Before I begin, we often write our posts ahead of time as is the case with this one, so it seems somewhat frivolous to press “publish” this AM on this post without mentioning September 11th. This day still haunts me like I am sure it does many of you. I try to explain what happened to my children, who always ask questions, and it’s still hard to put in words. My father was part of the rescue efforts at The Pentagon that day; Christy’s husband deployed in the immediate hours afterwards. It is unforgettable and still completely inconceivable in so many ways. I pray today still for the many families impacted on this day and especially for our Country.
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I am proud to say I am more than halfway through my kitchen makeover. We’ve knocked out painting, the marble backsplash, the cabinet color {take 2}, and painting the cabinets so far. The end is in sight, though I will be honest and say that painting cabinets is a big job and I would love to walk away from spending all my time sanding {and sanding again} right about now.
Our uppers and lowers are done, so I just have the island left and then the small desk area to paint. The difference in the kitchen without the dark reddish cherry finish with the bright white is astounding, if I do say so myself. I even want to cook more now 🙂
So, when I have needed a painting break I have been trying to wrap up all the details to finish off the space. I have been making myself crazy over the cabinet door hardware. I finally settled on these knobs {below} for the cabinets. The brass adds some warmth to the space and I like the vintage look.
I really wanted to use this style of door pull on the drawers, aren’t these great?
So to forget about that little first world problem for a bit, today I wanted to talk a little about barstools. I have been looking online to find some that are not only affordable and classic in style, but also can take what my three kids dish out. We have this large island you see in the back of these DIY bookshelves, and I need at least three stools for it, as you can see we’ve been using only two forever which is not great when you have three children!
So, here are my current top choices in replacements.
These {above} are so pretty, but the linen would be dirty in a matter of seconds. I love the style though they are still on the high end in terms of cost.
These above wouldn’t get as dirty {they are washable at least} and I love the classic styling, definitely a contender.
These {above} look really comfortable and with the dark fabric they would tolerate stains fairly well, they have a great color selection for these too.
These {above} are fun and different. They were part of my original kitchen wish list {you can see it here}. I am not sure if I’ll get sick of them but I think they would add some “happy” to the kitchen for sure.
Sometimes I think I want to just go with these {below}, so classic and simple but we sit at our island all the time so I really want backs to lean against. However, you can’t beat the price or the durability. I might buy these for “overflow”, they are perfect to have at parties or when the kids have friends over for extra seating.
Right now, these {below} are currently my favorite. They meet all my criteria–have a back, a great price and are neutral enough to go with my decor {which tends to, ahh…change frequently}.
What do you all think? Do you have a favorite? I am so close to being done, I can’t wait to have the space finished up. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
{Here is an “easy to pin” graphic so you can save these for when you need it}
XO,
my vote is for the backless metal ones. ?
No surprise! Don’t you have them? XOXO
We’re working on our kitchen currently, too, and painted our cabinets. It is a beast of a project! Everything looks great, and I can’t help but vote for those floral chairs…I’m in love with them. But I see your point about getting tired of them, so my second vote would be the tall white ones. Good luck! Whatever you choose will be gorgeous! 🙂
It is a huge project for sure! Good luck with painting 🙂
XO,
Amy
Love the white with the “X” back. Practical, easy to wipe down and repaint [when necessary]. Go for it!
Such a hard choice to make … I believe that your choices are great for your active family. The “X” back are pretty practical and in vogue…but I will be the odd man out and say the gray tufted chairs….beauty and practicality..and also a wonderful texture to add to the room. Let me know if you are in the market for hardware….
Amy, I love the white cabinets! Really lightens the kitchen ~ great job! There are dark cabinets here (apt) and they really are beautiful but the white would really add a lighter feel. As far as the bar stools, the first one is my choice! Of course, if they are the most expensive it’s no wonder I chose them. 🙂 The backless metal ones are too industrial for me, even though my daughter has 2 of them! Lol The floral would be “different” and I always like that. What about a stain protector for fabrics? I know whatever you choose will be wonderful & can’t wait to see!
As far as today, it’s a very somber reminder of a horrendous tragedy for our country. I worked for American Airlines for 30 years and I remember every moment of the day…even getting ready for work that morning. I was arguing with myself about whether or not to wear heels. I wanted to but a little voice kept saying “no”. Within 30 minutes of arriving at work, all Mgmt were called to a meeting and we hit the floor running! 12 hr days, 6 day week mandatory! I found a girlfriend of mine that was on the phones and traded shoes with her…I got her tennies and she had my heels. 🙂 Anyway, my heart always hurts for all those lost. It was a terrible, horrible feeling to know what our flight crews experienced plus the passengers. I can’t even imagine the cruelty. Enough of that ~ we just need to treasure each day we have, make the most of it and always let our loved ones know how we feel.
Have a great weekend!
xo
Pat
Thanks Pat for your thoughtful comments and sharing your story. You are so right, treasure each day! XO,
Amy
Amy I love how your kitchen is coming along. The white cabinets with the gold hardware is absolutely perfect! I have to say after having raised 3 boys I would not go with a fabric bar stool. The white ones would fit in perfectly. Good luck in choosing!
Amy – If you are really interested in a fabric covered bar stool, go to YouTube and search for Rustoleum NeverWet. Watch a few of the commercials and demonstrations. I admire anyone with the patience to paint any cabinets. A lot of bloggers seem to like to use a certain sprayer. Did you spray or brush it all on? Can’t wait to see the finished product.
That is a great tip–I will look for the Rustoleum NeverWet. I love Rustoleum’s products! Yes I used the HomeRight FinishMax Pro sprayer and it is amazing. I can’t imagine tackling this without a sprayer. The finish is factory perfect too. You can see in this post here how I sprayed them: https://www.11magnolialane.com/2015/08/14/how-to-paint-your-kitchen-cabinets-tips-tricks-for-a-smooth-finish/
I can’t wait to see them all done too! LOL, have a great day 🙂
Amy
We’re working on our kitchen and recently did a round up too of our favorite counter stools!!