I love pretty white trim… and I don’t mean on doll dresses…

I am SO sorry I didn’t get to answer your comments about the slips… I loved reading everything you wrote and thank you so much for the compliments. I will get the winners slips out first thing Monday morning. I was going to go to the Post Office Saturday morning, but when I got up that morning, my hubby had taken down the make-shift curtains I had put up at my kitchen window and moved the dish drain out of the way and cleared off my few little trinkets from the window sill. I could only hope what I was hoping would be happening! IT WAS…. IT WAS WINDOW AND DOOR TRIM DAY!

In case you’re new here… my kitchen has been sort of put together in sections… a bit here, a bit there, here a little, there a little, some this week, some NOT this week… anyway, it’s been a bit haphazard to say the least. So anytime something gets finished, I feel like I have to shout it to the whole world… Hey, Look… my kitchen’s getting a little prettier each time we work on it.

I’ve had the boards painted since I think February… maybe March… but they’ve been waiting to be cut and used! FINALLY, it was time…

I think the last time I showed you any pictures it looked like this… no trim around the door or the window…

We used 1 x 4’s and 1 x 6’s for the trim over the door and window. It was actually pretty simple but it still took us all day! Seriously… it did! We had gotten out of our “groove” I guess, because we were slower than molasses! It was pretty simple though…not a single mitered corner! Praise the Lord! Here’s a little picture show of the day. We started with the door.

For the door it was 1 x 4’s on the sides… then a 1 x 2 on top laying sideways. On top of that was the 1 x 6 laying flat on the wall. Then there was another 1 x 2 laying sideways and then on top of that a 1 x 3. The 1 x 6 flat piece was cut the same length as the width of the pieces on the side of the door and window… then the pieces laying down were cut 1/2″ longer and the top piece, the 1 x 3 was cut 1/2″ longer than the piece below it. I showed you a drawing of it of how I wanted my trim to be… but I’m sure you had no idea what this drawing meant…

We have 9′ ceilings so putting the trim up this way kind of filled in that empty wall space.

So here’s the rest of the door…

Isn’t that pretty? I just love it!!!

Now it was time for the window… we knew it was going to be a little trickier because the window stuck out past the wood planks we put on the wall.
We planed down the door facing as they were wood, but my window was vinyl, so we couldn’t trim it down. We knew we were going to have to put shims on the sides of the trim to have our trim lay flat. Well, I remembered something my sister, Cindy, sent me a picture of quite a while back showing how her son Dylan sometimes had to fix older houses with “crooked walls!” That would be our house… anyway… he sometimes added a piece of trim about 1/4″ thick along the edge of the trim making it flush with the wall and able to lay flat… this picture shows you what I mean… Don’t worry, when it’s painted it will never be noticed…and the only way it’s ever seen is if you look at it on the side, which means you’d have to be down my hallway to really notice it.

We did the window the same as the door, except we started at the bottom. Since my window sat so close to the backsplash, my hubby wanted to caulk it with some clear silicone to keep any water from getting behind it. Then the bottom trim board was put in place…

Next….the sides and the rest of the trim at the top…

We had already decided the window looked a little “flat” at the bottom so I asked if there was any wood in the garage that we could use for a new sill? We looked and found a brand new piece of very nice and smooth wood… exactly the width we needed and a little longer than we needed! It would be perfect as a new ledge…
We measured and cut out the notches and slid it in place…and couldn’t be happier!

So when the day was almost over…it looked like this…

Of course I HAD to do a bit of “decorating” and hung my clock up there just to see how it looked! WONDERFUL, I tell you wonderful!

With Chandi turned on and the light over my sink on..it was pretty homey in my kitchen… although my camera doesn’t make it appear so…

A while back, when we were just starting on our kitchen, one of my sweet readers sent us a money gift and said we should buy a nail gun with it… Well, it turned out, our son Kristoffer had a nail gun already, so I asked my reader if we could use it for something else… by all means, yes, we were told… SO… my hubby said he could really use one of these…

It’s a stand with expanding rollers to cut longer boards and trims. He uses it ALL the time! His compound miter saw is mounted on it and he can easily fold up 2 of the legs and roll it anywhere he’s working. It was on our back porch for this project.. I just wanted thank this dear sweet reader for her generosity and let her know it made the day go MUCH faster and smoother than she could ever know! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Well, that’s it for my white trim post. I’ve primed the raw ends of the wood, spackled the nail holes and sanded them. Next I’ll get the boards painted and it will REALLY be pretty!

