Techniques that are, for the most part, more considered and finished, the results more polished and professional. And Sloan's instructions make it all look quite within the average grasp, as well. Since a lot of holiday gatherings are focused around the room that produces food, starting with that area can be a good decision at this time of year. After all, if you are going to have scads of people over for a bit of holiday revelry, it makes sense to have the kitchen looking as finished as you can get it. Nothing like Old Uncle Bob peering disaprovingly at scratches in the cabinets while on an inspection tour to greet the turkey.
Life is just too short.
One of the very best things about The Painted Kitchen by Henny Donovan is that it offers options to just ripping everything out of your kitchen and starting from scratch. In addition, there are times when making what you've got more beautiful is truly the best option. In an older home, for instance, where you might be dealing with the original wood cabinets and replacing them would seem little short of sacrilegious. Donovan's suggestions for the remade kitchen range from the starkly elegant to the downright, well, kitschy. Organized by color, the book leads you through each project step by careful step and even the least aesthetically pleasing of the suggestions provides food for further inspiration.