When we moved into our house a couple of years ago, the kitchen was serviceable. Decent. Just okay. But there was nothing special about it.... everything was builder grade and very blah. So we decided to make some changes.
To keep the makeover affordable, we decided not to replace the cabinets or countertops... we simply swapped out the cabinet hardware to give everything an updated look. We made lots of cosmetic changes to the room instead, from paint to lighting to styling.
The most recent change we made to the space was a more involved project... we replaced the boring old backsplash. We kept costs down by doing the work ourselves - my father-in-law was the mastermind behind the whole operation (although I did run the wet-saw, see evidence below).
I was "Cut Girl" for the day.
The new backsplash is a major improvement, adding some dimension to the wall and a bit of shine. The kitchen is more functional and custom-looking, thanks to a handful of simple and relatively inexpensive changes. One of the most noticeable changes was the lighting; we added a beautiful chandelier from Lamps Plus, as well as under- and over-cabinet lighting. Read all about it here.
We added an island to utilize the large open space in the center of the room. This added counter space, storage and seating... and is possibly the most utilized piece of furniture in the house. It comes with both legs and wheels, but I left the wheels on it because I like to move it toward the windows when I do DIY photo shoots on it. Buying a pre-made island is a great way to stay on budget - having one built can be quite pricey.
Oddly enough when we moved in, an ancient white microwave sat on top of the refrigerator (they even cut into the molding to make room for it). So we replaced that section of molding and had our handyman install the microwave above the stove. We were left with a gap above the refrigerator, so Mike made a wooden wine storage rack for our everyday wines.
I used to keep a bottle of dish soap underneath the sink, but it was somewhat annoying to dig through the cupboard every time I wanted to hand wash something. So I bought matching dispensers and labeled them. Next week I'll be sharing a little tutorial on how to make your own labeled soap dispensers just like mine... they're super easy!
I always wanted to have a coffee station on the left side of the kitchen counter, but there wasn't an outlet... so while we were replacing the backsplash, my father-in-law added a new outlet. Anything for coffee :)
Product sources:
Tile Backsplash: MSI Carrara White Interlocking Tile from Home Depot $14/sq. ft.
Chandelier: Cove Point Open Frame Rectangular Chandelier from Lamps Plus $150
Island: Belmont White Kitchen Island from Crate and Barrel $499
Faux Fur Throw: TEJN from IKEA $15
Paper Towel Holder: Antler Paper Towel Holder from Bed Bath & Beyond $65
Cabinet Hardware: Cosmas Polished Chrome Cabinet Bar Handle Pull 20-pack $49
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