First Apartment: Kitchen Before and After

For the Living Room Before and After, click HERE.
 
Adrienne loves to experiment with new recipes, so unlike me, her kitchen is very important to her.  It was so easy and fun to decorate, thanks to Target and a lovely place in Durham called the Scrap Exchange.  (You can read more about the Scrap Exchange HERE.)  Whenever we visit Adrienne, the Scrap Exchange is at the top of my list of places to visit.
 

Aren’t these empty brie containers fabulous?  They were 25 cents each from the Scrap Exchange.  I love the pop of color and dimension they add.  I placed them on top of the kitchen cabinets to create a focal point.  On the other side, I balanced the focal point with a container of yellow flowers that I found at a thrift store for $5.  Since the apartment layout is an open floor plan, the yellow flowers are perfect to brighten the kitchen and add to the yellow theme in the living room.
 
There is a funky empty space next to the oven and the center cabinet.  I stuck this record album holder that Adrienne wasn’t using anymore in the funky space to store paper grocery bags. 
 

She wasn’t in the market for a microwave cart, but when I found one on clearance for $25 at Target I just had to buy it.  It fits perfectly against the kitchen wall and the extra storage space is always a plus. 

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The carpet is from Costco.  

I have never been a big fan of storing kitchen utensils out in the open, but she really needed extra drawer space in the kitchen.  When I found that fantastic jar on clearance at Crate&Barrel for $6, I had to get it.  It came with a cute lid, too, which we put away in case she wants to repurpose the jar in the future.  The basket is from the Scrap Exchange, and the glass bowl is from Target.
 
You’ll notice three FREE items in these photos:  a set of dishes, a vacuum, and a little tea pot.  These items were all BRAND NEW!  Back in May when Adrienne moved out of her apartment on campus, she found them in the “donation” pile in the laundry room.  The vacuum alone is $99 at Target.  It works perfectly on hardwood floors.  The red dishes go great with the yellow and grey theme, too.
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Coming Up:  Kitchen Breakfast Bar