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We feel very lucky to have found our loft. It’s homey, spacious, and perfectly suitable for me, my man, and our 2 pups. We love everything about about our loft….
except…
our kitchen.
It’s awful, really. Take a look and see what I mean (pardon the random person in the photo):
How awkward is this kitchen? Something about it seems unfinished, right? Please tell me you see the giant gap between the stove and the fridge? It’s so embarrassing. And since we’re sharing embarrassing photos, here’s another angle:
The minute we moved in I was obsessed with rectifying the situation. We bought this pre-built cabinet from Home Depot and ordered the Varde butcher block counter top from Ikea. I was so motivated to get all painted and stained and situated, until I realized I needed to CUT the butcher block. Just a minor speed bump…
{Enter birthday wish-list here} compound miter saw.
So, I waited for my birthday and ta-da! My fiancee bought me a miter saw! (please excuse the iPhone)
So funny, he actually brought the miter saw to the restaurant! I got back to work the next day, made some measurements, and cut the butcher block to size.
Cardboard makes the best templates :)
See my workstation? That’s right, it’s the entryway. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do!
I took some paint tips from the amazing Centsational Girl and decided to try out Sherwin Williams’ Pro Classic paint. This paint has unique qualities, it’s water-based and dries with an enamel-like finish which is so different from latex paint. Another great thing about water based paints is that they’re incredibly easy to clean up! Just dish soap and water, no joke!
Remember though, if you use water-based paints you should always start with water-based primer, like this can of Zinsser I used below.
I painted one coat of primer, and two coats of Pro-Classic, letting the cabinet dry overnight between each coat.
Here’s how the cabinet stands right now, adorned in oil rubbed bronze hardware from Ikea, and nestled in its place between the stove and the fridge.
Next, I’m going to attach the toe-kick, sand, stain, and top-coat the butcher block counter top, fasten it to the cabinet, and maybe even put up some shelves on those bare walls! Hopefully my man will love it so much he’ll let me paint the remaining kitchen cabinets! It’d be a leasehold improvement in my opinion.
