Before & After...

This is a photo collage of my little kitchen when we were just coming to the cottage for the weekends. These photos were taken in August 2006. I gave up the corner of the kitchen (where the windows are) for a breakfast nook which consisted of a small round table and an "L" shaped banquette...piled high with pillows made from vintage tablecloths and linens. I also had the sink skirt made from vintage tablecloths.

See the little round table in the photo above? That's where the "L" shaped banquette was...behind the table. We used to sit there and have breakfast or when the grandkids came, they would eat at the little table. Mr. S and I usually eat (very informally) sitting in our favorite chairs...sometimes with a TV tray...sometimes sans the TV tray.

It didn't take me long to decide that I loved being at the cottage much better than in Dallas. As a matter-of-fact, after spending the first weekend here, I was hooked on country life! Mr. S encouraged me to stay since I loved being here so much (he only had to twist my arm for about two seconds!) Mr. S is still working in Dallas and didn't want to commute 150 miles each day. He continued living in our Dallas home and "visited" me at the cottage on holidays and weekends. A few months ago, Mr. S decided Dallas was not for him either. The end of January, we decided to put our Dallas home on the market. I know! It's not the best time to put a house on the market but we did and much to our surprise we got several offers in the first few days it hit the market. And we got our asking price! Woohoo! We close on the house February 26! Yippeeeee! Mr. S lives here now...commuting 150 miles a day! Country life is GOOD...very addicting! He couldn't stay away...we are HOOKED! I don't miss Dallas...not even a little!

When we were building this little cottage, I thought that I could live without a dishwasher...wrongwrongwrong!! After about 6 months of no dishwasher, it was time for a kitchen redesign! We had an "L" shaped section of lower cabinets built and an upper cabinet designed with slide out trays for our appliances. And I got the cutest li'l dishwasher drawer...I love it! Just the right size for a cottage kitchen. With the kitchen island chest and the addition of the cabinets, I have unused cabinet and drawer space...can you believe it? Oh...but not for long...I'm always looking for vintage dishes to fill the empty space. See my little dishwasher drawer below? Cute, huh?

The photo below shows our little "dining area". It's plenty of room for about 6 when both leaves of the table are up. My grandkids love the cute little slipcovered bench...It will seat 2!When you live in a little cottage, you have to make use of every square inch of space. I have learned to live with less. And I have learned that less is more...