as with my bathroom makeover, i tried to be smart when deciding what to replace in the kitchen.  certain things, like the tile and countertop, would not have been my choice but were perfectly fine.  however, the green ceiling (again, high gloss paint…why???) had to go.  here is an unceremonious before shot from right after i moved:

the holes are from a shelf that i removed.  this kitchen actually has a lot of storage, so it didn’t need any exposed storage in my opinion.  i think you can see the glossiness from the reflection of the light fixture on the wall. oh that green. this was a pretty standard issue light, but did nothing for me.  also, it was brushed chrome, and i ended up switching all the metal to polished chrome. this faucet looked sad.  and leaky.  it probably leaked because it also felt sad.

and now, what you really want to see, the after:

fresh coat of paint in benjamin moore’s decorator’s white, pearl finish.  i know that kitchens and bathrooms shouldn’t have flat paint, but i refuse to use high gloss paint on walls.
gorgeous gray glass tile mosaic from home depot.  since i couldn’t change the counters, i decided to work with them.  i think it makes the whole kitchen look much more expensive. and my new faucet.  if it was possible to marry a faucet, this baby would have my heart.  it is grohe, and it is worth every penny.   and the light was switched for something a bit more modern, to go with the new fixtures.  thanks to restoration hardware.all in all, i’m thrilled with the changes.  i didn’t end up doing much (paint, faucet, backsplash, new cabinet hardware, and new light fixture) but i think it feel much calmer and sleeker now.