Kitchen Makeover

After nearly a decade of making memories (and messes!) in our beloved home, the heart of our house – the kitchen – was starting to show its age. The once-fresh finishes felt tired, the layout a little cramped, and the overall vibe decidedly dated. Sound familiar? If your kitchen is screaming for a refresh, you've come to the right place!

Like many aspiring home renovators, I turned to the inspiring world of DIY blogs, soaking up countless ideas and finally gathering the courage to dive headfirst into a kitchen renovation project. Armed with newfound inspiration, I embarked on a close inspection of our existing kitchen, meticulously listing all the projects I envisioned to bring my dream kitchen to life. This comprehensive "honey-do" list was promptly presented to my husband, with the unspoken (and perhaps slightly stereotypical) expectation that he would conquer all the intricate wooden projects my design demanded.

In my mind's eye, a clear division of labor was established: I would handle the transformative power of paint and the delightful details of decorating, while the "mister" would expertly tackle the building aspects. A classic DIY partnership, right? 😉

Oh, the naiveté! Weeks turned into months, and my carefully crafted to-do list remained largely untouched. It turns out that building wasn't exactly his forte – measurements proved to be a significant hurdle. 😩

But as the saying goes, sometimes setbacks pave the way for unexpected opportunities. In this case, my husband's hesitancy became a powerful catalyst for my own empowerment. Fueled by a growing impatience and a desire to see my kitchen dreams materialize, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I dusted off our old electric drill, gathered the few tools we possessed at the time, and with a mix of trepidation and excitement, I embarked on this kitchen makeover journey solo.

While my previous experience with paint and a smattering of small carpentry projects provided a basic foundation, a full kitchen renovation felt like uncharted territory. Yet, a determined voice inside me declared, "Sure, I can do it!"

Let me be honest – it was a significant undertaking, filled with challenges, learning curves, and moments of sheer exhaustion. However, looking back, I can confidently say that if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't hesitate, especially armed with the invaluable experience I gained.

So, what did this major DIY kitchen makeover ultimately look like? Feast your eyes on the transformation:

THE BEFORE:

The honey oak kitchen that I loved for many years.

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This little kitchen of mine was showing its age!

It was time to improve it, give it a cosmetic makeover, and update certain features that I didn't like.

For instance, the kitchen island seemed to be a simple cabinet stacked in the middle of the kitchen with an outlet as its main décor on one of its sides. :/

That space above the cabinets collected so much dust and grime.😖 I had to bring those containers down a few times during the year to wash them. I was getting tired of doing that task.

One important feature I wanted to add to my new and improved kitchen was a range hood to exhaust cooking fumes outside the house. That recirculating fan had to go!

I also wanted to say goodbye to those honey oak cabinets. The cabinets were suitable and sound, but I grew tired of that reddish tone. Oh, and those laminated countertops and appliances had also seen better days. 

I wanted a simple makeover, keeping everything in the same place. But hey, once I started, the projects grew and grew.

The budget was higher than I wanted to spend, but in the end, it was a very economical makeover for all the new features that this little kitchen got!

You can check the complete BUDGET POST right HERE.

Let's dive into all the projects done to update this small kitchen!

1. THE KITCHEN ISLAND

The renovation started in the center by beefing up the kitchen island. You can see me there, working on adding moldings to that cabinet.

Well, I first built and installed a shelf on the side of the island to make it bigger.

I installed the microwave on the other side of the kitchen island. 

I finally gained back my counter space!

Check the complete details of this KITCHEN ISLAND makeover right HERE.

2. THE REFRIGERATOR ENCLOSURE

The second project I got myself into was building a fridge enclosure. I noticed in other kitchens that when that gigantic appliance is inside a cabinet, for some reason, it looks less massive and gives the entire kitchen a more seamless look.

The first task was to remove that tiny 12"-depth cabinet and replace it with one 24" deep.

There were a few other steps done before that fridge enclosure could look like this:

But you can check all the details on how to BUILD A FRIDGE ENCLOSURE right HERE.

3. HOW TO BUILD A RANGE HOOD

OK, OK, let's hold it here. 

Raise your hand 🙋‍♀️ if you have built and installed a range hood, especially if you did it in 2010 when there wasn't a single tutorial online!

This was perhaps the project that gave me the most anxiety. I was a rookie at remodeling a kitchen, and here I was, building and installing a range hood!

I was lucky to find a simple clue/visual, and from then on, I managed to build this range hood that has been in service for the past ten years:

Complete details on HOW TO BUILD A RANGE HOOD are HERE.

4. CLOSING THE SPACE ABOVE THE KITCHEN CABINETS

Closing that space above the cabinets was an easy and very economical project. 

Once done, it looked like this:

Learn how to close that SPACE ABOVE THE CABINETS by clicking right HERE.

5. HOW TO ADD MOLDINGS TO YOUR KITCHEN CABINETS

The kitchen didn't look too fancy after closing that empty space above the cabinets. 

NOPE. 

It needed something else... MOLDINGS!

I sure gave it plenty! 

Crown molding, panel molding, base cap, screened bead, etc. 

Complete details about how to add MOLDINGS to your kitchen cabinets right HERE.

6. HOW TO PAINT THE KITCHEN CABINETS

The paint was the element that gave this kitchen a cohesive look.

Armed with a paintbrush and a roller, I painted those cabinets.

My kitchen was totally transformed! 😍

All the details on HOW TO PAINT YOUR KITCHEN CABINETS are HERE.

7. INSTALL A BACKSPLASH

Installing a backsplash right after getting the countertops was the cherry on top for this kitchen makeover.

| Pendant Light | Roman Shade - similar | Backsplash |

Learn HOW TO INSTALL A MARBLE BACKSPLASH right HERE.

8. INSTALL MORE LIGHTS

A lighting plan is one of the first steps during any kitchen renovation. -Can lights must be installed before closing the space above the cabinets.-

After a full year of working in this little space, I could finally say it's DONE!

I LOVE my new kitchen!!

And guess what?

I gained tons of experience by doing it myself! 

Did I make mistakes?

Yes, many, but nothing that I couldn't fix. ;)

What are you waiting for to start your own kitchen renovation?

UPDATES

A "new" roman shade treatment gave the kitchen a brighter look.

And the addition of a built-in plate rack opened up the space.

However, another mini-makeover was done to brighten up the space even more. 

The kitchen island was painted a new color, the cabinets were customized further, the range hood was given a new treatment, and the kitchen stools were also given a makeover.

Well, this kitchen keeps on evolving.

:)

Thanks for visiting!

Here again are all the links:

Updating the Kitchen Island
How to Build the Refrigerator Enclosure
How to make the Range Hood
Closing the Space above the Kitchen Cabinets
Adding Moldings to Your Kitchen Cabinets
Painting Oak Kitchen Cabinets
Installing the Marble Backsplash
Lighting Plan
Kitchen Cost Breakdown
1 ½ Years Later: How the Kitchen is Holding up
Built-in Plate Rack
Roman Shade Update
Pull-Out Shelves in Pantry
Breakfast Room
LG Appliances Review and Complaint



Some of these projects inspired some of the work on these kitchens:

Kitchen Update at Bear, Molly, and Moi
The Space Between at Fisherman's Wife Furniture

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