Kitchen Reveal (Finally)

I finally did it! I finally got my act together enough to show you my kitchen.  The whole thing.  If you haven't been following along, you can read about the stages of the kitchen remodel at:

Kitchen Remodel - Phase 1
Kitchen Remodel - Phase 2
Kitchen Remodel - Phase 3

So before I give you the big reveal, I have a confession to make. Actually, two confessions to make.

1. I prettied it up like we were having a party.  It does not look like this every day.

2. If you look carefully you will see some un-done things.  Don't worry, it's not going to be like "Where's Waldo" I'll point it out.

First, a beauty shot..

Now for the kitchen shots, and a little narrative...

 
 
 
Alright, let's stop here for a moment.  We just replaced the door to the garage when when replaced the dining room window.  The old one was super energy inefficient and sucked cold into the room like nothing I've ever seen.  I still haven't painted the trim...its on the list...maybe this weekend.

Do we want to talk about the awesome appliance suite...yes of course we do.  I bet you thought when you saw that french door fridge that we paid a mint for it.  Well you would have thought wrong.  At Costco online, you can get full suites of appliances (fridge, self venting microwave range hood, range and dishwasher) for less than the price of the fridge alone, with your old clunkers taken away and a free shipping.

There is a drawback though - because there is no such thing as a free lunch.  You cannot choose options in this suite. It is what it is.  Which was ok for us, except for one thing.  In the fridge, there is a soda rack where the thin deli/cheese drawer should be.  I looked online to replace it and it's over $200.  So I live with my soda rack.

 
Now let's talk about the cabinets.  If I had known about chalk paint when we moved in, I probably would have tried to paint them.  But I didn't and we pulled them out, and I am grateful that we did.  I don't remember if I told you but this house was vacant for over a year when we bought it, and the woodland critters had claimed it as their own.  The amount of dead critters behind the base cabinets made me very very happy we ripped them out.

We were careful to duplicate the original layout but made a few changes, We pushed the fridge down, eliminating the desk area and allowing for a longer prep area.  We also placed a garage door cabinet over the fridge - very convenient for items that are not frequently used.

We also pushed the range down and added a skinny pair of cabinets on the end - these are great for coffee and cookie sheets, and also brings the range up to code - so that it is not hanging off the end of a set of cabinets next to an open door.

The cabinets, counter tops and hardware all came from the home depot and were all a deal.  If you are replacing cabinets, ASK ASK ASK if there are any deals going on.  Our cabinets all came with soft close drawers (an upgrade) solid wood interiors (an upgrade) and a free sink base...because we asked.  The Quartz counter top came with a free sink and the color we chose was on sale for 20% off - all because we asked 

Also - when you are a new mover, you can get a 10% off coupon online - you just have to register for it.

The cabinets are a french vanilla thermafoil.  What is thermafoil you ask - well its a coating over the wood that makes your cabinets easy to wipe down and has a nice satin finish.  It's less expensive than having finished wood, but I didn't care if everyone thought it was less desirable, ease of housekeeping and practicality always wins out for me!

But what do I love most about my cabinets - well it's the crown moulding - it has a riser, a heavy crown and a little black braid.  It was a bit of a splurge but the detail brings so much to the kitchen - it really makes an average set of cabinets look extraordinary! 
 

See it up at the top?

So how did we keep the budget low on this?  Well there was the flooring we scored from my parents, our packaged appliances, the no-frills bull nosed edge on the quartz, and the MOST IMPORTANT THING - we did not move any plumbing.  That my friends is the fastest way to trim the budget.

So now for a few "things" I love in my kitchen...

 
My tiny ironstone pitcher and jar of flat stones from our favorite beach.

My tiny glass vases that I scored at the swap shop and Freddie the frog...he makes me smile every time.  Pay no attention to the unfinished wood putty in the background.

and a piece of stained glass from an artist shop we visited on a trip to Rockport, MA.  It was for the kitchen in my old house - but it goes just as nice here.

So now you know the story of my kitchen.

Funny thing is, about a year ago, we had a contractor come in to give us a quote to finish the room over the garage.  As we sat here in the midst of our hard work, he told us that most people would call him in and have him rip out a kitchen that looked like this.

He was promptly shown the door.

So, now you must endure a couple of beauty shots of my table top....enjoy!

 

 
 
 
At some point I will address the backsplash - but that warrants a post all of its own!

Comments

[stefanie]

oh, it is soooooooo beautiful!!!!

[Mary]

Love it Beck! ENJOY!!!

[Kendra]

soooo pretty! love it all!
i'm a new follower!
i love your blog design!

[Dee Dee]

Your kitchen is beautiful, and that crown molding, to die for!
You did a great job!

[Ricki Jill Treleaven]

Your kitchen is so lovely. :D I am visiting from Feathered Nest Friday.

[Vanessa]

It is just truly gorgeous! You did a fantastic job and it looks like something that has always been there rather than a "remodel". That is the goal in my book! Thanks so much for sharing this with us at Inspiration Friday this week!
Vanessa

[Dweller]

Thanks everyone for your kind comments. Vanessa, you and I think alike for sure - My mission with this house has been to honor the house and make it look like "good" vintage (vs. the Brady Bunch house vintage!)

[Joselyn]

What a beautiful Kitchen makeover!!! Well done.

[fran]

That is one gorgeous kitchen! You have great taste and your photos are lovely, too.
fran @ www.eleven-o-one.blogspot.com

[Becky]

You have done a beautiful job...and the contractor needed a swift kick in the xxx also. You were nice.
I once had a contractor tell me that he only did NEW kitchens and no remodels...I told him that when I built my next new home I'd be sure and!!! Wonder if he's still a contractor??? I doubt it.
Have a wonderful week and enjoy your beautiful hard work!!!

[Elizabeth@BlueClearSky]

Your kitchen is lovely, I'm a fan of white cabinets and we have thermofoil too. That contractor was either a snob or an idiot. Love the tablescape too.

[Carolyn]

The kitchen looks absolutely beautiful. You did a magnificent job with it.

[Julianne]

You know I'll be eagerly awaiting your backsplash post. ;-) Our countertops are in so we are going to start on it later this week -- thanks for all the tips!