Well, that weekend just flew by! We had a few days of unexpected pleasant temps…which means Little Miss’s closet didn’t get cleaned and organized. But I did get to legitimately wear my boots out (for a few hours anyway)! #priorities
As opposed to Friday’s {Now & Later} post…where I wore my boots, but almost lost my life in the process! #overlydramatic (I come from a long line of exaggerators.)
Last month I shared our full Kitchen Reveal…and was thrilled by your kind response. I design our house just for us, because, after all, we’re the ones living here…but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel a little anxious hitting the ‘publish’ button sometimes.
I know my style isn’t for everyone…I mean, hello statement tile…but I try to stay true to us and create a home that makes us happy. But regardless of our design choices, seeing the process can be helpful…so today I’m sharing the Before and After shots, along with a breakdown of our Kitchen remodel.
(Apologies for the jump, but this post is crazy long and photo-heavy!)
Remodel isn’t quite the right word, because while the transformation is shocking, it’s mostly cosmetic, and the majority of the expense was labor. We didn’t relocate appliances, replace countertops or cabinets, or make any structural changes. We did lay new floors, replace the backsplash, paint the cabinets, and update hardware, faucet, and lighting.
The counters are Corian, which isn’t ideal because of their sensitivity to heat and cold, but I liked the solid white color, and thickness. The Kitchen is quite large (compared to our previous one anyway), so we decided to save the expense and keep the current counters.
We did have them sanded and buffed to remove any stains and scratches…and while that was the biggest mess of the entire process (picture a baby powder explosion), it made them look brand new! The only difference I’ve noticed from not having granite, is I now use a trivet for hot pans and frozen containers.
There were some questions about the width of the bar, and if we considered altering it at all. It’s perfectly usable with a 15-inch width, and is standard barstool height. To change that would have meant replacing the counters, or relocating the sink. #budgetbusters
The Kitchen lacked a focal point, so we created one around the stovetop and used the windows to frame it. And to break up the row of cabinets, create more usable storage, and further separate the area, we converted the bottom cabinets to drawers.
To give the windows more weight and definition, we had them framed and added marble ledges.
The cabinets were first brushed with two coats of primer, then sprayed with two coats of oil-based paint, mixed with a little paint thinner. By brushing the primer, it filled in the grains of the wood, and left a smooth, even finish.
They taped off the counters and insides of the cabinets, and painted with the doors on. It was by far the stinkiest part of the job, and I couldn’t imagine living in the house during that time.
The original vent hood remained, and a box was built around it.
The cabinet crown moulding was a little ornate for our taste (in fact, it was five pieces!), so we replaced it with a simple trim before painting. And converting cabinets to drawers is as simple as removing the cabinet doors, installing tracks and a box, and attaching drawer fronts.
Between the top and bottom cabinets, the Kitchen was a row of doors.
Converting sections of cabinets to drawers helped to break it up, and doubled the storage.
The higher backsplash on the right looks a little odd from this angle, but it’s the same height as the tile on the stovetop wall, so it makes sense when you see the Kitchen as a whole. (That was actually a reader tip, so thank you!!)
The cathedral doors wouldn’t be my first choice, but they are excellent quality wood, and replacing them seemed a frivolous expense. Paint and hardware gave them an updated look though.
My dream tile was cost-preventative given the amount I needed, so I was thrilled to find this fabulous Look for Less! We used dark grout to not disrupt the pattern, and I sprayed the switch plate and outlet covers dark charcoal. Can you believe I almost wasted this statement tile on the Laundry Room floors?!
Moving over to the fridge wall…more drawers, backsplash, paint, and a counter-depth fridge (from our last house).
Next up, the sink and breakfast bar area…
We added the pendant lights to define the bar area, and create visual separation from the adjoining breakfast and family rooms. I’d prefer three barstools, but mine are no longer available, so we’ll eventually replace them.
And finally…the butler’s pantry was updated with new moulding, paint, and backsplash.
We went with a darker cabinet color to separate it from the main Kitchen, but used the same backsplash for unity. To make the space more than just extra storage, we installed a drink fridge in place of a cabinet. This area will be great for parties. I’m guessing anyway, seeing as how I’ve never had a butler’s pantry!
Sure there are a few things we’d change and do differently if budget weren’t a factor, but I’m thrilled with the new room, and feel it reflects us perfectly. Sometimes a space just needs a little love, not a lot of money, for a complete transformation. And a rocking contractor.
Whew, that was a doozy of a post! I hope you enjoyed the Before & Afters…and thank you for following the remodel along with me! If you have additional questions, feel free to leave them in the comments and I’ll answer them there. Now, on to the next room! Happy Monday, lovebugs!
P.S. If you’re in the Dallas area and looking for a reliable, honest, hard-working, fairly-priced contractor…shoot me an email, I’m happy to share his contact info!
I'm in love with the grays and the tile! It looks beautifull! Thanks for sharing your remodel, very inspiring!
