I don't know...I think that the walls need some contrasting paint. This redo lacks pizzazz.

I think it's beautiful, especially that tile & those lights! Nice and clean. DEFINITELY an improvement over the "before"!

I also think it looks lovely, definitely a great improvement on the "before". I especially love that red table! Good job!

I agree the walls need something, perhaps a med. grey?? but otherwise it is very nice, more modern.

Its way better than before, but way too model home for my tastes. Painting the island red might be cool?

love the floors!

An improvement, but sterile and impersonal. It looks like it was designed for "anybody" or "everybody," not for "somebody." And end up looking just right for "nobody."

People these days are so much less likely to buy a house a just live there for decades, and that leads to these renovations that keep one eye on pleasing the blandness-loving next buyer instead of indulging any tastes of the people who are making the choices now. Really, white is the ONLY color that anyone in this family likes?

If the only goal was "eliminate the idea that this house isn't up-to-date," then mission accomplished. But it looks like a showroom, not a home. Thank God for the red table. (And curse the devil for that "EAT" sign. I would literally rather see a sign saying "Now entering the kitchen.")

Painting the island red would have been really cool, but not if they were about to sell their home. I'd rather walk into a kitchen that was more of a blank slate rather than one that had a ridiculous amount of personality. It makes it hard for me to envision what I would do as a prospective buyer when I have a lot of colors in my face.

I really like what they've done with it, though. It's a classic look that will withstand years of use. There's nothing wrong with "safe." Some people really like simplicity as a style. Not everything needs to be magenta to be exciting.

Seems like the red kitchen table and other pops of red add the pizzazz. Great job!

I love this. It's simple, beautiful, classy and functional! Well done.

Calm and refreshing.

And kudos for a well matched before/after shot!

@BEE FOR BRIAN - You're making a lot of assumptions based on one room, and I'd like to pose an few alternatives. First, you say that it looks like it was designed for "anybody" or "everybody" but it's not like someone held them at gunpoint and told them they HAD to paint cabinets white. Is it so beyond comprehension that some people LIKE white cabinets?

Secondly, maybe the kitchen is white and black because the rest of the house is not. And thirdly, maybe instead of telling someone that they've renovated their home and now it's impersonal, you should just accept that other have different ideas of what they find aesthetically pleasing.

You just can't please anyone, this much is clear. It's just that there's a huge difference between acknowledging a job well done and tearing it to pieces because YOU don't like it.

A modernly classic kitchen. Can I say that?

I like this a lot. The renov was just enough of a change to have a new kitchen without completely erasing any sign of a former kitchen. It makes it a lot more of a realistic change. I'm digging all the little details like the new shelf above the sink with the mason jars, the faucet, lighting, and the minimal hints of red. I love the new red dining table too. I think they did a great job.

PS: I'm a huge fan of white cabinets. The cabinets in my place now are the plain white generic cabinets and we've yet to redo our kitchen. When we do, I want to keep the white cabinets (or maybe some really, really light wood color).

I just had to comment on this... To me it's a perfect kitchen. Feels clean, but comfortable.

I see nothing negative about this transformation. I like how most of the original kitchen was saved with painting existing cabinets, and keeping the same layout. Less fuss, less expense, and certainly less stuff ending up in landfills just to appease an aesthetic.

Good job. It looks clean, functional, and cheery.

Seriously, what's with all the hyper-criticism?
The remodel is a VAST improvement on the builder grade, sucky oak cabinets and lack of imagination.
Sure... a warm grey on the upper walls would add some more saturation... but all and all, this is a kitchen/ hub of the home any family would be comfortable and content in.
Maybe over time they'll want to add more personality... but I'll bet they're just relieved to have a beautiful space instead of the assault on the eyes it was before.

Why do so many of you think everything has to be designed within an inch of it's life?
Not ugly, and comfortable is enough for most folks.

