“We simply couldn’t work out why you weren’t tearing out the kitchen.”
That’s what considered one of our contractor’s guys stated to us proper as we moved in final 12 months. I understood his confusion. We have been redoing flooring, transferring doorways, vaulting ceilings, and many others – however we left the small outdated kitchen comparatively untouched – full with mauve laminate counter tops. You possibly can see what I imply in this publish.
However to know us is to know that we strongly choose to dwell with an expensive-to-renovate room like a kitchen first, simply so we don’t rush into spending main cash on massive everlasting modifications that we would later remorse or want that we thought by just a little longer. So we spent the final 16 months debating varied massive concepts for this room, all whereas peppering in some easy smaller updates to get a really feel for the way they assist enhance the house and what we would need for our extra long-term plan.
Over the previous 16 months, we debated including extra cabinetry in varied spots, later realized that we had an opportunity so as to add a pleasant massive pantry with a built-in fridge on your complete stair wall (extra on that in a second), and in addition debated closing off a window – or a minimum of half of it – to accommodate a toilet off of our bed room… that we later realized can be a lot smarter in a very totally different place (extra on that right here).
Not solely did we land on a higher spot for our ensuite rest room, we now have a a lot better concept for that aspect kitchen window and the porch that it overlooks – so we’re sharing that afterward on this publish too. Briefly: sixteen months of slowly including in a bunch of cheap updates (portray the cupboards, including new {hardware}, hanging some cabinets and artwork, rearranging the desk and sitting space till they felt proper, and many others) gave us loads of time to visualise varied issues and make the kitchen extra environment friendly and practical for us – all whereas permitting us to save lots of up for just a few of the extra main long-term updates.
We’ll get into our massive plans on this publish (as a result of the excellent news is that we expect we’re on the point of confidently making some larger, extra everlasting renovations to the house!) – however I additionally need to take you thru a few of the latest updates which have helped us profit from our modestly sized kitchen… a lot of which we haven’t even proven you but right here on the weblog. However first…
A Fast Video Tour
Let’s kick issues off with a video of your complete house. Somewhat walk-about feels a lot extra such as you’re within the house than 1,000 photographs, so click on play (no have to have sound on, there’s no narration) to get a a lot better concept of how the entire room appears & feels:
Word: You can too watch this video on YouTube.
Okay, and now let’s get into the 9 updates that we’ve slowly labored in over the previous few months.
Including A Constructed-In Pantry
The largest enchancment we’ve made these days is including a built-in floor-to-ceiling pantry cupboard that created SO MUCH STORAGE that we didn’t have earlier than. Beforehand we solely had 7 kitchen cupboards (right here’s how we organized them) which is why we relied so closely on some freestanding Ikea Fjalkinge shelves to carry all of our meals, serving ware, and even instruments.
It labored properly sufficient within the quick time period, however we wished one thing deeper and far more practical for the lengthy haul. So over the summer time, we ordered two massive Ikea cupboards – one tall pantry cupboard and one over-the-fridge cupboard – and a few aspect panel items to make it occur. Working with Ikea cupboards is outdated hat for us by now, however you may learn our suggestions and methods for putting in them in the event you’re new to it.
When you construct all of them in, they give the impression of being actually crisp and polished – they usually include all types of inserts and choices (for instance, the pantry cupboard may have cupboards or drawers on the underside, and many others. We determined to maintain this space of cabinetry easy (flat fronted and white) fairly than portray them mauve to match the opposite cupboards since they go all the best way to the ceiling and we thought that aspect of the room would possibly really feel heavy and out of stability with the remainder of the room. However we did set up these matching knobs to tie them to the present kitchen (right here’s shortly set up new {hardware}).
Not solely was it a giant aesthetic enchancment (particularly having the fridge in-built!) it was a HUGE practical enchancment that earned us tons of additional storage. Nearly greater than we knew what to do with! We even ran an extension wire to place our microwave in there and get it off our counter (bear in mind to depart your pantry door open for air flow when it’s operating in the event you retailer yours in a closed cupboard or “equipment storage”).
