Kitchen Renovation

In August of 2022 we moved into our new home. My first impression was WOW this kitchen is beautiful and perfect for entertaining! The next thought that came to mind – it’s so outdated!! I had a vision for the space and knew that some minor updates would really go a long way.

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After moving in, I started designing immediately. To keep the cost down, I divided the renovation into two phases.

Phase 1 would include:

Replacing the existing pendants
Removing the upper cabinets
Leveling the main island and replacing countertops
Replace existing backsplash
Floating shelves, sconces and range hood
Paint
New sinks and faucets

Phase 1 is complete, so I’ll be focusing on that in today’s post, and will update the blog with my progress as it happens.

Phase 2 would include:

New cabinet hardware
New flooring
Ceiling beams

Replacing the Existing Pendants

I replaced the lights first. It was the easiest and least expensive update – and frankly I just couldn’t stand the existing mini pendants. I went with these 10″ pendants in warm brass for their price and amazing quality.

Removing the Upper Cabinets

New cabinets weren’t in the budget, and I loved the wood tone of the existing cabinets.

Cabinet details:

Manufacturer – Brookhaven
Material – Heartwood Maple
Exterior Finish – Rustic Retreat
Interior Finish/Drawer Type – Maple Vinyl/Maple Dovetail

We tore down most of the upper cabinets in an effort to brighten the kitchen and open it up a little more (we have plenty of cabinet space on the bottom, and also a large walk-in pantry for additional storage).

Leveling the Main Island and Replacing Countertops

My gut told me that replacing our brown, outdated countertops with white would make a HUGE difference. When it comes to white counters, the large selection can be overwhelming so I made it easier on myself by narrowing it down; the counters needed be made of white quartz, have minimal prominent veining, if any at all and be affordable.

I brought a cabinet door to the showroom and found the perfect warm white quartz to compliment the warm tones in the wood.

Replace Existing Backsplash

To add visual interest and create a focal point in the space, I decided to bring the stone backsplash all the way to the ceiling. The backsplash can be found here – and the grout here. The stone took one full day to install, and the grout another half day.

Floating Shelves, Sconces and Range Hood

The two floating shelves were framed out of birch. For the stain, we took one of our cabinet doors into JC Licht to get a close color match. Sconces can be found here.

The range hood was framed out using two-by-fours and then drywalled. Our painters then plastered and sanded it to give it some texture before painting.

Paint

Everything in our kitchen is painted Benjamin Moore – White Dove. The walls are eggshell and the trim is satin. We painted the range hood White Dove tinted 25% darker to give the hood a tiny bit more warmth.

New Sinks and Faucets

Now, let’s talk sinks!

The list of prerequisites I had for our main kitchen sink was short, but non-negotiable. These were:

farmhouse style
white
double-basin

After lots of research, I found this Farmhouse Double Basin Fireclay Sink and it was love at first sight! It checked all of the boxes and more with the cutting board as an added bonus. I’ve always wanted a prep sink – this way I can keep all the mess of washing and chopping in one place.

I’m obsessed with the bridge faucets right now, so I went with this Bridge Pull Down Kitchen Faucet in Antique Steel. The finish looks beautiful against the rustic stone backsplash.

For our smaller sink, I chose this Undermount Single Basin Fireclay Bar sink with the Single Hole Pull Down Kitchen Faucet also in Antique Steel. I love how deep this sink is!

We decided not to use a soap dispenser for this space, but this one would look perfect with these faucets if you wanted to go that route!

In order to use existing cabinet faces under the sink, we took two doors from the upper cabinets that were removed and had them reworked so that they were smaller. We also added a sliding drawer under the sink for easier organization.

When I was designing our kitchen, I saw these barstools and knew I had to have them. They are the perfect medium wood tone and are going to look even more amazing when we get our new floors put in (phase 2).

Not only are these Safavieh stools sturdy, our kiddos have been doing what kids do best – making messes, and I’ve been able to remove any stains (even buffalo sauce) with ease! (Update: sadly, these bar stools are now no longer sold, but you can click here for a similar stool that I am loving!)

Phase 1 took about one month to complete from start to finish. Please note: this is not a DIY blog. We hired out the labor for installation of the countertops, stone and grout backsplash, sink and faucet installation, electrical, paint, etc. The total cost for this project in labor and material was $22,615.

xoxo,

Sarah