Think this is a lovely renovation. I'm most happy to see the island squared off. The weird angle of the island would have driven me insane, increase function with seating, and caused many accidents, not to mention the bad feng shui.

Love the red table.

I like it, I think it has a nice clean feel. I assume that these photos were taken shortly after the kitchen was completed, and just like when we move into a new house, it can take time to get everything into place and give a room that "lived in" look. We can't all be professional stylists.

At any rate, while it's certainly a huge improvement, I'd hardly call it a masterpiece. I think I've seen my fill of kitchens with white painted cabinets, granite counters (contrasting colors on the island), subway tile, and stainless appliances. I think this is going to look dated sooner rather than later.

@Bee for Brian is spot on, and really, not that negative. We come here to talk about what looks good and why, right? This looks good, but it's somehow lacking originality, and I'm glad Bee for Brian expanded on it (and suggested changes that would help). I suspect that the owner feels the same way, and that's why she switched the table to something more rugged and colorful.

But then, I also find EAT signs in kitchens mysteriously irritating...

Looks GREAT! Feels clean and pulled together. I'd love to have this kitchen.

As a fan of white kitchen, I love the new look. I think they did a great job. I love the contrat of using different counter tops and that new red farm table is awsome too.

Awesome, love the white and the versatility. Perhaps the only thing I'd change is the white backsplash.

Beautiful! I like the red table.

I also think that it's perfect.
A million decisions went into making that kitchen cohesive and pleasing.
And what was with angled islands anyways? Changing that out made all the difference.

Well done!

Soime of thouches like the crown molding are nice and the touch of red is eyecatching, but overall it's just another "let's paint it all white and call it a renovation" post at AT.

LOVE. Whatever to some of the negative or lukewarm comments. I think this looks a hundred times better than the before which is obviously terrible. The kitchen is bright, but warm, very inviting, crisp. I would be thrilled having a kitchen like this. Great work!

Thank goodness they squared off the island. What builder says 'let's put the island on an angle'? LOL. Was that an 80s thing?

Builder grade oak cabinets are the bane of my existence! Very good job on the re-do!

For my taste, I prefer the old kitchen; it's warm and cozy. The renovation is cold and sterile. I guess some people like that, not me.

I find the white refreshing and clean, the transformation is lovely and I agree moving that island really makes a difference with the visual flow. I also like the combination of different counter tops which add some interest and of course managed the costs. I especially like that the area rug under the table divides the space more effectively than the original carpet which I think was dangerously close to the eating area (with two young children!) and would have been a pain to scootch the bar stools around when sitting at the bar.

Happy to see the same fridge and the same kitchen chairs. It might be 'safe' but its well executed and a huge improvement!

I do like a white kitchen- It seems more classic to me than wood. I guess this is probably because I grew up in a 1950s Cape Cod style house with white and yellow (and later white and... white) painted kitchen cabinets.

Dang- so many backhanded complements!
I think it looks nice as hell- looks like a smart and clean re-do for a standard builder-grade kitchen.

Changing that island made all the difference for me. Nice work!

I don't hate the after of this kitchen, however I'm much less traditional in my taste and would opt for concrete countertops & whatnot. But getting to the point, the kitchen is mildly bland, and not for lack of trying. While I wouldn't do it myself, they have a beautiful rustic theme going on and if they expanded on it a bit, the kitchen would feel complete. I would put a beautiful vase on the kitchen island with tulips in a bright color that isn't red. The subway tile is a beautiful white, splash a small plant (I love little aloe plants) against it for a pop of color. I would also define the dining room space with a less bland rug, a larger chandelier possibly made from light bulbs/wine bottles/mason jars. And a centerpiece on the table. New paint color in gray. But that's just me. I like unique items and one of a kind art. I think more people would appreciate it if it were decorated better.

Love the after kitchen. (The before was so bland )The red table and accents really go nicely with the stainless steel. It's a very cheery welcoming space now. The island looks a LOT better... love the sisal, and the little added shelf above the sink. a nice reno.