There’s not a lot magic to the group in right here. Sherry simply used some storage baskets that we already needed to wrangle classes of issues like: baking stuff, chips, snack baggage, nutritional vitamins, and many others. We use the highest for much less accessed stuff, like our s’mores provide caddy, and “backstock” meals, like additional cereal. We additionally stuffed the within of the doorways with favourite household photographs (a lot of which we had taped up in our outdated mudroom cupboards at our final home). I promise they’re much less blurry in actual life 😉
We selected the Ikea pantry cupboard that had drawers on the underside as a result of we love having drawers on a decrease cupboard. It features equally to the freestanding Fjalkinge items the place we used to retailer our meals, however these drawers are deeper and taller. I can’t underscore how far more storage now we have now that we’ve added this (don’t neglect the large cupboard over the fridge that we gained too!).
Including this pantry cupboard additionally allowed us so as to add one different little bit of comfort and performance too…
Wall-Mounting A Spice Rack
Beforehand all of our spices have been in one of many Fjalkinge shelving units, a number of steps from the range and cooking space the place we wanted them most. Ideally, they might’ve been within the skinny drawer proper subsequent to the range, however alas, it was too slender to suit greater than 3 or 4 spice jars without delay.
So we ordered this wall-mounted spice rack and secured it to the aspect of the pantry (it’s magnetic so it could stick proper to the aspect of a fridge, however it additionally comes with screws to hold it when you’ve got a aspect panel like ours). We additionally ordered a set of matching spice jars (that include pages of simple-looking labels) and now every thing is true inside attain of the range and requires zero fishing round in a drawer.
You possibly can see it additionally holds a roll of paper towels, in order that was one other factor we have been capable of get off the countertop. Between that and the microwave being gone, we felt like we gained numerous house up there!
Beefing Up The Floating Cabinets
The subsequent couple of enhancements are extra visible than practical, however have been nonetheless actually useful in making the room really feel prefer it’s inching nearer to the ultimate end result that we’re going for. The unique “floating” wooden cabinets have been a fast and soiled DIY that we did shortly after we moved in with wooden leftover from our laundry closet shelving. We had at all times deliberate to switch them with somebody extra everlasting, it simply took us over a 12 months to take action!
The new shelves are from Pottery Barn they usually’re good & chunky, and actually floating (in contrast to the outdated ones that have been held up by some brackets that we strategically obscured by the gadgets on the cabinets). We lucked out that these cabinets got here premade in each 48″ and 36″ lengths, because the window isn’t centered on that wall.
They’re deep and durable sufficient to carry our greatest plates, so they beautiful a lot checked each field we had for them. They have been additionally tremendous straightforward to put in. 5 stars. Extremely suggest. Unsure why we waited so lengthy to make the change.
And proper above the cabinets, you may see our different “visible” enchancment
Hanging Wall-Mounted Sconces
We’ve at all times wished some sconces above the floating cabinets however we weren’t trying ahead to the difficulty of an electrician tearing up the partitions – particularly if we’re not doing a full-fledged reno but (now we have 8 ceiling lights on this room, so we’re not precisely hurting for illumination). So we determined to hold some ornamental sconces (sure, they’re purely ornamental at this level – as a result of they’re actually sans wiring) simply to ensure we appreciated the look & placement earlier than getting them hardwired (which we’ll doubtless do after we add the backsplash).
We used the mid-century sconces we designed within the brass + white combo to tie in the entire brass and white components all through our home. We simply screwed the included mounting brace proper into the drywall, since there’s no fixture field there at present. The wires are nonetheless properly capped and tied up inside, so we will get them wired ultimately, however for now they’re serving to us work out the place/if we wish one thing everlasting there in the long term.
Additionally, if we ever need to truly “flip them on,” we purchased these rechargeable battery-powered light bulbs that activate as quickly as you screw them in – no wiring wanted in any respect. They’re designed as a back-up mild supply in case of an influence outage, however they work properly on this software too!
Hiding Ugly Stuff Outdoors With A Window Field
We’re spoiled with numerous fairly views in our home, however this view out the window above the sink most likely ranks on the backside of the record. Other than our rest room window (which is frosted), this one is fortunately the one one that appears immediately into the fence…
… and we made the view even worse when our pool was being put in as a result of the one place the pool gear might be positioned was proper exterior this window. Our generator, A/C unit, and gasoline meter are already on the market, so it was a pure place for all of the ugly issues to congregate. It simply didn’t make the view whereas doing dishes any higher. So, like we’ve carried out earlier than right here and right here, we improved the view with vegetation.
