After several months now of planning, painting, scheming, hardware buying, furniture shopping, and more, I’m finally happy to do the big reveal of our kitchen & family room makeover.  The fabulously kind folks over at Spectrum Paint were so generous to help facilitate this makeover, and I can’t say enough good things about them.

Now. That being said, there are still a few design elements that haven’t quite landed in place (for example, our backsplash tile has been purchased but still needs to be installed and our pair of side chairs is still a month or two out from delivery). But I just couldn’t wait any longer to show you the progress that’s been made on this space. It puts a huge goofy grin on my face every single time I walk in the room. Tomorrow I’ll do a shopping post where I list all the sources, etc. But today is just about the eye candy.  Check out the rest after the jump!

You’ll remember a few of the before pics from the post here when we were getting started. I admit it – this wasn’t a crazy drastic “before”; it’s not like there were monstrously ugly cabinets or a really awful design. But it just wasn’t us. It was builder beige walls with French Country distressed cabinetry (lots of brown glaze and faux finishing) and really overly flourishy hardware. Not preppy nautical-loving multicolor eclectic like we are. Case in point: that fruit basket tile plaque happening on the backsplash that I seriously am considering ripping out with my bare hands if the tile guy doesn’t get here soon. These “before” photos are from when we moved in (with the seller’s stuff), but it looked just like this up until about a month ago.

So this was a simple fix as paint is the ultimate easy makeover.  The lesson here? Life is too short to live w/ wall or cabinet colors you hate because it is seriously so simple. We went into this project with really great bones – all it needed was a little facelift.  

My moodboard for the overhaul above says it all — bright white walls (because EVERY color looks great against white) and pops of colorful accessories to banish away any dark corners and to provide an overarching sense of calm between the kitchen and family room. In fact, I think the major point of inspiration for me was my upstairs studio because the white walls simply recede away. The rest of our house is so colorful that I wanted this room to feel relaxing – and with so many visually jarring elements (like the black painted mantel) I was looking to wipe the slate clean.

Spectrum Paint was so helpful through this whole process. They provide paint for commercial and residential projects, and they’re crazy knowledgeable. When we first started talking about collaborating, I confess that I called my brother (remember this project?), who is SUPER picky. He had nothing but great things to say about their expertise and their helpfulness. They provided oodles of Benjamin Moore paint books for me to look through (and keep!) and they were able to also help us pick out which product we wanted to use. I’ve used a ton of different paints over the years and I definitely have my favorites, but Benjamin Moore is probably tops, not only for the product quality but also for the color selections. When you flip through decor magazines, what do you see recommended? Benjamin Moore. Every. Single. Time.

Ok, so enough talk – I know you’re here for the pictures!

My favorite part is undoubtedly the nook area. Pippin & Pearl did the painting in the corner just for me, and I’m so so so happy with it.  Now when I look at these photos, all I can imagine is how crisp the white subway tile is going to look. GOODBYE to the tumbled tile!  And someday, we dream about maybe honing the granite so it’s not so shiny. But I am obsessed – OBSESSED – with that blue island. It was a total gamble, but it completely paid off. The red tolix chairs in the nook are the perfect contrast to the blue. It’s preppy, it’s vibrant, and it’s a total showstopper.

If this area looks a little empty, it’s because the pair of navy upholstered chairs will soon occupy this space.

I’m literally grinning ear-to-ear looking at these photos. Our kitchen and family room is undoubtedly where we spend the majority of our time, and it’s hands-down our happy place now. Goodbye boring beige, hello brilliant white!  I’m already looking forward to Christmas – won’t a white Christmas tree look ah-mazing?!?!?!

So. The lovely delightful folks at Spectrum Paint want to help you have a fantastic makeover in your space too. They’re giving away an AWESOME package to help you achieve a paint m akeover of your very own.

• 1 tube of SPEC-PRO FLEX40 Caulk (white)
• 1 – Premier Caulk Gun
• 1 roll of 3-M 2080 Edgelock Tape
• 1 roll of ALLPRO Brown Masking Paper
• 1 ALLPRO Titanium Paint Brush
• 1 ALLPRO Master Select Roller Cover
• 1 Wooster 9” Roller Frame
• 1 Premier 9” Green Roller Tray
• 1 gallon of Benjamin Moore Aura Interior Paint — this stuff is FANTASTIC.

They’re also including a full instructional on how to get a professional fabulous finish.  Plus the Aura line of Benjamin Moore paint is great for all the DIYers out there. It’s guaranteed for 2 coats (max!) and is a paint and primer all in one. I love that it’s good for high traffic areas and that stains wash off easily.

This giveaway is, however, limited to those who can pick up the paint from any Spectrum location as they are unable to ship it. Check out their site for store locations in Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, North and South Carolina.  Remember, you don’t have to do all the ways to enter, but the more ways you enter, the greater your chances.

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