Summer Kitchen

It's officially summer, yes?  Whew, is it hot here!  It's supposed to be in the mid-to-high 90's all week, with high humidity.  Welcome to the south!  At this point, the catch phrase around here becomes, "Hot enough for you?"  After hearing this so many times, no one even bothers to reply.  😜  It's almost like the dead of winter because everyone stays inside, where it's air-conditioned, as much as possible.      Today, I want to share a few pictures of my summer kitchen.  I've made a few little changes in here since the big renovation in 2012, namely a new dishwasher, new replacement windows, and wood floors.  All those things were money well-spent, and we still love our kitchen.  

  A mason jar filled with flowers always says summer to me.  You may have seen these gingham placemats in my Nautical Tablescape last year.  They actually have a nautical design on the back, but I just love the blue and white gingham.  

   One of the changes I made in the kitchen last year is the addition of two ladder-back chairs.  I was somewhat bored with our table and chairs, and I'd seen pictures in magazines and decorating books showing a mix of chairs at the kitchen table.  I found these chairs online at Wayfair; the price was good and they had good customer reviews.  I've been very pleased with them; they're quite heavy with a solid feel.  They were available in white, black, oak, walnut, and English pine, which is what these are.  Our table and existing chairs are actually oak, but the pine finish blends perfectly.  I think they add a little touch of English country with the rush seats.   

      I purchased these chair cushions online shortly after the kitchen was re-done; I love the blue and white fabric, and I chose these because they're supposed to be machine washable.   You can see a portion of the rug we purchased last year after we got our wood floors installed.  It came from Stroud Braided Rugs, and they're made here in North Carolina.  

    Another small summer touch I added in here is this chicken-wire basket filled with faux boxwood.  I got this at Hobby Lobby back in the spring while shopping with my mother-in-law.  I had originally thought to put it on our mantel, but I decided the baker's rack is the perfect place for it.  I normally have a small piece of pottery in this spot, and the basket makes for a nice change.     

   My husband's co-worker, such a nice lady whom we've known for years, brought me this little Russian toothpick holder.  She purchased this on a Baltic cruise she and her husband traveled on a few weeks ago.  Thank you, Cindy!       

   I also added my Jim Shore rabbit to this section of the kitchen.  He looks cheerful amongst all the blue and white dishes above.  :)     

 

  The flowers came from Trader Joe's last Friday; I bought three bunches and made arrangements with them.  The fern fronds came from the Autumn Fern in our front yard.   

  

 

  I've noticed this has been a great year for the hydrangeas; all the bushes I see seem to be covered in blooms.   

      

   So that's all for today.  I just wanted to share a few current pictures of the kitchen; I've added some more summer touches which I'll share in another post soon.  We do love to tweak our homes, don't we?    Are you having a good summer?  Have you made any updates to your home this season?  I'd love to hear about them.  :D  Thanks so much for your visits; they truly do make my day!  Have a good week.  This week, I'm linking to the Metamorphosis Monday party at Between Naps on the Porch blog.  Thank you for hosting the party, Susan!  Hugs,