{Our Newly Revamped Kitchen}
One of my favorite transformations in our house has been that of our kitchen. While we didn’t do a major renovation, the changes we made were quite impactful. Our kitchen really showcases how the right finishes can completely elevate a space when you have good bones to work with. We partnered with some wonderful companies– Kohler, Caesarstone, and KitchenAid to transform the space into its current iteration pictured above. Directly below, you’ll see what we started out with when we moved in. One of the things that really sold us on our house is the quality and craftsmanship of the millwork. We have beautiful moldings and everything is really solid. When we first saw the house, I liked the soft greige hue of the cabinets as well as the fact that they are inset and have simple, shaker-style doors which are very timeless. I also knew instantly that I did not love the other selections or the color palette. Because of the footprint of the space, there wasn’t a need to make any structural changes as the kitchen has a pretty good flow, so we set out to make cosmetic improvements. Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
{Before: The layout of the kitchen worked for us and thus, stayed the same. The island had been added by the most recent owners and was painted a dark sage color which wasn’t bad looking, but I knew I wanted something different. We also knew that we’d add a larger sink and a pretty new faucet.}
{Before: You can get a better look at the old backsplash and countertops here. I knew right away that I wanted to get rid of the backsplash. While it had a nice hand-made quality to it, the yellowish beige hue read dingy to me and really didn’t work with the cabinets. The granite countertops look almost black in photos, but were more of a dark green. The simple cabinet hardware was fine, but I knew that I would want to upgrade from brushed nickel to polished nickel. As much as I love brass and feel that aged brass is certainly a classic, the fact that it has been a huge trend recently cemented my decision to use timeless polished nickel hardware and fixtures. To add a bit of glamour and contrast, I infused a bit of gold in the space via the light fixtures.}
{Before: The previous homeowners had put in a new, built-in KitchenAid refrigerator and dishwasher right before putting the house on the market, which was great for us. Since those appliances were new, we decided to upgrade the stove, oven, and microwave to match the more professional look of the new appliances. We’re lucky to have a large pantry and utility room through the door on the left. It has great, clean-lined shelving and formerly had ugly brown tile which we replaced with hexagonal carrara marble tile.}
{After: I knew early on that the green granite countertops would go, but I liked the idea of a contrasting island, which I do a lot for client’s kitchens. I opted for a darker grey for the island cabinets and we left the black granite countertop which we had professionally cleaned, re-honed, and sealed to make it look like new again. We also added one of my favorite light fixtures– the Morris Lantern by Suzanne Kasler over the island to punctuate the room and also added a cool Clark Semi-Flush Fixture by Thomas O’Brien over the sink where there was previously a recessed can.I was given a set of four Christopher Spitzmiller plates as a gift and since they’re too beautiful to put away in a cupboard, I decided to hang three above the doorway between the kitchen and dining room and the fourth over the window above our sink. The hint of color really perks up the space.}
{After: For the perimeter of the kitchen, I knew I wanted a white countertop, but also know myself and the fact that I am probably too high-strung to have marble in my kitchen. Instead, I knew I wanted a low-maintenance, durable, yet beautiful countertop surface and knew that Caesarstone would have exactly what I needed. They offer their slabs in 3cm thickness which makes a huge difference and they also have jumbo slabs which are extra wide and long. We also really liked our fabricator, Venetian Blind Carpet One on Bissonnet in Houston. A simple white ceramic subway tile was my choice for the backsplash because it works perfectly with the new countertops, it is a classic choice one that I have never tired of.}
{After: After sorting through multiple color samples, we opted for London Grey, a beautiful warm white with gray veining. We loved the color with our existing cabinets along with the fact that the veining looks more natural than that of other quartzes that mimic the look of marble. It didn’t have that “printed on” quality. After living with these counters for a couple of months know, both Fabian and I love them. They are a breeze to clean and we haven’t had any issues with staining or etching. We’ve spilled red wine on them more than once and have also placed hot pots and pans directly on the surface and haven’t had any issues. We literally wipe them down with a stone cleaner and that’s the end of it! You can also see our simple, white subway tile backsplash–a timeless classic in my eyes– as well as our new polished nickel hardware.}
{After: A Pair of Riviera Barstools from Serena and Lily add Texture and a Graphic Touch}
{After: All of the New Elements Make for a Neutral, Classic Kitchen that I Love}
{After: We have had such fun cooking together with our new appliances! Our cooktop has a really powerful 17K BTU dual-ring burner in the center which has been a game changer because it boils water so much more quickly than a traditional burner!}
{After: The old appliances in the house were also KitchenAid and still worked perfectly after 15 years, but we wanted everything to match, especially since their designs have changed so much and now look so professional. The old appliances were a separate wall oven and microwave, but this time, we opted for a combination wall oven with the microwave on top and oven on bottom. The look is much more streamlined and has made a big difference. Both the microwave and oven offer convection cooking options which we have been very impressed by. We’ve also noticed that everything cooks really evenly in the oven and every protein we’ve made– chicken, fish, and filet mignon– have all turned out super tender and juicy.}
{After: A beautiful bridge faucet, especially when done in polished nickel, instantly elevates the classic factor of any kitchen. We opted for one of my perennial favorites, Kohler Parq Bridge Faucet along with their Strive Stainless Undermount Sink which has a nice depth and a divider, which I prefer over a single basin.}
{After: You can really see the paint colors quite well in this photo. I have to say that design should really make you happy. I love spending time in my kitchen and find that certain pieces in my house, like the Morris Pendant or the deGournay panels in my dining room beyond the kitchen doorway, truly bring me joy each time I look at them. That is what design is all about!}
We have been so happy with all of our selections and have enjoyed spending time in our kitchen so much more since it has been finished as a result. The thoughtful design of each of the individual components in our kitchen has not only made using the space more seamless, but of course, more beautiful, too.
Resource List:
Countertops: 5000 London Grey by Caesarstone
Faucet: Parq Deck-Mount Bridge Kitchen Sink Faucet with Sidespray with Lever Handles in Vibrant Polished Nickel by Kohler
Sink: Strive Under-Mount Stainless Kitchen Sink by Kohler
Appliances: 27″ Stainless Steel Combination Wall Oven by KitchenAid | 30″ 5 Burner Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop by KitchenAid
Paint: Kitchen Cabinets- Jogging Path by Sherwin Williams | Island- Dovetail by Sherwin Williams | Walls- White Dove by Benjamin Moore | Trim- Dover White by Sherwin Williams
Lighting: Morris Pendant by Suzanne Kasler over Island | Clark Flushmount by Thomas O’Brien over Sink
Cabinet Hardware: Hexagonal Bin Pull in Polished Nickel and Ball Cabinet Knob in Polished Nickel
{Items in this post for our kitchen renovation were generously sponsored by Caesarstone, KitchenAid, and Kohler. All opinions are genuinely my own.}