kitchen reveal

Hi everyone!

So the kitchen is finished! We are just working on the dining table that I found at Owensboro Trading Post, so I won't show that just yet!

The kitchen, especially when you look at these pictures, wasn't awful. And you could tell it definitely used to be nice. However, the past couple of tenants weren't the gentlest by any means. The tile was cracking and beginning to come up in some places. The cabinets, which were once very nice and I hated taking out, were actually quite filthy and some were very hard to open and close. And it just wasn't really my style.

Here are some before and afters (I really, really am not good at working with lighting-a lot of these look dark, sorry!)

 

So part of the wall had been taken down in a previous renovation and we just took down the rest of it to really open up the kitchen. And took the bathroom out and put it in the downstairs guest area. This is what the bathroom looked like before we took it out. It had quite a lot of damage to the ceiling and plumbing in general.

I love my kitchen. Especially that I was able to re-create a look that I love on a budget. We installed the floors ourselves (but had someone finish them), installed the cabinets ourselves that we got on sale at Lowes, did all the tile work, and used laminate instead of real marble. I was also able to get a pretty good deal on the appliances and shop local (they are from Murphy's!). 

I cannot say enough for these laminate countertops. These things stressed me out so much and I ended up loving them. My stress level after the fact is literally zero. Everything wipes up and if I forget about it or don't see it when it happens, it doesn't matter. It will come up, unlike Marble. They have made some strides in sealants but even the companies that sell marble admit it's not perfect and you have to wipe it up as soon as possible because many things will quickly permeate the sealant. The very first meal we ever had in the kitchen was one that Leo's cousins brought over and there were shrimps, red shrimp sauce, and hot sauce all over the place by the time it was all said and done. I loved that I wasn't constantly wiping up after everyone, stressing myself out and making them feel uncomfortable. I feel like real marble is for those people who barely use their kitchen, or who are very neat in their cooking and food prep (please teach me your ways).

Plus, there's the cost. The laminate was less than half of what the marble would have cost. There was really no question for us since we are redoing a whole house and on a budget. However, I'm definitely not bashing marble. I mean I chose something that mimics it. The real thing is undeniably beautiful and if I had the money and could easily replace marble if it started looking horrible or started driving me crazy, I would do it. 

I also love my subway tile. Subway tile is cheap and classic. I mean really, where can you go wrong? The recessed shelves were my Dad's idea and I'm so glad he thought of them! They save a lot of space and are very handy. I added the wooden shelves to add some warmth back to a very modern look. Which the floors also help. I love they way they turned out and I'm so proud that my Dad and I laid them together. 

I'm honestly proud of the whole thing. We planned and did so much of it ourselves, getting to see the the finished product and loving it feels so awesome. But man, I am so glad that it's over. I loved getting the opportunity to design and work on this house but living in it is so, so much more. 

And kudos to my husband for not only putting up with it but being awesome at it!

-katie