Welcome To My Kitchen {And A Winner!}

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Sometimes as I ponder what I am going to share with you, my Farmgirl friends, I struggle with the words.  This is one of those times.  In my frustration, I walked over to the railing of my upstairs Barn Room to look out the big windows in the kitchen and living room below and I thought, “If only I could just invite all of you to visit me in my kitchen for a cup of coffee and a piece of pie I would know what to say”.  So here it is, Farmgirl friends.  Get your coffee and join me.  I’m going to share my kitchen; my favorite room in our Farmhouse.

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The view of part of my living room standing in my kitchen.

First of all let me just say that my husband I waited a lot of years to build our Farmhouse.  It is not a big, fancy house.  Quite the opposite actually.  We built it ourselves to cut costs, as we were at a stage in our life (newly retired and in good health) that we could take the time to do it.  And when I say that we built it ourselves, I mean exactly that!  But I had a vision for my kitchen and my husband was so kind to allow me to design it.  There was a lot of drawing, discussing and way more give and take than I can even go into in this short visit today!  But the bottom line is that my dream was that our kitchen would be the center of our home. The place where love and comfort would flow to the other rooms.

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The view of my kitchen from the living room.

I wanted it to be light, bright, and happy.  I wanted it to be a place where family and friends would want to be and would be comfortable here.

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We both loved that this house plan had the kitchen space located where it was open to the living room and the barn room upstairs.  Anyone in the kitchen doesn’t miss out on interaction and fun times going on in the living room!

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I wanted white cabinets with a lot of glass doors.   I have loved filling them with my bright colored FiestaWare dishes.  We had originally planned on building the cabinets ourselves, but when we started pricing all the necessary equipment to do it properly, my husband had me get several quotes from local cabinet shops.  Then we sat down together and found areas that we could cut the costs.  For example; they would build and deliver but we would do the installing.  That actually cut a lot off the original estimate.

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I originally planned to have a microwave with vent hood over the gas range, but in the drawings it just never looked right.  About mid-way through the construction of my cabinets I changed course and decided that since I really don’t use a microwave anyway, I wasn’t going to even put one in my kitchen. (Luckily the microwave cabinet hadn’t been started yet.)  Instead, my daughter helped me design the large Range Hood.  It was a bear to install, and I was second guessing myself the whole time.  And my husband was saying, WHAT IS THIS THING?! Smile!  But we both love it now.  And the funny thing is that it ended up being WAY cheaper than a microwave cabinet!  The old stainless tray that I painted in chalkboard paint and propped on the shelf of the Range Hood is always decorated by my grand-girls! (Can you see what it says?  Jillian wrote, “When will it be Spring”!)

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And as for the Range itself, I always had this dream of one of those big, beautiful Viking or Wolf Ranges.  But even though I actually had that in my original plan, I learned that it was okay to cut things that were not affordable, practical or even necessary at this stage of our lives!  By cutting that out, we able to do a little extra elsewhere in the house.

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This little window to the left of my Range ended up being an after-thought and my husband built it with a darling ledge that is my favorite place to keep fresh flowers from my garden all summer long.  It’s not a big window, but just the perfect size to see outside to my back porch.

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I designed this little baking area because when I roll out bread dough and pie crusts I like a short counter top.  I also planned the drawers to be the exact size to hold my Bosch Mixer and all my baking utensils.  With my vintage red stool right next to it, this is where every guest that ever enters my kitchen sits and visits while I cook.  I also love the open shelving where I keep all my favorite things!  Most of those things have been given to me as gifts and I use them all the time.  One thing I’ve learned about open shelves in your kitchen is that if you don’t use the things on the shelves they get covered with dust, so the key is to only put things there that will get used and washed constantly!

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And when my grand-girls are here? That’s right where they are!  A favorite spot in the kitchen!

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It took me awhile to love my large Apron front farmhouse sink.  Since it is one basin and very large, there is rarely ever a time that I use it in that way.  However, a friend said, “Use one of your old enamelware bowls as a basin” and that is what I do and it has made all the difference!  I have a super large sink when I need it (canning season!) and a small sink to use every day!