Absolutley gorgeous.
Beautiful!!!! A Dream kitchen!
Your kitchen looks gorgeous! And I also wanted to thank you for the kitchen contractor rec. My parents (live in N. Dallas) were having a hell of a time finding somebody to do their kitchen, and I endlessly nagged them to give your guy a call. They hired him and are so incredibly happy with his work. Really, a million thanks!!
I'm in love with everything! Great job!! I also recently moved to a home with a but let's pantry. How did you decide what to store/display in those cabinets?
Thanks Jess! Do you mean the Butler's Pantry? Its not really styled or used to it's potential at this point…it's mostly just serving pieces and wine glasses (since the drink fridge is in there). But I think I'll ultimately store extra dishes, serving ware, etc in them. As opposed to styling them just 'look pretty,' I'd like to utilize the extra cabinets! xo
Your kitchen looks amazing! Thank you for including so much detail in this post. It's so helpful! We are looking forward to finally renovating our kitchen in the next few months. It's a quality kitchen, just not our taste. It's great to see how you've prioritised your decisions based on your budget. I'm trying to whittle down the list of things I'd like to change in our kitchen, while still hopefully ending up with a kitchen that reflects our family's taste (no pun intended!) and style.
Like yours, the shape of our cabinet doors wouldn't be our choice. It's interesting to see that simply spraying them in a colour we like and changing the handles can improve the entire look without having to replace the doors.
You've done a great job with your room. I adore those pendants and the floor is beautiful (we currently have tile quite like your before pics. Eek!)
Just a thought…not sure where the door beside your fridge leads to, but I think it would look great painted black (or a very dark charcoal).
Love that idea! That's the pantry door! I think more than one door will end up dark in this house…just love that look. Thanks Lauren!
ahhh it looks SO good! congrats 🙂 xo jillian – cornflake dreams
I know it's such a personal thing, but I'm wondering if you can give an estimate of your budget for this project. I am not a DIY person at all and we are looking to do a makeover of the cabinets, flooring and walls in our kitchen and I'd love to get an idea on what I should budget! It looks like we'd be doing most of the things you would be, but the intention would be to keep the lighting the same for now. Thanks!
Hi Carrie…I thought about doing a budget breakdown, but I only had a bottom line price from my contractor. Probably 90% of his bill was labor, so that's really subjective depending on your area, and how quickly they work. The majority of the items…tile, lights, hardware, faucet, etc…I purchased on my own, and scouted around looking for deals (check the source list). I hope this helps!
There are no words. WOWWWWWWWW!!!!!
XO Ellen from Ask Away
http://www.askawayblog.com
Wow. This post REALLY shows the transformation! I watched it as it was happening, but until seeing this "Before and After" today, I was never really "YES you did the right thing!". Now I am. 🙂 Somehow I missed where you went from subway tile to this patterned tile in your mind. I was glad to go back and see that post. It made me feel more competent at possibly being able to choose something as fantastic as you have. Great job!
Thanks so much, Ninny. I don't regret for one second choosing that tile. And while I know I would have loved subway, I would have always wondered 'what would have been.' And I agree with finally seeing it as a whole! That's the hard part about sharing the process…I know what's in my head and where it's going, but the reader doesn't have access to that until the end. But it was fun to share the process with ya'll! xoxo
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!! Wondering if you would mind sharing your budget for this transformation, specifically painting the cabinets. We are getting ready to do the same to our kitchen and it would be great to have an idea about this cost. Thx!
thanks so much, Jill! Unfortunately, I didn't have a detailed breakdown on the invoice, just a bottom line price for all the labor of everything. And I can't even give that to you, because it included so many projects outside of the Kitchen.
But I can tell you they first brushed on two coats of primer, than sprayed two coats of oil based paint. And they did everything with the doors on (however, the floors hadn't been laid yet, so we had that luxury of not having to be too careful). My advice is to get several bids and referrals! xo
It looks amazing! I would not have guessed you kept so much of the original kitchen (just giving it a facelift). It really did look like a different remodeled kitchen with new appliances.
liz jo @ sundays with sophie
CASSIE. YOUR KITCHEN IS GORGEOUS. AND COZY. AND PRACTICAL. AND ALL AROUND LOVELY. And if it's possible, even though the pictures are fabulous, I can say that it's even cozier and more lovely in person! WELL DONE FRIEND!!!!! When you pass on, we shall bury you in a striped dress and have your headstone fashioned out of the statement tile. And I shall hang a tassel on it. It will be fabulous.
Love seeing your amazing makeover lined up like this! So good
Loving the new kitchen and seeing how it all came together! Your house posts are my absolute favourite, I wish you did more. One small thing is just the way the tile looks kind of odd on the fridge wall from certain angles. I think it would have looked better if the tile had carried on behind the fridge, this way it looks like ye were skimping on the tile. I know it's just a small detail in a wonderful kitchen though. Keep up the good work with the rest of the house!
