gorgeous kitchen decorating ideas that will help you with your next kitchen project.

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As I look at all of these favorite pics together, it helps me to determine what is truly important for me in kitchen design. Gathering several of your MOST fave pics is an excellent exercise in helping you to define your personal style.

Which one is your fave? Do tell!!

Y’ALL!!!! I am super excited about an AWESOME special my main sponsor is offering this month. You have probably been hearing lots of buzz about essential oils. If you are curious about why they are taking the world by storm, you have to read this post. There is a very real reason everyone loves them. You will love your oils too! One great thing about the oil kit is that you can use it to make your own holiday gifts! Soo…. a gift for you, and a gift for everyone else on your list! Gets yours by clicking here to sign up.

This post is generously sponsored by my Young Living:

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Take daily, bite-size steps toward living in a home you LOVE: Be sure to subscribe to FHD via email, bloglovin, your fave reader, and follow Fieldstone Hill on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

* * * * *

 Don’t miss a single post from Fieldstone Hill Design! Have regular decorating goodness delivered {free!} directly to your inbox.

{This post contains affiliate links. Thank you so much  for reading and supporting FHD! }

I am thrilled to be taking part in the Blogger Stylin’ Home Tours, Thanksgiving 2014, hosted by the gracious Lindsay of White Buffalo Styling Company.

If you have just stopped by from Julie Blanner {chock full of gorgeous inspiration, no doubt}, welcome to Fieldstone Hill Design! If you wish you had a better grasp of your own personal style, you have come to the right place!  If you hang out here, you can expect to learn how to analyze a room like an interior designer, get rid of your decorating paralysis, identify your personal style with guts and confidence, and find inspiration from all of God’s creation so that you can #livewithbeauty in every, single, thing that you do. So, let me invite you to return to Fieldstone Hill anytime. I hope you feel graciously welcomed here!

The Blogger Stylin’ Thanksgiving Tour is not so much about home tours. Which is a good thing, since our home is currently turned upside down with a few renovations, big and small. The Thanksgiving tour is about the HEART of our homes. So in that vein, I am excited to share a tradition from our own family with you!

The Thanksgiving Feast always makes me think of one of my favorite scripture verses:

“Better a meal of vegetables where there is love, than a fattened calf where there is hatred.” – Proverbs 15:17

Despite all of its grandeur and abundance, the beauty of Thanksgiving is that it is a celebration of ENOUGH.

We have enough.

 In the spirit of “Enough,” our family started a tradition to help us remember the heart of Thanksgiving:

A life of faith and trust

A spirit of thankfulness

A perseverance despite the most challenging circumstances

A feast-attitude despite the size of your portion

A life of Enough

The Five Kernels of Thanksgiving

{a simple tradition of thankful hearts}

1.  To honor the hardships associated with the first Thanksgiving, each place is set with 5 simple kernels of corn. A bare plate, with just these kernels.

Even as we are about to feast, with the glorious smells of food all around us, and shimmering cups waiting to be filled, these kernels break into our plenty and remind us that Thanksgiving is all about the Enough.

2. We ask our kiddos what they remember about the first Thanksgiving, and what was so special about it. We get our little history lesson in. : )

3.  Each one of us makes a list of 5 things that we were really thankful for over the past year. This is fun, because it sparks a conversation of all the wonderful things we experienced, and then gives us the opportunity to record these special times – in the simplest of ways: A list of five.

4. Then we go around the table and share our lists with each other. I definitely save our cards and date them. It is so fun to look back over the cards and enjoy the Thanks of years past.

Some years, we write our cards before dinner. Other times, we have done this between dinner and dessert. But our empty plates always start with those simple kernels, before we scoop on our first bit of delicious goodness.

That’s it. So simple. So do-able. A beautiful tradition, all about thankfulness.

The way it should be.

I hope that this very simple Thanksgiving tradition will help you to pause, in a very easy, but very meaningful way, to remember all of the Goodness.

May your Thanksgiving be rich and filled with the awareness of your Enough.

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Thank you again, Lindsay, for hosting such a special Thanksgiving blog tour. {for the entire line up of awesome bloggers, head over to this post at the White Buffalo Styling Company}

I invite you over to enjoy Thanksgiving with The Chronicles of Home, the next fabulous blogger in our line up!

Visit the rest of today’s tour participants:

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Take daily, bite-size steps toward living in a home you LOVE: Be sure to subscribe to FHD via email, bloglovin, your fave reader, and follow Fieldstone Hill on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

MY GENEROUS SPONSOR:

This post is generously sponsored by my YL. I am into natural choices for my family, and this is the main way I avoided toxins during pregnancy, and now our family is hooked. My Young Living essential oils are also my business, and the oils are so well loved that they sponsor my blog!!! Thank you, friends! I have an AWESOME sign up bonus this month! Head here for Details and to Enroll by clicking here.

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Don’t miss a single post from Fieldstone Hill Design! Have regular decorating goodness delivered {free!} directly to your inbox.

{This post contains affiliate links. Thank you so much for reading and supporting FHD! }

I just had to share this fun clip – with a snippet of yours truly – on the Better TV Show!

And can I just say… I jumped for joy when Nate said all he was good for was “pointing at things and saying, ‘this needs to look good.'” Fellow un-worthy DIY-ers unite. At the end of the day, I know how to make things look pretty and pull them together. But, please don’t ask me to sand and paint all the pretty things! *wink* #helpless

Be sure to keep up with Better TV by following them on Twitter and Facebook.