Ugly Kitchen Quick Fix: Kitchen Carts x 2

I haven't posted about our super ugly kitchen in quite awhile. In case you were wondering, it's still super ugly.

Wah wah wah.

But, I have been making a few small changes here and there to make it more functional and slightly less crusty (if that's even possible).

First, I painted the walls and trim. I used leftover paint from the rest of the main floor (Gray Own 1/2 Tint and Simply White - Benjamin Moore). This made a HUGE difference and I cursed myself for waiting so long to do it.

Painted walls and trim.

Next, Alex and I moved the fridge over and installed some open shelving for display and storage on the wall with no cabinetry. Hello, Ikea.

Open shelving on empty wall.

We also replaced the fluorescent light over the sink with a pendant light.

Pendant light over sink.

Underneath the Ikea shelving we decided to create a bit more counter space and storage by doubling up two Ikea kitchen carts. We already had one in the kitchen already, so we picked up a second one and placed them side by side underneath the open shelves. Like so:

Ikea kitchen carts for counter space and storage.

The extra counter space has made such a huge difference so far. Now we have a place to put the mail down, open up a cookbook, or to cool a pan of muffins. {I love muffins. I should make some muffins right now. Muffins, muffins, muffins.}

I love you counter space!

For a few months we had a mishmash of decorative bowls 'n things on the lower shelves. However yesterday I decided to try and make the space more functional. 

On one kitchen cart I've got a basket, a large bowl, and some glass canisters:

Kitchen cart #1

I use the basket as a bread basket. It's usually crammed full of bagels, English muffins, sandwich bread, and french stick. What can I say, I'm a carbaholic. The large white bowl is usually filled to overflowing with fresh fruit - usually apples, oranges, grapefruit, and bananas. If you're wondering why both are empty it's 'cause the bananas were kinda brown and we only had two grapefruits left. I left them out of the picture. Yes, grocery shopping is on my mile-high list of things to do today. Or tomorrow. Or the next day.

On the bottom shelf are four glass canisters that I use for common baking ingredients. Those chocolate chips are looking pretty hurtsville now that I look at them. Add some of those to my grocery list.

On the second kitchen cart I've got two magazine files, a charging station, and a stack of serving trays:

I just added the filing baskets in an attempt to organize our incoming and outgoing mail. There is also a charging station for my iphone, Alex's blackberry, and our ipods.

I stacked some serving trays on the bottom shelf since we've been using them lots and lots over the last few weekends. We've been entertaining visitors out on the deck and the trays are super handy for snacks and drinks.

In case you're curious, here is where we found the goods: 

 Kitchen Carts - Ikea

Basket - Homesense

Bowl - Hilltop Interiors

Glass Canisters - Wal-Mart

Stick-On Letters - Michael's

Charging Station - Pottery Barn

Magazine Files - Homesense

Trays - Homesense & Superstore

Glass Rolling Pin - Antique Store

Even though the two kitchen carts were kinda pricey and added up to about $500 for both, we plan on reusing them in our future laundry room for clothes-folding counter space and storage. Not a bad deal at all.

So, that's our latest kitchen quick-fix. Now it's time for me to not go to the grocery store ooooh and ahhhhhh over pretty kitchens on Pinterest. One day.... one day.................

P.S. Can anyone tell me why the spacing in Blogger is being so weird lately?!?!?!