Remodel: Part 1 {The Kitchen}

I spend more active hours in the kitchen than I do in any other room in the house. Lets be honest, cooking and dishes takes time! Consequently, I always love a pretty and functional kitchen. In every remodel Lee and I have done, we've spent the most attention and expense in our kitchens. I've been told its an investment that is always returned when/if you ever decide to sell. I know for me, when looking to buy a house the kitchen is a big determining factor.

When we bought our house, the kitchen needed dire attention. The house had been sitting empty for several years and time had taken it's toll.

So first up on our remodel list was the kitchen! This is the second kitchen remodel Lee and I have done; however, this was more like a total overhaul rather than a minor face lift.

BEFORE PICTURES

Alterations/Additions:

One thing I disliked immediately was the fact that there was no bar area. It felt as if there was no divider between the living room and the kitchen. I love an open floor plan, but this seemed a little too open… So we raised the bar and extended the countertop to make the esthetics more appealing. While messing with the cabinetry, we also went ahead and raised some of the upper cabinets in specific areas to create a custom feel.

Finally, I had a pull-out trash can added. Best. Decision. Ever. I hate to see trash cans sitting out in a kitchen. I don't know why, but it is a major pet peeve of mine. Who wants to look at trash and smell it while your cooking and eating anyways? So, to fix this dilemma, we had a pull-out trash can worked into our design. I added a heavier pull to this cabinet so that it was easily pulled out even with a full trash can. Very pleased with this little gem. I would HIGHLY recommend anyone who is remodeling their kitchen to find a place to add this idea to your design. Add a hydraulic soft-close cabinet hinge and BAM, pure genius.

Once the cabinetry work was finished, we had all the cabinets painted. I chose White Dove by Benjamin Moore to be my cabinet color throughout the house as well as my trim color. The wall color in the kitchen is a customized version of Grey Moire by Pratt and Lambert and the ceiling color is Refined AF-75 by Benjamin Moore. [A big thank you to Sharon at Kolor Key for helping me pick the perfect coordinating colors.]

Next up was my sink. I debated and debated on which sink and what finish to go with for my kitchen. After visiting with several friends who had experience with the different options I was choosing between, I ended up deciding on a ROHL Shaws Sink.  I absolutely LOVE my sink!!! It is by far one of my most favored remodel items. I would highly recommend this sink to anyone in the market for a new kitchen sink.

I chose the Brizo Solna Kitchen Faucet and have been very pleased with it. I have found that the sprayer is not nearly as strong as they are when they are separate from the spout, but I love the fact that it is hidden as well as a single handle pull-down. It definitely falls more into the modern category but it fit in perfectly for my style. I added a built-in soap dispenser as well to keep a minimalistic appearance. To finish off the look, I added a marble tiled backsplash.

Once the sink was installed then came my quartzite countertop. I was able to cut out the middle man when it came to my granite. I found the granite that I wanted directly from a granite yard (I used Verona Marble Company). The general public is not allowed to buy directly from the granite yard, but the installer that you hire is able to directly purchase. After much research and many recommendations, I chose my installer (StoneTec) and granite (Super White Quartzite). This way I only had to pay the installer rather than having an up charge to purchase from a granite company. Thanks to my dear friend Nikki for that advice!

Finally after all the cutting, sanding, and painting of the cabinets, our hardwood floors were installed. Although the floor salesman thought I was crazy for wanting dark hardwood floors, I am very pleased and happy with my choice.

Now that all the "hard work" was finished, it was time to accessorize. New appliances and hardware from Restoration Hardware was added. Additional can lights were added, along with under cabinet puck lights and above cabinet lighting.  The finishing touches on our kitchen remodel is now complete! I love how it turned out and wouldn't change a thing!

LOVE my crystal knobs for the cabinet doors!

Stainless pulls for drawers

The pulls and knobs put together

AFTER

The curved architecture of the house was a favorite that we kept throughout the remodel

Coming soon-- Living Room Remodel