We first moved into our home back in 2018. We loved the location, the square footage, the yard, and the price but knew we would have to put some sweat equity into pretty much every room.
Here’s what the kitchen looked like when we moved in (listing photos).
Assessing the Room
We fell in love with our house, despite the outdated style. It had great bones (built like a brick house, literally) and so much potential! Our mantra was “don’t fight the house.” This meant embracing some of the original.
The bad news.
- The style was outdated. The wood cabinets were overwhelming and reflected the time period.
- The 42″ cooktop took up a majority of the usable counter space.
- The cabinets above the peninsula made the kitchen feel closed off and dark.
- The previous homeowners painted the countertops and the paint was beginning to chip off.
- The floor had pink veining and looked dirty no matter how hard I scrubbed.
The good news!
- The cabinets were solid and there were a ton of them. My storage dreams had come true! Many cabinets had unique features like an appliance lift, roll-out spice rack, and a hidden cutting board.
- The footprint was pretty large.
- The amount of potential counter space had my heart soaring.
- The previous homeowners replaced the light fixture. They left the original in the basement and it was pretty terrible. Think gold and fake candle-esque.
- The number and position of outlets made the space functional.
The Design Choices
The kitchen, in my opinion, was the biggest eye-sore when we moved in. We wanted to tackle this project asap but had to do so on a budget. The first thing we decided was not to fight the existing layout. Changing up the floor plan would cost big dollars. Replacing the cabinets would not only be expensive but we knew that whatever we replaced them with would not be on the same level of quality. This decision played a huge role in how we proceeded.
By removing the cupboards over the peninsula, we could extend the counter out ten inches and create bar-style seating. We also planned to hang two pendant lights above the peninsula. In place of the cupboards, I wanted to incorporate some open shelving for decor.
Removing the ginormous cooktop would free up a lot of counter space but there was one problem: if I ripped out the cooktop, I wouldn’t have access to a stove. We decided to utilize a huge open wall on the other side of the kitchen. This would allow us to keep the existing layout and add more counter/cupboard space. During the planning process, we talked about making this area a focal point by adding backsplash and an attractive rangehood. This would make the space feel more intentional and less of an afterthought.
My dream was to have the same flooring throughout the house (just like HGTV ❤️ – Sigh). We knew that three of the bedrooms had 2-1/4″ plank hardwood and rather than rip that out and replace it, we decided to match it the best we could and continue it throughout the house. This would save us money and time.
Phase One:
- Rip out the cupboards over the peninsula
- Paint the cabinets (inside and out)
- Clean and paint hardware
- Replace the countertops
- Install sink
- Replace the dishwasher
- Wire peninsula lights
- Replace the light above the sink
- Paint the walls
- Remove shutters
- Add curtain rod and new curtains
Phase Two:
- Remove old backsplash
- Install new stove
- Install new cabinets
- Install range hood
- Tile new backsplash
- Remove the old floor and lay hardwood
I kept a few of the original pieces of hardware to use on the new cabinets. This would create a more cohesive look. Eventually, I’d like to buy new hardware but with 50+ cabinets, this would cost a pretty penny.
This was my first tile job. All the white made the kitchen seem a bit sterile so I added a wooden tongue and groove accent wall. I used the same stain that I used on the butcher block.
Phase Three:
- Build pantry
- Trim
The original pantry is very deep and it includes a nice pullout spice rack. Unfortunately, for a family of five, it was a bit small. Large trips to Costco were out of the question. Because of the deep space, items would get pushed to the back and forgotten. It was challenging to keep it functional.
I decided to dedicate this section of the kitchen to baking. With a little effort, I adjusted the shelf so my Kitchen Aid could live there. I am not a fan of having items on the counter so this was a perfect solution. In the future, I want to repaint this area to make it more visually appealing.
For the pantry build, I cheated a little bit. Instead of building out a pantry (wood was still ridiculously expensive), I opted for a pre-fabbed option. I purchased three of the Sauder HomePlus Storage Cabinet, Soft White finish from Amazon.
I taped off the rough outline of the pantry to make sure it would look nice (and fit the space).
First cabinet down! They went together surprisingly well.
So much room! Please excuse the bad lighting, I was excited!
In the Future
In the near future, I plan to repaint the cupboards. The original paint job is holding up surprisingly well, especially considering I did not use a top coat. I knew I would eventually get bored with the color scheme, and by not adding a top coat, I could easily repaint it. At this point, I have no idea what color. I don’t want every cabinet white but I’m nervous about using trendy colors.
There are a few elements of finish work that needs to be completed. Trim, toe kicks, and painting the ceiling are high on the priority list. Trimming out the pantry cabinets, painting the cabinets, and painting the window are a few projects that will make the kitchen feel finished and fresh.
I want to replace all of the cabinet hardware at some point. The decision to repaint and modify the existing hardware was based merely on cost. Cabinet pulls are EXPENSIVE and I had over fifty handles (this was AFTER I ripped out ten doors).
This was the first room we tackled in our 1950s Mid-Century home. Looking forward to sharing the rest of the renovations with you as we complete them! I’d love to hear about some of your DIYs. Shoot me an email or comment below!
Check out our tips on how to declutter your kitchen here!