Remember back in March when I shared the ‘Before‘ of our new home? Yeah, neither do I because it was SO long ago! The kitchen has actually be done (well, this much done) for a while, but I’ve been too lazy to share it! Lazy? Yes, cleaning your kitchen day to day is much different than photo clean. Since we’re in the middle of renovations everywhere else the kitchen is the most used room of the house. Our kitchen/dining room doubles as my office until it’s done, laundry folding station (the only surface out of babies reach), and paintbrush washing hub. And those shiny appliances? They don’t stay shiny for long with curious little fingers running around. I took these pictures while the kids were eating breakfast and as soon as I let them out of their seats, Miss A ran to give herself kisses in the reflection of the stove.
So let’s look at what we started with. So sad! This kitchen wasn’t functional at all. Appliance wise, the stove was hardwired in and wasn’t working, the fridge was smaller than our apartment fridge, and there was no dishwasher. The linoleum flooring was cracked and had grip strips? on them, the counter was rotting around the sink- which leaked, and there was SO MUCH wasted space. Before we bought, we decided the kitchen would be done before we move in (along with some other things- like our floors).
To help make sense of it, I made out a little layout… where we took the wall out, we added a header and made it level with the header that hits the wall (above). We also took out the valance that runs into the kitchen from the dining room- it helps make two separate spaces. The kitchen was missing out on a ton of counter space by having the door to the backyard in the middle of it. We took that out (when we add a deck, it will move to the dining room), moved the window out of the corner, and ripped out the wall that separated the living room and kitchen. Also- there was a coat closet at the top of the stairs… this became a pantry and we’re building a coat closet and some shoe closets at the bottom of the stairs.
Now that we’ve made these changes… this kitchen is FUNCTIONAL. We put it to work and the lay out works so well for us. The over-sized island gets abused the most. This is where prep happens. We built the garbage and recycling into a pull out in the island, so after chopping veggies, I can swoop the scraps right in. It’s also awesome for entertaining! I can be working in the kitchen and still take part in conversation in the living room, have several hands helping me, or fill the island with party cups and drinks. The island has normal depth cabinets and drawers facing the sink, and the backside has shallow 12″ cabinets (meant for the uppers) without knobs on the cupboards. It blends right in but provides storage for all my cookbooks, mason jars, vases, and party plates/napkins. The end of the island was too wide to get a side panel from Ikea. We ended up using two doors and it carries the paneled look around the whole island- I love it!
Our cabinets are the white Ikea Ramsjos- by designing the kitchen myself and us installing it ourselves, we were able to save big. Plus, twice a year Ikea has their Kitchen Event, so we got 20% back in gift cards on our kitchen (score!). We chose ceiling height cabinets to maximize space. Plus, we hated dusting on top of our cabinets and found we were always tempted to shove extra stuff on top of our standard height ones in our apartment. We added the deco strip and cornice to dress it up a bit- we’re still planning to add under the cabinet lighting in our coffee corner, but we’re slow movers. The 12″ pantry isn’t actually one piece. Ikea didn’t make full height 12″ pantries, so we improvised and stacked three 12″ standard height upper cabinets. It works perfectly- the only downside is you don’t have complete flexibility where your shelves go as you would with an open pantry.
We chose Formica laminate counter tops (180fx Soapstone Sequoia) to keep within our budget and love how it turned out. I really like the flat finish and although I wish stone was in our budget, this doesn’t look cheap, and it works perfectly. The only thing to consider is how it affects your sink. We chose a brushed sink with square corners but made sure to choose one that dropped in- not undermount. Although under mount can technically be done with laminate countertops, we were strongly warned about it, because the seal is basically just clear silicone and if water gets under there- it will swell the counter tops. We use our sink a LOT, and the counters get scrubbed often, so we steered clear of that option.
The hardware we chose is made by Amerock. I had spotted this style on Pinterest and had to find it- they’re the Rochdale line and you can find the pulls here
and the knobs here
. These might be my favourite decision. Other good decisions? Kenmore appliances (they rock), our DIY open shelves, and our Home Depot marble backsplash. I love the hexagon shapes but had a hard time deciding how to edge it- I thought about leaving the edge. Metal edging was recommended to me, but when I spotted the marble edging just a few steps away from the backsplash at Home Depot, I couldn’t turn back. This would not be an economical way to edge the entire back splash. Since we carried it to the upper cabinets most of the way, we didn’t need much though.
Those lights are actually from Home Depot and I’m in LOVE with them. Would you believe they were only $79? Another ‘splurge’ was the screw-less face plates on the electrics. The cost difference wasn’t much since we needed to replace them all anyway. I think the aesthetic is WAY nicer. I really had to sell Shane on this, but he’s so glad I did (also Home Depot- we pretty much lived there these past few months). We went with a neutral tile on the floor as well, just like we talked about in my Kitchen Inspiration post. We used Fuzion Grout for this and I couldn’t be happier with it. My only caution is that it is a PAIN in the butt for smaller tiles. We spent hours scrubbing on the back splash, but since the floor tiles were so much larger- they were easy to wash the haze off of before it dried.
Whew! That was a bit of an epic-long post. But I’m so excited to share our first official room reveal with you! The before and after is nuts, we still can’t believe that’s what our kitchen looked like before. Are you thinking about renovating? Can I recommend x1000 open shelving and Ikea cabinets? They’ve both been amazing. Oh, and having your garbage in a pull out- that’s awesome too.
PS. We have a coffee bar! That’s probably my favourite function of this kitchen- and the most used ;). I can’t tell you how happy we are with the kitchen- it was a labour of love, we did everything ourselves (with help from family and friends) except for the counter top install and ceiling patching. Knowing how much we put into the kitchen renovation makes it pretty easy to love and care for I suppose.
