#enamel light

We have had decorators in giving the new house a lick of paint since August. I have teased you with a few pictures but it is now practically there. They have finished the painting and so I can finally finish unpacking and titivate.

The Kitchen was the room I most wanted to get finished but it has been the last to be completed. Since finishing it we have been enjoying cooking and socialising in here so much - well worth the wait.

So some before pics, It did not really need anything doing to it, as lots of people told me but we just wanted to put our stamp on it cheaply using the existing layout and units. It already had wonderful features, wooden painted units, lovely floor tiles and the best bit, a large Black AGA.

And now, a couple of days of Carpentry work, lashings of different (yet barely distinguishable except to a grey fiend's eye) grey paints, some Colporter vintage lights and here we are....

I have to acknowledge taking some inspiration with the horizontal panelling from the gorgeous Abi's House, previously blogged about. We did that on one wall and had our chippy create a "dummy" cooker hood above the AGA to make a focal point.

I sourced us a new yet old bench which can fit a number of small bottoms on it - perfect for playdates. Our old OKA chairs which were once wicker based have been reincarnated with an MDF seat as they were NOT built to last originally. Many a friend with a slim bottom perched precariously on these prior to their makeover. Mine was fine!

We admired Nigel Slater's kitchen windows - black crittal - but could not afford, nor wanted to remove the lovely existing windows. We took the plunge and painted them Dulux Flint (very similar to F and B Downpipe). I think Nigel would be quite impressed with these, if not by our AGA disasters (of which there have been quite a few - no-one mention the Pork Belly in the warming oven incident).

A few trips up to the loft to raid some Colporter stock has really helped get this project over the line. I could not have restored these enamel lights without our great Sparky "Down to Earth Electrics" (oh how I laughed) and Gravel Hill Designs (on ebay).

We also needed some open shelves for all of my "bits and bobs", read various sized Charity Shop plates.

Off to prepare a scrumptious meal now - or should we get a take away...