Before wasn't that bad but the after is definitly much nicer.

Wow. What a difference. Nice work.

Great ideas and beautiful. Congratulations!

Before is pretty bad, especially the two misplaced/switched tiles next to the window. However, the after is kind of boring to me. There's just no color!

Agh! I remember those brass and tin stick on tiles from my youth!

The after does look must nicer, but I agree that the after is very bland. Perhaps it is the angle it is photographed from. Also, Im pretty sure the dishwasher in the before pic is the same model that I in my apartment, what I wouldnt give for the updated version.

I'm intrigued by the before metallic tiles. Not to say that they worked with the old cabinetry and appliances (or that they were executed well), but I feel like they would work with *something*.

I'm guessing that the homeowner also opened the kitchen? I always wish the before and after had parallel shots for the before and after (although I realize, if they opened the kitchen, the parallel shot in the before would just be a wall).

Maybe it's just me, but the "after" would be much better if the owner could do something about the radiator and the window.

And the "art" on those shelves.

The update to the cabinets/appliances is significant, though, and I can imagine that it's a much more pleasant space to spend time in!

What was so terrible about before?

Love the cabinets.

Working in an old yucky kitchen is so depressing. My current one and the one I lived in previously were way worse than the one pictured. Poo brown tile glue on the walls instead of a backsplash, plywood countertops, old stained vinyl flooring. I can't wait to reno. In the meantime, I take notes and pin photos.

Would have been nice to see a pop of color in the after. Brighter tile, accessories, window covering, SOMETHING.

The after looks great. How much did this renovation cost?

The kitchen is definitely nicer, but it needs some color! Something personal.

I feel the same way about this kitchen that I do about the other NY kitchen reno: there is something almost sinful about putting in these boring suburban kitchens into NY apartments. I almost prefer the old one. That cabinet color is so BLAH. The whole thing is just DULL. Where is the color? And by color, I don't mean the cheesy African art.

Not everything needs pops of color (starting to really hate those 3 words in succession). I think it looks tidy, minimalistic, and sleek- perfect for a tiny New York apartment kitchen. A rug or some fun magnets (I just like magnets, okay!?) would bring just enough color if desired.

Nice work!

I LOVE that silver & bronze tile in the before photo. You should have left it.

And just to be clear, the other NY apartment is not the Brooklyn one (which is gorgeous) but the earlier post which was a conversion to a galley kitchen which was HIDEOUS.

As someone who has had people look at the "before" pictures of my kitchen and say "Oh my gosh, it was so cute! Why did you change it?", I am chuckling over here. Yes, there are elements of the "before" that I actually like, namely, the copper and silver backsplash - I would have tried to recreate that in some way with new ceramic tile. Could be really cool! However, I KNOW what old, worn-out kitchens are like and how they can just be disgusting and nonfunctional when you are living with them. There are things that you cannot see in a picture: the faded spots on Formica, the dirty corners that stay dirty no matter how much you clean, terrible and torn linoleum underfoot, the dents and dings that are not charming, just sad. So, while I find the "after" terribly bland, I would never say that the "before" is better. And it has nothing to do with "pops of color" for me. (@granola suicide - I have been hating on that phrase of late, as well) I would just like something with a little more character, something unique, some texture, maybe with a smashing light fixture instead of the staid schoolhouse light. Luckily, some of these things can be added over time. I am sure it is a wonderful kitchen to work in.

If yiou look at the tile around the stove in the before, I don't think they were quality tiles or perhaps not originally in the gold/silver to start with.

Look at the finish around the stove, it's worn off in places, making it look like they may have been painted at some point, and years of cleaning/heat have worn away the surface, revealing the original finish, which may well be gray tiles. At least it looks that way anyway.

There are things I like about the before, which judging by the cabinets may well date back to the early 60's and what updates that WERE done, were done pretty badly, and strictly cosmetic in execution.

I will agree that the after, while tons better, looks bland as I'd have put something more dramatic in the backspash area to liven up the space, as it would not overwhelm the small footprint of the kitchen, but would give it the necessary pop it needs.