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I wanted Butcher Block counter tops so badly in my kitchen.  But the quote that the cabinet shop gave us was so atrocious that my husband and I sat down and went over every other option for counter tops.  About that time I found out that IKEA carries Butcher Block and we were so very lucky that at that time they carried extra wide that would actually work on our island. And affordable?  Oh my.  There were no other counter top options that would have been as affordable as these.   My husband did all the measuring, cutting, and installing and I did the sanding and oiling.  They are lovely, forgiving, and only get more beautiful with age.  They add a very warm feeling to the kitchen and are a perfect balance with the white.

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I will admit that the Island ended up being larger than I pictured it in my mind and there were a few hours of anxiety when we were installing it.  But it has turned out to be the best and most useful thing in my kitchen.

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All my cabinet doors are the Shaker style and have latches instead of knobs.  Numerous people tried to talk me out of the latches because they don’t hold up to the wear and tear of opening and closing.  In my research I found that if you are going to use latches, only use quality ones.  When I talked to the folks at the cabinet shop about it, they were so good to help me find very good ones at a fraction of the cost that we would’ve paid if we ordered them ourselves.   Three years later they still work like a dream.  I’m so glad I didn’t let anyone talk me out of them and so thankful for the relationship that I developed with the folks at our local cabinet shop that they helped me out in that area!

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I want to close this post by saying that I recognize how lucky I am to have my sweet kitchen.  There is not a day that I take it for granted.  In building our home, I do believe that we spent more time planning, stressing over expenses and weighing out every option in this kitchen than we did in any other area of our home.

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It truly is the center of our home.  The place where family gathers.  The place where special meals are prepared and served with love.  The place where we pile mail, projects and junk!  The place where my husband and I stand to look out the windows at our farm that we dreamed of for many years.  It is the place where hard (and easy) conversations are held.  The place where friends mingle when they are here.  Most of all, it is the place that I love and cherish because I know every single bit of work and sacrifice that went into it.  It is my happy place and I am thankful.

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And thank you, Farmgirl friends, for joining me today!  I only wish that it hadn’t been “virtual”… I wish you had been sitting with me in my little Farmhouse enjoying a cup of coffee and telling me about all the things you love too.  So, please leave me a comment and tell me what it is that you love the most in your home!  I can’t wait to hear.

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Now the winner of the pack of home-made cards is….  Michelle J!  (I’ve sent you an email, Michelle!)

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A glimpse of one of my finished quilts in February!

And finally!  For those of you that jumped in and joined my Quilting Challenge about a month ago (if you missed that post, you can read it here), I will be dedicating an entire post to pictures of your quilts here on April 14th.  That gives you a little more time if you need it! Please submit your pictures to me via email at:  redfeedsack@gmail.com.  The picture does not need to be a completed quilt – just your progress is great!  And if you didn’t join in the challenge before, do it now!

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And one last bit of news is that, sadly, all five of us Farmgirl Bloggers will now only be posting once a month instead of twice.  To make sure that you never miss a post, be sure to subscribe to receive an email alert here.

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Until our gravel roads cross again… so long.

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Dori

 

  1. Maxine Jelinek says:

    I really really LOVE your kitchen! I could “live in it” easily! Thanks for the tour!

  2. Rowena Philbeck says:

    I love the story of your kitchen and house. Its just beautiful and love everything about it. I would love to have a small country house someday. I love primitive items as well and even spin on a spinning wheel which I love. Thanks again!!

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Rowena,

      Thank you for writing! A small country house is the best. Ours is only a two-bedroom and is just so perfect for us. We are so thankful that we didn’t attempt to build big!

      How awesome that you spin on a spinning wheel – that is getting to be a lost art.

      – Dori –

  3. Debbie says:

    Dori!!! Oh what a breath of fresh air your post is today. I felt like I was right there with you. It’s raining in New England and dreary out. You and Eldon did a fantastic job designing your kitchen. ( look out Chip and Jo )! I love your colorful accents, and farmgirl details. Every little thing is thought out to perfection. I dream of an open, inviting floor-plan in our next home where our adult children and grandchildren can gather together without feeling cramped. I love how you say, the love flows into the other rooms. What a warm thought. I bet it does and then some!
    You are blessed and it’s well deserved. Farmgirl hugs!
    I’ll miss your twice monthly postings… 🙁
    They are always a mood lifter!
    Hugs,
    Deb

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Thank you Deb,

      Sure wish you come visit me and we could sit in my Farmhouse and talk and talk and talk. Someday.

