He Lights Up My Life....

I have a love/hate relationship with my kitchen cabinets. I love the fact that I have lots of cabinet space and as far as cabinets go, they are well built and made to last. The dark wood stain however, not loving these days. Another thing I don't love it the fact they seem to float. They don't go to the ceiling. That's ok, in fact I think that was my choice when we built the house, but they need some molding or something to soften the edges some, make them seem less boxy. I use this space to keep seldom used items like cake plates and platters that take up lots of room inside the cabinets. I've also mixed in a few decorative plates, a chicken and bunny or two, and my grandmothers Dresden candlesticks. This weekend I found a set of ball jar (canisters?). They look green in this picture but actually they're a beautiful blue~green. More blue than green.

Sometime while Christmas shopping I bought a strand of rope lights with the intention of putting it above the cabinets. Instead the lights ended up in a cabinet and forgotten about until I brought those jars home. Yesterday I climbed up on the counter to put my rope lights up. My intention was to drill a hole in the top of the cabinet, run a cord through the inside of the cabinet, drill another hole in the bottom for the cord to come through to plug into the outlet just below. Mitch got wind of my plan and suggested putting an outlet above the cabinet to avoid drilling holes. I said that's an excellent plan and in a rare event of devise a plan and follow through * we headed to Lowe's for the needed supplies. In less than an hour that hero husband of mine had me wired for lights. I'm adding this to my list of inexpensive but effective projects.

Oh, I wish I could snap my fingers and those cabinets become a lovely shade of creamy white....sigh....

*We've had under-cabinet lights for at least 3 years. They don't illuminate much in the box inside the cabinet.

Comments

[Sarah]

Painting is such a pain in the arse, but so rewarding. I always put it off way too long, then when I am done think, "why did I wait so long?" Anyway, the light looks nice up there. We also have that space above our cabinets, but our cabinets are white, so it doesn't seem too dark up there!

[Jessica]

the light looks great. I love the chickens!

[phyllis]

I too have cabinets like yours & this summer I thought about painting them white also, but my painting skills are not so hot, I took the doors off cleaned them up & while they were down I painted the front of the cabinets a creamy white.I think I saw it in Country home called picture framing. Lots easier & If I had messed up easier to sand off. It really brightened up kitchen, i also bought some of that rope trim, white washed it & nailed it right at the top . I don't have a blog but sure enjoy yours.

[Sandy]

You really opened it up with the lighting!
Sounds like you might have a new painting project coming up :) We need to gut our kitchen and start over (sigh). You have a good man, Autum! :)

[Linda Thompson]

LOVE the aqua walls in your kitchen!
I would give anything to have space above my cupboards for my many collections!
The lighting looks soft and warm. Great idea!

[Alberta]

What a beautiful display area!

[Alicia G.]

The uplights look great. Painting our cabinets was a lot easier than I thought, but we do have way fewer cabinets than you do, you lucky lady.

[katie]

What a handy hubby you have, Autum! That's so nice. I have long wished we had an outlet in our front hall so I could have a lamp there. Whoever built this house had very little house sense. My hubby is handy, but installing new outlets seems to be out of his range.

P.S. The new paint job is beautiful.

[Karin]

I just love when great ideas and implementation meet. It's so satisfying. Unfortunately, in my house there are far more ideas.....and my husband is a skilled craftsman. Oh well. Cabinets look great.

[Chris Howard]

Somehow I see you as a "cream colored cabinets" person. The mini-makeover looks great though!

[rachael]

Ah, you made me homesick for our old apartment. We had the space above our cabinets where we stored platters abd dishes too big for the cabinets. We lit them with fairy lights too.

[wendy]

The lights give a wonderful effect. I have painted two lots of kitchen cupboards which were dark wood, i found it very therapeutic work, the effect on one door was so good it spurred me on to keep going.

[lindiepindie]

Well you must be feeling better if you climbed up on your kitchen counters. We have the same kind of cabinets - with the open space at the top. It took me forever to be happy with the stuff I have up there. I like the lights. Nice effect. And efficient hubby. I don't think anyone in this family knows how to wire anything!

[Lori]

Great idea with the rope lights, Autum. Thanks for the picture of your collection above your cabinets. My cabinets are wood and not too the ceiling, I have changed my kitchen but this area is screaming for new itmes. Thanks for the ideas.

[Kelli]

Oooh, fabulous home project! Nicely done. And for what it is worth -- I love the current stain on those. The dark wood is super pretty.

[peggy]

My cabinets are getting ripped out along with my counters. I will have one wall counter and a big kitchen island along with my hoosier cabinet. The rest of the walls will be open shelves from ceiling to floor. I am going kinda primitive/40's style in my kitchen... sounds weird but honest it will be nice. LOL BTW I have the same platter you have on your cabinet between the 2 birds!

[kim in Camas]

Love that idea. Hmmmm, I may have to do that myself.
I say paint the cabinets! I am partial to lighter cabinets though.

[mijk]

I so expectes the whol ekitchen to be spraypainted at the end of the post (You see how you are my housedecoratingsuperhero...)

[beki]

What a great project! I'm just getting around to putting things on top of my cabinets. In the very near future my ugly wood cabinets will be a creamy white. Oh, how I LOVE white cabinets.

[pam]

That looks so pretty!

[Bettsi]

Adding the lights was such a good idea! What do you recommend for the under cabinet lights? That's MY dark area. I have to agree with your readers who say paint the cabinets creamy white!

[Crystal T]

Gosh your paint color looks so good! The lights add such a wonderful glow. Looks great...as always!!

[daisies]

the lighting looks fantastic !!! i have the opposite problem with my cabinets, like yours they don't go to the ceiling which is what i want but unlike yours, i can't store stuff on top because there is a bulkhead built in ~ sigh ~ such wasted space, it drives me crazy! someday, they will be replaced :)

[casapinka]

Paint the cabinets!!! You'll never look back and white or creme with some lovely new pulls will give you a brand new kitchen and look great with your lovely walls and new lighting project. The Y chromosome in your husband will yell about painting wood but you will LOVE IT.

[shelley davis]

I have been painting out all of my woodwork throughout my house. I am so happy with it! Wow what a difference it has made. Much more warm and inviting. Who knew there were so many shades of white/cream. I ended up using Navaho White from Lowes top of the line paint. I can't say enough about it's beauty. I plan on doing the kitchen in the summer when the babies can join me outside. They are currently 15 months.
Shelley