Happy last Friday before October!
So this post has been a long time coming. I have wanted to share this sooner, but lighting in my kitchen is absolutely horrible and taking light and bright pictures of it is terribly hard.
Everything is complete and the kitchen looks so much better than what it used to look like.
Just to refresh your memory, here is a glimpse of what I was working with (you can check out the full before here).
3 words…. outdated, dark and overwhelming.
The pickle wash on the cabinets was old and worn in many areas. There is no natural light and the dark walls, cabinets and stonework made it feel like a cave. And while the kitchen didn’t have too many things on the countertops, it all felt so overwhelming and cluttered.
I also didn’t care for the mismatched appliances.
Of course, since I could only do so much with a tight budget, paint was going to be the biggest impact for the least amount of money (plus it wasn’t anything I hadn’t tackled before).
The main changes were obviously the cabinets and walls. And just by doing that, the difference was amazing.
*Some of the following links below are affiliate links for your convenience, for full disclosure please go here*
Of course it also helped that I got a new range and double oven combo…
We kept the same hardware to save money (even though they aren’t my favorite). And we added some rustic trim on the hood vent to break up all the white.
I hung a “tabasco basket” (like my daughter likes to call it) over my doorway into the back hallway that leads to the garage, laundry and pantry area. I have always wanted to have one and I was finally able to get it.
I love that little bit of detail on the hood vent.
Now everything looks nice and crisp.
I even got new glass food containers for the countertops. These were from Big Lots and were a total steal!
I added a DIY cutting board to the little open space to the right of the cabinets. The area is narrow there so I figured something long and dark would make for a nice touch. You can find how to make it on one of my video tutorials. It was made from scrap wood, leftover stain and Dollar Tree nautical rope. It couldn’t have been cheaper!
TUTORIAL: DIY Farmhouse Cutting Board
Those little picture frames you see on the right below were another DIY. I shared how to make them here too.
The double ovens really upgraded the look of the cabinets and kitchen. And keeping the white microwave actually makes it feel less cluttered since it just blends in with the cabinetry.
The other thing I like about this area is that the space above the fridge is now decorative. I added shiplap, stained it and added a shelf and now it actually has a purpose. Before it was a wine rack that no one used cause no one could reach it!
Now my white ceramics have a home.
Of course the countertops had to stay cause there was no budget for them, however, at least the white paint doesn’t make them look so dark. It seems to pull from the light colors in the stone.
And now my kitchen looks like it goes with the rest of my house.
It all seems to flow. And with the lighter colors the kitchen looks so much for inviting (like the rest of my house).
I used the same paint on the walls in the breakfast area and keeping room below and took it straight through into the kitchen. I used Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams.
I am really happy it is done and I don’t feel like a cook in a dungeon anymore.
If you have been thinking of painting your cabinets, but haven’t decided whether or not you’re are up to the channel, I have a video that goes over every simple step I take in painting cabinets. I walk through how to prep, what tools to use, what paint brand I prefer and why, how to let dry etc. etc. etc.
It is a long video but I go over ERRRRTHANG to make sure you have all the questions you may have answered. Check it out below!
I will be back soon!