When I got up Sunday morning, I went to the kitchen… just to make sure it still looked as pretty as I remembered… It did! :o)

Thanks everyone…
See you when I can,
Blessings, Jeanne

29 thoughts on “I love pretty white trim… and I don’t mean on doll dresses…”

  1. Charlotte Trayer

    WOW!!!!!!! What a difference a little trim makes! Your kitchen is really turning out gorgeous!! If you look Waaaaaay out your window to the west (and maybe in other directions), you will no doubt see a “green glow” from someone who wishes her kitchen was as nice as yours is!! (me! and maybe others…)

    What a wonderful and generous thing for that other reader to do! Back when my husband was still able to do things like that, he would have loved having one of those stands! I’m assuming that, since George has been cutting trim, etc., he is feeling stronger these days? Prayers continue.

    1. HI Charlotte,
      Thank you so much! I looked out my window but I didn’t see anything…could be because it faces East… :o)
      Thank you for praying all these months…and maybe years! He is just now starting to feel like doing small projects like this. It wasn’t that hard to do, but our house is crooked, so everything had to be measured and tacked up…before it was nailed in. We didn’t use a nail gun because we needed to move a few things before getting them just right.
      Thanks so much Charlotte,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  2. How beautiful! It is fantastic to follow the kitchen progress, and makes me wonder if this is it? Is there any more left in the kitchen to complete? (I wish I could say all of our projects are done, but I am just treading water this last week trying to stay afloat and keep my head from sinking below the surface.)

    1. HI Christal,
      I still have plenty to do…haven’t even primed or painted my cabinets yet…baseboard needs to be put down, the toe kicks need to be added under the cabinets, I still have to put the back splash tiles behind the stove and that wall, make my range hood and finish the ceiling area down the hallway. Probably a few more things too…
      Some weeks are just too busy to get much done…I hope you can catch up soon…
      Thanks Christal,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  3. Oh Jeanne, what a transformation a little bit of trim makes in a room! It looks like a “real” room now! I love it! The close up pictures were very nice, but when you step back and take a picture of the whole wall, wow, it has all come together so perfectly! Adding the clock did wonders to that wall, and I love the color it adds to the room. It also looks like George is doing wonderfully in his recovery!
    What a great idea to get the stand! It looks like Michael is going to look at something like that, since he uses wooden ones that are getting kind of wobbly! What a wonderful gift from a special someone!

    1. HI Linda, I’m loving it too….I just spackled some more holes that needed to be filled and George did his thing with the caulk gun! Now all the cracks are filled in!
      He got the stand at a Menards…I can give you the brand the next time I’m in the garage.
      Thanks so much for your compliments on my kitchen…. I’m glad you like it as much as I do!!!
      Blessings, Jeanne

  4. Your trim looks just like your sketch. The style is not usual, but it is certainly attractive. Your kitchen just gets better and better. Now I’m really interested in your kitchen curtains since the trim is too pretty to cover up. And the ledge makes everything look even nicer. You got so much done in so little time, and all of it shows. How good can things get?

    I think its time to start at least one new category and go back and re-categorize some of your posts. I think we need to be able to look up Kitchen Renovation or even just Kitchen.

    The stand looks like something Luciana might put together at her workbench, but it seems to work, and if George uses it all the time, what could be better? Except, of course, that George feels good enough to use it all the time.

