Having a central hangout zone is essential for mom-of-three Yuni Min.
The family gravitates to the kitchen to eat, craft, read and chat. After she and her husband, Jimmy, had their third child, they lightened and freshened up the kitchen by repainting the dark cherry cabinets in a light gray.
“Even when the sun was shining in during the morning time, the kitchen was really, really dark,” she said. “My husband and I took almost three weeks to paint it all, and we’re so glad we did it. It took a tremendous amount of elbow grease, but the DIY results were amazing.”
From the kitchen, the family can view other areas of the Cumming home where Yuni, a home decor and DIY blogger, has repainted and distressed furniture that they inherited or bought at thrift and antique shops.
Snapshot
Residents: Jimmy and Yuni Min and their kids, 9-year-old Jules, 6-year-old JJ and 3-year-old Emmy. Jimmy works for UPS as an application and development manager; Yuni's blog is loveyourabode.com.
Location: Cumming
Size: 3,662 square feet, five bedrooms, four baths
Year built/bought: 2006/2012
Architectural style: Traditional
Favorite architectural elements: The bay window and two staircases leading to the second floor landing.
Interior design style: Country chic with modern glam
Favorite interior design elements: Adding a touch of gold into the decor, and using textiles and textures, such as baskets, to make a room cozier.
Renovations: In their Forsyth County kitchen, the Mins painted all 39 cabinets and 23 drawers, which originally were a dark cherry color. They used Behr Marquee's Gray Shimmer for the cabinets and Dawn Gray for the island, both in satin finishes. By borrowing a paint sprayer from a friend, the project cost less than $300. Painting the cabinets lightened up the room, even while keeping the black-speckled gray granite countertops, she said.
Resources: Furniture and accessories from Rooms to Go, Ikea, Craigslist, Lakewood 400 Antiques Market, Ashley Furniture, Michaels and Target; lighting from Lighting Design and Pottery Barn; rugs from HomeGoods
Decor tip: If you've never done a DIY project, pick a small piece, such as a side table, and use chalkboard paint, which requires no sanding or priming, Yuni said. "It's easy," she said. "It can create an awesome update to an old piece of furniture."
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