It feels like forever ago when I started dreaming up this kitchen renovation. Little did I know what it would become and how it would unfold. But nevertheless I’m so glad today has come and I couldn’t be more happy with the way it turned out. As with any renovation, there are a few thing I might have done differently but the overall vision came to life better than I ever expected.
I’ve completed countless room makeovers and DIY projects but this is the first full-scale renovation that I have designed and executed! Being able to bring the vision that was in my head to life in this space was a lot harder than I imagined it would be. It was like putting together one big jigsaw puzzle with life-size pieces #NOTKIDDING
THE VISION:
BEFORE:
It’s not the worst kitchen you’ve ever seen but what you can’t see in these pictures are the peeling countertops, buckling floors and broken appliances. The kitchen hadn’t been touched since the house was built in 2000 so it was definitely time for an upgrade.
AFTER:
I’m so thankful for my family and friends that lent their hands and time to this project and for the amazing sponsors that believed in my vision and helped make this dream a reality. I hope this inspires you to tackle that next project on your to-do list that you’ve been putting off. I promise, all of the blood, sweat and tears are worth it in the end! I hope you love it as much as I do!
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It all started with this beautiful fixture from Lucent Lightshop! It would set the tone for the style of the rest of the room.
I knew I wanted a mostly white kitchen but I also knew it needed a few bold elements to set it apart from so many other white kitchens I’ve seen. The funky lighting, the faucet and the dark grout really catch your attention.
The roman shade adds color to the space that it really needed. Before the shade was hung the room looked too stark. It definitely makes a statement.
The DIY shiplap accent wall and planked bar add lots of character to the space, reminiscent of a true craftsman style bungalow. I hope to post a tutorial for this if I can muster up any remaining energy :)
It was important for me to stay true to the style of our home as much as I could. I wasn’t able to get the shaker cabinets I wanted but I made up for it with the antique brass cup pulls and knobs, the paneling, and traditional white subway tiles.
If you’ve followed along with me during the reno you probably know that I struggled with the decision over the cabinets. At the end of the day I’m really glad that I decided to stain them instead of painting. The natural wood warms up the room and I just think they look cool! Mark my words, wood cabinets are coming back in style (in moderation of course)! Even my dad admitted I made the right decision and that doesn’t happen often :) Right Dad??
I chose this backsplash accent just to change things up a bit and create an interesting focal point! It is the same American Olean Gloss White line as the subways so they coordinate perfectly.
The dark gray grout really stands out and it almost has a slight bluish tint which I love of course. The color is called Slate.
Our kitchen is a pretty small room so the counter to ceiling tile was non-negotiable for me. It is a bit dramatic but it actually makes this small space feel bigger.
Marble countertops were never a viable option for our kitchen but I did want something with similar characteristics. I loved the quartz selection at Lowe’s and I ended up going with the Silestone in Lyra Suede. At first I thought it was a little more veiny than I would have liked but it has really grown on me and for a man-made stone it resembles marble pretty well…especially in blogging photos :)
I went around and around about whether or not to build the wine rack and cabinet above the refrigerator (I was only hesitant because I was literally exhausted!) but with a lot of coaxing from a certain someone we tackled it and I’m SO glad we did!!!
The stainless steel Frigidaire Professional appliances make our daily lives so much easier and they fit perfectly within the style of the kitchen. It is so much more fun to cook in this space now! Check out the article that our local online newspaper wrote about the reno!
As far as paint goes, I love the Coastal Cool Collection from the HGTV HOME by Sherwin Williams so we stuck with that color palette since Sea Salt was already throughout the main floor of our home. I’m telling you this is one of my all-time favorite colors and it’s so cool because it changes with the light. Sometimes it looks really pale and other times it can look pretty green or blue depending on the time of day.
The shiplap wall, bar back and upper cabinets are SW Pure White and the door color is SW Slate Tile.
The only thing that did not get done (yet) is the open shelving on the wall surrounding the window. Yes, it is a big part of the design plan but we had an unfortunate situation with an Etsy seller where we were buying the brackets from that didn’t work out. So, I’m on the hunt for floating shelf brackets that will support the weight of a full set of dishes, glasses, etc. Suggestions are welcomed! I think we may have found some but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet. You can see that our dishes are still perfectly styled on our buffet lol:) Needless to say there will be another kitchen update in 2016!
Okay, I’m dying to finally know what you guys think!!!!! What elements do you love and which ones are you not so sure about? Seriously, I can’t wait to hear your feedback!
