Eeeeeeeekkk! You guys have no idea how incredibly excited I am to be rolling out this project! Ever since we moved into our house six years ago, I have been dying to do something about our kitchen, and it's finally time! We are embarking on a full-blown kitchen renovation, and I can't wait to share all of the details with you!
You may have noticed that the kitchen is the one room that I hardly ever show on the blog, and for good reason. It's not pretty. Like, at all. But as not pretty as it is currently, it was once even uglier. Here is what it looked like the day we moved in:
I mean, just LOOK at all of that faux wood. Are you so jealous right now?! 😉 It's true. The cabs weren't even actual wood. They were laminate. Lots and lots of laminate. So being on a tight budget, we did what we could. We painted them. And things in the kitchen actually looked a little better...
A little bit. If you don't look too closely. 🙂
What We're Changing
Even from afar, there were a few things that always bugged me. That half wall with the spindles, for example, always seemed like such an odd way to separate the spaces. That will definitely be coming down.
I wish I could blame the builder or the previous owner for all of the things I don't like about our kitchen, but I am just as guilty. That boob light? I picked that. Ugh. In my defense, it is better than the big, long florescent light that was there before. Knowing my cheap thrifty self, I probably just went into the home improvement store and picked the least expensive flush-mount light they had, but still. That light will be going.
The pea green paint color was also my pick. For some reason, that was my absolute favorite color for decorating when we first got married-- our couch covers, dishes, curtains, pillows, and so many other things were that color as well. And I think it could be nice in certain situations. Somewhere. But it just doesn't fit with the rest of our house right now, so it will be leaving as well.
As you move closer into the kitchen, I'm sure you can spot a few other things that need to be addressed as well. Like... oh, I don't know... the fact that a bunch of the drawers are chipping and even falling apart?
Apparently, even with a super-strong primer, painted laminate doesn't exactly stand the test of time. The bottom cabinets in particular are kind of a mess. And I don't know if it's having two wild little boys running around all the time or just natural wear and tear, but several of the drawers have started to sag in the back and are barely hanging on. Lovely.
As much as I would have liked to avoid it, we are going to be replacing some of the appliances as well. The range is old and on its last leg (plus it doesn't match, which drives this type-A mama crazy 😉 ). The fridge is actually still in great shape; however, we bought it to fit our rental in Arizona which had a HUGE refrigerator opening. And while it was nice to have so much space, it was so wide (36"!) that it was severely affecting the new kitchen layout, so we will be donating it to a non-profit we're connected with and replacing it with a narrower one.
And finally, of all the things I wanted to change about the kitchen, my most un-favorite feature has got to be that backsplash. Even just plain white blocks would have been okay, but that fruit? It kills me. Plus it has a bunch of little nooks and crannies, which makes it a bear to clean. Buh-bye, ugly fruit backsplash!
So with all of the "stuff" that's going, what will be taking its place? Oh I'm so glad you asked!! Here's the plan:
List contains affiliate links.
Glass Jars | Rug | Light Fixture | Backsplash Tile | Cabinets | Faucet | Sink | Paint Color | Knobs & Pulls | Countertop | Curtain Fabric | Storage Containers | Drawer Dividers
Yippeeeeee! Can you tell I'm just a smidge excited? Like just about everyone else on the interwebs, I have fallen in love with the look of a clean, white kitchen, so we will be going with white cabinets (I guess they're technically off-white, but they look more white in person.) with pretty cup pulls and matching knobs. We also chose a white sink with an AWESOME faucet that I cannot wait to play around with. We haven't finalized countertops or backsplash tile yet, but you can see what I'm leaning toward on the mood board. I love the white/gray marble-y look, so we will probably be going with that. With all of that white going on I had to bring in color somewhere, and a pretty rug and curtains should do the trick. Since this is still a small space, organization is extremely important to me, too, so I'm planning on lots of dividers and containers to help me keep things under control.
What We're Not Changing
Whew! That was a lot. And while it may seem like nothing is going untouched, there are actually a few things we are keeping. Our initial plan included ripping up and replacing the flooring, but since it is in good shape and isn't bad looking, just not our first choice, we decided to leave it alone. Had this been our "forever" home, we probably would have put in the extra work and expense and done it, but since realistically we'll probably only be here another year or two, we left it. We also kept black appliances rather than changing everything to stainless steel for similar reasons. We'll see how it all comes out! (If you want to see what's going on with the reno in real time, follow me on Instagram to get all of the sneak peeks! 😉 )
Get Your DIY On
Oh AND my white and light kitchen plans just so happen to fit in *perfectly* with this month's Get Your DIY On theme!
This Sunday, July 5th at 7 pm EST, YOU are invited to come share all of your favorite white and light projects (old, new-- doesn't matter!) at our monthly link party! We can't wait to see your best stuff! And if you need a little bit of inspiration, check out my co-hostesses' beautiful projects:
Rustic-Chic Coffee Table Makeover by April, House by Hoff
Light & White Writing Nook by Mandy, The Hankful House
DIY White Linen Blackout Drapery with Grommet Top by Krista, The Happy Housie
Cottage-Inspired Shelf with Mirror by Christy, Confessions of a Serial Do-It-Yourselfer
Hope to see you on Sunday at 7! Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
I am so excited for you!! Your choices are beautiful, can't wait to follow along with the reno!
