Kitchen Renovation, Out With the Old in With the New!
1982 just called and it wants the pretty linoleum back...Here is the story of updating the old condo kitchen that really had not been updated since it was built.
Who does not love an amazing kitchen? The kitchen was everything BUT amazing when we bought the place. It was walled off separated from the rest of the place. It had killer white laminate cabinets and beigeish yellowish colored linoleum. The place screamed 1982...which happens to also be the same year that I was born...hopefully, I am aging better than this kitchen did. The entire place had been painted beige at some point. They must have had a deal on the paint. Ceilings and walls...everything...I felt like I was in a bowl of coffee ice cream.
Enough of me rambling on! Here is a photo of the Kitchen before the renovation. Excuse the poor quality of the before pictures, we were in such a rush to get the demo going that I only took a few pictures.
The original kitchen
A view into the kitchen from the dining area
The living/dining area and you can spot the pass through window into the kitchen, which I question if it was every in style. Open concept just makes small spaces seem bigger.
The renovation game plan:
-Remove kitchen wall
-Move all plumbing and electrical that was hidden in the wall
-Install recessed lighting
-Install painted v-match pine over the ceiling in the dining and kitchen area where electrical is redone
-Add a ton of fixtures from Barn Light Electric because in my opinion you can never have too many
-Remove all carpeting
-Install vinyl plank flooring
Removing the drywall and coming up with a game plan for how to move the electrical and plumbing that services the upstairs bathroom.
The wall is a goner and the plumbing is moved to the outside wall on the right---even in the middle of construction it looks so much brighter and bigger. That is a laundry and hot water tank closet on the right, it had to stay, we did not have anywhere else to put it.
Fast forward 2 months and the kitchen is most done! Just waiting on the countertops, subway tile and the open shelving. Our carpenter used our leftover old pine boards on the end of the refrigerator cabinet, such a lovely detail.
I added in the floor to ceiling pantry cabinet (in the background on the right) at the last minute. Best decision ever! It is amazing for food storage. I would be lost without it We also hid the plumbing in the wall behind the clock--a much better spot than in the middle o the room.
A close up of the Barn Lights. I love Barn Light Electric. 95% of all the lighting that I buy is from them. They are all manufactured in Florida, so you really can't get any better than that. The lights are so durable and pretty that I am not worried that my kids will break the fixtures with rogue ball. Best of all, the lights are customizable--there are so many shapes and colors to choose from, the options are almost endless. These beauties are in the Delphite Blue color, they add a pop of color to the kitchen that I crave.
The After! What a transformation! A nice spacious kitchen and it is perfection. Our last condo that we just sold had a super tiny kitchen that I would only cook simple meals in. Definitely not the case with this kitchen, I want to cook. The setup is so functional...and the dual-fuel Ilve range is a dream to cook on.
A few other design odds and ends.
The subway tile is basic white subway tile from Lowes. I looked into doing cement tile, which is lovely and certainly makes statement---but I questioned if I was still going to enjoy the cement tile in 10 years. Are cement tiles timeless or trendy? I just could not answer that, I am sure that when people put in avocado appliances, they thought they were timeless too. I went with white subway tile because it is simple and pretty and best of all, INEXPENSIVE! I went with a dark grey grout to add to the industrial chic look that I favor...and best of all, it will not yellow over time like the white grout tends to do.
I almost forgot to talk about the flooring. I went with vinyl plank flooring. It is water proof and rugged. Perfect for kids, dogs, ski boots and UNEVEN floors (we tried to level everything, but it was impossible to get it perfect). The vinyl planks are so pretty and best of all this color hides a lot. All of my visitors ask what type of flooring it is and are shocked to find out it is vinyl. Vinyl has come a long way and is pretty amazing. It is so practical for high traffic areas--so for my house with 5 kids and 3 dogs, it is perfect!