      I’m going to miss your twice-monthly posts too. 🙁

      Hugs back,

      – Dori –

  4. Ann says:

    Oh, what a beautiful kitchen! So lovely and functional as well as being the heart of the house. Thanks for sharing. Ann

  5. Carol says:

    I love your kitchen! I hate my kitchen and I am constantly just thinking how nice it would be if I could remodel it. The other day my husband actually said he might do it this summer. That would make me a happy farm wife. Thanks for sharing yours with me and my glass of sweet iced tea!

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Carol,

      We women spend so much time in our kitchens it really is hard when we are unhappy with it. I didn’t dislike the kitchen in my old home, but I definitely knew what I wanted and didn’t want in a new one!

      I hope you get your kitchen remodel soon! You’ll have to keep me posted!

      – Dori –

  6. Sharon Elaine says:

    What a warm, beautiful kitchen and post. I have high ceilings and stenciled a Farm Fresh Eggs sign for my kitchen wall. I used very old barn siding and cut my own chicken and rooster stencils. We farmgirls are frugal, productive and purposeful. I poured myself a cup of coffee and enjoyed the visit.

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Sharon,

      Thank you so much for writing.

      Ohhhh your sign sounds so perfect!!! I would love to see it!

      Thank you for visiting!

      – Dori –

  7. Oh Dori, Love your kitchen. Again, you and I are so similar in our tastes. I also, have an antique enamelware basin in my sink, lol! Your kitchen is beautiful and so bright and happy. Love, love, love everything about it! Wish I could have a cup of coffee and pie with you! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole (Suburban Farmgirl)

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Hi Nicole!

      That’s funny you have an enamelware basin in your sink too!!! 🙂 We ARE so similar in our tastes!

      Yes, I wish you could come by for a cup of coffee too. Someday.

      – Dori –

  8. Cindy says:

    My husband and I also built our house. We saved money where we could and invested a bit more in the areas that were important to us. For me it was the kitchen. I have always wanted Wedgewood Blue cabinets, Corian counter tops, and oil rubbed bronze faucets and knobs. It is also an open concept and the kitchen (or the sewing room) is where I spend most of my time.

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Cindy,

      It’s a huge job isn’t it? I’m so thankful that we did build ours, as I feel that I love it more since I know every single nook and cranny! 🙂 But there was a time when I was so exhausted from the work that I almost didn’t like it!

      I bet your cabinets and counter tops are gorgeous. I love the oil rubbed bronze faucets and hardware in my kitchen too.

      I’m with you on the sewing room – I spend a ton of time in mine too! Thanks for writing!

      – Dori –

  9. Binky Thorsson says:

    It’s pouring rain here in Petaluma, Ca and we need it so much with our 4 years of drought, so I took you up on your offer and made a hot cup of chai tea.

    Loved your share of this is the house that Dori and _____________ built.

    If you ever make it out our way or to the S.F. Bay Area (we are an hour north of S.F.) come visit. You and your family have a place to stay, and we could share our build with you!

    Binky, Petaluma

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Hello Binky,

      Oh how I would love to visit you in the Bay Area and see your home! You just never know what the future holds… we may surprise you!

      Thanks for writing!

      – Dori –

  10. Krista says:

    Your kitchen is stunning! Thank you for the virtual tour and the beautiful story behind how it came to be! I am typically not a big fan of light colored cabinets, but yours are gorgeous! I even love the design on the cabinets and the knobs.

    I would have to say my favorite room is my kitchen as well! I love how much light my kitchen has as well as my ¾ wall. The ¾ wall allows light from the living room into the kitchen and vice versa. The entry way to the kitchen is arched and inviting! My kitchen is very inviting and encourages me to cook!

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Hi Krista,

      Thank you!

      Your kitchen sounds perfect. I wish I had more natural light in mine… although I do get natural light from the dining room and living room.

      An inviting kitchen most definitely encourages us to cook!!!

      – Dori –

  11. Judy says:

    Oh Doris….I want a kitchen like that!!! It is -soooo- perfect! Thank you for the tour, story and the coffee! I thoroughly enjoyed my Farm-girl visit!

  12. Judy says:

    Sorry Dori, my spellcheck changed your name! Don’t you just love modern technology?

  13. MarciD says:

    Thanks so much for sharing your kitchen. It is lovely. I remember well the stress that went into planning my kitchen when we built our log home several years ago. My kitchen turned out exactly as I had hoped and it functions just the way I wanted it to. I am thankful for it everday.