    1. HI Marilyn,
      I saw a picture on Pinterest of a window like this and loved it…Cindy told me to do what I loved…and so I did!!
      I actually already have the curtains made but I need to add a lining to them because they are too sheer…you can see right through them at night…I like that they are soft and drapey so I need to use a soft and fluid lining…
      I was going to show them tomorrow, but I’m painting my trim so I can’t put them up…

      He really does love the new stand. He was putting things away on Saturday and he folded the legs in and got ready to pull it away…and he glanced in the kitchen window and gave me a big smile!!!
      Thanks Marilyn,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  5. Morning Jeanne
    Loved seeing the progress you are making. I agree with Linda, trim really does make the room and you chose a very flattering way to trim the door and window and I love the pop of color your clock provides.
    I think I have mentioned previously that aside from adding a 2nd story, we also completed renovating the kitchen and like you, I vividly remember getting up in the wee morning hours to just savor and take in the progress at different times just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
    What a lovely, generous gift you received from one of your readers so that you could use it toward a piece of equipment that has been so helpful to you / George on this project. So glad to see that George is feeling strong enough to finish up the trim, I know it is slow, exacting work.
    Elizabeth and I will anxiously be watching the mail box in a couple days – Thanks again.

    1. Thanks Leigh,
      I’m glad you are liking my kitchen so far!!! I’m really excited about what still has to be done and see it ALL finished.
      There is something about sneaking into the kitchen when the lights are down low and look at everything.
      My hubby enjoys his “toys” as much as I love my dolls!!
      Your slip was mailed out this morning, so you and Elizabeth keep on watching for it in the mail…it’ll be there soon!
      Thanks Leigh,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  6. Hurray! And congratulations. I figured the clock wasn’t centered on the wall in the previous pictures because the trim would be different sizes for the door and the window. A little detective work. What a wonderful job you two do together. Thanks for sharing everything you’ve been up to for four years. Love the Blog.

    What a wonderful gift. A lot of people should be interested in such a useful piece of equipment from a very thoughtful and generous follower.

    1. HI Susette,
      Thanks so much Susette! We do work well together on our projects and he really does love his new toy!!!
      The paint is drying so pretty soon I’ll have it all done…well, the trim part that is…still lots to do!!!
      Thanks Susette,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  7. A big Wow! for the team Jeanne and George. And here I thought you were building a trellis over the door. You know from the drawings. Now they make complete sense. I’ve never looked that much at what a difference molding can make. What a wonderful transformation, and the clock is the perfect size. You were right. The other one would have been too large. And now I can see that hanging blinds higher over the window would not work. I would hate to see that lovely view blocked. We have faux wood blinds that hang inside the frame itself and when pulled up, take up very little space. They also have a plain decorative cover, very narrow, so all you see is the blind cord at the side. They may even make them with a pull down handle now too. Since my sink is directly under the window like yours, I can verify that the former curtains we had years ago were constantly being splattered. But, I like those buffalo checks too.
    Love that saw stand. Those things are so heavy. Having a stand like that would make the saw so much more useful and used. πŸ™‚ We never finished that deck railing…

    We had a wildlife problem yesterday. I kept hearing a rustling sound while watching the evening news. Finally, I told other person, “There’s a bird in the fireplace!” Not an easy fix as we still have boxes stacked all across the fireplace from all of the things we brought out of the other house. Moved boxes, opened the glass doors, and there inside was a very dirty blue jay! We have no idea how long he/she had been in there, but sometime yesterday we guess. So, how do you get a bird out of a fireplace? I said put a towel over it, but other person wanted a paper bag for it to get into. Well, needless to say, the bird wanted nothing to do with the paper bag and instead flew out into the house! Wonderful. Flew through the living room and into the family room right over my computer and into the high corner of the room. Other person screamed, “Open the sliding door!” Somehow the bird flew back into the living room and not out the sliding door, but into the hall bathroom. Other person finally cornered it and using the “towel” covered it and brought it out to the deck. He set it on the railing and it immediately took off. Lost a lot of feathers and hopefully learned a lesson. We have had a family of baby blue jays in our yard for a few weeks. They are pretty awkward so we are positive that it was one of them. They come every day and clean up the leftovers after we feed the neighbors cats. But, how it actually fell off the top of the chimney we have no idea. I wonder if that miter saw can make a chimney cap? Just saw one rather scruffy jay on the deck. Guess that is him.
    Have a great week.

    1. Oh, that was hilarious, Joy! So funny to hear how you and the other person β€œwork” together!

      1. The poor little Jay. I’m glad you and “other person” were able to get it outside.
        God bless you for your kindness in feeding the neighbor’s cats. I can’t count how many times I’ve fed the neighbor’s pets, given them water when the irresponsible owners leave them outside without it, put them inside the open garage, brought them back from down the street etc. I’m a huge, huge animal lover, so there’s obviously no option Two of my rescue kitties came from the neighbor’s when they moved out and dumped their cats on the driveway.