So, let’s hear from you… what’s the best thing about your kitchen? What would you change?
DIY Monogrammed Velvet Napkin Rings (and Bunting)
Wow! This is absolutely gorgeous! I can’t believe your countertops aren’t stone. They look so good, and those light fixtures were a great find! We are finally starting our kitchen reno this week. We are keeping our existing cabinets, so it won’t be as major as this. This makes me so excited though! The before and after is unbelievable!
Ah thanks!! Stone was way out of our budget- I wish though! We’re definitely thrilled with our choice considering. I can’t wait to see your reno too- all aboard the kitchen reno train!
Hi Colleen~
I have searched your posts and pins for the name of the tile you used for your kitchen floor and shower walls. I can’t locate It anywhere. Can I please get the name from you?
Thank you!
Btw… I love everything you have done!
Hi Sharmell! It’s called san marco viva :) but I’ve heard it’s only available in Canada!
Oh dang! I was searching for that too!
Also, what color is the grout you used? So pretty!
It’s frost from mapei!
This is a gasp and stare kinda reno! Love it!
I love that, you’re so sweet Kate! Next time someone comments on my kitchen, I’ll be sure to quote you ;)
OMG, I totally agree with Katie!! Like, I probably spent at least 30 seconds on EACH photo because – not only is your transformation UNBELIEVABLE, but it’s like you took my dream kitchen and put it right in front of me!! It turned out so EPICALLY beautiful, you have made me super jealous! haha. Where do I sign up for your design services!?? :-D
PS – on my way to your side bar now! ;)
Haha thanks so much Annnie! We are in LOVE with it. I have a post coming up soon on how I’ve added colour and personality to it since it’s so neutral… can’t wait to share!
Could I receive this information as well?? We
Just came into a tax refund surprise and are
Trying to pick our next house project!!
Hi Kara,
I believe this is the post you’re looking for! https://www.lemonthistle.com/adding-personality-to-an-all-white-kitchen/ Let me know if you have any other questions.
It definently is! I’m about to purchase a fixer upper. We are signing papers TODAY! :) & we have to do all the renovating ourselves to fit our budget. It’s exciting! Where did you get the flooring for the kitchen? I’ve been looking all over for something like it!
Congratulations!! That is the most exciting thing :) The flooring is San Marco brand in Viva, colour linen. That said, I’ve heard that you can’t get it in the States. Laaaame! Canadian and European only. But Home Depot has a cheap tile we used in our entry that is 12×24 with a similar colouring and pattern.
We love Amerock for hardware and almost decided on the same ones you chose – for weeks we went back and forth. After samples arrived though, the color just didn’t work for our kitchen cabs (also from Ikea, also scored on the kitchen event). :)
We did splurge for the stone counters and floors, but I am going to show those lights to Jeff because I am BIG puffy heart in love with the industrial schoolhouse look of those!
What a wonderful job you did on this beautiful kitchen! Kudos to you both (and baby kisses on appliances are a totally acceptable kind of mess).
Gotta love the kitchen event!! I did a quick check on your site and can’t track down your kitchen… have you done a post on it? I’d love to see!!
looks amazing! great job and the fact that you did it yourselves must give you that much more satisfaction. i agree the counter tops are fabulous. great choices on everything really. i’m a big fan of open shelving as well. warmly- mj
ps. found u thru feathered nest friday
So much satisfaction :) We definitely love our open shelving, thanks so much for the sweet comment Maryjo!
omg, this is amazing. I am in love with the tile and everything looks so professionally done. I am in total awe! Seriously, amazing job!!!!!! I’d be in that kitchen all day if I were you ;)
xoxo
Thanks so much Shelby! I’ll take that compliment 10x over :) I do spend most of my day in here… and I don’t even mind.
colleen! i’m in awe over like 5 different things right now – 1) how did you have the time to do this renovation with all the other things going on in your life? 2) the renovation is so, so good! and 3) how are your kids getting so big??
Haha! We finished the kitchen to be functional before we moved in- we were staying with my Dad, so we had the luxury of free babysitters, since then we’ve been working on the finishing touches like backsplash and moldings :)
And IDONTKNOW how they got so big!! It just happened and they’re like toddlers, not babies anymore?!
Love your kitchen! But where did you get your rug?
Thanks Laura! It was actually a Winners/Homesense find… so I’m not sure where you would normally buy it? I was pretty thrilled to find it for $11 bucks though :)
Colleen it’s beautiful!! I love every bit of your labor of love. You guys worked so hard. Did you do that all with babies around? Or was it just before? Regardless, I’m impressed. We’re trying to figure out how to finish the top of our cabinets in our kitchen. I too hate the idea of cluttering it with anything, but I despise thinking on how much dust is collecting up there. So something has to be done… Not sure where our cabinets are from… We saved all remnants of all the ones we tore out, so maybe that’ll help. I digress.. Your kitchen is helping. I’m also interested in looking into your countertops.. They look great! I’ll be back for more, haha, thanks for sharing!
Aw thanks so much Karissa! We were staying with my Dad while we did the bulk of the kitchen reno, so we abused the free babysitting services :) When I was researching I saw that some people built extra cabinets above their existing ones to close it in? I’m not sure how that would go… but I think I will miss having the space up there to put Christmas garland up this year!
If you have any more Qs shoot me an email, I’d love to help :)
Your kitchen is GORGEOUS! Seriously. I love it! Trade yah? ;)
Our kitchen could really use some touchups. It’s not in horrible shape – our house is only 12 years old – but it’s slowly starting to wear in some areas; The laminate is starting to bulge at some of the seams, and the appliances sing some interesting songs from time to time, so we’re definitely considering replacing those at some point, and adding some kind of back splash.