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Marci,

      Thank you for writing. Building is a stress that is hard to even understand until you experience it first hand isn’t it? I’m happy that you love your kitchen too.

      – Dori –

  14. Marilyn says:

    Thanks for inviting me into your lovely and friendly kitchen. I,too love Fiesta dishes. Your granddaughter looks so involved in her project, she is adorable.
    Marilyn

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Marilyn,

      Thank you for writing! Do you collect FiestaWare dishes? My first few sets were from the 80’s. Then I got more in the 90’s. And now my bright colored ones. I’ve saved the other “vintage” sets because I’m kind of thinking they’ll probably be back in style again someday! 🙂

      – Dori –

  15. Sandi King says:

    Dori, Your kitchen is amazing. I will be remodeling a (double-wide) and living in it sometime this summer. Right now we have had so much rain we can’t get it moved to our lot. I want the white cabinets and butcher block counter-tops also. We found a store that carries them and I can’t wait to get started. We also went to a Habitat for Humanity store and I bought my kitchen sink already. We have also bought our appliances and have them in storage. I also loved your flooring in the kitchen. I don’t know if I want an island but I love the shape of yours. It is unique. We have thought of having open shelving also and yes I agree it would be for items we use often. I love Fiesta Ware colors, but wish I could find it in Corelle as the stoneware is too heavy for my hands to hold. Anyone know where I can find Corelle in this mixture of colors? I have searched online and have not come across these beautiful bold colors in Corelle anywhere. I loved the story and the tour of your kitchen. We will miss reading the blogs twice a month, but happy to have them once a month. I think your home is awesome. Until next time.
    Sandi

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Sandi,

      Thank you! You’ll have to be sure and let me know how your kitchen remodel goes. How awesome to get your sink at Habitat for Humanity. Sounds like you are off to a great start. I hope it goes well!

      I’ve seen a lot of Corelle and I don’t remember any bright colors either. Kind of strange that they wouldn’t produce them isn’t it?

      Thank you for writing.

      – Dori –

  16. Vivian Monroe says:

    Dori your kitchen is awesome. I love the way you can be working in the kitchen and at the same time still be with the rest of the family. I love the enamel ware bowl in the sink. I have just an old plastic tub in mine, but now, I will have to dig out my bowl which is almost identical to yours and use in my sink. Thanks for the tea time in your kitchen. Be Blessed. Neta

    • Dori Troutman says:

      Thank you Neta!

      Yes, you most certainly will have to use your enamelware bowl in your sink. It’s kind of amazing how it brightens it up! 🙂

      Thanks for visiting!

      – Dori –

  17. Vicki Hempel says:

    You have a beautiful kitchen! Thanks for sharing the story behind such a meaningful and lovely room, the heart of your home. I enjoyed the sneak peak of your gorgeous blue quilt. If I only had more time…

  18. vicki Frederick says:

    Dori I love your kitchen so much, mine is old and tired!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
    This is my first post and have just become a member!! Very excited!!

  19. Dori, I love your kitchen and your style! Thanks for sharing your kitchen with us 🙂

  20. denise says:

    love your kitchen! thanks for the tour!

  21. Deb says:

    You are right Dori the open floor plan was perfect! I love your kitchen it is beautiful! Thank you for sharing not only your kitchen but the love I see and hear in your words you wrote.
    Have a Blessed day!

  22. Ellen Gerard says:

    I absolutely love your kitchen! You all did a wonderful job!

  23. Kathleen Fought Brown says:

    What memories you are making with your grandchildren. Grandparents are so important I have come to realize. I look back at the time with my Grandmother and realize how much that relationship meant to be as a woman and homemaker.

  24. Cheryl says:

    Dori,
    I love your kitchen. Is it possible to see a floorplan. I’m considering adding on to an old farmhouse and this is similar to what I am thinking. Hope you don’t mind sharing. The pictures are lovely but I can’t get a feel for the space itself.
    Thanks
    Cheryl

  25. Pat Mitchell says:

    Love your kitchen

  26. Carolyn Ross says:

    I love your kitchen, it has a very welcome feeling, down to earth. Me and my husband downsized 3 Years ago and bought a small house on the make of a AFrame. It was a repo, do we had alot of work to do, but i love it now, i got rid of alot of stuff, still weeding out unnecessary things.
    I have two bedrooms too.
    My kitchen needed alot of help, me and my husband did all of the work, looks alot better now.

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