Kitchen Refresh

I'm excited to present some before and after photos of this kitchen refresh facelift renovation. This project was a joy to work on because it meant working with clients I've done several jobs for in the past. They are the loveliest couple, open to new ideas and trying new things, and they don't mind rolling up their sleeves and jumping in when necessary. We always have a good time decorating and designing together!

Ready for a change, my retired clients wanted to give their 1980's kitchen an updated look as a way to further enjoy their home for the time they are here. Selling might be in their future and they want to protect their investment, and a kitchen redo is always a great investment in your home.

Updating A Kitchen Without Replacing Cabinets

I was tasked with keeping the same footprint and layout, saying goodbye to the oak cupboard fronts (a huge step for Mr. Client who, like most men, loves his wood) changing the flooring and keeping the existing countertops that they had recently replaced. They are completely open to all suggestions while working within their budget.

Keeping the existing cabinet boxes and layout was a huge cost saver for this project. If you’re looking at a kitchen refresh you might give this consideration if the main structure of your cabinets is in good shape. We decided to replace the door fronts only with an updated shaker style in a soft timeless white.

The before shots:

You can see here that one solution discussed to paint the existing oak door fronts was decided against. Painted oak always leaves a strong wood grain showing through. Not a terribly bad thing, but not always the desired look you might want. The other feature holding these cabinets back, even if they were painted, was the dated profile of the uppers with the typical 1980’s arch.

A Solution Oriented Plan  

The kitchen is closed off from the adjacent dining and living rooms. My clients were feeling isolated from family and friends during mealtime preparations, so incorporating an open concept was introduced for consideration.

For an updated look, I proposed getting rid of the dated maple table and chairs and adding an eat-at island for just the two of them instead. This allowed for the nearby dining room to be ready for larger gatherings.

Hopes of opening up the space for this kitchen refresh idea were dashed when we discovered the two interior walls were load bearing. Keeping within budget is important to any work I do, so no header beams were in the picture. 

My clients thought things over because they weren't certain they'd like things totally open from the main living area. We solved the problem by making a plan to enlarge the existing doorway into the dining room to a generous 5 foot opening.   

Working with any of my clients means listening to their ideas, exploring possibilities and sometimes bringing them along to some new thinking. I love how open these two were to new suggestions. 

Painting the cabinet door fronts and replacing only the patterned backsplash tiles as requested wasn't going to bring the project the value or style we were hoping for. The outdated door front profiles wouldn't benefit much from being painted. It was time for new cupboard doors, hardware, backsplash tiles, flooring, trim and a paint colour keeping the existing countertop in mind. Adding a few pretty accessories would ensure a beautiful end result.

Demolition Begins With Kitchen Cabinet Removal

Opening up this wall into the adjoining dining room was the perfect solution to feeling a part of the fun when entertaining family and friends.

The old backsplash tiles were removed making way for the beautiful new ones coming.

The old floor was removed and new subfloor was put down in preparation.

Cupboard doors and drawer fronts were removed anticipating the new "Alabaster White" ones coming.

In With The New

Vinyl tiles were on my clients requested items list, so this Travertine was chosen to complement the tones in the countertop - warm browns, beige and a trace of grey. From these colours we picked Sherwin Williams "Mega Greige" for the walls. I love how it sometimes looks grey and sometimes beige depending on what the light is doing in the room at different times of the day. 

Oversized subway tiles in soft grey with hits of warmer grey being installed to replace the old kitchen backsplash. It pulled the grey tones in the countertop beautifully.

The new lower cabinets had soft close hardware and notice the beautiful "footed" detail. 

Pretty new hardware in a rich brushed bronze really popped against the Alabaster White shaker profile kitchen cabinets.

A Beautiful Surprise For This Kitchen Refresh

We searched for the perfect work island to no avail. Nothing seemed to be working for the look and feel we wanted. I suggested repurposing a piece of furniture if we could ever find anything. I left the search to my clients and they certainly didn't disappoint!!!  This beautiful sideboard was in their lower level TV room. It was a family piece handed down from one of their grandma's. 

Before

Before

The perfect piece! It offered some needed storage solutions for less often used small appliances, placemats and napkins. When I suggested painting it dark grey both clients jumped right in with a resounding "yes". They tried their hand at Fusion Mineral Paint and Mr. Client, who does beautiful woodworking, replaced the top with the overhang for seating along the back.

After

This piece speaks for itself. We couldn't have been more pleased with the results. 

The Finished Product

Kitchen Refresh Before And After

We ended up with a beautiful result with a lovely, updated look and feel. We said goodbye to the 1980’s arched oak cabinets, the tired backsplash, updated the flooring and wall paint. Of course the stunning repurposed sideboard became the perfect eat at island that gave them more prep space as well.

Over all, this kitchen refresh was a great success. My client’s couldn’t be happier with the results.