Our cabinets used to have some weird, wooden (or woodish) “border” on them, but it dated the kitchen so badly. We discovered that they were only held on by tiny little nails, so one bored afternoon my husband and I decided to rip them all off. It made the kitchen look so much better! (But I hear yah on the cabinet tops just becoming junk collectors. It’s hard not to just toss things up there!)
Thanks Kara! Our apartment kitchen was the same way, made some minor updates but didn’t replace everything. Backsplash makes such a big difference, I’d definitely recommend it! And good on ya’ for ripping off the wooden border, a lot of people would be afraid of wrecking them, I love fearless DIY!
It’s beautiful!! Your new layout compared to the old was such a good idea. Your open shelving is so attractive and… seriously, everything looks lovely!
Dropping in from the link up at By Stephanie Lynn
Thanks so much Elisabeth! We love the new layout, now that we have it I can’t imagine living with that tiny kitchen! That open shelving was really easy to make and cost SO little compared to a cabinet, win win!
What an absolutely beautiful transformation! I love that your counters are formica–so much more affordable and looks gorgeous!
Thanks so much Amy! I’m so happy we were able to find a laminate counter we liked the look of- Formica is awesome, I have nothing to complain about so far :)
Can you tell me what type of edge the counters have? Thank you!
Gorgeous transformation!!! It’s not even the same kitchen! I absolutely love your backsplash. And I’m so with you on the baby smudged stainless steel appliances. We just call it kitchen art now. ;) Beautiful beautiful job!
Kitchen Art! I love it, that’s a positive spin on what we usually call it ;)
And thank you! I’m glad it’s not the same kitchen… that backsplash is one of my favourite parts of the kitchen (have I said that about everything?)- and no one believes it’s home depot :)
i really like the tile may i ask what brand or where you got it from? would love to have this in my kitchen.
thanks,pam
Absolutely! The tile is San Marco Viva Linen. I love the look of it, my only caution would be that it looks dirty QUICK. We have little people running around so I’m sure we notice it more, but it’s something to keep in mind. If you keep a super clean floor anyway, I’m sure you wont notice :)
How do you feel about it in your shower? We’re about to redo ours and I was considering copying yours.
I love it in our shower! I guess it’s because there’s no little dirty feet running all over it ;)
Mic drop! Seriously gorgeous! Thanks for sharing! I think it would be great for my new linky party starting this Saturday at 8pm called “Found & Foraged” Can’t wait to party with you at http://www.houseofhipsters.com
Thanks so much Kyla! I’ll have to check it out :)
Awesome! Can’t wait to see what you share lady!
Wow!!!! This is an insanely AWESOME transformation! I love all the finishes you chose.
Ah, thank you SO much! I so appreciate the love :)
Your kitchen looks FANTASTIC! Thanks so much for sharing it with us this week on the Monday Funday Party!
Thanks so much Pauline! And thank you for the wonderful party.
Ok. First off. I am so jealous! Second, I am so excited for you because that kitchen is a dream! I am so impressed with all that was done. Talk about a total transformation! In love with it!
First, second, and third THANK YOU! It’s definitely a dream for us, we are in love with it too :)
Hi, I’m sorry to comment on s ok meme else comment however I’m not sure how to leave a comment. This is the exact kitchen I plan on doing in our remodel. Can you please share the cost of the counters and cabinets. It truly would be extremely helpful in convincing my husband to use ikea cabinets :)
Hi Tiffany! No problem at all- we are in the process of remodeling our new kitchen and prices have gone up SO much since this last one that the prices aren’t really relevant anymore (I will update the post to say that) BUT we priced out both Ikea and a cabinetry place and Ikea was about half the price. So if you have a straightforward kitchen with no weird angles (ours has so many angles!) then Ikea is totally the way to go ;)
Oh and by the way. That open shelving=a dream. Perfection. Love it!
Your kitchen looks great. I love the open shelving next to the window. The layout really seems to work.
Thanks so much Heather! If you’re thinking on open shelving I am a huge advocate now- it’s so functional… the whole layout really does work :)
Your kitchen is unbelievable! I love the color and all the finishes. Those floors are beautiful. Amazing job!
Thank you SO much Natalie! It’s funny, we second guessed how neutral we were going with the colours so many times! We were worried (and had been warned) it would be too boring and tasteless… I’m so glad we stuck with our guts and went for it :)
Well, call me super impressed! Wow! Your kitchen is gorgeous, functional, and I am amazed you did this! High five! Formica really has come a long way. I really like those counter tops! Heck, I like ALL of your kitchen. ;)
Thank you so much for stating where you found the cabinet pulls. I am renovating the master bath and replacing the cabinet pulls. The downside is that the old ones are 2 1/2 inches from center to center. Very hard to find pulls that size. Most cup pulls are that size, but I like the ones you chose because they are not rounded – more streamlined. Not sure what size they are, but at least I can fill in the old holes and these pulls will cover the fill in.
Anyway, beautiful makeover! Enjoy your new space while sipping on some morning coffee. :D
Aw thanks Julie :) They HAVE come a long way! When we first started our budget and realized stone was out of the question I was heart broken, I’m so glad they’ve improved :)
And… if you like the hardware, you can order it from here super cheap (compared to stores) one of the kitchen companies here recommended them to us but shipping was just too much to Canada, and they come in a bunch of different sizes, so you might be able to find your specific size!
I’m with Kyla! This is gorgeous and exactly what I am hoping to do with my kitchen. (When the budget fairy drops off some money:) So glad you are going to stop by our linky party and I I hope you will link up a few other projects, too, at the Found & Foraged Linky Party! Hope to see you there http://www.thebigrevealblog.com!
Aw thanks so much Grace! We’re waiting on the budget fairy for our bathroom… *sigh*. Looking forward to checking the party out!
Looks fabulous! I am loving the counter tops and the open dishes…(where did you get the lovely white dishes)?
