Debbie Travis' Facelift - Episodes

After

With a house full of kids and busy mom and dad, the practicalities of a well-planned space were the key to this kitchen Facelift. We moved the kitchen doorway over to make room for more cabinets. A slight adjustment of just a few feet can make all the difference between awkward or cramped and comfortable. The new opening is also more esthetically pleasing from the open living and dining space.

The look is Classic Country, and what better design to follow than the ever-practical Shaker style? The accent is on a mix of cabinetry that has been reinvented to add character as well as storage space. An apron front farmer's sink, tan tile countertops, bead board backsplash and wainscoting, and faux slate floor are expressive details that are beautiful reminders of rural living.

The beautiful new pre-finished wood floor, a couple of coats of caramel-coloured paint and fresh slipcovers on the furniture gives the living and dining areas both style and casual distinction. We built a privacy screen to mark off a corner for dad to work and relax.

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Cabinet

We removed the panes from a glass front cabinet door and inserted chicken wire into the existing slots. To decorate the inside back of the cabinet, we photocopied a favourite recipe and glued it onto a piece of Masonite cut to fit. Then we aged the recipe card with a crackle varnish technique. Crackle kits are sold at art and crafts stores. Two different varnishes are applied, the top coat repels the bottom coat and cracks appear. Burnt umber paint is rubbed over the surface and then polished to highlight the cracks.

Beams

These beams look like old, solid supports for the kitchen ceiling and upper floor. In fact, the faux beams are made from 1"x 6" pine, 3 lengths to form the bottom and two sides and a cleat for the ceiling that fits in between the two sides. To age the wood, we stained it first, then applied a thick layer of medium gray paint to 80% of the surface using a block of wood. We heat dried the paint which made it bubble and crack and then scraped over the surface to rough it up even more. We finished with a layer of white paint, allowing some of the stained wood and the gray paint to show through.

Floor

To get the look of a stone floor without the expense, you can create faux stone with paint. We laid plywood over the existing kitchen floor and applied a light gray base coat. To make the tiles, measure and tape off realistic slabs. Roll paint onto a section and then press plastic sheet down over the paint. Pull the plastic off to reveal lines and markings you would see in slate. When all the tiles are done remove the tape, revealing the gray grout lines, and apply gloss varnish to seal and protect.

Shaker Style Rack

The Shaker style rack is a simple 5" x 30" box with a backer so you can screw it into the wall. The rail can be bought at a hardware store or you can construct yourself with a series of dowels. Make sure the width of your plates fits the height of the rails. Add pine strips and/or moulding to the front edges of the box for finished, custom look detail.

Floor & Walls

A new floor and welcoming wall colour transforms the open living and dining area. Prefinished Spanish Cedar floor planks and caramel walls are warm, homey accents for this family area (see resources).

Privacy Screen

Dad's corner is sectioned off with a privacy screen that is decorated to match the living area on one side and the office on the other. To make the screen, cover a piece of plywood or a hollow-core door with your chosen fabric. Lay down some padding first and then wrap the fabric and staple to the back. The front and back of this screen were made separately and then screwed together with large screws and washers. Three panels were hinged together to make the finished screen.

Sofa

Custom made slipcovers in a creamy corduroy gives the old sofa new life.

Before