Confessions of a renovator with a short attention span...

As always, I promised myself I wouldn't start a new project until the basement was finished. Alas, two of the four bookcases grandpa made us are still in the garage, unfinished. (Part of that problem is the hubby wanted to make that his project, and I don't want to nag him to get it done because he'll never volunteer again!)

We can at least sit in the basement. But it's definitely a man space, filled with boxes yet to be unpacked, and the sad tiny bits of pretzels that have long ago been eaten, gathering under the sofa.

So I confess. I started another project-repainting the kitchen. When we moved in, it was covered in an awful floral wallpaper, and had a dull red vinyl floor that was peeling at the seems. I mean it was absolutely awful.

The layout of the kitchen is fantastic, though. It's long, plenty wide, with lots of custom birch cabinetry from the 1950s, and an awesomely spacious breakfast nook. We're using that as our dining room, because any 50s architect who thinks the dining-room-at-the-end-of-the-rectangular-living-room thing doesn't feel cramped is crazy.

We've already replaced the floor, with relatively eco-friendly marmoleum in black and white. (It's awesome by the way, very easy to clean and tough as nails).

This is the second time I've painted the kitchen in a year, so Erich looked at me like I was crazy when he saw new paint cans on the kitchen table. But he's practically blind, and the last color I chose, a dark plum, made it almost impossible for him to see. I decided to go lighter and brighter. So I repainted the entire kitchen and ceiling in that American Tradition Cincinnatti hotel beige I used in the living room.

Then, on the wall running behind the table, I went with a medium-dark purple. Something that would really shine next to my vintage $35 thrift-score red formica table and chair set.

It's very cheery. He says it looks like we live inside of an easter egg. And it does.... Unbelievably, I actually managed to FINISH this project. Two coats of primer, two colors, all in one weekend. Well, almost finished. Never mind that I haven't replaced the baseboards since the floor was installed, or that I have to get rid of that awful light fixture above the table. But alas, I'm still searching for the perfect chandelier, and cutting those 45 degree angles to install baseboards? eek! I'm not sure I'm cut out for that!•