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Mar 4, 2011

{Kitchen Makeover - The Big Reveal}



Our house was built in 1987, and whoever it was that had the house built decided to go for the cheapest kitchen layout possible. I have cursed this unknown person for 7 1/2 years! Our house has a great layout otherwise, but the kitchen is tiny and closed-in. Add in the builder-grade-honey-oak-turned-orange-stained cabinets and you have one heck of a miserable room. Just ask me...I've been letting it get to me every stinking day for 7 1/2 years!

We finally decided that something needed to be done, but we didn't want to put in the thousands of dollars it would have taken to get our dream kitchen. So for now, we decided to lighten it up and see if we could handle another few years here.

We removed all the cabinets and cleaned, sanded, primed, painted, glazed, and poly'd them. It all sounds so quick and easy to squeeze all those things into one sentence! Believe me, it was no easy or quick task.
We also painted the walls and the trim.
We added beadboard where we had shiny laminate panels before.
We added knobs that match the hinges (and the rest of the hardware in the house).
We took out some cabinets and installed an over-the-range microwave to free up some much-needed counter space.

 All the elbow grease and patience payed off, and now we have a light, bright space that feels so much bigger! It gives our home a whole different feeling. We are amazed at the difference it has made.
See for yourself!

This is what it looked like when we moved in:

 We put in the tile floors and countertops and painted the walls red.
And this is what we had for the next 7 1/2 years:

I forgot to take the before picture of the laminate panels before my hubby ripped them off...but I'm sure you can use your imagination.

This is the view from our family room looking into the kitchen:

And here are the after shots:





Let's see those befores and afters again:




Ahhhhh, much better.

--Tammy

ETA: Paint colors are Behr, Ryegrass on walls, Swiss Coffee on cabinets. Glaze made by American Finishes, Glaze Effects, in Van Dyke Brown.

* Click HERE to see the lovely linky parties we participate in! *

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50 comments:

Beth W said...

Congrats! That is, indeed, a great improvement. :)

Tanya said...

It looks great! I love what can be done on a budget. The beadboard looks great! I might even be tempted to hang some sort of artwork trio up there. Black frames, white mats...

Tanya said...

Looks so much lighter and brighter :) You guys did a great job!

BeingBrook said...

It looks beautiful! You did a wonderful job. I love the noggin saver!

Malory {Snips & Spice} said...

I love the update! It is so beautiful!

Unknown said...

Yeah for make-overs!! Great job.

danandcami said...

Well done!! It looks GREAT! It is a good thing that you and your hubby are both good at updates! Love ya!

Patsy said...

What a gorgeous improvement. Good job.

Tonya @ Love of Family And Home said...

Great transformation! Love how the white cabinets brighten up this space! I just painted all of my cabinets back in December & I love them! I hope that you enjoy your new space as much as I do!!

Jodi said...

Your kitchen looks great, I love the colors! I am redoing my kitchen too, hope to reveal on my blog this weekend.

I found your cute blog on Just a Girl. :)

Jodi

Joy@Thrifty Parsonage Living said...

Your kitchen looks amazing! What a great transformation!

Dave'sWife@{thediaryofdaveswife} said...

It turned out {FABULOUS}. I am in the middle of doing my kitchen right now. All I can say is HOLY MOLY. I hope mine turns out as good as yours!

Magali @ The Little White House said...

It looks so much better, airy and welcoming... Great job with the new view from the table...

Sherise said...

Beautiful! I'm so happy for you.

NYNYStake said...

Amazing! I hope you had lots of help...

beth said...

What a great transformation!! I love white painted cabinets and lots of beaded board! Very nice!!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Beth.

Pamma said...

Fabulous! Those kitchen makeovers are tough and labor intensive and hard to keep using the kitchen at the same time. But in the end definitely worth it.
~Pam
pamspaintparlor.typepad.com

Carmen @ Life with Sprinkles on Top said...

Ahhh much better! I'd definitely be breathing a sigh of relief if I was you. :) It looks wonderful!

Rachel {BubblyNatureCreations.com} said...

looks great!!! :) i know what a pain a redo is, but it is so worth it!

Becca Bertotti said...

Beautiful makeover! The "new" cabs make your space look so much lighter, brighter and larger. Great job! *Becca*

Linda@Coastal Charm said...

