Okay, so it’s been a minute (or a few months!) since we chatted about our Phase 2 Kitchen Remodel. To refresh your memory…we did some basic updating on our 90s Kitchen before moving in, that consisted mostly of paint and a new backsplash (see that reveal here). I had bigger plans and ideas, but from a budget standpoint, they’d have to wait. Fast forward three years (can you believe we’ve lived here that long?!), and the Phase 2 Remodel is ON!
I knew I needed professional help (in more ways than one, ha!), so I called my uber-talented friend Emily Hewett and begged her to help me. We met years ago and became fast-friends, and I’ve loved watching her success skyrocket. She does whole-house, major design overhauls all over the country, so I was shocked she agreed to step in on my smallish project.
But actually, she and her team at A Well Dressed Home, take on projects of all sizes and budgets, and can offer everything from full-service design and install, to just the design plans. The moment I stepped in their offices, I knew my Kitchen was in good hands. See the plans and design components here.
My rockstar contractor pretty much took over from there, and Emily walked me through all the questions and issues that seem to pop up throughout a remodel. It was so comforting having someone with so much experience helping me with the big decisions!! The project is practically complete, only some cosmetic tweaks and styling remain…and the A Well Dressed Home team will come take care of that so I can have my big HGTV reveal moment!! Then I’ll share it with you!
I know a lot of you like the down and dirty progress pics…so forgive the horrible quality, but here’s what’s transpired so far. We’re adding a row of cabinets to extend all the way to ceiling, so custom boxes were built and installed to fill the gap.
We preserved the crown molding from the existing cabinets and used it along the ceiling line later.
The boxes were framed and painted to match the current lower cabinets, ‘Mindful Gray’ by Sherwin Williams, and the cathedral doors were removed and donated to Habitat for Humanity.
Our pretty new doors were sprayed off-site to cut down on the smell and mess.
Once they fully dried and cured, the doors were installed with hidden hinges. The new doors are taller than the previous ones for better proportions with the added row. The cabinet opening is smaller, but you only notice when the door is open.
New side panels were installed on the outside edge of all the cabinets for a seamless look between the two rows. The goal was to make it look as if all the cabinets were built at the same time, not as add-ons. He did a phenomenal job, don’t you think!?
Just swapping the doors and adding more cabinets made a massive difference.
But extending the backsplash tile to the ceiling is what gives it the ‘wow’!
Adding the sconces over the windows really makes this area the focal point of the room, and you can see how much the brushed brass warms the space.
We also framed out the narrow windows with dark charcoal trim, then swapped the hardware for these brushed brass pulls and knobs. The faucet is changing to this one, and I grabbed these bar stools on sale!
We’re so close, and I can’t wait!! I can’t recommend Emily and A Well Dressed Home enough, regardless of where you live or what room you want to transform. Those girls know what they are doing! What do you think of the changes so far?
Great changes so far! I love the cabinet doors and the back wall – really adds a splash to the kitchen! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Looking good, Lady!!!!!
Oh Cassie! I’m feeling all kinds of Kitchen envy over here. This looks amazing!!
Me too w/the kitchen envy! Like wow! You are going to luv all the extra storage. I’d store my taxes up there, etc. What may work in the cabs near the ceiling are either baskets or canvas tote (buckets) w/pull handles (that mimic the cab pulls?) to neatly store stuff. Labeled of course!
What a joyful kitchen! Bravo!
Super storage space! Love the idea of changing a regular lower cabinet beneath your stovetop to drawers instead. I agree–this is a joyful kitchen. Standing ovation for sure:)
We swapped several of the cabinets to drawers, and it makes a huge difference in storage!!!
Beautiful! We are starting our kitchen remodel, you gave me some inspiration! We built our house in 1995, kids are all grown up and out of the house. It was time for some updating!
Love love love it!! Your back splash will always be one of my favorites and now there’s even more to love!
Looks absolutely gorgeous!!! Love it!
Turning out great!! I have your same Delta fixture and love it! We just built a home in a Michigan and I haven’t done back splash yet to save $$ maybe I should consult your designer!!
They are amazing!!!
I absolutely love that tile! 😍
Looking great! Can’t wait ‘til all is done! Beautiful kitchen! 🤗
Any chance you will reveal the cost break-down for this type of service?
That’s tricky because my contractor is extremely affordable, and gives me an even better deal because of the number of projects we’ve done over the years and the amount of referrals I’ve given him. So it wouldn’t be a fair gauge as to what someone in another part of the country would spend. I do give the prices of the hardware, etc I choose, and will pass along tips for saving in different areas!
Could you share your contractor’s contact info please?
I would love to, but he’s actually retiring this summer and not accepting any new projects.
Oh, I just love your kitchen! It looks so amazing, and I love all of the changes you’re making. I can’t wait to see the official big reveal!!
Amazing what those changes can do to make it look so much higher end! Now it looks like it was always meant to look when you chose that gorgeous tile! One more thing that I’m sure your amazing contractor could do is build a box around the refrigerator attached to the side and bottom of the cabinets next to/on top of the fridge to make it look built-in. That way the big black side of the refrigerator isn’t seen, and it will match the custom look of the rest of the kitchen. I know the cabinet above the fridge isn’t the usual fridge depth, but even just having the box around sticking out below that cabinet would look great.