    2. Dear Joy, oh my goodness, that is so funny! I am glad there was a happy ending for all entities involved (chuckle).
      Your story reminds me of the stories told by Jeanne Robertson. She is a former beauty pageant winner and quasi comedian (wholesome comedy – like Carol Burnett). Her name for her significant other is Left Brain.

    3. HI Joy,
      I couldn’t remember who made the comment about it looking like a trellis…so it was you…
      Nope…no trellis…just lots of wood stacked on top of each other.
      I do have my curtains made…but can’t show them yet…wet paint, you know! They do have a check ….but I’ll keep them a mystery a little bit longer.
      Oh my goodness, Joy, what a story! That poor bird…he’s been through the ringer but apparently still likes it there if you saw him on the deck!
      Thanks for the best story,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  8. The trim is beautiful! George did such a professional job of notching in every piece.. it looks fabulous. Chandi is beaming his new kitchen:) !

    1. HI Shara,
      Thanks for liking my new kitchen
      ..from someone who had no idea what she was doing in the beginning, it’s starting to become my dream kitchen!
      Blessings, Jeanne

  9. The trim is lovely, Jeanne. The way it was designed is very attractive. It almost looks as if you could put a decorative plate or something else on top. Chandi is beautiful. We need a new light fixture in our kitchen. Maybe my own version of Chandi would be just the ticket. πŸ™‚
    The stand is really a useful tool I bet. That was so kind of a reader to bless you with it.
    George must be feeling so better if he can cut trim etc. I’m sure he’s happy to be feeling more like his old self. Continuing to pray for him.

    1. HI Laura
      I found Chandi at a yard sale for $3.00….maybe you could find one too!
      My hubby is doing much better and I’m so happy! I needed my team mate to help me get my kitchen finished.
      Thanks Laura,
      Blessings, Jeanne

    1. Thank you Dorothy,
      It won’t be too much longer until I get to bake that cake and we can all “share” it….sort of…
      It is my new happy place!
      Blessings, Jeanne

  10. Jeanne Brandon

    The trim in the kitchen looks wonderful. George is quite a handyman. We are also in the 6 year kitchen remodel phase. It goes on and on. I have been fooling around with paint and colors and finally decided to go more neutral than I originally planned. Even a decision is a step forward. Jack is not able to help with the work and in choosing colors he is colorblind so I am winging it along. I have had help from Shara via Ace Hardware paint chips. She has an excellent eye for color and design. I have to begin with the priming of the wood cabinets this week. I really want to sew and knit though.

    1. HI Jeanne,
      Well, the trim looks good because “I helped!” We really do work well together!
      I’m trying to keep my kitchen pretty neutral too. The color I picked to paint my cabinets is Snowbound by Sherwin Williams.

      I’ve been obsessed with the My Meadow dolls. I saw you had a Navi for sale but I thought you had WON it… I’m not very good at Facebook.
      So I didn’t pursue it…turns out you were selling one right below the one being sold too..
      Thanks Jeanne,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  11. Oh Jeanne, the kitchen is just beautiful! What an improvement from the original look. You have been so patient with this entire remodeling process. I would have gone crazy waiting but you are so gracious and considerate. George is such a blessing. Praise God for him everyday!!

    1. HI Gloria,
      Can you believe how diffetent it looks from the day you were scraping and popping those aqua plastic tiles off the kitchen walls? I am amazed at how pretty it’s turning out to be!
      George really is a blessing to me…he’s let me have my dream kitchen just like Larry wanted you to have yours!!!
      Thank you Gloria,
      Love you, Jeanne

  12. Your kitchen is stunning, Jeanne. I’m so happy for you…and what a generous gift from one of the readers. Enjoy!

    Blessings

    1. Hi Becky,
      Thanks so much! I just finished painting my trim for the 2nd time… I think I’ll give it one more coat in a few places…like the window sill and the inside of the window… I have my curtains done and would like to put them up, but I can’t with wet paint again.. .
      Guess I’ll have to think of something else to show tomorrow…
      Thanks Becky,
      Blessings, Jeanne

Comments are closed.