By Cindy Clay Srader
I guess you could call me a kitchenaholic. I have remodeled many and redone several of my own and enjoyed every minute of it! Learning to blend the different areas of the kitchens that are necessary but make them different to each person is challenging and something I love to do! To me having enough space is everything, efficient use of that space is very important. There are many things you can do to add space to your kitchen, especially when building a new home. There are toe kick drawers, taking you cabinets to the ceiling and spice storage pull outs on either side of your stove that will make your kitchen more functional and fun. This kitchen has several of the new appliances that people are using now on a regular basis. Notice the pull out drawer dishwashers. This kitchen has four. Some manufactures are also making microwaves in a pull out drawer that are similar to the dishwasher drawers. The pull out garbage drawer is fronted with cabinets so when you close it, it looks like the rest of the lower cabinets. One of my favorite aspects of this kitchen is the different colors of the upper and lower cabinets. These colors add interest and if you prefer you can also use stain on the lower cabinets. Note the beautiful backsplash. It is a combination of small stainless subway tiles and black and white glass tiles. The black and white tiles bring in the black granite countertops. Each element in this kitchen brings interest to the eye and will please the owner! Don’t be shy when choosing colors and patterns. You never want your kitchen to be so dated that someone would say, Wow this was done in 2013! Certain things are classic and granite and stainless are here to stay! Color can always be changed! Those harvest gold appliances are gone for good!

This is a gorgeous oyster shell garland. It should be about 6 feet long to get the best effect to be used as a table runner. You can purchase the oyster shells off eBay if you would like but there are many places here at the beach where you could get them for free. Just look in the parking lot of Stingrees, they may help you with this project. You can go to any Home Improvement store and get plastic chain to use as a base. The shells are heavy enough so this works well. Use a drill bit to drill through the small end of the shell and then use fishing line to attach to the chain. When Drilling, place a heavy wood block under the shell so you have a good base and place the shell with the rounded side up. Make sure you use enough so it will not look skimpy. Ends of the runner should be smaller than the center. Use large shells toward the center of the runner and as you go to the other end use the smaller ones again. Make sure that your have the same length on each end of the center so it looks in proportion. You can work the shells in such a way that votive candles and other large shells can be placed along the runner placing them among the shells. This project will be used for years to come. Enjoy!

(rerun on 11/25/2014, this article was first published 7/15/2013)

Remember, keep that smile on your face and bring some sunshine to the rest of the world!

What is “BEACH CHIC”? A design style comprised of a combination of clean lines and organic finishes that work together to create a relaxing and inviting atmosphere. The color scheme is inspired by the beach and the natural environment of sun, sea and sand!

Contact Cindy Clay Srader:
[contact-form-7 404 "Not Found"]