Kitchen/Mudroom Makeover

Kitchen

Feast your eyes on the new-and-improved kitchen. It's complete with a larger dining-room table and chairs, a glass-front hutch for displaying decorative items and kitchen island with a dozen drawers.

Laundry Room

The new laundry room is in a bright room just off the family room. A spare cabinet has been mounted for storage. The whole unit was turned to allow the drawers to be on bottom within reach. The laundry area also houses bins to help the family separate their whites and colors.

The cubby and bin system in the mudroom includes a personalized area for each member of the family as well as individual baskets above for additional items. When the bins get full, each person is in charge of putting away his or her own things. There's even some extra baskets for things like gift-wrapping supplies.

The new kitchen island breaks up that long, narrow space and not only is a great work surface, but it is also a wonderful storage area. Just look at all those drawers.

This large kitchen table and chairs with decorative seat cushions replaces the two smaller tables that were in the dining area and kitchen. Now there's plenty of room for those extra kids that always seem to be visiting.

This roomy china cabinet/hutch displays Moorehead's collectibles and flea-market finds beautifully and is covered by glass to both protect the items and keep her from dusting as frequently. There's even room on top for more items.

The Mooreheads are thrilled with their home's new look and vow to keep it organized and orderly.

Designer's/Organizer's Tips

• Create memory boxes to store special items.

• When sorting, make a pile for items belonging in other rooms and move them later.

• Before buying an item, make sure you have a place for it in your home.

• Make an individual bin for each sport.

• Adjust cereal and snack shelves to a kid-friendly height.

• Create a station for your favorite beverage.

• Create a baking center.

• Limit yourself to one junk drawer.

• When reorganizing cabinets, leave space for future purchases.

Makeover Information

Products from Lillian Vernon:

pot-lid organizer
double hooks
stainless-steel lazy Susan
cedar shoe rack
shoe chest
expandable laundry rack
rolling double hamper
clothesline

Benjamin Moore paint colors used:

2 gallons Alkyd Urethane Reinforced Porch & Floor Enamel
3 gallons Super White 02, high gloss
3 gallons Cranberry Cocktail (2083-20), eggshell
1 gallon Cranberry Cocktail (2083-20), high gloss
4 gallons Cream (2159-60), eggshell
2 gallons Kennebunkport Green (HC-123)
4 gallons primer

Products from IKEA:

Sten crate on casters
Norden dining table, birch
Bernby chair, black
Varde counter storage unit, birch, white
Varde nickel handles
Ralijans bowls
Dragon 20-piece stainless-steel set
Ordning cutlery stand
Branas baskets
Rationell utensil tray
Burken jars
Skubb storage bag, dark red
Almvik hanger
Hultet stool
Hackas CD rack
Grundtal mounting strip
Grundtal paper towel holder
Grundtal wall shelf
Markor glass door cabinet, spruce