Before & After: Anna Maria Horner’s Kitchen
My friend Cindy over at The Amateur Tightwad told me I had to check out Anna Maria Horner’s amazing kitchen makeover, and I’m so glad she did. Wait until you see what lies beyond those bright blue doors!
Have you heard of Anna Maria Horner yet? If not, you’re in for a treat. Anna Maria is a multitalented artist who designs colorful housewares, gift items, and textiles. Her sewing book Seams to Me hits bookshelves this fall. I asked her if I could show you guys her kitchen makeover, and she graciously agreed.
First, here’s the before photo of her kitchen:
It was seriously outdated and just kinda blah. Look how she transformed it into something warm, colorful, and inviting:
Peek outside the window and you’ll find her daughter reading on the sun room/patio:
The sun room is a lot of fun, too. We might as well have a look around!
I love her colorful artwork and pillows:
If I had an indoor-outdoor space like this, I’d never want to leave it. Although a kitchen like hers might entice me back inside!
Seams to Me is Anna Maria’s new book coming out in October. You can pre-order it here:
And be sure to check out her beautiful blog if you haven’t seen it yet. Anna Maria lives in Nashville with her husband and five children. You can read more about her creative projects here.
And with that, I’m off on a much-needed vacation. If I can get Internet connection on the road, I’ll try to check in and update the blog. It just might be more sporadic than usual.
Have a great weekend, everybody!
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July 17th, 2008 at 1:30 am
Man, Anna Marie does NOT look old enough to have five children, and HOW does she get all that work done too?! I can’t do even a fraction of all that with only three little ones harrassing me.
Her house is awesome. She apparently has no problem picking paint colors, right? I like hoe it looks like she made sort of a built-in-hallway kind of thing around the doorway–if that made ANY sense. Now I need find something to paint bright blue.
July 17th, 2008 at 1:31 am
Oh, and love the chandeliers.
Have fun on your trip.
July 17th, 2008 at 1:37 am
Love all the bright colors and the light fixtures.
Hope you enjoy your vacation!
July 17th, 2008 at 5:47 am
I was just reading about how to make those great painted fabric graphics she has on her wall. There’s a tutorial about it here:
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=f501d3358fe36110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=anna%20maria%20horner&rsc=ns2006_pic_m2
July 17th, 2008 at 8:23 am
I love the blueish-green tiles in the back splash!
July 17th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Oh…THAT is a home chock FULL of persoanlity and pizazz!! Love it! What a transformation!
Hava a great Vaca…relax, refresh, re group……
July 17th, 2008 at 9:17 am
I’ll miss you. Have a great vacation!
July 17th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Have fun on vacation.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:41 am
I’m so glad you featured this, Julie. Anna Maria’s style is so gorgeous — mixing all those colors and patterns and having it come out looking whole. If I had that kitchen, I think I’d make risotto every night, just so I could stir quietly for 30 minutes, taking in the space. And then I’d go eat it on the porch.
Have a wonderful vacation.
July 17th, 2008 at 10:04 am
I love it! I want that fabric on the chairs in the kitchen. She did a great job!
July 17th, 2008 at 10:33 am
That’s it! I need Anna Maria to decorate my pink tiled bathroom! I’ve been a long time fan of her house, I really enjoyed seeing these. Have fun on your vacation!
July 17th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Wow - what a difference color can make! Great showcase!
July 17th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Wow - it’s gorgeous! I am so covetous, I even like the shirt!
Have a super vacation.
July 17th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
What a cute and colorful house she has. Have a wonderful time on vacation & rest up.
Rhoda
July 17th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I love all that color! It is such a happy place. It would be loads of fun to cook and entertain there!
I’ve got the book on my “must have” list, too!
Thanks for introducing me to Anna Maria. No wonder I’m visiting here every day! *Ü*
July 17th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
VERY COLOUR, BRIGHT AND FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love to see before and afters.
July 17th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Fabulous makeover Julia!
Enjoy your vacation!
Pat
July 17th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Hi, I stumbled across your blog today! Very neat! I love the color blue in the picture! Stop by my blog and say hi anytime!
July 17th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Oh! That color! Say no more…I’ll hop over there. And happy anniversary!
July 17th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Wow, seriously WoW!
July 17th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
wowwww! what a great makeover! have a great vacation, I’m jealous…
July 17th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
What a makeover. It’s very bright and happy. I am very interested in purchasing her book.
July 18th, 2008 at 6:05 am
Now that is a happy place. Love it. Thanks for showing us.
Hopefully now you are sleeping in somewhere, enjoying some well-deserved r&r!
July 18th, 2008 at 8:33 am
That’s a nice kitchen make over.
I REALLY like the blue doors, though. That’s evokes images of walking into the kitchen from le potager, fresh herbs in hand…
July 18th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
wow, amazing makeover, it always stuns me how a different a room can look with time and love, lots of colour and life here, love the lights
sarah abeachcottage
July 18th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Wow! I just love all the colors and the changes she made. On a seperate note, your blog absoutely rocks!
Have a great vacation!
July 19th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Love all the bright colors - how could you not be happy living there??!!! I absolutly love the picnic table in the sunroom - how great would that be?
Thanks for opening the doors to yet another fabulous home!!
Karla & Karrie
July 20th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
WOW! She did a great job!! Plus she’s beautiful!
Have fun on your trip
rue
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:47 am
The staging show was boring.
Assistant stager wants to be an actress.
Drama about cow hide ottoman that went from MB to pool room.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I loved seeing this post! We have an enclosed porch on our house and have been trying to decide what to do with it. I really like her use of color in hers without it being overdone. PS: This is my first comment, but I’ve been reading your blog for months and I love it!