My Garden Retreat

My Garden Retreat
photo Gridley Graves for Country Living

The Temporary Solution...a kitchen update

Hello Everyone!
It was a damp, dark and dreary weekend but....




We managed to get something installed in our kitchen and things seemed ever so much brighter!


Before I show you...let me explain


We are calling it the temporary solution...
Not the forever will I love it....
                                               but the...
" I need something now until we get through the weddings and begin to work on our house again"
                                                              and...
                                                                        this will work.

Are you ready?
We installed a custom made wood countertop!
Yep...dear darling hubby the carpenter worked on it all week!


And guess what?

It only ended up costing us about $60.00!!! 
Pretty good huh? I was amazed!


Now, the Mister still  has some trim work to do....like actually anchoring it to the cabinet bases:)

(Something about letting it acclimate to the kitchen)



Then adding a return on the end pieces.
Something similar to what we did in our utility room.


I love the idea of it looking more like a furniture piece than a counter in a kitchen.


We are getting so close to completing our Kitchen...
The countertop had become quite the obstacle.

We were unable to have any of the plumbing done to the sink or dishwasher until it was installed.


With the weddings...it just wasn't in the budget until Spring.
While searching my favorite blogs and pin boards...I came across a possible "fix" to our situation.
One that at least could be altered to meet our needs.
After sharing my find with the Mister, hubby the carpenter, he agreed that this would get us through until we could get our soapstone counter.
But...
I honestly must say...

I really like it!


  I didn't think I would...


  BUT I DO!


This gives us some time...allows us to get the plumbing ran now,
Then purchase the refrigerator in January when we return from our daughter's wedding.
Who knows...it just might stay longer than what we originally expected!
I might just decide it's "the permanent solution"

Just thought I would share!
I must head out to the cottage...today I am working on some window treatments! These...café curtains for the kitchen window from this wonderful gauzy linen.



They are nearly finished!

Then back to work on wedding details. ( I will share with you soon)


P.S.
I will also share the cookie ornament directions soon for those of you who asked! Thank you! :)



Have a wonderful week~Many Blessings!

27 comments

  1. Donna! Share?
    I am so glad you did, you make me want to move in, I have loved your style ever since that studio in your yard. That counter would hold me over for as long as it would last, as for abuse to it, it will only add beauty and perfect age to what already is so beautiful. The counter is made of what wood, and your mister made it right? Or he just installed it?
    Can he come over and do mine, I would be forever grateful.
    What about those pendent lights, where did you find them, they add the right kind of rightness to your room of beauty.

    Thank you for your visit, I so have to get my but back over here much more often :)
    Xox
    Doré

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wowwwww...it look great Donna !!...14 days to go....love from me...xxx..

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think you solution would satisfy a very large amount of people that wish they only had something half so nice... It fits just perfect...in my taste I am not one who wants granite and stainless steel .... There are many lovely other lovely ways of making a kitchen wonderful... Your pictures are so inviting... Enjoy the moments and special times offered to you and your family...

    ReplyDelete
  4. It has a soul. Zinc sheets are easily placed over pre-existing, ugly counters too!
    Beautiful!

    Andie

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a smart idea, I really love it, looks fabulous to me!!! Hope you're having a great week. I love seeing your Christmas decor, too!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Donna- I LOVE your solution. In one of our houses we installed wood flooring as a counter top and I oiled it to its death and I just loved it. It was water repellent and so easy to keep clean and I loved the way it looked. Hope you can enjoy the Holidays a bit and don't get too stressed over the wedding preparations. xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  7. i love it! i have been waiting and studying and waiting some more to install much needed new counter tops in our kitchen. i have a partial section of oak wood counter tops from ikea (purchased from a friend who over estimated her needs) waiting for the needed remaining l.f. to tackle the whole project. (the nearest ikea is a 5 hour one-way drive.) i really like the resourcefulness of your husband; much better to say "oh those? we made them."
    lovely.
    paige

    ReplyDelete
  8. by the way, our current laminate counter tops must still be 'acclimating" as they have never been attached!
    paige

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love your counter top...although I also love soapstone! Your kitchen is charming and I love all your creative touches.
    Take care! Laura

    ReplyDelete
  10. Donna, I absolutely love those countertops. I want my Teddy to make me some just like them. You can seal them. As long as you keep them clean and dry..they should last. Good for you and your hubby. xoxo, Susie

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love the counter top and think it looks wonderful in your kitchen.

    FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
  12. I really like your countertop. What a wonderful Mister hubby the carpenter you have working on your home. The two of you together make such a fabulous team and your home is so beautiful. Blessings...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ohhh, I love it. It looks so wonderful in your kitchen. But the thought of soapstone, well that would put me in a swoon.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Donna, your kitchen is turning out absolutely gorgeous! Love all the details...the lighting and countertops are fabulous! Love the garland above the sink. Really a beautiful transformation...
    Happy Holidays to you!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I really like how the wood countertops look in your kitchen. We had custom wood countertops installed in our home and in March we will have lived here nine years...I stil LOVE them today:-)

    Happy holidays and good luck with all your wedding plans!

    xoxo
    Kathleen

    ReplyDelete
  16. LOVE your countertop!!! I can't imagine anything nicer. Hope it stays a permanent solution - it is just beautiful. You are blessed with a wonderful hubby!
    Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  17. Donna...I am speechless once again. What an amazingly beautiful solution!
    With so much on your plate...you are in my every day thoughts and prayers!
    ~Lynne
    w/L.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Beautiful! I think I'd be totally happy with it being permanent!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love them, when you take them out we can put them in my kitchen. LOL...
    Your kitchen would look good even if you had NO counter tops.

    Pattie

    ReplyDelete
  20. It looks wonderful, Donna, and I know a lot of people that would prefer this to be a permanent solution! :)
    Hubby tells me he'll do all the finish work in our tiny house (including a few more kitchen cabinets) right after we build him a workshop. Sigh. Another building to build. Onward & forward we go.
    Have a wonderful day!
    Hugs,
    Zuzu

    ReplyDelete
  21. GASP! The kitchen is BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING! I LOVE the wood countertops, i wouldn't change one thing about them ever. They are gorgeous. I can't believe that cost only $60.00. I want a countertop just like yours. I can't think of anything that could possibly look any better than what you have. Oh my gosh, you must tell how ya'll did that!

    Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  22. I really really love the countertops as is!! Been there with the wedding expenses & things need to be put on hold until you catch up. with wedding looming in the thousands, they are the cost of a luxury car! I honestly think the kitchen looks amazing as is...well done! :) chris so nice to be able to catch up on fav blogs....

    ReplyDelete
  23. Funny how things work out!

    Do all hubbies cringe when we start a sentance with "I saw this on Pinterest....

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love it - those look like forever countertops to me!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love the way your kitchen looks with the temporary counters. I can see how you could easily live with it for quite awhile. My Mom has wood counters and she loves them....although around the sink they have seen better days and I think she needs to replace...her's are very old though. Your kitchen is soooo pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Oh my gosh, I just found your blog via houzz.com where I loved your bath vanity from a dresser. I've already printed off about 5 or 6 different ones 2 days ago to show DH what I wanted for our bath. We are purchasing a old farmhouse and I have been looking for ideas. I can tell you I love your temp solution for the kitchen! I too, was wanting a soapstone counter, but our budget may run a little thin before I get to the kitchen. Sounds like you have a wedding to work on, but I can't wait to see more of what you do here. For now, I'm spending my morning reading your past posts.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to leave me a comment!
I love reading them~they truly make my day!
~Donna Reyné