Like that the stair area was re-done also. So many nice little details.

Whoa! Great work :-) Much better island!

Something about a white kitchen... Love it, good job!

Not to rain on the parade, but the old kitchen wasn't that bad. All I see is 1) rotated island, 2) new countertops, 3) painted cabinets white, 4) upper cabinet trim, 5) matching microwave.

The big difference is that the "before" picture looks like it was taken at night, with a big mess strewn about, whereas the "after" pictures were taken with natural daylight with virtually no mess to speak of.

It seems like most people like the rotated island. I like the angled design better. If this were my kitchen and a rich person's budget, I would have gone with something along the lines of a curved island- more seating, and more intimate seating.

Of course it looks a million times better; it's cleaned up, for starters. What's with this trend of photographing the 'before' while it looks as messy as possible? Transparent, and irritating.

Even if you're about to start renovating, it takes 30 seconds to shove all the junk out of the way for a photo.

I also did not think Bee for Brian's comments were so far off base. Or even particularly negative. What's the point of a comment function if you can't post (polite) criticism??

So in my opinion, yes, it is nice, clean, fresh and modern. But I hate the 'Eat' sign, and I think some more unusual chairs would make a huge difference.

I think that she did an excellent job of working with her existing cabinets and layout. I just spent a while looking through her blog and she seems to be pretty down to earth and humbled by being featured here. I personally love this kitchen and it motivates me to get off my butt and start renovating my own!

here is a link to her post in response to the comments and finding her kitchen on Apartment Therapy.

http://www.binreallife.com/2012/04/dear-apartment-therapyi-now-need-some.html

Man I bookmarked this baby so fast! While not exactly what we want to do with our kitchen (going with a dark wood counter on the island, a lighter stone on the back counters and Moroccan tile on the back splash) this layout and before situation is almost identical to ours and very close to what I'd like to end up with. A nice clean, budget friendly kitchen face lift. great job!!

Great renovation / kitchen refresh.

Message to Brooke / B in Real Life
Please don't let the negative web comments here phase you about playing it safe, needs more color, lacks pizzaz, it is impersonal, it is not this, it is not that, etc bla bla. It is your house, your kitchen, your budget, your idea, your elbow grease. You did the work, not them. I doubt all the arm chair commenters have tackled the renovation you did with such a great outcome ... let alone a renovation that goes beyond what you did.

Ever notice that trend in the DIY / Renovations shows, that you have to have bright colors; only to see the next show where the designers tone it down and make it more neutral. That's my next project. A big house with lots of colors that don't go with anything and make you think somebody's been watching too many DIY tv shows.

"Not to rain on the parade, but the old kitchen wasn't that bad. All I see is 1) rotated island, 2) new countertops, 3) painted cabinets white, 4) upper cabinet trim, 5) matching microwave."

Did you not see the new lights, which replaced the ugly old ceiling barnacle? Or the new floor, which banishes the awkward transition from tile to carpet with a unifying sweep of warm wood? The contrasting countertops between the island and the rest of the kitchen? The new hardware on the cabinets?

It's a little suburban for my tastes, but I'm not going to deny that it's a great remodel that addresses all of the flaws of the old kitchen with style.

gorgeous!

A vast improvement, but the after still seems pretty boring. Not my dream kitchen, though the floor and the lighting are really, really good. The rest of it is just so bland to me, I wish there was something that popped.

I have nothing negative to say about the "after" pictures. This is lovely. Just add a couple colorful accessories. You can change them out as you please. It's a huge improvement. Very clean and inviting.

I love the updated accents! The barstools that match the dining room chairs are so cool, and the light fixtures change the feel of the room completely. Wood floors are definitly better than carpet in a kitchen, too, especially in a house with kids.

Total love!

woah! what a surprise! WHITE..... AGAIN!!! wtf AT... cant you EVER show a kitchen with COLOR????????????????????