Finally I took some photos of the “new” kitchen for you yesterday. Editing took like forever and it was a tiresome day. But today is good, so here we go! Where to start… maybe by saying please leave a comment if there’s something you want to know about the kitchen (or something else), this post might not cover everything. But here’s the question many people use to have: What is the name of the colour? Well, it does not have a name, but let’s call it Betula Inky Green! The NCS code is S7020-B90G (the “G” is for yellow, so maybe it’s called “Y” in English speaking countries). The walls is matte, the ceiling is max shine because of the reflection. And they are the same colour (I always do that).

For me it was absurd that my most liked photo on instagram last year was the kitchen. It was light grey and not that intriguing, and for me a very boring room. So some of you might liked the “before” better, but lucky me I can change is as much as I like, and now I think it has changed its character completely. And just for the better. Want to see the before you say? You find a small video with the before and after on my instagram @villabetulablog. Do you think I should start making small videos for the blog as well? I would love to hear your opinion!

OK, the budget: under 100£ / 120$. I had most of the painting as left overs from the other green room which is attached to the kitchen, so they are now in the same colour and the boundaries between the rooms and the walls and ceilings have more or less disappeared. It seems bigger, taller, grander, more sophisticated and intriguing. Except from painting the room I used some terrible laminate shelves we got for free to make backsplashes. The trick to make them fab was to put some gold foil on them! The copper pipe to hang things on was there since the last make over, and we found it in the old basement. But maybe you can get some used somewhere? They can even be bought new I think. Except from that: cheap flea mirrors (three of them in the kitchen!), pimped a couple of lamps, I shopped my home for curtains and plants that where in desperate need for more light, gathered the coffee stuff on a teak tabletop to make a “coffee station”, and I painted the kitchen cupboards and bench black. Now I can hardly see that (ugly, in my opinion) induction top as it’s in the same colour as the bench. Yes, I felt very smart doing that, ha ha! And the finishing touch: a ship chandelier! I’ve just been dreaming of one, but they cost what I earn in a year. But then I released an idea for my husband – what if we made one? A very simple one with no intensions to look very good or expensive. So he got some stuff from the thrift shop and transformed thick wires from a small tent into a ship, just like it was the simplest thing ever (oh my, I love my husband). Then I took the job with twirling ten meters of copper strings with tiny lights on them on to the ship, and I also made some sails. And now it hangs there – reflecting it self in the shiny ceiling which looks like the surface of a deep sea…

So… remember me attending Abigail Ahern’s masterclass in January? The reason why you can read in that post, but my point now is the one thing I really needed to hear again, and to feel in her home: you should not be able to walk in a straight line from one place to another. Sounds weird? Unpractical? Stupid? Well, try it! Don’t be afraid to make a cozy nook a place you would never have thought of, don’t be afraid to put that huge palm where you are suppose to take the easiest walk to the next room. It makes such big exciting changes, like a little jungle of layers and discoveries. And thanks to Abigail‘s reminder I put an old bench in the middle of the tiny kitchen. Where you are suppose to walk straight from the stove to the dishes. And I love it. And my husband loves it too! We sit there with our coffee and lunch, feeling like the house has expanded, even though I’ve just made less floor space! Who would have thought so? With that and the budget in mind: go a little bananas! It’s fun, cheap and very transforming. If you need support – I’m here 😉

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