Kitchen Tour: A DIY Remodel Reveal – Creating a Functional and Beautiful Space
Welcome to our kitchen! As part of our ongoing series, we’re excited to finally give you a detailed tour of our remodeled kitchen. This transformation was a labor of love, filled with DIY challenges and triumphs. We’ll walk you through every aspect of the design, highlighting our favorite features, the lessons we learned, and the budget-friendly choices we made along the way.
Get ready to be inspired! We’ll share tips and tricks for your own kitchen remodel, focusing on creating a space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Whether you’re planning a complete overhaul or simply looking for small updates, we hope our experience provides valuable insights.
The “before” picture: A glimpse of our kitchen before the transformation began.
As you might know, we started with a kitchen that wasn’t exactly our dream space. In fact, it needed a lot of love. We documented the entire process, from the initial planning stages to the final touches. Check out our previous articles about how our kitchen used to suck, and how we tackled a tough DIY remodel to bring our vision to life. But now, without further ado, let’s dive into the transformation!
The finished product: Our remodeled kitchen, a space we truly love.
Our modular wooden kitchen setup.
Cabinetry and Hardware: Choosing Quality and Style
Choosing the right cabinetry was a crucial decision. We opted for solid cherry cabinetry from Thomasville, sourced through Home Depot. We were impressed with the quality and the timeless appeal of the wood. The warm tones of the cherry add a touch of elegance to the kitchen, creating a welcoming atmosphere.
To complement the cabinetry, we searched for the perfect drawer pulls. We eventually found them online at Cool Knobs and Pulls.com, specifically the #8000 stainless steel bar pulls. These sleek, modern pulls add a touch of sophistication and are incredibly comfortable to use.
One of the best features of our drawers is the “soft close” mechanism. This prevents slamming and ensures a gentle, quiet closure every time. It’s a small detail, but it makes a big difference in the overall feel of the kitchen. The soft-close feature adds a touch of luxury and prevents wear and tear on the cabinetry.
Appliances: Balancing Style and Budget
When it came to appliances, we didn’t feel the need to stick to a matched set. Instead, we focused on finding appliances with similar stainless-steel finishes to create a cohesive look. This approach allowed us to save money and choose the best appliance for each specific function.
Our microwave is from LG, known for its reliability and innovative features. The oven is a Whirlpool model, offering consistent heating and a spacious interior. The refrigerator is from Maytag, chosen for its storage capacity and energy efficiency. And the dishwasher is an awesome Siemens model that we snagged at an overstock appliance store.
The Siemens dishwasher is incredibly quiet, a feature we truly appreciate. It also blends seamlessly into the cabinetry, with no exposed buttons. This creates a clean, streamlined look in the kitchen. The hidden controls are a modern touch and add to the overall minimalist aesthetic.
Our amazing Siemens dishwasher.
Flooring: A Lucky Discovery
One of the biggest surprises of our kitchen remodel was the discovery of hardwood floors hidden beneath the old linoleum. We were originally planning to install new tile, but uncovering the hardwood was a game-changer. After spending about $500 to have them refinished, we had beautiful, original hardwood floors that added warmth and character to the kitchen.
The hardwood floors have transformed the way we use the kitchen. They add a sense of warmth and comfort that tile or linoleum simply can’t match. We often find ourselves playing with our daughter on the kitchen floor, something we never would have considered before the remodel.
Our newly refinished hardwood floors.
Hardwood floors offer many benefits. They are durable, easy to clean, and add value to your home. They also provide a timeless look that complements any kitchen style. Refinishing existing hardwood floors is a cost-effective way to update your kitchen and create a warm, inviting space.
Refrigerator: French Doors and a Stainless-Look
We had our hearts set on a refrigerator with French doors and a lower-mounted freezer. However, true stainless-steel models were quite expensive. We eventually found a Maytag model that offered a “stainless-look” without the hefty price tag.
Surprisingly, the “stainless-look” finish turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It allows us to use magnets on the refrigerator, which we love! We can display photos, artwork, and important notes. It adds a personal touch to the kitchen and makes it feel more like home.