Aw thank you so much Jacqueline, I appreciate you stopping by :) The dishes area actually from Ikea! We’re loving them, we were definitely overdue for new ones. You can find them here.
Wow that’s amazing! That’s dream kitchen material! Well done.
Thank you Sarah! I’m so glad you popped over from your party, it’s one of my faves :)
Wow, what a HUGE transformation! Looks gorgeous!
THANKS Sarah! I’m so thrilled you’re here by the way :)
Wow Colleen, your kitchen is gorgeous! You’ve created my dream kitchen! I will be featuring your makeover this Wednesday night at 9 pm CST at On Display Thursday! Thanks for sharing it with us! http://www.thedomesticheart.com
Aw thanks so much Shelly, I really appreciate that! I’ll have to stop by and say hello!!
Congrats on your new kitchen! It’s looks great; so bright and inviting.
Thanks so much Keisha! When we lived in our apartment that kitchen was super dark too. This is such a welcome change!
Gorgeous!!!!!!
Thanks Carmody! And extra thanks for featuring it :)
WOW! This is truly an amazing renovation–I LOVE it! I can’t believe those are formica counter tops. They are beautiful! Thanks so much for linking up at Think and Make Thursdays. I am featuring you tomorrow! Oh, and it’s always nice to meet another twin mama! Aren’t twins the best?! Challenging, but so fun!
Thanks so much Tasha! Twins are the best, definitely challenging but so worth it :) Your girls are so cute! I can’t wait for the day that my daughter will leave a hair clip in :)
Also- thanks so much for featuring this! Such a good start to my day :)
I am in awe of what difference! Simply stunning. And I’m just blown away with your countertops. I’m saving this for when we build out house next year.
Thanks so much Maria! I’m really impressed with the countertops too, I was so nervous about them- you can never find a sample big enough!
Hi!! We are remodelling our kitchen and I’m in love with your counter top color, but it’s not showing up when I search it online or in any of the samples I babe in the 180fx. Do you know if it’s discontinue?
Hi Jocelyn! This kitchen was installed 7 years ago at our old place so it might be discontinued- I’m sorry I’m not more help with this one!
So pretty! What a difference. I love the open shelving.
Rebekah @ Charming Imperfections
Thank-you Rebekah! If you’d like to see the shelving tutorial you can find it here.
PS. I’m impressed at how dedicated to DIY you are! Your wedding budget is mega impressive :)
Love the new kitchen! May I ask what your wall color is? I’m trying to decide between painting my cabinets white or grey. I love the idea of white but would like maybe a light grey for the walls then.
Thanks Leanna! My dad is in the middle of painting his cabinets grey right now (mushroom actually) and they look great, but I’m in love with the white. The wall colour is a custom colour, I can track down the mix tomorrow for you :) Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Wall color please!!!!
It’s a custom colour! closest match is cloud grey from para paints :)
Oh my gosh! That is absolutely stunning!
I love the marble on the counters, I think that stands out first…at least to me, aside from a better layout and space.
You have done an amazing and wonderful job!
Hummm, maybe its time for our kitchen to be redone…..LOL.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Nancy
wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com
Thanks so much Nancy! The countertops are actually laminate (believe it or not!), stone was just not in our budget so I’m glad I was able to find something that looked a bit higher end :)
This is it! I’ve been scouring the internet with all my ideas (white cabinets, marble backsplash, open shelving and stone countertops) trying to find a picture that I could finally see it all together and I found it!
We have carpet, paneling and “custom” cabinets in our kitchen right now I can’t wait to get them OUT. Your kitchen is gorgeous and I couldn’t believe that your countertops are laminate!
I do have a few questions about your Ikea cabinets – how well do they hold up? They look beautiful but I want to make sure they are functional and I don’t have to worry about what I put in them and if they will hold up in 10 years. I am also curious about the size of your kitchen and your budget. If you ever have time I would appreciate an email with a little more detail.
Thank you in advance!
Again, beautiful job on your kitchen – I am completely jealous! :)
Thanks so much Stephanie! Your current kitchen sounds just lovely ;) it’s nicely giving you the motivation to get on your reno!
I will shoot you an email tomorrow with more budget information (I’ve got to track down that binder) but the cabinets seem to be holding up really well- we have little ones that swing on the doors too so that’s a plus. It’s only been a few months, but my dad has Ikea cabinets in his basement suite for almost 5 years now and they’re holding up perfectly to renters :)
Love love love your kitchen! My husband and I are gearing up for a kitchen remodel in the house we recently bought (the house he and his sisters grew up in) and I’m definitely going to use your kitchen as inspiration:)
I would love to know more about your budget and any ikea kitchen planning tips you might have :)
Thanks!!
Thanks so much Meaghan! That’s so wonderful you’ll be able to make the home he knew as a kid your own! That sounds like a total dream. I will shoot you an email with all the budget information I have as well as sources etc!
Love, love, love your kitchen. Is there anyway you could possibly tell me all the colors that you used. Wall color, cabinet color, back splash color etc…. Thank you
Thanks so much Lynn! The kitchen cabinets are Ikea Ramjos in their ‘white’, and the backsplash is a marble hex from Home Depot, I think it’s technically called ‘white marble’ but it’s definitely a gray. The paint is a really weird one- it’s a custom colour, but I have the tint if you like… This is only good for home hardware (beauty tone), I guess they have different tints- B 6 shots, H 10.5 shots, U 3 shots (for one gallon, white base).
I’m so glad you like the kitchen, hope this helps!
I love your kitchen transformation. What did you use on the floors?
Thanks so much Cassie! We used San Marco Tile in Viva Linen. We also used it on our shower surround- you can check that out if you like here-> https://www.lemonthistle.com/?p=2866 (post goes live first thing tomorrow morning!)