We simply hung a window field exterior and stuffed it with foxtail ferns and inchplants (they’re the purple ones), which absolutely block the underside few inches of the window, which is the place we may see all that ugly gear again there on the bottom. When doubtful… put a plant on it. Or twenty.
Eradicating The Backsplash
Earlier than you suppose “why would you ever take away a backsplash” or “wait, what backsplash?” let me make clear – I’m speaking in regards to the 4′ piece of matching laminate that prolonged up from the again of the counter tops. You possibly can see it within the photograph under, together with the outdated cabinets.
You most likely don’t even discover it a lot in these photographs, however having it out makes the kitchen really feel just a little extra streamlined and trendy (and it’s not like we didn’t have range splatters continuously hitting above that tiny “backsplash” anyway – we simply wipe down the wall they usually come proper off. As for the way we obtained the backsplash out, Sherry simply smiled at me after I walked out the door to run errands after which pried it off and patched/smoothed/painted the drywall behind it whereas I used to be gone. She loves a giant reveal like that. Our eventual plans are to tile this complete again wall to the ceiling, so now we’re one step nearer. Additionally I like a venture that magically occurs after I’m gone.
Eradicating it did go away a small hole in the back of the counter tops, however we expect we’ll simply seize a small piece of trim and paint it to match the counters and shove it again there. It’s not large enough to lose meals or spoons in it or something (and it’ll ultimately be stuffed by an actual tile backsplash at which level we’ll additionally get new counters) however simply so we don’t have a bizarre little crumb valley, the wooden trim piece will likely be a pleasant (literal) stopgap.
Making Plans For A Door
As I stated, all of those upgrades and tweaks are inching us nearer to creating some larger, extra everlasting modifications to this house. One among which is changing this aspect window with a door. I do know, you didn’t see that coming. We didn’t both till we lived right here for some time!
That is a kind of modifications we by no means would’ve thought-about off the bat (particularly as a result of we initially deliberate so as to add a toilet that hooked up to our bed room in that spot – extra on why that plan modified right here). Proper exterior that window is a lined aspect porch that we realized over time can be SO NICE to have entry to from the kitchen.
- It will give us a direct entrance to the kitchen for unloading groceries (our most popular parking house is true on the market so it will be far more environment friendly than our longer present route).
- With higher entry to that porch, we’d lastly have a handy spot for a grill that we may use proper off of the kitchen (we didn’t need a grill on our entrance porch, however love the concept of 1 on a hidden aspect porch).
- It will let much more mild into the kitchen.
- It results in a fenced in space the place Burger will be let loose (proper now he makes use of the entrance door, which isn’t a fenced space – however this aspect porch is throughout the fence that encirles our fireplace pit space as properly)
- Talking of which, we’d have a door that results in our fireplace pit as a substitute of at all times utilizing the doorways in our bed room – which feels good for after we entertain and don’t need everybody to should traipse by our room (one other technique to get to it’s to stroll out our entrance door, stroll left for some time exterior, and undergo the fence to enter it, however this will likely be far more direct).
Sherry has whipped up just a little Photoshop motion to point out you what we imply. Flawless, no?
The one draw back to the plan is that we lose about 18″ of cupboard house (after we issue within the house that we achieve within the nook, which is at present blocked by the cabs that run alongside the wall the place the door will go). See that house to the appropriate of the dishwasher? That’ll grow to be a freed up good vast decrease cupboard with a drawer above it (26″ vast)- so we achieve that. However we lose the little peninsula of cupboards that’s at present blocking it, which is 44″ vast (therefore my calculation that we lose 18″ total).
We weighed the professionals and cons and have determined it’s nonetheless price going for it – particularly as a result of we gained a lot storage after we added our pantry cupboard. And to check it out, we’ve simply stopped utilizing that complete run of cabinetry for the final a number of weeks to ensure can do with out them (simply emptied them out and stated: “we’ll see how this goes”). To date, it feels completely nice to lose them ceaselessly to be able to achieve all of the bulleted professionals that we listed above. Once more, that’s why we like to dwell with issues earlier than making any enormous choices. Word: it definitely will be argued that extra cabinetry is healthier for resale than including a door, however we’re making this modification as a result of it really works higher for our household (in different phrases: resale shmesale).
