Kitchen shelf...

We don't have a lot of storage space in our kitchen and we've had to get creative to find places to put everything. There is a strange empty space behind the kitchen door that I had been thinking about putting a shelve in for a while, but this was back when I was super pregnant and dreaming more than doing.

I mentioned this to my husband just before we had the baby. Then one day when I was laying in bed with Baby Gray I heard some loud banging in the kitchen.

Trent said he had found a shelve at the DI that was perfect for this spot in the kitchen. "Oh no..." I thought. You see, Trent and I have very different ideas about decorating and furniture. I try not to be too big of a pain about it, but I really like things to look nice. I'm really picky about what shade of wood we have in the house (it has to be dark or painted white) and I had something really specific in mind that I wanted to do, which I hadn't talked to him about yet.... So I was pretty sure that this perfect shelf was going to be interesting.

I wandered out to see the shelf when he was done and when I first saw it I burst into tears...

Yes, the "perfect" shelf he found was one of those 1990 heart cutout shelves. Oh man! I felt bad for crying, but hello! I had just had a baby and was super emotional/not feeling well yet. And it was on the wall, all set up before I could even say anything about it. (I'm sorry if I have offended anyone who loves the heart shelf... it's just not my style, and you are welcome to have it, but you have to come before garbage day on Tuesday). I love how sweet and thoughtful Trent was to do this for me, and it has been super great to have a place to put these things. I'm not trying to sound like an ungrateful wife here (though I'm sure I sort of do), but I just didn't love the style.

Just for the record the next time I walked past the shelf I burst out laughing hysterically. I mean come on... those hearts! Talk about mood swings...

So we have lived with the lovely heart shelf for six months now, and I feel like I gave it a good try. But I really do cringe a little when I see it. I spend so much time in the kitchen, I want it to look nice (or my style of nice at least). Part of  my purpose this year is to live, not just exist. So I no longer wanted to "live" with the heart shelf.

One trip to IKEA later, here is my new shelf...

 

More modern, and clean lines. I really love it! It has been so handy to have somewhere to put the pots and pans as well as some of our pantry items. I swoon over the whole open shelf idea... maybe I'll add another on top for the flour and stuff. Anyway, maybe it's not that big of a deal or makes that big of a difference, but I love the way this looks so much better.

Someday I will make sure Trent has a wooden/heart shelf in his man cave...