One of my customers, a retired kitchen designer, recently bought a house with a kitchen that didn't have enough storage. The main part of the kitchen is on a peninsula overlooking the living room, so there are no upper cabinets over the sink, just a couple of really cool light fixtures.

She came up with a creative idea to install a set of IKEA cabinets from their "LIXHULT" line. These are colorful, modular, metal cabinets which come in various sizes.

On my first visit, I worked with her to install 11 cabinets to her specifications. It looked like an extension of the art collage on the other wall. She was very happy...

...but in a lucky twist of fate, she had ordered a few too many cabinets.

She initially planned to use them in her grandchildren's guest bedroom. However, she started experimenting after I left and soon called me back out to add them to our assemblage in the kitchen.

Despite the small size of the individual boxes, the new pantry holds a surprising amount of stuff. I really like the little rails on the insides of the doors to hold recipe cards and notebooks.

The extra cabinets were a lucky addition, since they make the whole unit look more substantial.

Even though IKEA cabinets are usually very "do it yourself," this was definitely a good time to hire a handyman to install them. The cabinets needed to be mounted into studs, and with such small units, there's not always a stud where you need one! With all of the heavy stuff that could be stored in these cabinets, this becomes a safety issue and needs to be done right.

So if you'd like to try this look in your home, tap the big orange button to call in a pro for the job:

I've been doing a lot of painting this Spring... it seems like everybody needs an interior painter near Asheville to freshen up their digs.

One of the biggest transformations so far has been in this bathroom, which went from bland beige to bold blue. The color is "Indigo Batik" by Sherwin Williams.

The deep color really sets off the white trim and vanity, making even the untouched parts of the room look crisp and new.

I've found that painting walls a dark blue like this doesn't make the room look smaller, It even looks good in little half-baths. Maybe it's because blue is a cool color that recedes from the eye.

By the way, the best time to hire a professional painter is when you're planning to use dark colors against light ones, like with this room's trim and ceiling. It's crucial to be able to cut in a smooth line, because the contrast makes any mistakes immediately obvious.

If you have a tricky painting job that needs a steady hand, why not have a pro do it? We'll leave a smooth line every time.

It must be Springtime, because I have a new house guest... or perhaps I should say "shop guest" because she moved into my workshop.

She's right in my walkway, but well out of reach of the barn cat.

​She's not sure what to think of the camera.

Well, I guess I won't be using that rope anytime soon.

Now that Spring is here, why not get started on all of those little projects you've been waiting for all Winter long?