Hi – a late comment as I’m playing catch up. I LOVE what you’ve done with that kitchen – what a transformation. And yes, having an in-cupbaord bin drawer is my favourite thing about our new kitchen. In fact, when conducting a house tour I need to stop myself from bringing guests to look at that first!
Thanks so much Nods! Isn’t it funny how much of a novelty it is! I love when people ask where to put their garbage so I can rave about it :)
Colleen, your kitchen came out beautifully and I am so inspired by it!! We’ve been living with a kitchen that needs a gut job for almost 5 years and I have been considering Ikea for cabinetry when the time comes. Your experience sounds so positive with them, thank you for that feedback! Your countertops are gorgeous, what a fabulous choice to keep within your budget and still get a beautiful kitchen. Love your backsplash, lighting, floor tile, open shelves!!
Thanks so much Lisa- you’re making me blush with all the love! We can’t say enough good about Ikea cabinets. Other than this kitchen, we also used Ikea kitchens for our basement suite (you can see them here-> https://www.lemonthistle.com/house-update-basement-suite-done/) and in both my Dad’s basement suite and main kitchen… they’re amazing to work with! I just helped my sister in law plan her basement suite kitchen cabinets out with them last week too! In other words… we’re big fans.
Where did you get the flooring? And back splash? LOVE IT!
Thanks so much Tabitha! We used San Marco Tile in Viva Linen on the flooring. We also used it on our shower surround- you can check that out if you like here-> https://www.lemonthistle.com/?p=2866 and most of the flooring stores in town had it on order. The backsplash is from home depot!
kitchen looks great and I esp love the open shelves! I did not see the tutorial for them? please direct me to this diy project. thanks for sharing and congrats again on your beautiful kitchen remodel!
Thanks so much Candace! You can find the tutorial for them here: https://www.lemonthistle.com/diy-open-shelving-kitchen/
Love the countertops! Where are they from???
Thanks Julie! We love them too :) They’re from Formica and are the 180fx in Soapstone Sequoia, they should be available from most cabinetry or countertop retailers
Do you remember the edging option name you chose for the countertops?
Hi Robin, My apologies it’s taken me a while to get back to you! It’s a flat edge which is one of the standard choices :)
Kitchen looks wonderful!!!×
My goodness this kitchen remodel is beautiful! I am designing mine at the moment and I love how yours turned out. We must have similar taste because we both have the same kenmore fridge! Anyways, great job and thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks so much Crystal! I love that fridge so much! Designing a kitchen remodel can be stressful but it’s so much fun… before you know it will be done and you’ll have to come up with something else to dream about!
In love with this and possibly you too! ha! Great job! I was wondering what lighting you decided on for over your table? Im looking for a light to go above my table that would coordinate with my kitchen lighting and style like yours.
Aw thanks Abi! We actually bought a non matching light from Ikea, but I love it just the same. You can see it in this post here: https://www.lemonthistle.com/diy-salvage-copper-curtain-rods/ it works really well in our space since we have a part wall between the rooms!
I am absolutely IN LOVE with this in every way! It is beautiful. We recently bought a very old house and are redoing everything. The kitchen, which I thought was turning out great has actually become the opposite of what I wanted! I have so many changes I want to make and I definitely NEED these countertop. We have a black granite right now but soapstone is what I have my heart on however completely out of my budget (especially after already getting the granite) where did you find this and who installed? Just at a home depot? Curious how much a difference it made in price. I’m also loving the shelving! We have an awkward layout in our kitchen since it was such an old home and we converted the 6×8 kitchen into a 24×10 using the original dining room as the largest part of the now kitchen. I only have a short area on one side of my corner sink where I feel the open shelves should go! Are those from ikea?! I love the floors too. Everything. I just want to copy and paste it into my house lol
Thanks so much Cindy! I would love to have granite countertops one day, but am loving these in the meantime! We had a local countertop and cabinet maker install them, we had a few places give quotes and they came in the most affordable by far (although our Home Depot didn’t have anyone in the kitchen department the 3 times I went up there to price that out!).
Open shelving has been a dream for us. The brackets are ikea and we used cedar deck boards, stained for the wood shelves. You are seriously so sweet… I’d love to see a photo of your kitchen when you’re all done!
Can you tell me what color/finish the knobs and pulls are? I really love this kitchen!
Yes, definitely! They’re Amerock Rochdale and I’m sooo happy with them. Definitely good bang for your buck. You can find all the sources and details on the kitchen right over here: https://www.lemonthistle.com/diy-kitchen-renovation/
Love what you’ve done with your kitchen! Using a backsplash with a laminate counter top looks so much nicer! Your choice of face plates was spot on. It’s a high end look without breaking the bank. I replaced all my switches with the paddle style and used the screwless face plates. It just freshens the look.
Thanks so much Darlene! That is one of the little things that I am so glad we ‘splurged’ on. It totally freshens it up :)
Hi there ! Live the kitchen ! Where did you find the sink ?
We found it at Home Depot! It was the last one in stock and haven’t been able to track it down since. Although… hindsight we would have gone with a higher quality one I think- it doesn’t have quite the slope on the bottom we would have hoped for.
Did you have your counter installed? Also what were they before, laminate? Love the look!
Yes! We had them installed for us, we did the cabinets ourselves but wanted to make sure countertops were done perfectly. Before the renovation, we had a completely different structure- they were laminate from the 60s :)
What type of edging did you do with the formica? We are getting ready to redo our countertops. Luckily we have two friends that “doing countertops’ is their business. One of them is getting me a quote on how much he pays for Formica Soapstone Sequoia and the Formica Ideal bullnose edging. I showed my husband the pictures of your kitchen and he really likes how yours look but asked if I could find out what you did on the edging. He can and has replaced laminate countertops in rental houses but has never done anything fancy with the edge.
