My ZEN KITCHEN Makeover – New Paint Color Reveal!

If you follow The Wicker House on Facebook orInstagram then you may remember me saying that I was going to repaint our kitchen cabinets. Well I did it! And today I want to share the new paint color with you.

Here is a look at our new Zen Kitchen Makeover!!!!

What do you think?

If you are a long time follower of The Wicker House then you already know that this kitchen has been made-over more times than any other room in our home. I actually plan to write up a blog post showcasing all of the different looks this kitchen has gone through and explain why I have changed it up so much. Trust me, there is a reason for my madness…..You’ll see. 🙂

So keep your eyes peeled for that.

I also plan to write up a blog post about how I paint my kitchen cabinets (the easy way) so if you want to learn more, then be on the lookout for that post as well.  You can follow by e-mail and on social media like Facebookand Instagram to stay up to date.

This new charcoal paint color is called, “Wrought Iron” by Benjamin Moore, but at our house we refer to this color as, “Stormy Grey” because this color matches our dog, Stormy, perfectly! (that may or may not not be a coincidence).

The color on the walls is called, “Subway Tile” by Valspar, and the color of the upper cabinets, trim, and painted tile on the backsplash is all Olympic One paint (not tinted).

Not only did I paint the lower cabinets and stove hood mount in the charcoal color, but I also decided to paint the windows. Painting the windows made such a big change to the room.

So the reason why I’m calling this my “ZEN” kitchen makeover is because as I talked about in THIS recent post, I want to really focus on creating a peaceful and relaxing home that has subtle reminders to stay present and enjoy the moment. I call it,  Zen Living, and I feel like I have achieved just that here in our kitchen.

Here are 5 ways that I feel I have brought ZEN into our kitchen:

1. Soothing Colors

This new charcoal color feels warm and earthy and is soft on the eyes to look at. Soothing colors have a way of making your home feel more tranquil. Also, this dark color is a beautiful contrast to the white, creating Yin Yang, which represents harmony and balance. 

2. Simplify

 I kept the decor in the room simple. Too much clutter creates chaos, and kitchens already have a way of getting cluttered quickly. I left out only the items that we use daily.  

3. Mindful Decor

Next to the sink, I have created a soothing display of plants and a Buddha statue. This is a beautiful visual to look at while I’m washing up the dishes.

I picked up the Buddha statue at the Dollar Tree, Can you believe it? I think it looks elegant.  The Buddha brings inner peace and every time I look at this little statue I am reminded to stop, take a breath, and be present in whatever I am doing.

I love to turn washing the dishes into a meditation. I once talked more about it in this post, How to make doing the dishes more enjoyable. So perhaps check that post out if you are interested because it has lots of great little tips, but basically it’s all about creating a peaceful environment to focus on the task at hand.

4. Candles

Candles are great for creating a relaxing atmosphere. I almost always wash my dishes by candlelight. It’s amazing how something as simple as a small flame can instantly change your mood.

 This candle by the way is amazing! I know I’ve talked about it many of times before but it really is my favorite candle ever! You can pick one up for yourself HERE. Murchison-Hume also carriers the most amazing all-natural cleaners, including dish soaps that smell so good and definitely help to make washing the dishes more enjoyable.

In fact, I have a %20 off discount code that you can use on any of your Murchison-Hume orders.

Just type THEWICKERHOUSE20 at checkout.

5. Natural Elements

I believe every room needs to have some natural elements in it to make it come alive. Natural elements add texture and can bring life to any room. A few obvious examples of natural elements are; wood, wicker, bamboo, stone, clay, and plants.  

I have a bad habit of painting natural elements, like the wood stove mount, tile backsplash, wicker lampshades and bamboo stools to name just a few. It would have been more “zen” of me to have left them alone, but that was then and this is now. So to make up for it, I made sure to have plenty of wood kitchen essentials on hand.

  

Originally, I was Not planning on painting  this bar wall. It was white like the rest of the walls, but after much debate, I decided to go ahead and paint it and I was so glad that I did, it immediately tied the whole room together.

The bar stools are still the same as before. I thought about replacing them with something more modern and industrial, but I’m a big believer in using what you already own, and besides I still really like them. Do you remember when these stools use to look likethis? They too have been made over a few times.

 I’ve also thought about replacing these wicker lights with something more modern. But again, there’s really no need to buy new ones. These are just fine for now.

We have a lot of black appliances in our kitchen like our microwave, dishwasher, and double ovens, so I like how the new paint color makes the appliance almost disappear, rather then stand out.

Okay, and now the last thing in our kitchen that I want to show you is this chalkboard wall I painted. This back wall is the perfect spot to jot down notes and messages. This wall already had a large black electrical box, so the black chalkboard paint helps to camouflage the box and then the metal electrical box now acts as a magnet board where I can hang my boy’s artwork. It’s been a fun addition to our kitchen.

And that completes the tour of our newly painted kitchen! I hope that it has inspired you today in one way or another.

Do you have any questions or comments?  If so, please leave them below or come find me on Facebookor Instagram.

Thank you so much for stopping by,

Peace and Love,

Emily