Kitchen Makeover
Our house is what you would call a ‘fixer upper’. The first thing we did when we moved in back in 2009 was gut the kitchen. I didn’t even think to take a before picture! Let’s just say it was straight out of the 1960s and in really rough shape.
We endured a very lengthy kitchen renovation. In fact, the kitchen was just finished in the last month. Talk about stress! I think kitchen renovations are the absolute worst. The kitchen is the heart of the home and having it all disorganized and very messy is no fun at all. We managed though, but barely! I’m just relieved it’s finally come to end. It was definitely something I wouldn’t want to do again anytime soon.
Kitchen renovations are also very expensive. Even if we wanted to get it all done in one shot, there was no way we could afford it all. I’m proud to say we saved up the money to do it all ourselves and nothing in this post is sponsored.
One of the first things we did was move the one kitchen window so that it would be situated in front of the kitchen sink.It was in an odd location before beside the basement door. We also extended and replaced the countertop with black tiles. The backsplash was done in a dark red tile.
At first we were planning to do a kitchen island and had an electrician come and move the stove wiring to the middle. We lived like this for months. It was a very odd sight!
Then after careful debate and budgeting, we realized it would be too expensive to get an island. We would have to purchase a new stove top and oven separately and with John being medically released from the military, it just wasn’t feasible.
During the renos, I always knew what I had on hand because I had no cupboard doors! The ceiling was also opened up and the cats were able to scale the cupboards and explore the ceiling. We had a dog come over one day and Misty was terrified and ran up the counters and hid in this little cubby space.
We were doing most of the renovations ourselves. John even showed my daughter, Bridget, how to mud the drywall.
The kitchen had one dinky light in the centre and was so dark and gloomy. We brightened it up by adding in six pot lights. One thing I will say though is that the light bulbs DO NOT last very long. It seems like one is always burning out. We picked the pot lights up at The Home Depot.
I breathed a sigh of relief when it was finished and am very happy with the result. We didn’t spend a fortune on it and I think it turned out well. The cabinets are actually the old cabinets but with new oak doors and hardware. The double sink we picked up for $20 at a garage sale and the Delta Touch faucet I won in a blog giveaway years ago.
The vinyl flooring was on sale at Happy Harry’s in New Minas. It was the last they had of this design and we bought them out. I would have liked to have a tile floor, but again I didn’t have enough money so vinyl it is. I did get a tile design though.
The little cubby you see there is now closed. It gives access to the plumbing upstairs.
I bought a dishwasher two years ago and love having one again. This house didn’t have one when we moved and I despise washing dishes. Dishwashers are so handy to hide the dirty dishes. I hated seeing them on the counter or in the sink.
The kitchen table is old and we don’t really use it much. We have a dining room that is off the kitchen with our bigger table. I tried to hide the ugly table with a black tablecloth.
Our fridge and stove are not new. I’m not crazy about the location, but that’s where they had to go with the way the kitchen was wired.
Months ago I made a spice rack and it now hangs where it belongs….in the kitchen for easy access!
My kitchen is now a space I enjoy spending time in. I love cooking and baking and it’s so much easier when everything is clean and organized. I’m no longer embarrassed when people come over to my house and proud to say that we did most of the work ourselves.
To see more makeovers, check out my living room makeover, bathroom makeover and master bedroom makeover.
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I would love to redo my kitchen/
Congratulations and good job on finishing the remodel of your kitchen. The house I used to have, my son’s mom and I remodeled the entire house. We stripped the entire interior down to the studs and replaced everything. Your kitchen looks really good. I like the countertops and the new doors on the cabinets. You might try LED light bulbs in the overhead lights. The LED lights are supposed to last about 20+ years and produce a lot less heat which might be part of the issue with your bulbs burning out so quickly. Thanks for the tour, it looks really good.
Great job.. I love the color of the backsplash
I need a kitchen makeover
That is absolutely beautiful kitchen when you got done, by the way that is exactly the same stove we have minus the cracked timer. Love your kitchen!! want to come and do mine?
Ya’ll did an absolutely beautiful job! Where does the kitty hang out now? 🙂
Amazing transformation! I can’t believe it’s the same kitchen!
I’m getting my kitchen remodeled this year (I’ve lived here for over nine years) and I’m finally going to get a dishwasher. I’m so thrilled.
Your hard work paid off. The transformation is a WOW factor. The only thing I have a negative about is the color of the backsplash. To me, it doesn’t compliment the cupboards.
Looks great. So fresh and new! I love the neutral colors, especially the floors and cabinets. Wonderful job. How fun that you daughter got involved. I’m sure everyone is enjoying it. I have been in kitchen remodel for 20 years…haha. One of those things that got started but never was fully finished. Congrats to you on the remodel. Enjoy it!
I must say, I really like it. Good you to you and your husband. I also think I want to start a remodel, but then I talk myself out of it. I must say, your results make me think I might just have to try. Thanks for sharing.
I like your kitchen now. How did you keep your sanity during the remodel? It can be so frustrating. If you wanted to you could make a bar and island using kitchen cabinets. Not that you need my ideas. LOL
I wish I knew how to put up new drywall. i’ve got some sections with dents and such that need to be fixed.
love your kitchen, is really nice and looks very organized!!!
Wow….love it….
The transformation is awesome!! We are getting ready to purchase a “fixer upper” and I am ready to see the transformation of our house!
I love the spice rack.
Beautiful!! Later on you can always add an island or get one from Brylane Home (http://www.brylanehome.com/Home-Kitchen-Carts-Islands.aspx?DeptId=23356) and just stick it in the middle – love it!!
I think the transformation is awesome on a budget you could make miracles happen. It looks very neat and shows you worked very hard to make it “your own” and I know you are pleased with it. It gives us an incentive to try it ourselves.
Thanks for showing us your review of your kitchen makeover with photos.. I also forget the beginning photo whether its for a diet, remodel or any type of update or change. Anyway you did a great job and inspired me to get busy fixing my house. My son has become a hoarder or maybe he’s just lazy. Ill try to keep you updated if anyone is interested or has a similar problem. I hired some folks to help clear out the junk and she was supposed to be a therapist. She told my son that I was a big part of the problem, but I had never been like that. She and her husband did help us get the place in better shape, but I ran out of money and its even worse now. I have do do something soon. I’m disabled and can barely walk now. Thanks for getting me motivated again.