Almost have plans for new kitchen finalized - French Bistro!

     No cork floor - way too expensive and it sun fades!  So, I'm back to the black and white checkerboard floor that I've wanted all along anyway.  I'm going the "french bistro" look with cafe chairs and tables rather than a large dining table.  I think cafe tables are more cozy than seats at an island or a large table.  We hang out in the kitchen (like nearly every family does) but I want to sit relaxed like in a wonderful cafe or bar!  Right now we will be making the cafe table tops out of the white Corian also - little round 24" or 36" tables, and have at least two of them!  For fancy dinners we can throw a white linen table cloth over them and pull them closer.

      My cafe chairs, as shown above, will arrive the 27th.
      The wood in the kitchen will be red oak and the dining area will be mahogany.  Then, of course the white Corian counter tops and I think I'll go with white ceramic brick tiles for back splash and the tiling under the stainless steel fume hood. 
      Then hubby and I got a great idea - we have a door going out to the garage right in the middle of the kitchen.  I wish we could move it!  We've tried everything and every way to move it but it involves just way more than we want to get into.  So then we thought why not change the door, maybe make it out of oak to match the cupboards (but trying to match hinges and door jams is a big pain) or...  paint it with blackboard paint and use it like a menu/message board!  I think it would be so fun to put a cute menu in colored chalks on the door, notes to each other, shopping lists, etc.   Am I crazy or is that not a fun idea?  (Ok we need to think that one through thoroughly but I still like the idea). 

  I haven't told the hubby yet that I will need new dishes - something bright and colorful.  Oh yeah!