Maintaining Extra Shelf Storage
After transferring the Fjalkinge cabinets, we realized we nonetheless liked having our bowls and cups and glasses on the wall by the eating desk. Enter this CB2 ladder shelf, stage proper (we simply took off the underside two cabinets and it nests proper in with our similarly glossy white table like they have been at all times meant to be collectively).
This shelf had been upstairs, however it was displaced by the 2 Fjalkinge bookcases that we moved up there (which appear like they have been at all times meant to dwell up there). Right here’s the place Sherry would clap her fingers and say “Store. Your. Home. And. Attempt. New. Preparations. What’s the worst that would occur?!”
The peak of the shelf is good because it balances the peak of the home windows (and the longer term door!) and since now we have some artwork hanging within the sitting space and above the kitchen cabinets, it’s good to have a show spot/practical storage right here versus simply one other framed piece of artwork.
Sherry’s fast shelf-styling tip is so as to add just a little plant or some artwork if issues look too sterile – and a tray can assist comprise like gadgets and make them really feel much less jumbled (all of our white mugs get stacked in ours).
Whereas we’re right here, let’s hold spinning across the room and speak about our sitting space that’s adjoining to the kitchen.
Tremendous-Tuning The Sitting Space
That is has been one of many hardest areas to determine for us in the home because it wanted to do quite a bit in just a little space. Again in January, we confirmed you ways we maximized it with a comfortable loveseat, some cozy chairs, and a hardworking storage coffee table.
All of these components are nonetheless the identical, however they’ve gotten a bit extra respiration room now that the large Fjalkinge cabinets are upstairs. We had some neighbors over not too long ago and that is the place the 4 of us frolicked all evening whereas the children performed upstairs. I do know it could look just a little tight in photos, however in individual it’s completely cozy (I feel the video does a greater job of exhibiting you ways this room feels in actual life – so attempt to watch that in the event you haven’t but).
The principle factor we’ve modified is that I constructed a custom-sized four-cube cubby proper subsequent to the door that completely matches in opposition to the aspect of the loveseat’s armrest and provides us a spot to retailer our on a regular basis sneakers and a whole lot of the opposite stuff we seize on the best way out the door (like facemasks, sunscreen, an umbrella, and many others).
So it really works remarkably properly as a “lobby” of types, since we’ve obtained sneakers within the cubby and jackets & backpacks held on the again of the laundry closet’s double-doors (you may see the within of our laundry closet right here – though that was earlier than the children have been again at school, so now simply image jackets & backpacks on the inside door hooks).
It feels prefer it took us some time to determine the stream on this room (I feel there have been one thing like 10+ furnishings preparations on this entrance sitting space earlier than we figured issues out), however we’re actually pleasantly shocked by how properly it really works. I even let Sherry have a “informed you so” second not too long ago as a result of I had my doubts throughout a few of our earlier format makes an attempt, however we hang around right here each morning with the children earlier than faculty and use it anytime associates drop in and even for studying on lazy weekends. It felt like we’d by no means have a cushty seating space on this spot, and now it will get extra use than the sofa upstairs! #nevergiveup
A Few Fast Earlier than & Afters
That is the kitchen because it regarded after we purchased our home:
And right here we are actually:
Dealing with the opposite method, right here is the earlier than:
And now:
In order that’s the present state of our kitchen. Functionally it really works rather well for us and the format is lastly beginning to “click on” for us too. That’s why we really feel like we’re lastly getting nearer to creating some extra dramatic modifications, like including that new door and upgrading that again wall of cupboards, getting new counters, and including that backsplash to the ceiling. I can’t even inform you how a lot we’re trying ahead to a sink that’s greater than 5″ deep. That’s going to be the icing on the cake.
We’ve even ordered some pattern backsplash tiles and labored out the brand new cupboards we need to order. Unsure about counters but, however one factor we’re sure of is an excellent deep stainless single bowl sink (after MANY kitchen renos, it’ll simply at all times be our favourite). I feel your complete “actual reno” stage of this kitchen will likely be round 5K whole (together with the brand new door to the aspect porch, new cupboards, new counters, a brand new sink and tap, and a full wall of backsplash tile) in order that’s one different perk to the sluggish evolution in direction of a completed product… and a smaller kitchen with out tons of latest cupboards to should buy!
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