That’s a great idea, thank you!
Love it!
It’s amazing the amount of storage added and how much the look of the kitchen has changed. This is exactly what I have in mind for mine. How tall is your ceiling? Also, can you please show your breakfast nook? I don’t remember ever seeing it!
Our ceilings are 10-feet! And I don’t think I’ve shown much of my Breakfast area…it’s still a work in progress! You can see so far here: https://hisugarplum.com/the-breakfast-room/
Amazing ideas, might have to add this to our kitchen as we currently have the space between the uppers and ceiling too. Are you putting hardware on your upper cabinets? Yes I’m curious too, how tall are your ceilings. 9ft for sure, maybe 10 ? I want to spray all my cupboards but my husband just wants to replace which is so much more money. Your sprayed doors look amazing. Hmmm, how can I convince him.
Yes ma’am, we’re putting hardware on every door and drawer ($$ :/) But I think it would look unfinished to skip the hardware on the uppers. My ceilings are 10-feet, so I just crawl up on the counter to reach! Also, we replaced the doors…but they come natural wood, so they spray them the paint color you choose.
Your kitchen was already so pretty, but this is taking it to a whole new level! Yay! Excited for you!
The cabinets are looking great! What will you keep in those upper cabinets, and what’s your plan for reaching them? Our cabinets aren’t quite as high as yours, but I need the help of a small step stool to reach the top-shelf in our cabinets. Can’t wait to see the final reveal!
Well, my ceilings are 10-feet, so there’s no easily reaching even the top shelf of the lower cabinets!! I just climb up on the counter to reach things, but it’s mostly going to be storage for the seldom-used items!
Love, love, love the changes! They made a great kitchen extraordinary! I have been plotting where to put that gorgeous tile in my house ever since you first remodeled your kitchen. You were a tile trailblazer, girl! 🙌🏻 My only recommendation would be to at least consider the Delta Touch20 version of the faucet you have chosen. We have one and I will never buy a regular kitchen faucet again! Initially, there is an adjustment period – I mean, your faucet comes on when you touch it – that’s different! But, when your hands are yucky with food, paint, etc., just touch the spout with your arm. Love!
Thanks for the great tip, Denise!! I didn’t even see the touch version when I ordered mine! Such a great idea, especially for the kitchen!
Oh my gosh!!! L😍VE!!! Just looked through your other kitchen remodel posts and the transformation is AWESOME!!
Thank you!! It’s come a long way, that’s for sure!
I didn’t think I’d like it that much, but I do! It IS exactly what this already lovely kitchen needed to finish it with polish. Now you’ll have to actually cook instead of just assemble…
Hahah, never!!! 😉
The cabinets look AWESOME. I thought the kitchen looked killer before these changes, but holy cow!!! And that tile going up higher makes it look like the kitchen ceiling is so high now!
Looks great with the new cabinets! We are finishing up our kitchen, too. Last night while cooking in almost the dark I glared at my husband saying we really need to get the island lights. lol It’s been a dark winter! We are looking at the same ones you have- are you happy with them?
Yes, I love the WM pendants!! Such a great price, too! We did remove the chain tho, and they just hang by the black cord.
Love, Love Love your kitchen! The tile and cabinets are beautiful. May I ask what under counter lights you went with? I need to replace mine.
Thank you! The lights are actually the original halogen tube lights that came with the house. They still work great, so we just left them. I’ve had puck lights before, but they got crazy hot!!
Wow, your kitchen is looking truely high end, classic and super stylish. Love the colors and the tile. What a difference it makes adding the uppers on top of the upper cabinets!
Thank you!! Can’t wait to share the final touches in the reveal!!
So beautiful!! I used Emily and A Well Dressed Home for my house too. She and her team are awesome!!
Between you and Emily those changes are fantastic. The taller cabinets are amazing. You often make bold choices but they always look great.
Gorgeous!! I would love my cabinets to go all the way to the ceiling. I have dead space above my cabinets that you can’t do anything with except hang a sign or other pretties. I have a question about your cabinet organization. I’m in the middle of purging and reorganizing all my cabinets. Where did you find the plate stackers? I don’t know if that’s what they are called but I have been looking for some and can’t find any in the right size. Yours look square and perfect size.
We are in the throws/final stages of finishing up our kitchen remodel and I am trying to make 2 decisions today regarding lighting and pulls/handles. I love the lights that you put above the windows on either side of your stove. I am about to order 3 but would LOVE to know, how far out do they extend (from wall to shade) the way you have them? I”m scared they may have to go out too far as I only have about 11″ from the center of the plate to the ceiling? Also, how do your knobs and drawer pulls look now that they are on? Do you love them? If I get the green light from you I will order immediately! Thank you so much!
So exciting, Leslie!! So I don’t understand your question exactly on the lights, but I will tell you there are 3 elbow joints…the base, the middle and at the shade, so you can adjust up and down and tweak the placement quite a bit. I have it mounted 6-inches from the ceiling, so mine goes out about 18-inches. If you mounted it lower from the ceiling, you could have it taller vs wider from the wall. I hope that makes sense. They def aren’t puny, and make a great statement. As for the hardware, I have one word: OBSESSED! It is so rich and warm and heavy…really transformed our space! maybe order one of each to see for yourself before ordering for all the doors/cabinets?