Monday 29 November 2010

Operation "silk purse"

You remember my neighbour who put out over 100 "Interiors" magazines for recycling - and I recycled them into my house? Well on Saturday, whilst scraping our car windscreens, she mentioned that she had some more - would I like them? Well yes I would. (Thirty of them, the cheapest of which is £3.50 - the maths frightens me!).
These are so very well timed as I am about to embark on my "operation silk purse" project.

I have rescued some kitchen carcasses. My friend is moving house and having a brand new kitchen. To save these from being landfill, I decided that I could use these to give me more storage in my kitchen. Whilst I would love a brand new kitchen, I know that I would get bored with it after a while, and I just don't have the funds at the moment either. I also prefer rooms to "evolve". I loved the kitchen on the Sophie Dahl cookery programme.

I have a very strange long "L" shaped kitchen, caused by sticking an extra bit on the back of a garage extension. We have had a table and chairs in here, but it didn't get used much as it became a dumping ground for bags and coats, and you couldn't move for trainers!
My kitchen is well used. I cook and I bake, and it often gets very untidy. Its not as dark as these photos look - just a very dull day.

So I aim to turn this "sows ear".....
...into a "silk purse" - hopefully on a budget of £200.



I am liking the current trend for having units that don't quite match - the picture above even has different work tops! This will fit in very well with my plan to get new doors for the carcasses and a couple of tins of paint!

I'm saving the project until after Christmas, but meanwhile, I have plenty more mags to look through for inspiration.


27 comments:

Unknown said...

What great timing - getting all those inspirational mags from your neighbour :0)

I love flicking through glossy magazines - I'm sure there'll be plenty of kitchen eye candy.

Jill x

Louise said...

How lucky to get all those lovely magazines for free, and the bits of kitchen too!

I also loved Sophie's kitchen, I really enjoyed that series!

Your plans sound good so I look forward to seeing what you do with your kitchen!

Vintage Tea Time said...

Good luck with the projedt. We've got no kitchen at all at the moment - fun!! (not!) I too bought / was given lots of interiors mags - I loved looking through them at first, but then I got overloaded with ideas! Can't wait to get ours done!

JP said...

I think it is a good idea to mix and match! - go for it!

topchelseagirl said...

Wow I wish I had a neighbour like that. Look forward to seeing the evolution.

VintageVicki said...

Good luck with your makeover - look forward to seeing the pictures.

How lucky to get all those magazines :)

Lyn said...

Look forward to seeing it evolve Diane, I have to say Hubby picked our kitchen cupboards for our new kitchen I would of gone a bit more country litchen and cosy, still I like it now. Good job really as it cost so much it has to last for at least 20 years!!!
love
Lyn
xxx

Loo xx from Jumbles and Pompoms said...

OOoh how exciting! Can't wait to see what you come up with.

jennyfreckles said...

That's exciting - I look forward to hearing about your progress (that way I get all the fun and none of the mess!) I really like the fashion for mismatched pieces and I wish when I had mine done a few years ago I'd opted for painted units, so I could easily change it.

Diane said...

Looking forward to seeing what you end up doing. Diane

Kathy said...

I like looking through the glossy mags for ideas, but we just haven't got the practical knowhow to do something like that. Our new kitchen cost us a lot last year, but I love it to bits. I hope I still love it when it's finally paid for! I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with yours!
Love Kathy xxx

Rebecca said...

Good luck with your project! Anything to do with kitchens scares me (apart from cooking!). I do however adore browsing home interior mags.... you lucky thing having such a big collection! x

Janet said...

I`am sure it will look lovely- good luck and have fun ! look forward to seeing the results !

Living the frugal life in France said...

If I had all thoses mags, I would not want to move for weeks - just sit and read them all.
Have fun and I look forward to seeing how it all goes
Sue

harmony and rosie said...

Ooh I am so looking forward to seeing your kitchen evolve. Please take loads of photos for us as you go along won't you? x

Sue said...

Good luck with the transformation, lots of pictures please so we can follow the progress.

Jacquie said...

Great project , I'm sure it will turn out fab , and you will have the satisfaction of being eco- friendly and frugal .
I love the miss matched , vintage look too :0)
Jacquie x

Ellouise88 said...

I'm with you on the evolving front! Can't bear these kitchens where you've got to open every cupboard just to find the fridge because they are all the same!

Deb from WhatsInMyAttic said...

Great project! Nothing gets as much "pop" as a kitchen touch up...and a total re-do is like a new house! Good luck...you can do lot with a little cash and a lot of ingenuity!

Lisa said...

I have complete faith in you to do a fab job, if anyone can do it then it's you!
Looking forward to seeing the results.
Lisa x

Petit Filoux said...

I want a neighbour like that!!

crafty cat corner said...

Don't you just love mags, especially when they are free, I love it when I pick them up at car boot for 10p or so.
Look forward to seeing the kitchen transformation.

diane b said...

Sounds like a big project. Hope you enjoy doing it. We got a new kitchen last May. Our neighbours did it for us as they are kitchen makers.It is on my blog back in the May archives if you want some ideas.

John Going Gently said...

this is'nt that interesting but we have the SAME washing machine
x

Ray+Joan said...

you can come & redecorate my kitchen any time you want to I,ll even pay for the flight, good luck look forward to seeing it one day

A garden just outside Venice said...

Can't wait to have a peek into your new thrifted kitchen! xxxxx

Scented Sweetpeas said...

What fab treasure! I love it when I get magazines off people, full of such inspiration.