Thanks
Hi Peggy,
The edge is kind of like bullnose (wrapped), but not rounded. The edge of the peninsula/island they just tapered so we were less likely to run into it. It isn’t a fancy application at all, I think the edging ‘tape’ is applied the same. Best of luck!
I recently found this post, and I love the tile on the floor. I am totally inspired at how you used it in your bathroom! Can you please tell me where you purchased the tile?
Thanks!
I am just wondering where you got the floor tile from? I love how it was used in the bathroom as well!!
Thanks so much Danielle! I got it from a local tile place- Kamloops Tile, but most of the flooring stores around here at the time were carrying it. San Marco brand, viva tile, linen colour.
Hello, I love your choice of laminate. I’m having trouble finding a source that is familiar with this type of edge though… where did you get yours from?
We went with a local company: http://www.top40woodworks.com/
Best of luck!
wow! REALLY gorgeous!!! we redid ours a couple years ago and i keep meaning to put up the pictures. maybe this will inspire me ;-) love all the finishes you chose!
Thanks so much April! YES put up the photos, a renovation is something to be proud of :)
Hi!
Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful kitchen remodel!
We’re in the middle of a whole house reno. We are starting to plan the kitchen remodel and I’m trying to sell my husband on the formica countertops. One sticking point is that we also have a peninsula in our kitchen. It looks like in your pictures that the corners of your peninsula are slightly tapered back so it isn’t a straight line. Is is that true in real life? The one thing thing I’m most concerned about is having edge/trim pieces meet with the top and the dark line that comes with joining the two pieces. My husband feels like the edge piece will eventually start peeling off. Were you able to avoid that with your set up? What edge profile did you choose?
Thanks again for taking the time to blog and share your world with the rest of the world! It really helps out the rest of us silent DIYers!
Yes! Our countertop guy recommended this. It’s tapered so don’t bump into it as much. We chose a ‘flat’ wrapped profile but the end of the peninsula does have that little darker edge where the end strip is on. The formica is made SO well now, I can’t imagine this piece ever peeling. We really are happy with it.
Thanks so much Diana :) I can get you a closer picture of that corner if you’re interested, just let me know!
Exactly, what tile is that? I love it and want the same in my kitchen!!
Hi Courtney! we love our tile too. The backsplash is just from Home Depot, the flooring is from San Marco and the line is Viva, colour Linen. It was available in EVERY tile shop here in Canada, but I’ve heard it’s impossible to get in the states. Best of luck!
How much did this whole project cost you? I am a realtor so it is great to refer clients to blogs like this when they are house hunting and looking in a certain price range.
Hi Ashley, It came in around 13,000 not including drywall, paint, and new window (we did the whole floor).
Hey love what you did your kitchen looks amazing!!! I just bought a house that has roughly the same kitchen and I love what you did. I was wondering if you would be able to send me an email with more information regarding more like a budget breakdown and any advice on how you did it your self and roughly how long it took you to complete and such if that is okay?
I can shoot you the budget breakdown, and a rough estimate of timeline :) Let me know if it’s not arrived by tomorrow.
Colleen, do you still have the budget and timeline? I would love to buy a fixer-upper but don’t know what we’d be getting into can be scary! You make it look so effortless — I just want to pick your house up and put it in our hometown :)
Aw thank you! We did our new kitchen this year and the budget is definitely not applicable anymore- everything has gone up in price! We did the kitchen in 3 months though, start to finish (but that includes all the floors and windows in the house as well.
I love your kitchen!!! What edge did you pick for your laminate countertops?
Hi Candace, it was a flat edge, wrapped… I believe! I went with a local place so I just explained what I liked and they made it happen :)
Hi! Beautiful job! We are giving our kitchen a face lift and this is exactly what we had in mind! We are actually on our way home from Home Depot and I grabbed a bunch of Formica samples. Can you tell me the style of your countertops? Is it Weathered Cement?
Enjoy your beautiful kitchen!
It’s soapstone sequoia from the 180FX line :) I’d love to see a photo when your kitchen’s all done!
Such a gorgeous kitchen, Colleen! We are ordering this exact formica to relaminate our kitchen counters. You mention the edges are wrapped. Is there any chance to see a close up picture of this? We would love to replicate this look, if possible. Thanks!
Lauren, I actually don’t! And am not home/in town right now. If you shoot me an email colleen@lemonthistle.com I can get one later this week. There is one shot in here that shows the wrap but it doesn’t show the island curved edge.
Colleen, wow your kitchen is absolutely stunning! I am looking into Formica counters for my kitchen reno! The Soapstone Sequoa looks perfect in your kitchen! When I looked at the samples it looked much more brown then grey. Would you say your soapstone is grey? I want them to look like yours but I’m just worried they will arrive and be BROWN lol.
Hi Ashley, Thanks so much! If I remember, there was a brown version of this as well? These are definitely a blueish undertone gray though- no brown in them at all!
Love your kitchen!! We are getting ready to demo ours and start fresh, and I am using yours as my inspiration! Do you remember the name of your wall color? I love it! Thanks!
What an exciting time! That is actually a custom color we mixed BUT I found almost an exact match (I was trying to paint a tone on tone pattern and it didn’t show up at all on the wall!) called Dreaming in the Clouds by Para Paints
Wow Beautiful kitchen, Thanks for sharing such a nice post with us.
Thank you so much! We definitely love it.
Great ideas! We’ve recently remodel our kitchen and some tips presented here turned out to be very useful.
Thanks so much! I’m glad they were helpful.
Hi, I know this post was from awhile ago, but can you please tell me what edge profile you chose for your countertops? It looks so clean yet softened. All I see as a choice for Formica is Ogee and Bullnose, neither seem to look like yours. Thanks for any help you can give… and gorgeous job on your kitchen reno!!
