Hey friends. I started off the new year finishing up a couple projects in my kitchen that I’ve wanted to get done. I added shiplap and a cute DIY plate rack to one of my walls. I keep seeing all these things on social media about trends that are going out. Shiplap, farmhouse style, blah, blah, blah. I say if you love it, do it. It’s your home! And I happen to love shiplap and don’t think it will ever got out of style. It’s a timeless classic that has been around for years. I love the added character it adds to any space. I have this one wall in my kitchen I always struggle to decorate. I think shiplap was the perfect choice. And the plate rack was so fun to make.

All the details on the plate rack are here https://simplyminedesigns.blog/web-stories/diy-built-in-plate-rack/ I really wanted something on this wall that I could display not only plates but my cookbooks and some vintage items too. My only regret is that I wish I’d made it a little bigger.

The shiplap I used is tongue and groove knotty pine boards from Home Depot. They come in a pack of six for around $30.00. I used 3 packages and still have some boards left over. I’ll be finishing the rest of this wall this week and hopefully installing new flooring soon. Then just one more wall in my kitchen will need updating. It’s been a long process getting it to this point. Living in a fixer upper seems like a never ending project at times.

My kitchen has really come a long way in the last 3 1/2 years. We’ve lived in our house for 12 years and for the first 8 years our kitchen was so dark and depressing. It has definitely become my favorite room in my house now and I’m proud of the work we’ve done in here. I always want my house to feel cozy and inviting and I think I’ve achieved that in my kitchen.

I recently added new chairs in my dining nook. They are from Houzz and I love the way they look with my table. I also added new barstools. I wanted ones that would match my kitchen table and I found the perfect ones also from Houzz. The important thing to remember when decorating your home is that it takes time. Projects are expensive and when you’re working within a budget and doing a lot of the work yourself it can get overwhelming. So allow yourself patience to see the bigger picture and know that it may take time but it will get done.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you found some inspiration for your own home.

XX, Shanna