The sources are listed below. If there is something I missed let me know and I’ll make sure to add it. There is also more detail in the specific posts linked below with additional source information!
SOURCES: Floor Tile, Floor Grout, Cabinets, Countertops, Sink, Wall Tile, Backsplash, Grout; Lowe’s || Appliances; Frigidaire Professional || Cabinet Hardware; D. Lawless Hardware || Faucet; Delta || Chandelier; Lucent Lightshop || Roman Shade; Drawn Company ||Shade Fabric; Online Fabric Store|| Bar Stools; Target || Rug; Rugs Direct ||
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You can shop the products here!
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“This renovation was completed in partnership with Lowe’s Home Improvement. Lowe’s provided product and materials for the project however all ideas, thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to Lowe’s and thank YOU for supporting the brands that make Simple Stylings possible! For more project details click on the links below.”
CLICK BELOW TO READ MORE:
The Original Design and Design Update
Cheers!
LINKING UP: Place of My Taste ||
I love this! I’m trying to freshen up my oak kitchen without a total demo and this gave me some great ideas. What paint color did you use for the walls?
This kitchen is stunning! Exactly what I’m trying to do with my own. Could you tell me where you got the pendant light above the sink? Thank you!
Thank you so much Sam! The light is actually from Lowe’s and I spray painted it gold. Hope that helps!
Hi there for the top cabinets did you ended up just removing the trim on the top? Thank you for sharing ypur project. It is such an inspiration. Also how do you get to work with companies like Lowes to help with your project?
Hi Chesca! So sorry for the delay. I don’t think there was trim on our cabinets.Thanks so much for reading!
I’ve been visiting this page over and over again to admire your new kitchen. I’m in the process of renovating the small kitchen in my 1959 bungalow style house. Your blog offers so much inspiration! I have look, but did not find where/how you installed the 6 ledge shelves by the sink (as seen in the latest Glitter post). Can you please offer some guidance on where to purchase those shelves and/or how they are installed?
Thanks in advance.
Trang
Indeed, Here are so many good insight on Kitchen renovation. One or two ideas I got from this post myself. Pictures are really great and helpful.
I LOVE your kitchen! It is so unique and perfect in every way! I’m definitely buying subway tile from Lowes when I do my bathroom reno this spring! My mom has oak cabinets in that exact shade and this has given us some great ideas for updating her kitchen without ripping out the cabinets or painting everything. It looks SO good!
Thank you SO much Kemley this made my day! I was hoping that people could use this and figure out how to use their existing oak cabinets to their advantage :) Good luck with updating her kitchen!
I feel the same exact way as Kemley about my own kitchen. I saw a vision in my head of how to make my “ugly” oak cabinets work, and then I stumbled on your blog and saw that you had already taken the same vision and turned it into reality. You have really done a beautiful job! It has given me confidence to move forward with my own vision. Thanks for the inspiration and thank you for doing all the research! That antiqued bronze hardware is next on my buying list! : )
Awww thanks Liz! You are so sweet and I’m so happy our kitchen gave you inspiration! That’s why I love blogging so much! Have a great evening!
I just don’t like the idea of painting over beautiful oak cabinets to make the “modern” kitchen. Your is exactly like my vision. light color floors and wall, with stainless steel appliances. Leave the oak cabinets alone!
Beautiful makeover lady!! Love how this space came together. Isnt it wonderful to see your vision come to life! Im on the last leg of mine and the final piece are the floating shelves. Coincidentally i just found some bracket options yesterday…ill forward them to you.
You’re sweet Shavonda, thank you! Yes I am in major need of heavy duty brackets and I might have found a possibility but I’m nervous about buying them :) Can’t wait to hear what you’ve found!
You kitchen renovation looks amazing! I just love everything about it. We are about to paint our kitchen cabinets white. SW pure white is one of our top three but I’m leaning toward pure white. Can you tell me which type of their paint you used and what sheen?
Thank you!
Hi Kristi! SO so sorry for missing this! I used Sherwin Williams Pro Classic paint in semi-gloss. Hope that helps and good luck with your paint if you haven’t painted already!
Kitchens are such an undertaking and your’s turned out wonderfully!! We gutted our kitchen in our last house and went with a very similar clean white look as your kitchen. It made me so happy to cook and entertain in there! Looks great.
Thanks so much Amy! It was brutal at times but so happy now that it’s done :)
Oh boy, you knocked it out of the park! You did an amazing job. I love the backsplash going all the way up and hey, the wooden cabinets look great too. Beautiful!