Hi J, our countertop place told us it was a wrapped flat edge. Good luck!
Hello! Very nice job^ thank you! I like your draws and pens, could you tell me the total length of them: 4-9 / 16 inches (116 mm) or 5-5 / 16 inches (135 mm)?
Hi Ann,
Just to clarify… do you mean the drawer pulls? I used both the small and large ones- there were just the two sizes when I ordered off Amazon :)
Hello! Very nice job, thank you! I like your pulls and knobs, could you tell me is overall length of them: 4-9/16 in. (116mm) or 5-5/16 in. (135mm)?
*Swoon* what a fantastic transformation! It looks like your new pantry is smaller than your old one. We’re in the planning stage of our kitchen right now and thinking off going this route to allow for a better layout and more counter space. The space should be made up with a small vertical pantry like yours as well as drawers under the new counter. Do you miss your big closet pantry at all?
Thank you so much! It is much smaller BUT we never used the kitchen as it was when we bought it so this (with all that island storage) is much bigger than what we’d had in our old place! We also use the old coat closet for half pantry (all that bulk stuff)/ half cleaning supplies etc.
This is gorgeous! Love what you’ve done, would you mind sharing a detailed budget of your kitchen? We are trying to assess costs and possible fixer uppers.
Thank you,
Chelsea
Hi Chelsea, you bet! I’ll shoot you the information by email :)
I’d also love the details of your budget, thank you! We have an identical house almost – and a tight budget and need to DIY where we can, so everything we can do to glean what this might cost us is so appreciated. Looks great!
Hi Brenda, I am updating the post because we’re working on our next kitchen right now and our old numbers are totally irrelevant now- things have increased in price SO MUCH in the past four years!
Hi Colleen,
We are in the process of remodeling. I am also using soap stone sequoia counter tops. I am having trouble deciding on an edge. Can you remember what edge you chose for your counter?
Thanks, Courtney
Yes! We asked for a flat wrapped edge :) Best of luck!
Hi! I LOVE your kitchen, but especially your open shelving! What did you use for the brackets on the open shelving?
Hi Brianna, thanks so much! I have a whole post about those shelves right here: https://www.lemonthistle.com/diy-open-shelving-kitchen/
WOW!! Your kitchen is beautiful ! I plan on doing almost the same thing – knocking out a wall, moving the window and putting in a door when I eventually remodel my old kitchen. Can I ask how much you ended up spending on your total renovation ?
Hi Kristina,
I totally don’t know the numbers anymore! We did the kitchen, refinished flooring throughout the whole house, replaced all the windows/doors/and mouldings, all the lights, and all the paint in one three month period… so it all runs together!
Colleen! This is beautiful!! Where are your countertops from?? So interested!
Thanks so much Chaliece! They are Called Soapstone Sequoia from the 180 FX line with Formica… they’re available at most kitchen countertop places (and hardware stores!)
Beautiful! Are you Able to share more about the edging you chose on the countertop? I have a similar layout and want laminate but am confused about how to minimize the ‘brown line’. Is your line ‘grey?’
It’s a wrapped edge! So there’s only that line on the ends of the counters :)
Love your kitchen! So happy I found your post as we plan to remodel our kitchen with the exact same layout. I’ve been playing with Ikea kitchen planner but it’s nice to see it in reality. How deep is your fridge? That’s our big concern as a 36 in deep fridge will stick out so much. I’d love to know your timeline and budget for the wall removal. I love the countertops too! Such an economical choice with great aesthetics.
Thank you so much Julie! Isn’t that kitchen planner fun? Our fridge is a countertop depth I think!
We took three months to do all the renovations on our home before moving in… there was a lot more than just the kitchen happening so I can’t say how long just the kitchen walls would take or cost!
Amazing transformation! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much Christy!
Where did you find your floor tile and what is the size
It’s called San Marco Viva Linen and was available at most flooring stores at the time
Hi Colleen! Your kitchen is gorgeous. Do you remember what edge you used for your counter tops? Thank you.
Hey Cindy, YES! It’s a flat wrapped edge :)
This looks so lovely! May I ask how the flat finish on your countertops is wearing? I’m considering the same ones for our kitchen, but I’m wary of the flat finish! Does it scratch easily or show a lot of dirt? Thank you!
Thanks so much Dana! The counters are AMAZING. Scratches are hidden thanks to the texture and they totally hide dirt. I’m super impressed with them four years later!
Hi Colleen,
I came across your design on Pinterest my husband and I are remodeling our kitchen and have a similar layout. I love your design. Can you tell me the size of your kitchen?
Thanks,
Michelle
Beautiful kitchen! What size are those tiles? 6×24?
yes they are!
I just love this look for the kitchen! Thank you so much for sharing! Just ordered a Formica swatch of the countertops, can’t wat to see if it will work as well in my space as it did in yours! Any chance you could send me the paint color you used? Currently having a battle of the grays and would love to try it!
This one is a custom colour but is almost identical to para paints cloud gray!
Hi! Love your kitchen! We are looking to do the same Formica counters. Did you do the standard edge? Thanks!
This one is a square wrap! I think standard is bullnose.
I’m going to order your Soapstone Sequoia countertops this week because of YOUR remodel! Fantastical job! A++! I am wondering if they are more grey! Beige, or beige? Your pics look grey. My sample looks more beige. Your thoughts?
Hey there! I seem to remember there were two different colours available! I’m so glad you were inspired for your home XO
Hello, great job on your kitchen, its incredible. We our starting our journey on a new house we just bought. We hope ours come out as great as your did. I did want to ask where you purchased your oversized kitchen island. (Sorry if you answered this already). Thank you again for walking us through your process. :)
Hey Nicole! It’s all just IKEA cabinets put together! Best of luck :)
Hey! Love love love the renovation! Exactly when is the IKEA kitchen cabinet sales, so you know? Also what brand and color is the wood plank tile on your floor? Approximately how much did you save by doing it yourself you think?