I'f it were me, I'd rip out the bland tile and put in perhaps some bright red glazed tiles, perhaps in the small square style and grout it in white. I'd also put in a more modern, round globe for the center light fixture, but the rest is more than fine, but that's just me though.

The original seems to have some character, but I could understand the desire to change it; the new kitchen certainly looks like a nicer place to spend time in, and is modern, but I agree with the comments that it's bland...good for resale, though, I suppose!

Terrific change! Calming and airy, compared to the old space. I hear what people are saying about the lack of color, but that'd be easily remedied with either a change of hardware and/or some dashes of color elsewhere, in the form of a plant, some ceramics or teapots or some linens, etc.

.... yes, the dreaded "pops of color" phrase... Hey, at least I didn't invoke with a straight face two of HGTV's much-overused phrases, which eventually made me want to throw things at my TV: the "hardware is jewelry for your cabinets" phrase and "the kitchen is the heart of the home" phrase. (Ugh!)

Not everything needs color and not everybody wants color.

This is a really beautiful space that you created.

agreed. I thought the "ick" was not really bad. But what an improvement!

definitely an improvement - no comparison. the backsplash/cabinets all seem to blend in together though and nothing stands out. would have looked nicer with a different backsplash in my opinion

Wow I love it!

Having used kitchens of the "before" era; I can say that I much prefer the "after". Clean, fresh and while it may not be ~trendy~ it's perfect for a working kitchen. And color can be added.

Those two misplaced tiles near the window are setting off my OCD, so glad it's gone.

who makes those wrap around floating shelves on the column?

@granola suicide: Glad to see I'm not alone in the "phrase hate". What I really hate about that phrase is that it's realtor speak. Ugh.

Looks awesome! Had a laugh because someone must have had a pretty bad cold when the before photos were taken - soup lids, Theraflu, and a prescription bottle...

The Theraflu is the only redeeming feature of the original kitchen. Really, you're high on old-school Thera to try to justify the original kitchen over the renovation.

The renovation looks great. Really clean and simple.

So I googled generic kitchen cabinets and the first image that came up was from apartment therapy: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/good-questions-how-can-i-spruc-45730 . This person has the same cabinets as this poster and is trying to spruce them up! I'm sorry but I can't believe someone who is a designer is trying to sell horrible boring light colored generic wood cabinets as anything resembling intentional design. This is a lazy housewife McMansion kitchen. It's stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and brown kitchen cabinets. It's like house number 2 on house hunters! The older kitchen is crappy but at least it has an excuse to be a bit schlubby. But the after has basically moved to the suburbs and gained 50 pounds.

It's certainly an upgrade. Something that I always enjoy about re-dos is the opportunity to rethink the fresh, open space. To redesign in a way that makes people say 'I never thought of using that place for a ____!' Here the wall has been removed but the order and elements of the kitchen remain the same.

One twist I can picture would be to shift the sink and dishwasher to the island creating the possibily for a bar with glasses above -- making the feeling of the kitchen relative to the open space friendlier and more extroverted.

The stove scoots to the left and the window wall becomes a nice area for a 2 person breakfast nook (a mirror on the sunny wall catches the light while you stretch your legs and enjoy coffee in the morning sun). It would hide that nasty heater too... :-)
Something similar -- but not exactly like -- this : http://roomenvy.co.uk/2009/01/20/perfect-spot-for-your-cornflakes/

I love wood, but I have trouble with wood on wood. When, if ever, is wood on wood a good thing? I wouldn't mind reading a design post about that... although I'm sure it boils down to personal preference.

The tiles from before looked nasty.

Wonder if the 'before' was professionaly 'icked' wha with the prescription, near empty soda etc. Yes, the 'after' is better, but also a major $ after. For more budget minded, in maybe a similar situation, really cleaning up the 'ick' and a few minor changes certainly could also be done. (But then, there'd be those saying "this isn't much of an 'after'.".

yaaaawn

Anyone saying that maybe you could have cleaned it up - have you ever had a really old kitchen that had had multiple owners? I had a 30 year old kitchen and could barely do anything with it before I gutted it. It was disgusting. It wasn't about cosmetic issues, either. The shelves were saggy, there were decades of fingerprints, grease marks, and all sorts of unfortunate stains on the walls, and the counters had staining from years of misuse. There was nothing that could be done to spruce it up. A complete teardown was the only remedy.

