Since it's been quite a bit since I last blogged, I thought I would come back with a very long and exciting (at least to me!) post.
We knew when we moved into our house last year that a kitchen reno was on 'the list.' And I am happy to say we are getting closer to actually taking this project on. A kitchen is definitely one of the most
renovation projects, so I have been thinking about what I want to do in this space and planning for this project pretty much since we moved in.
Like with most projects, I like to start with pretty pictures. Here is my direction/inspiration....
via.
via.
Here is what we are working with. All these pics are pulled from the real estate listing when we purchased the house. While we have made a few minor changes, like changing light fixture, adding a rug, painting the built in hutch, etc, this space is pretty much the same today- cramped and in need of an update.
I do plan to keep a pretty similar layout to what we currently have. Keeping the appliances/plumbing in the same place will be a big cost savings, and it actually is a pretty functional layout. We will also keep most of the appliances, as they are relatively new. I am not someone who purchases something brand spanking new if it isn't totally necessary. And it is definitely not totally necessary in this case!
Right now, our kitchen is basically a walk through, narrow galley. The new kitchen will be much more open to the adjoining spaces, but will definitely be its own room. And, being that our house was built in 1928, I want to keep some of the historic/cottagey feel, so doing an open concept just isn't my jam for this space.
The plan in words:
Demo: We are hoping to widen the opening between the dining room and kitchen. I am slightly old school and do like to have definition between spaces, but this opening could stand to be larger.
The wall dividing the kitchen and the family room has got to go. After it comes down, we will add a peninsula that will 1 - double our counter top space 2 - have
glass front uppers to house our pretty stuff and 3 - be a perch for 2 cute bar stools. This will be the biggest game changer for the room.
Cabinets: I have pretty much decided to go with Ikea cabinets. After doing
a lot of research on the issue, it seems to be the best choice all in. With this kitchen, I am just not going to have the budget for custom cabinets, but I am so excited to see how I can make Ikea cabinets feel custom for my space. If you are interested - or skeptical :) - about Ikea cabinets, I encourage you to read the following.
1.
2.
3.
4.
I am going to go with the Adel style in white. It is a classic shaker style, and definitely my favorite option looks-wise. There are some gorgeous Adel kitchens out there- lots of inspiration to pull from!
I really love the color of the cabinets that we currently have (Benjamin Moore Carrington Beige). It is unique and feels appropriate for the time the house was built in. But I am faltering on if I want to paint the new cabinets or just leave them white. I'm guessing they will remain white... but we will see.
Vent hood: Having a microwave above the range is pretty much my least favorite thing aesthetically speaking. I am planning to do something more
like this. Will relocate the microwave to the peninsula.
Floors: patch, sand, refinish to match the rest of the house.
Counters: Leaning toward river white granite. Granite is a durable, re-sale friendly option. I will look for a slab with lots of white in it. Examples:
1.
2.
Cabinet hardware: I'm all over the board on this. Brass? Polished nickel? Glass?
Probably brass.Think it will help warm up all the white that will be going on.
Stools: The red bar stools in
this kitchen speak to me. They will be the 'fun' that I like every space to have.
And because a visual is always helpful:
Let me just say - I am VERY excited about this project!
Posts