Thanks so much Cristina!! I really appreciate it! xoxo
Oh my goodness Summer your kitchen is soooooooo dreamy! I love how you went off your inspiration kitchen yet made it your own. It’s beautiful!
Thanks so much Katie!!! xoxo
Wow Summer!! You have amazed me once again! Your design was beautiful from the beginning and I love how you brought it to life. It must have been a ton of hard work, but it all came together so perfectly and it gives me such hope for my kitchen! The wood cabinets are such a different choice that I think sets your kitchen apart from other white kitchens, the warmth of the wood is just gorgeous with the tile and white cabinets. Such nice balance of warm and cool and funky and timeless. So well done! Enjoy!
Thank you SO very much Lisa! I’m so glad you like it! It was definitely a challenging project for my patience and design skills! Not being a formal interior designer, it’s easy to forget details so it was an interesting process that’s for sure. Your support means so much to me!
It turned out so beautiful!!!!! Well done! I’ve become obsessed with rift cut oak cabinets lately with a flat front. If only my clients had the budget for them! Lol!!! I think it’s making a big come back for sure. The 90s just had a lot of bad stains and the curved lines that made the oak look really old fashion. That’s what I have in my house and I painted them. The curve drives me crazy still!!
Thanks so much Kayla, I totally agree! These are straight off the floor from Lowes, not custom and super affordable! xoxo
Thanks girl! You’re the best! xoxo
Summer, I’m obsessed! The light! The wall to ceiling subway. The grout! I LOVE IT ALL! (And that Charlotte Observer write up too…GIRL!!)! YOU are inspiring! Styling and inspiring! :)
xx
Thanks girl! You’re the best!
Looks amazing Summer! So classic, yet edgy. You nailed it.
Can’t wait for the shiplap tutorial…we’re thinking about tackling that DIY and I can’t wait to hear your tips.
Thanks so much ladies! I love the shiplap too, you guys can totally do it! Definitely email if you have questions!
GORGEOUS!!!! i’ve been dreaming about my NEXT kitchen (ha! so dumb to do but whatever) and i’ve also been dreaming about warm wood/rustic wood lower cabinetry. I think you made a very wise choice here! I LOVE it! ALSO I just sent this to my mom, who wants to update her kitchen without painting her cabinets. it can be done!
Thank you so much Brittany! That’s what I keep telling my friends who have wood cabinets! I tell them to rip out the uppers, paint the walls white/light and leave the lowers wood :)
Looks so pretty, I love the light fixture you choose and all the design elements!
You’re so sweet! Thanks Katrina!
Wow…just wow. The tile + the warm wood and the fabric for the Romans are just perfect. Well done and congrats on a gorgeous new space, Summer!!
You’re the best Heather! So glad you like it!
Oh Summer!!!!!! Your new kitchen is so incredibly gorgeous!!!! I can’t even imagine how relieved you must be that it’s FINISHED! Job well done, friend!
Thank you Claire!! And yes, so glad it’s done and we can enjoy it! xoxo
Looks so so pretty and that fridge! I’m jealous ;)
Thanks so much Julia! The fridge is great!
Wowzah!!! Way to go, Summer!!! It’s beautiful and my favorite thing is the subway time and shiplap!
Thanks so much Rach! Can’t wait to have you over! Miss ya!
I love that you kept the octopus!!!!!
Ha! Thanks Sarah! Yep, octopus had to stay lol!
Yay! Looks amazing! Awesome job!
Thanks LE!!!
Wow…we’re pretty much speechless Summer! Your vision was spot on and you put together the puzzle perfectly. We think the stained cabinets were a great decision both aesthetically and functionally as kitchens get so much use. Enjoy this..you deserve it!
Thanks you guys! You are the best and I really do appreciate all of your support! xoxo
It looks amazing!! The wood cabinets with all the white is so great and that light fixture, WOW!! Beautiful job Summer!
~Sonya
Thanks Sonya! I’m so glad the wood worked out, I was worried for a minute :)
that light fixture! it totally steals the show for me and really pops against all the white! beautiful!
Thank you so much Cassie!
You did a fantastic job! I LOVE the pop of color the Roman shade makes…..that fabric is great!
Thanks so much Gina! I love the fabric too, the color it brings in makes me happy! xoxo
Crazy good, sweet friend!!!! And dad I say even better in person! You are soooo talented and I’m so glad you guys have this beautiful kitchen to enjoy!!
Dare*** which is why I shouldn’t comment before coffee :)
Lol! You are the sweetest! Thanks Mal!