Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Clutter Be Gone!

We love our peninsula. We do most of our cooking prep on it, sit and chat while someone cooks and above all, cook yummy meals at it. Despite our love for the peninsula, there was something that wasn't letting it reach that perfect mark ... and that is the clutter. 


All of our everyday use stuff was taking up most of the space on the left side of the cooktop. While it isn't a large area, it is valuable prep space right next to the stove so the stuff had to go.


We didn't want it to go too far since we still wanted easy access to it, so we picked up a couple of wooden brackets from Home Depot and after a few min of securing them to the wall (one went into a stud and we used heavy duty wall anchors on the other) and hunting down a scrap piece of wood in the garage the correct size, we had a perfect spot for our everyday cooking stuff.


Initially, I was going to paint the whole thing white, but right now I'm loving the wood tone (It brings in a lot of features from the dining room) so right now we are using it as is to see if we still like it in a bit. If we do, the brackets will get a coat of white and the wood will get sealed. If not, the whole thing will go white. 


What do you think? Should the wood stay or should it go?

And just for fun, here is a before and after shot of the wall right next to the cooktop. I cannot tell you how nice it is to have everything I need at arms reach and have my countertop back!



P.S. I use the "would I want my mom to read this" gauge when it comes to what I write and sometimes the sentences that I initially write sound so inappropriate on a second read (fyi, it is impossible to use the words "easy access", "screwing" and "stud" in the same sentence without it sounding horribly dirty... hence the use of the word "securing"... I love you mom!). This post required three edits today for this reason and that is my excuse for why this post is coming to you at 11:30 at night instead of it's intended midday time. And just so you feel my pain, I challenge you to go to Home Depot or Lowe's and ask them where they keep their caulk...

7 comments:

  1. I see no reason it should go. If it gives you that needed space to work...go for it. I think it looks good.

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  2. i love that it gets everything off the counter. great idea. as far as color, my eye is drawn to it b/c of the wood color, so painting it white would maybe make it blend in more.

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  3. I like it with the natural wood shelf; I think it goes well with the chairs. Do you have the names for the 3 paint swatches on the wall?

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    1. Thanks! The top one is Valspar Voyage (That's what ended up on the walls), below that is Valspar Woodland Silver Brook and the bottom is Valspar Silver Leaf.

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  4. Awesome idea to keep the counters clean. If you get a chance, please link up to my linky party going on now: http://suburbsmama.blogspot.com/2013/08/sunday-linky-21.html

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  5. What a great idea. It makes such a difference. I'd love for you to link up to The DIYers: http://homecomingmn.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-diyers-and-our-country-weekend.html

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  6. what a simple solution! :) love it!

    secure!!!! that's the word I need to start using. Oh my I struggle with the simplest things sometimes. :)

    gail

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