Oh my goodness! Your new kitchen is going to be FABulous! I can't wait to follow along with the transformation!
Your before comments make me laugh - yes, we have chipped paint, disintegrating cabinets, etc. and wild little boys! Our cabinets are made out of particle board that has a orangey veneer, and the drawers are not on rollers, so when we pull one drawer out, the dishes on the shelf underneath it always get a fine layer of particle dust on them. My husband is in the process of sanding our cabinets this weekend so that we can paint ours white. We did have a huge cabinet structure that was dividing our kitchen from the rest of the room that we removed and replaced with open shelving, and already it feels so much better! It will be fun to see your renovation.
Have you looked at this sink from IKEA: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S59093554/
It is so pretty in person and gives you more options because it's larger!
Just a suggestion. 🙂
Happy day friend!
karianne
I've seen that sink in person and it is really nice - very deep and spacious!
Love that one so much!! I actually tried to fit it in there when I was designing, but it would have eliminated my silverware drawer. 🙁 Next kitchen reno, it's on the list, lol! Thanks so much for stopping by, KariAnne! Hope you're having a wonderful week!
~Abby =)
We are finishing up our kitchen reno and I'm on the hunt for the perfect backsplash. I love a good kitchen makeover and can't wait to see how this turns out!
Your enthusiasm has me all excited! I love your ideas for the kitchen. Good luck as you start the makeover!
Hi Abby,
Curious as what software you use to create the board for your new kitchen.
Thanks
Joanne
Hi, Joanne! I just did it in Photoshop! I have also made mood boards at picmonkey.com and olioboard.com in the past. Happy 4th!
~Abby =)
Thank you
I can't wait to see how you'll transform this kitchen, Abby! It will be gorgeous when you're done! 😉
Congratulations on starting - can't wait to see the results! LOVE the white and light projects!
Woohoo! So excited for you guys! Looks like Chris and I are the only couple in the family who won't be kitchen reno experts 🙂 I guess that just means we have plenty of people to call if we ever go through it!
It's going to look great, and I just love the floral curtains you put on your mood board - with the cheery green and blue. Beautiful!
How fortuitous for me to watch your kitchen transformation as i consider my own! I hope your excitement is contagious - because I have been procrastinating due to the overwhelming nature of a kitchen renovation! Hoping you'll have lots of crockpot ideas and other tips to survive the process!
Enjoy!! I love kitchen renovations. The all white look will be fabulous - you'll love it!
How exciting!! I love that you have no shame in sharing the close ups ha ha! That is real life right there. The after is going to be amazing, my friend! Can't wait to see it come together. 🙂
Love your excitement and your ideas for your kitchen renovation. I'm a little puzzled that you are using black appliances in your white and bright kitchen. Seems like they will be "black holes" in all that brightness. Just a thought....
Can't wait to follow your progress and then see the "big reveal". Thanks for sharing so much with all of us!
Great plan and I can't wait to see how it turns out! We are also in the middle of a kitchen reno and selected the same faucet. 🙂 We are going with Silestone countertops. They are super durable and have a couple of really pretty marble look-alikes.
So excited for you Abby. I will actually be doing my whole home as well over the course of the next couple years and blogging about them as well. Did you do an idea board for your picture there? Looks great! can't wait to see how it comes out!
Hi, Abby ~ I'm SO excited for you! The plan is gorgeous, and I'll bet your new cupboards will be A LOT easier to keep clean. Not to mention, better at standing up to the use {and abuse?} of 2 boys. :0) I can't wait to see the posts in this reno. Good luck!
We just built and I'm in love with my white on white kitchen! My faucet is similar, if not the same, and I love that, too. I do have a turquoise island for a big pop color. It's so refreshing to have such a clean look; you're going to love it!
Everyone seems to love white kitchens lately, but they do look great and white a nice pop of color the effect it creates is amazing. It's good to have such a solid plan before you start renovating. Some people just decide to "go with it" but if you already know what you want and what you won't change is a great step in the right direction.
I love your kitchen design. The white brick matches the oven hood so perfectly. My personal favorite touches are the cabinets around the fridge and the Island/bar. If I had a bigger kitchen, it would look like yours
You are too sweet, Mahi! Thank you! Have a wonderful evening!
~Abby =)
Hi Abby
Your kitchen is going to be Fabulous!
I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
I really love your kitchen design.
After all the changes i wonder how your kitchen looks like now. Im planning on renovating my kitchen but Im thinking maybe new cabinets and wooden flooring and new paint will be enough. Trying to stay in a budget.
Hi, Blake! You can see the kitchen reveal here: https://justagirlandherblog.com/our-diy-white-kitchen-renovation-the-reveal/
Thanks and have a great week!
~Abby =)