I dont think people are asking for the redo to be trendy, I think its a measure of that as people become more sophisticated in their understanding of design and their own personal taste they want to see personality in a space. This space has no personality, which is why it appears bland. Just my two sents though.

The "before" is, for a NYC apartment, between 'not bad' and 'pretty good', The first photo of the after is so bad that I actually kinda preferred the before for its authenticity. And then I saw the second picture of the new space, Ha ha. Very nice. I wonder if it's just my PC that is making that first "after" look blah. Looks like it will be great once it's been cooked in for a bit.

@kuskush - the first "after" photo looks bad because the lights are off and the only light you're getting is from the window.

Is it my imagination, or have remarks on AT gotten much more snarky lately? Why not just say, "I would have done xyz". Why do people have to be so snarky?

I LOVE the new look. I think a big problem with people who think the before is "charming" is THEY aren't the ones that have to cook and use the space. Not to be rude, but the before looks rather grody (not just because it's lived in, as "lived in" does NOT equal grody), and kitchens should be clean. You can see the stains in the finishes, that have probably been there for years and no one can get them out. I think it's a great idea to keep the more permanent elements (like appliances/tile/cabinetry) neutral, as it leaves the homeowners the freedom of choosing which colours they want to use and when! My two cents, anyways...

Congrats to the homeowners who I'm sure LOVE the change!

stunning

How does this kitchen renovation compare to a "suburban" kitchen? Suburban kitchens are large, and are usually attached to family rooms. There's nothing charming about the original-that Formica countertop and drop-in steel sink just scream cheap remodeling. The new kitchen is clean, modern and certainly a joy to cook in. The neutral palette is sophisticated and makes the most sense when you take the neighborhood and its property values into account. Character and color come from the people in the room, not the backsplash.

Ros, why do people hate radiators so much? Granted, I prefer avoiding hot air for heat completely (I think the vents are way uglier than radiators, personally, and they are unbelievably unhealthy. Hot water/steam heat is so much healthier, efficient (if working properly), and does not spread dust), but I don't think that particular hot air radiator is that bad.

I can feel the decades of old grease from the "before" kitchen through my monitor. Yuk. An overhaul was definitely needed. I like an all-white kitchen but the "after" kitchen works. It is new too!! Love the radiator, they are much better than forced air IMO.

Now if I could just persuade my landlady to update my kitchen to something like this I would be so happy with my apartment!

Ros:

So, African sculptures and masks are not considered valid artforms?

I really wish the trend of having unnecessarily cluttered and messy 'before' photos would just go away.

Excellent. A really nice job. Very nice contrast between color of cabinets and flooring. I hate when the two are the same.

The lighting on the first after picture was poor, by the way.

I find it amusing that so many think the "after" isn't trendy. It absolutely is, and will be "dated" in five years.

good job looks really nice

It's a great change. I just wish the "after" photos would be more comparable to the "before" shots. The before shot for this kitchen is realistic; it gives a lived-in feel. But the after shot has no kitchen accessories whatsoever, nothing on the counter tops. Those may be small things but they also play a big part in the overall feel of the new room.

I like the so-called "lack" of color. I like the idea of a more base black granite rather than a shiny hue.

One thing I don't care for is the stainless fridge, but I'm not sure how one avoids that. I guess custom wrapped? Because as much as I don't care for the stainless, black or white wouldn't be any better.

I Like the Before Photos-they really show what can be done-and write this down folks-I LOVE It-usually if I make a comment there's some tweak I would make-but not in this case-Perfect design for the space

I like how the "before" image was (intentionally or coincidentally) made more gross by all the trash on the countertop.

Carly and contractors did a wonderful job on this kitchen. I should be so lucky.