Now that I have some open shelving, I know I'll enjoy changing things around from time to time. Being able to actually decorate in our kitchen without sacrificing counter space is a real joy for me. As far as style goes, I was aiming for a contemporary take on a mid century-meets-country kitchen, and I'm pretty happy with how it worked out. You probably can't tell by our home's interior, but the exterior of our home has some pretty inescapable country elements to it, including a long, arched porch area and white barn siding. I think the new kitchen appropriately reflects that country sensibility without feeling like a rustic time capsule.
I don't even know how people manage life during extensive kitchen renovations that take months— just one month in this destruction was enough to cause incredible anxiety in my life. Look out! Toddler on a ladder! Oh yeah. It was a little stressful to say the least. (For the record, Lucy never got far up the ladder before we swooped her down and resorted to baby gates and television to keep her safe.) Our sink and counters were out of commission for at least three weeks, and during that time, all of our dishes and pantry items were stored away in boxes throughout our house. We ate a lot of frozen, sodium-rich meals and pizza. Since I couldn't make coffee (I use a French press), I ran to Dunkin almost daily— and I couldn't say no to a cake donut most of the time. Yikes! I kind of miss those mornings, actually. But I'd be lying if I said I can still easily fit into my pants.
There were a few nights Phil and I stayed up until at least four a.m. (Now you're understanding why trips to Dunkin were a must!) I really appreciated Phil's willingness to work alongside me at times like this when I know he was completely exhausted. That's true love, folks.
Once we got our cabinets back up on the walls, I could finally put away dishes and clean up the dining room. What a tremendous relief! It was all downhill from there— the countertops went in next, then shelving, then the greatly anticipated Return of the Sink (extended edition)! Once the area was livable again, I felt like slowing the pace wasn't the worst thing in the world.
Reflecting on the project, there isn't really any part of the design I would change, but I do have some wisdom I gleaned along the way.
Semi-gloss paint is a must for places that will be frequently wiped down, like kitchen cabinets. I love how easy it is to clean, but I hate how quickly it smudges. I wipe down our drawers and doors way more often than I ever did before, but the paint holds up to it nicely.
I noticed the semi-gloss paint took longer to cure than other paint (eggshell and satin finish), and oddly enough, the darker-tinted paint was worse at setting up than the untinted paint. I have no idea if this is a normal thing, or if it was an anomaly for me, but I'm storing that away for future projects– You might need to allow for longer cure time with semi-gloss paint.
Open Shelving– I grew up with very pragmatic family members always raising an eyebrow at clutter. Because clutter=more things to dust, and it seems good housekeeping runs in my family. (Though that buck might stop here.) I can just imagine my grandmother raising said eyebrow at my open shelves. But I like to think of this mix between closed cabinets and open shelving as a nice compromise between vanity and practicality.
I will say, I have already had to dust everything on the shelves a couple of times since finishing the kitchen, so I get where they're coming from. Even items I use every day still gather dust— like my canning jar food storage. But it's not too much work, and I don't mind it.
When planning your budget, I suggest adding 10% to your foreseen expenses to include error in planning or expenses you didn't plan for, like fixing something that breaks or buying lumber to replace pieces you cut incorrectly. If you're working with an older home, you might want to overestimate your budget even more than 10% to include potential money pits like electrical rewiring, plumbing, and ventilation issues.
The most time-consuming aspect of this project was definitely refinishing the cabinets. You can see my timetable for our cabinet refinishing right here. All of that sanding, hole-filling, and wet sanding was the bulk of it. I would be happy if I never sanded another object as long as I live, but I'll settle for just a month off. Sanding is a pain, yes, but I always scoff at cabinet refinishing tutorials that skip this step. Paint builds up over time and affects the fit of your cabinetry. Also, wet sanding after priming really improves the feel of the paint finish– it's like silk after wet sanding. If you're going to do it at all, you might as well put in the extra effort to do it well.
Another time intensive part of this project was the countertop. We did a lot of practice cutting with templates, lots of measuring, and so much planning. It's worth the extra time to make sure you don't make a mistake when cutting into an expensive countertop material. You can read all about the process (and the mistake we made, which forced us to widen the gap between my sink basins) here.
And now I bring you a few more before and after shots. These images practically send chills down my spine! I chose to photograph our kitchen with the typical clutter that we see from day to day, like bread, fruit, my French press (it only ever gets cleaned right before I refill it every morning), and magazines— just so you could get a feel for what it's like being there in real life. Too bad you can't really come over for a cuppa!
-Planning a Budget Kitchen Renovation
-Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets
-Cleaning, Painting, and Drilling into the Brick Wall
-Reconfiguring Existing Cabinets for a Fresh Look
-How to Make an Inexpensive Plank Backsplash
-Installing Butcher Block Counters with an Undermount Sink
Next I'll be sharing the space adjacent to our kitchen— the dining room! It underwent some changes recently too, and together they make this area my favorite place in the whole house. Definitely well worth the waiting and saving!
Finishes:
-cabinet paint: Benjamin Moore's Black Panther in semi-gloss
-wall paint: Benjamin Moore's Bright White in Eggshell
-trim and backsplash paint: untinted white paint in semi-gloss
-butcher block sealer: Waterlox original low VOC in satin
Hardware, Fixtures, & Furnishings:
-butcher block counters: Lumber Liquidators (maple)
-brass bar pulls: Lewis Dolan
-brass plated door knobs: found at a local hardware store for $2
-faucet: Amazon
-espresso machine: Krups from Amazon
-pendant light: Amazon
-under cabinet stemware holder (brass plated): Amazon
-utensil rack: DIY
Decorative Accessories:
-landscape collage art: Jesse Treece from Society6
-photobooth panel: vintage
-paper towel holder (brass plated): West Elm
-tea kettle: Amazon
-radio: Vermont Country Store
-rug: Urban Outfitters circa 2009
-Le Parfait canning jars: from Marshalls & Grow Organic
-blue Ball jars: from my departed grandmother's kitchen
-bread box: Amazon (small and large)
-enamel tray by sink: West Elm
-soap dispensers: Amazon (dish soap and hand soap)
-tea towel: vintage
-baskets above refrigerator (fair trade): Amazon
-stools: eBay reupholstered with fabric below
-faux cowhide upholstery fabric: Amazon
-whale sponge holder: World Market
-refrigerator note station: DIY
-clamp light: Lowes
-cutting board under the bread: made by my dad in his high school wood shop!
-speckled bowl: hand thrown by my friend Austin
-enamel utensils and little white colander: World Market
I've tried to include as many sources as I could, but feel free to ask about anything unmentioned in the comments. Thanks for following along with this renovation journey! I've loved hearing your encouragement and advice along the way. Hopefully you feel inspired to get down with the DIY in your own kitchen. Remember— reusing old fixtures can produce beautiful, inexpensive results with a little hard work! -Mandi
Credits // Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson. Photos edited with Stella of the Signature Collection.