Bad timing, I know...

I teach elementary school and had the entire week off for Thanksgiving. With all this extra time, I decided that I could tackle something in my home that was driving me C R A Z Y...the wallpaper in my kitchen. About two years ago we decided to have our lovely wallpaper hung by a "professional"...ha...It was fine for a while but then this started happening:



and this:

Ugh...it was making me nuts! I tried to fix it, but as soon as I did, another seam would come apart. At this point, my husband and I decided that enough was enough...that wallpaper was coming off and this was the week to tackle this project. Besides, it wouldn't take too long, right? Maybe a couple of days?

Hm...beginning stage on Saturday {a week ago}:

The green paper is really some type of vinyl, I think. It was coming off fairly easy. However, underneath is the paper that was supposedly glued...it was taking a bit longer to remove. ugh...tick, tock...

Then there were presents to begin making, shopping and cooking to be done, and traveling for Thanksgiving. What in the world was I thinking?!...tick, tock

My husband and I worked all day today {Saturday - one week later} and finally that paper is all off. After a bit of sanding and patching, we're ready for the next step.

I'm back at work Monday with a full calendar. However, in the next day or so we're planning to paint with Kilz and then spray on texture. Finally, we'll paint. Why do things take longer than expected? Poor planning on my part? probably.

Anyway, I love these looks...clean and relaxed.

                               traditional kitchen design by new york architect Denise DeCoster Architect

                                                traditional kitchen design by other metros interior designer Alix J. Bragg

                                            traditional kitchen design by chicago interior designer Emily Mackie Norris

We hope to finish completely in a couple of weeks...hm...just in time for Christmas. I hope to knock out a little each day after work...at least a bit of decorating for Christmas and such...

As far as the kitchen, I'm keeping my dark cabinets and tile floor. I'd love to get new counters but that's not in the budget at this time. My next issue is whether or not to add something to the windows. I have 2 inch blinds that I want to keep. I'm so used to my toppers that the windows seem bare without anything. I'm thinking of basic panels, the same as in the adjoining den, but it seems that curtains are "out" these days. Oh, what to do...what to do? Or better yet, what do you have in your kitchen windows? Are they bare or do you have some type of curtains? I'd love to know!