Kitchen Reno!

We have lived here for 2 1/2 years now and our initial plan was to always update our kitchen when we sold the lot.  When we did, we started looking for materials to match the many pictures saved through the years of picturing ideal kitchens.

 

We quickly learned we were thankful we chose not to build as decisions come hard to us on such permanent choices.  We also learned that many countertops don't look very good with the orangey brown stain in the kitchen. (however, kitchens nearly identical to ours are on TV shows and cooking shows now - who knew we were back to being fashionable by accident?!)

 

Jason and I had the same goal, but each pictured it differently.  After a few months and many trips to the huge metro showrooms, we decided on the first slab I saw when walking in to the very first showroom.  We chose it for the island, a quartz for the sides, and a granite for the wet bar, buffet wall, and half bathroom.

 

This was our driveway the day after Jason was stern about needing our stuff finished.  It took five weeks and should have been less than two...

 

Kitchen Before:

 

 

 

 

 

island sink

 

during...

 

 

We extended our island to accommodate three barstools so all the kids can sit there together.  We have yet to find the barstools but we're ready when we do find them!  These are metal supports they included b/c we didn't want poles on each side.

 

AFTER!

 

love, love, love our backsplash as well.  It is a slightly reflective glass with various shades of green, blue, gray and brown.  It looks made for the existing three wall colors surrounding the kitchen.  I also love the shape as it's unique. So much happier with it than the one we were tttthhhhiiiissss close to picking.

 

island sink. We added a garbage disposal and filtered water. We ended up choosing granite sinks for the kitchen in a dark taupe and we love, love, love them.

 

 

these were three open shelves and we enclosed the bottom two to accommodate the storage we lost when adding the contemporary range hood.

 

Here's the cruddy part - we still have no dishwasher. We're at the six week mark now and our kitchen has started looking like this now by the sink.  We're having issues with Whirlpool "customer service" as our new dishwasher has a bent frame and dent, and they want to repair and not replace. We want a new one...

This was also a "fun" part - see an issue with the bottom row of tile?!  It slanted one entire tile width down.  We were so excited to see it finished, and then to realize it was crooked.  They replaced it properly....

Half Bathroom:

teeny tiny sink with a faucet that didn't really enable you to rinse your hands.

 

 

Grant's favorite part of the reno - the waterfall faucet and glass sink. So happy also with this sink size and shape (bought online) and thrilled we didn't go with a ceramic in here.

Wet Bar:

 

 

added under counter lighting

 

 

I love this little faucet and our selection for backsplash tile here!

Living/Dining buffet wall:

 

 

Other updates:

We took some existing lighting and added it to the beam in our entry to have a soft glow at night.  It's just great!

Both of the bathrooms upstairs also received countertops and faucets and tile since we've moved in.  We took leftover kitchen counter material (one old surface and one the new surface) and got larger sinks.  They're great!

this one had blue and white wallpaper.

 

Grant's bathroom was pink and blue flowers!  :)  We've painted it gray, added the backsplash, sink and counter, and painted gold things black.

We've loved our house since the day we moved in, and now updated it all except for the master bedroom end of the house. We can get to that project when we get to it... very liveable and not in a huge hurry! Thankful for the blessing this home has been to our family!