The Kitchen !

Hi y'all! Finally got some pictures of the updated kitchen. Thanks for looking. First off lets look at the Ubatuba (oo-ba-too-ba) granite! Thats the name of it! HEEHEE. Maybe I picked that one because of the funny name! It is black but when you get up close golds and oranges just shimmer like crazy! Since I had just painted the kitchen orange the specks worked perfectly. Then because of the gold in it too when I change wall colors just about anything can match. Mercy! i am sooo loving it!
Here is what it looked like before we moved in. From the picture you really cannot tell how horrible the paint job was. And you cannot tell how nasty filthy it was.
Here is the office area. Here you can kinda tell of the crappy paint job.
Baby look at you now! I debated about getting an island. I LOVED all the room but it was pretty much wasted space. So I found one at a yard sale for $45.00!!! woohoo. It was in great shape too and has two drawers and two doors. EXTRA STORAGE! We got crazy and decided to have a different stone on the island. We thought it may be too much black otherwise. I like the contrast and I love the way we had the ends shaped. You really cant tell in these pics. Maybe I'll get a close up for ya one day.
Here is looking from the stove area out towards the reading room. Dont look at the kitchen table though. I want to get something else but that is bottom of the list. I may paint the bottom part and the legs in black. I WILL get black chairs though, hopefully soon. Dont look out the window on the deck either, we have the old sink out there. It is porcelain so it is VERY heavy. Hubby needs a friend to come help him move it. And do you see the awesome paintings over the table? My friend at work PAINTED THEM FOR ME! How sweet and how talented is she!!!???
Here is the office which i have decided to make my scrap/stamp area. I have GOT to find some coverings for the two cabinets above the desk. I have already thought about cabinet doors but there is not enough room in the middle for two sets of hinges. Mom has offered to make me curtains but I dont think I really want curtains. I am considering rolling shades. Like matchstick or bamboo blinds? PLEASE give me any suggestions. Also the little square "plates" above the cabinets I made. I wanted something but not too much. I am really trying to have no clutter. I did not want to pay an arm and a leg for decor so I cut some thick foam board into 9x9 squares and mod podged pretty scrapbook paper. It turned out great and so easy to replace with different papers whenever I fell froggy!! So thats it thanks so much for taking the time to look!
Have a great rest of the week.
Cheers!
~Julie~