Your makeover looks outstanding...love the beadboard!

Blessings,
Linda

Terry said...

Your kitchen is so light and airy now! We had the same oak cabinets that were turning orange and we painted ours too! Please join my linky party and show off yur kitchen, you did a fantastic job!

Alaina said...

Looks great! Love the cabinets!

http://lanis-hammertime.blogspot.com/

Christa @ Stories of a House said...

What huge makeover! You must love being in your kitchen now :)

Janae Post said...

Yep, I have the same "builder-grade-honey-oak-turned-orange-stained cabinets". Check. This is exactly what I have in mind! Could you Please, Please share what paint color and glaze you used? Also, did you use a sprayer? it looks FABULOUS!!! Congratulations! :)

Anonymous said...

Love the white cabinets, and the view from the dining room is awesome now! :-) Thanks so much for linking up this amazing redo!

kim west said...

these are so awesome! what a transformation!

Beverly {Flamingo Toes} said...

Your kitchen is beautiful!!! I love the new cabinets - those are my favorite color for a kitchen. It's a great makeover!!

Rebekah Lindenmayer said...

Great job your hard work paid off! Congratulations on your new kitchen.

Amy said...

I am getting ready to do this very thing this summer. Our house was built in 1980 and the kitchen is so tiny and not a very good layout. Not good when I am cooking cafeteria style for my big family everyday! Can't afford a major overhaul so going the painting route this summer. Love your blog!

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

You did a great job and it really did lighten the whole area up! It sounds like a lot of work {even though it flows so nicely in a sentence}, but it was well worth your efforts!

Emily said...

So cute! I recently painted my upper cabinets...it was so much work! You did such a great job. I think the Toddler Noggin'-Saver is perfect! I need to do the same in my kitchen.
-emily
www.nestnestingnested.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Such a great transformation!! Bet your cookin up all kinds of great stuff now that you have a fun kithen to cook in!

Sarah said...

great job! so beautiful!

ARK said...

SO. MUCH. BETTER!!!

A Whole Lotta Magic said...

Fabulous! Love the noggin' saver!

We are just beginning our kitchen tear down. Hope I can keep my sanity, lol!

Sue @ Beach Bungalow
xo

MiriamR said...

That looks beautiful!! I love the beadboard. I want to paint my kitchen too!! Thanks for looking at my stairs today :)

Leen said...

Oooh I love how much lighter and brighter it looks! Nice job!

Whoever had your house built in the 80's, his brother must have had mine built! We had those same "builder-grade-honey-oak-turned-orange-stained cabinets" cabinets and a similar layout. We're trying to give our 80's house some character it's desperately lacking :)

Unknown said...

I love white kitchens! Yours is beautiful. What a fabulous transformation!

Erika . . . with a K said...

Much better! Great job!

kara@elements-interiors.net said...

I LOVE this!! I would love for you to share it at my Linky Party!

*ENTER LINKY PAR-TAY Here! *

xoxokara

Ashley said...

I love the green!

Donna @ pintedfresh.blogspot.com said...

OK - first things first, lovin' the Toddler Noggin Saver!! :) that is just great!
And the kitchen is great too! Green is my fav color1

would love for you to come see me at

http://paintedfresh.blogspot.com/

~Donna

ashley @ little miss momma said...

Oh my awesomeness! it looks fabulous! you go girl!!!!

Trixi said...

I love your kitchen makeover. Beautiful.

Prudently Painted Vintage said...

Amazing! Great job :)

Laura at Ms. Smartie Pants said...

Ahhh, you give me hope! I have those same hideous cabinets with those ugly ends. I have plans to redo them this fall and new counters, mine are light grey so not quite as bad as the blue but still. I hope to get a farm sink as well. Love your colors, we are planning on adding the bead board too and may even put it on the cabinet doors. Great job!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm a huge fan of red in the kitchen, but I LOVE what you did! I think the kitchen space was too small for such a dark color of paint and cabinets - the new cabinet and wall color really brightens up the room and is better for the space!! Good choices! Also, love the matching tile countertop and floor!

Carolyn said...

Always such a good feeling to see the end product. Well done. Love the colors you've chosen.

Heather M said...

Wow! My kitchen is a little more open, but same cabinets, same colors... You did exactly what I want to do to my cabinets! Love your kitchen--it's my inspiration!

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