Just a lovely dose of kitchen inspiration

I plan to add this^ into this...

In my apartment, the only space I really haven't tackled is my kitchen. It's large (the largest kitchen I've ever had as a renter). It's a blank slate. And it has some quirks... like, one of the previous tenants stuck leaf/floral sticker things on the cabinets. But I love the pantry, corner shelves on either side of the big window, and high ceilings. The above photo is one I snapped right when I moved in. Now, there's a dining table, kitchen accessories in all sorts of colors, and vintage fans in the space over the cabinets.

However, I've got to do something. I've lived here nearly a year now, so the time has come to transform this kitchen. As a renter, I can't do any major renovations. The floor stays. The cabinets and counter-tops stay. But my landlord will allow me to paint the cabinets, cupboards, walls, and that red pantry door. I plan to scrape off those leaf stickers, paint the pantry door with chalkboard paint, and paint the walls, cabinets, cupboard, and ceiling.

So now it's time to brainstorm.

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This kitchen actually reminds me a lot of mine – or at least its potential. I don't have a gorgeous wood floor in there, but I do have white cabinets, gray counter-tops, and a big window over the sink. If I were to remove those leaf stickers, update the hardware, and give everything a fresh coat of white paint, that'd make a huge difference. Then I could bring in a wood table and some rustic wood touches. Maybe I'll take a cupboard off the hinges and have a bit of open-shelving, too?

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I'm not crazy about the hardware on these cupboards (too sleek and modern for my taste), but I love the color of these lower cabinets. It reminds me of a rainy day in a seaside New England town. Plus, I'm a big fan of the non-matching-color lower and upper cabinets... especially when the upper cabinets are kept white along with the walls. It feels airy but grounded.

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In this kitchen, I just love the pops of my favorite color. I can never have enough turquoise sprinkled throughout my living space. It makes "shopping my own apartment for decor" so much easier when I can move things around to different rooms with ease. I also love the details here. The shelf for mugs (I have so many!) and the metallic letter M. Cute, cute, cute.

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There are several things I'm digging in this retro kitchen. First of all, the minty color of the cabinets is quite lovely. I think I'd just do it on the lower cabinets and leave the upper cupboards white, though. Like my kitchen, there's an awkward gap with nothing under the counter. Right now, I have a bad habit of stashing things like pizza boxes there. I much prefer the idea of sliding a little rolling cart under there, especially for keeping things I use often handy. Also, I like the unexpected punch of red on the floor. Red and mint are a match made in vintage heaven.

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Can I just move into this rustic cottage kitchen?! The beams! The exposed brick! The omg... brick floors! Bring me my smelling salts! I can't put up beams or lay any brick, but I do have a brick rug in my office that could be moved into the kitchen. I also like the hardware here and the color of the lower cabinets. It's all so cozy, warm, and inviting.

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I really like this kitchen, too. It looks very effortless, mix-and-matched, and casual, which I love in a kitchen. I like the idea of putting down a big, ornate rug... especially since white linoleum isn't so easy on the eyes. I don't love the dark cabinets. I wouldn't want all my cabinetry open-shelving. I do like the mismatched stools. 

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In this kitchen, I'm drooling over the metallic, antique tile backsplash. This isn't hard to do/fake on the cheap. I've seen the plastic panels at Menard's. Maybe I'll opt for copper though? Again, I wouldn't want open shelving on all my cupboards, but I do like the idea of painting the insides a fun color and displaying colorful kitchen items... especially since all of my kitchen items are different colors ranging from lime green and turquoise to orange and red. 

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Last but certainly not least, I like the big super market sign in this room. I have a big piece of plywood leftover from another project. I think I might get all crafty and paint/distress it into a vintage-looking sign. I'm also a sucker for subway tile, but I don't think I'll be doing any tile laying in my rental.

So which of these ideas are your favorite? Have any other ideas for my eyesore of a kitchen? I'm all ears. ;)

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