Hey! I’m not too sure when the sales are! I think late winter for sure but I think there is another one in the year as well. The flooring isn’t actually a wood grain tile, it just has a linear pattern! And lastly… I’m not sure how much we would have saved though, we ruled that out right away!
I am obsessed!!! I’m getting ready to redo my kitchen and I’d love some more info!
Hey Girl! This post is from our last house and after renovating another kitchen this past year- i’ve realized the prices are no longer comparable. Such a bummer!
Hey there!
Love what you did. We are currently redoing our kitchen and I was hoping you could tell me what color paint you used. You might have said already but I may have missed it!
Hey there are you looking at the wall colour? It was a custom gray! The closest I found was ‘cloud’ by para paints
The images are so much fun to look at, especially seeing the contrast from the old kitchen. I also like how you placed a lamp over the sink, well done. I’ve never seen that done before. Any suggestions on renovating a small kitchen?
Im planning on renovating my kitchen and i hope i will turn out okay. I want white Counter tops and cabinets kitchen island and bright white paint. Anyways thank you for sharing. Your new kitchen looks very good!
Good luck on your remodel!
Good cleaning your kitchen day to day is much different than photo clean.
Earlier the sink had “L” pattern. So you got the close enough of your stuffs. Hope this flat sink’s area remain the service comfortable. Nice too see this such a clean kitchen and stuffs though!
Such a beautiful transformation of the kitchen! Excellent job!
Hello :) lovely reno!
I know it’s been forever since you’ve done this reno and you’ve probably already answered this question (sorry!) but could you tell me where the sink is from?
Thank you
They found it at Home Depot ;)
Absolutely adore the hex tiles on the walls. You’ve done an absolutely amazing job of your new kitchen (especially love the worktops)
Such a beautiful transformation! It looks classy!
Informative and insightful post on kitchen renovation. Thanks for writing and sharing this post with us.
It’s a really nice blog. I searching this type of blog a few days ago. Really informative. Thanks for the sharing
The design of your kitchen is very nice. Your design thinking style is very nice. I was expecting such a design from you. It has been very useful for me. Thank you very much.
How do I explain, Really awesome kitchen. Thanks for sharing valuable article.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful insights of your kitchen. Very informative article.
This looks very informative post. Thanks a lot.
Thanks a lot for such a great article. this is so useful to me, I am looking forward to many such wonderful articles from you.
Thank you for letting us know about this renovation. You did an excellent job. Like you, everyone wants to rebuild their kitchen, but due to a lack of experience, many individuals end up ruining their kitchen. So, in my opinion, those people should consider hiring a remodeling company because they have remodeling specialists and outstanding designs, and as a bonus, it will save both time and money.
Love what it transformed into! You did a great job. Keep sharing useful stuff like this!!
Amazing work, thanks so much for sharing and for inspiration. Can you tell me the name of the formica? I’m in NZ and choices are limited, but would love something close.
It’s soapstone sequoia! https://www.formica.com/vi-vn/products/fmashplpa2/3459
What a great article. I love your new cabinets. The color is to die for. I’m trying to soon in my own place, and seeing your design was really helpful to me. Thanks for sharing!
good post
thank you
The blog post “DIY Kitchen Renovation” by Lemon Thistle is a comprehensive and inspiring guide for anyone considering a DIY kitchen renovation. The author shares their personal experience of renovating their kitchen, providing detailed instructions, helpful tips, and beautiful photographs along the way.
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Throughout the post, the author also highlights the importance of careful planning and budgeting, as well as seeking out advice and support from knowledgeable professionals when needed. The post also includes a helpful list of resources and tools for DIY renovators.
Overall, “DIY Kitchen Renovation” is a valuable resource for anyone looking to undertake a DIY kitchen renovation. The author’s personal experience, attention to detail, and willingness to share their successes and challenges make it an engaging and informative read.
Wow, what an inspiring kitchen renovation! I love how the homeowners were able to completely transform their space while keeping a budget in mind. The before and after photos are truly impressive. I’m curious to know how long the renovation took them from start to finish. It seems like a lot of work, but definitely worth it in the end!
Lovely kitchen! What kind of faucet did you use? How do you like it?
This article on DIY kitchen renovation is fantastic! It showcases impressive before-and-after transformations using simple language that anyone can understand. The photos really help illustrate the improvements. It’s an excellent guide for those looking to spruce up their kitchen without breaking the bank. Highly recommend for easy-to-follow renovation ideas.
Great read on the ‘Top Kitchen Cabinets’! Perfect timing for my kitchen renovation. Excited to use these insights to find the ideal.
Impressive transformation! it’s truly inspiring for anyone considering a kitchen makeover.
Thanks for sharing.
We are diving headfirst into planning our kitchen remodel, and I found this post incredibly helpful! I truly love the colors you chose and how beautifully everything turned out. We are hoping our remodel looks just as wonderful. We’re currently in the planning stages and have everything sorted out, from the dumpster rental to the new countertops. We will be starting soon! Thank you so much for sharing this post!
I love this kitchen renovation! Especially the color of those cabinets. I’m planning on getting a brand new cabinet painting soon, but I haven’t known which color to go with. I think this answers that question. Thank you so much!
A DIY kitchen renovation showcases creativity while achieving a functional and stylish space on a budget.
Renovating a kitchen through DIY projects adds a personal touch while maintaining a budget-friendly approach.
The transformation is stunning! It’s hard to believe it’s a DIY project—everything from the new cabinets to the updated layout looks so professional. You’ve definitely inspired me to tackle my own kitchen renovation!”