Our “stainless-look” refrigerator with French doors.
Cookbook Nook: A Clever Use of Space
Due to a unique set of dimensions, we ended up with a small space between the upper cabinets near the microwave. This space was too small for spices and too close to the heat of the oven for sensitive items. After brainstorming, we had the idea to turn it into a little bookshelf for cookbooks.
The cookbook nook has become one of our favorite features in the kitchen. It’s a convenient and stylish way to store our favorite recipes. It also adds a touch of personality to the space and makes it feel more organized and inviting.
Our cookbook nook, a perfect example of creative storage.
Calendar Art: Functional and Colorful
With limited free wall space in the kitchen, we decided to use our monthly calendar as a piece of colorful art. It’s a functional way to keep track of appointments and events while adding a visual element to the space.
Once the year is over, we don’t throw away the calendar. Instead, we carefully select our favorite months and mount them in simple black frames. These framed calendar pages create a gallery wall of beautiful images that add a personal touch to the kitchen.
Our monthly calendar doubles as colorful art.
Our gallery wall of framed calendar pages.
Last year’s calendar was from Snow & Graham, and this year’s is from Paper Source. Both companies offer a wide selection of beautiful and inspiring calendars.
Sink and Faucet: Functionality and Style
Our single-bowl stainless steel sink is from Elkay, purchased at Home Depot. We were initially hesitant about choosing a single-bowl sink, but the dimensions of the center cabinet made it the best option. Now, we absolutely love it! It’s large enough to accommodate even our biggest pots and pans.
The only drawback of the single-bowl sink is the lack of space for a drying rack. However, since we rely heavily on our dishwasher, we rarely wash dishes by hand. And we appreciate the clutter-free countertop!
The faucet, beautifully modeled in the picture, is from Delta. It features a magnetic pull-out sprayer head that is incredibly convenient to use. The faucet is also made of a “fingerprint-proof” stainless material, which keeps it looking clean and shiny.
Our Delta faucet with a pull-out sprayer head.
We also have an Insinkerator garbage disposal in the sink. While there’s some debate about the eco-friendliness of garbage disposals, we find it to be a convenient and helpful addition to our kitchen.
Little Details We Love
Here are a few other details about our kitchen that we absolutely love:
Our OXO air-tight food storage containers.
These OXO air-tight food storage containers are a pantry’s best friend. They keep our food fresh and organized. My wife, Alicia, will have a whole post dedicated to these coming later this month.
A vase of fresh flowers adds a touch of beauty.
Every kitchen needs flowers. These little guys are hanging out in a creamer, just because!
Our stainless steel banana hanger.
A banana hook: just get one already and stop eating brown bananas. This one’s from ‘Spectrum Diversified’ on Amazon. The breadbox mostly tends to hold non-bread things (cookies, chocolate, etc.), but we still like it; keeps the clutter down. We got that one at Target.
Our Rabbit wine bottle opener.
Alicia insisted I include this one: our Rabbit wine bottle opener (wedding gift, yay!). Truly, it’s a breeze to use and gets a cork out of a stubborn bottle faster than you can snap your fingers. You can get one on Amazon for $50, or you can find someone to pretend to marry you and stage an elaborate ruse and ask a relative for one as a gift. Your call.
Remember this photo from yesterday’s post?
Ayla at 5 months old.
Man, time flies. Here’s Ayla in the same spot, in the same chair. Now that’s a before & after you can’t beat…
Ayla loves her kitchen!
Conclusion: Creating a Kitchen You Love
Our kitchen remodel was a challenging but rewarding experience. We learned a lot about DIY projects, budget-friendly design, and the importance of creating a space that reflects our personal style. We hope this tour has inspired you to embark on your own kitchen transformation, whether it’s a small update or a complete overhaul.
Remember, the most important thing is to create a kitchen that you love. A space where you can cook, gather with family and friends, and create lasting memories. With careful planning, creative solutions, and a little bit of elbow grease, you can transform your kitchen into the heart of your home.
We’d love to hear about your own kitchen remodel projects! Share your tips, tricks, and challenges in the comments below.