Thank so much! I love the home posts too…but they do come more spread out because of the time and expense involved with them! 🙂 And yes, agree with the fridge wall…we went round and round about that spot, but ultimately decided to align the tile with the cabinets on both ends. You really don't notice that gap in real life though. xo
Love, love, LOVE this kitchen! Such a wonderful example of how paint and hardware can transform a kitchen without having to do a complete gut. High five to you 🙂
Your kitchen is so you…cute, fun & perky. Very nice! I bet as soon as you walk into that room it makes you happy!! 😃. Robin
I think the back splash is taste specific, but I personally love it. I think you should decorate to make yourself happy and you should never be afraid to publish, forget the haters! I like your entire kitchen but LOVE that butler's pantry the cabinet color is immaculate and just perfect for that small space.
Excellent post!!
Wow that is awesome! Love the door handles also. I'm obsessed with your floor makeover and white cabinets. Did you guys install the flooring yourselves…can't remember if I read that.
We went through Lumber Liquidators for the flooring…see the 'We've Got Floors' post for details 🙂 xo
Love your new kitchen! We need to redo ours and I'm dragging my feet as I have no idea what I want to do! Thank you for the inspiration.
I am going to pin everything off of this post! Cassie! It's amazing! And the way you posted it and the details you added really made everything seem so smart and yet simple too. Absolutely stunning friend!
Gorgeous! I love that you kept the cabinets and added drawer space. I love the color Mindful Gray and am thinking I will use it in our bathrooms when we renovate. Congrats! Would you mind sharing an estimated total cost of the project. I think that is helpful for those that are thinking of diving into a similar project. I know contractor costs differ by region, but it is helpful to look at what you did and to have a dollar amount to compare. Thanks.
Hi Me! 🙂 I didn't get a breakdown of the costs, and the bill included several projects outside of the Kitchen…but if I had to guess the labor charges for the Kitchen work, it was probably under $7k.
Love everything about your new kitchen! You did such a great job with it!
Beautiful !! The post is great
Absolutely beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
I love it, I love it…I just love it, Cassie dear…you did a fantastic job. The wallpaper is brilliant, the color of the floor is perfect, the cabinets are amazing, the breakfast area is simply gorgeous… what can I say more? Pfff…you really have a dream kitchen :D.
I like your carpet, the way you combine it in the space…pfff…. you did a perfect match…awesome! In this case, let me invite you to explore our handmade wool rugs world, which are created by artisans in Nepal: http://feltballrug.com/inspiration. You’ll quickly find that a felt ball carpet is quite unlike anything else: http://feltballrug.com/meet-the-team/ (it is our new video about our social impact) . What do you think about them?
Did you guys custom build the drawers that were converted from cabinets? I love that idea. I feel like thats a lot of wasted space in our kitchen. Can you give more details (a diy toutorial would be even better) on these! Thanks. Beautiful kitchen!!!
Hi Nicole…the contractor handled the drawers…but they essentially built the drawer box and installed it on rollers. Then they ordered drawer fronts to match the rest of the cabinets and attached to the front of the box before painting. Hope this helps!
Great job! Love the change out of doors to drawers and LOVE that tile.
It's simply fabulous, Cassie! You did such a great job. When we remodeled our kitchen, I put drawers under my cooktop too. They're perfect for holding loads of pots and pans and keeping them within easy reach.
Love love your 'new' kitchen! The tile backsplash…swoon!!! The hood over the range, just makes the room. The new floors are beautiful! The only thing that seems a bit off for me are the pendant lights over the bar. I do like the lights, but I think the fact that they are square, and hung on an angle, they just catch the eye in a not so pleasing way. I wonder if something more round would still give you the separation you want between the breakfast room and the kitchen, yet not be so eye catching in a weird way??
Maybe something like this…?
http://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/products/mist-cord-pendant
Thanks for the link and idea, Shauna…but we're planning on something round for the Breakfast Room, so wanted to offset that with the square shape over the bar. And I just adore the look of lanterns! xo
That's a great idea!..I am so impressed… I am not very skilled at this sort of thing, but you make it look so easy! Laminate Flooring In Miami
Hi! I Love the pendants and bought 3 of them. How did you change out the chain and where did you buy the rod?! Thanks!!!
Hi Alix! I totally forgot to address that!! We actually just cut the chain off…it was all twisty and looked messy to me. So the lights are literally just hanging from the cords. I also tried 10 different bulbs, and finally settled on using large, clear, round vanity style bulbs. Hope this helps! xo
Wow! Just beautiful, great job.
I'm soooo in love with your kitchen!!! I renovated my kitchen two years ago and although I love it, I wish I would have seen yours before so that I could have used it as inspiration. Of all the kitchens I have seen, yours is the one I love the most. You have great taste, thanks a million for taking the time to share it