It's beautiful and the accessories provided that added need of color but I am tired of seeing the same white kitchen over and over. I do realize that is just perference.

Amazing!!!

White is usually not my color of choice, but wow it is perfect here. I don't have the cojones acting as a contractor on kitchens or bath remods. Congrats on your new kitchen, and being such a bada$$ being your own contractor.

No one can say there isn't enough lighting in this space. It all seems to be equally lit (bright) which makes all the work that you've done look monotone. If these fixtures are on dimmers you may want to experiment with having different fixtures at different light levels which will give your space more visual depth and make it more dynamic.

What a great transformation.

The layout changes are very smart and they make for a much better flow. I can see that Denise and I are polar opposites when it comes to decor, so I won't weigh in on that.

Now THIS is a well-designed kitchen. Enough workspace, enough storage space, good flow, and arranged so that whoever's cooking can interact with others in the room. Plus it's bright and welcoming. WELL DONE.

Great remodel on a good budget! I love that you kept the floors and how warm the space looks.

The built in pantry and fantastic! I love a good built it, and the door is perfect for it. It adds so much more character vs. just another big cabinet.

Not a fan of your granite. It just looks out of place with the floor and backsplash. I think gray or even concrete counters would have looked better. I do like the new layout and other choices.

AWESOME!

I am so glad you kept the floor, and found a way to use it in your desired design scheme. It would have been such a waste environmentally and design wise to loose it. Good work.

It must have been thrilling to see how well your ideas worked. Every single thing is better than what was there before. Contrary to some of the other commenters, I don't see this as "another white kitchen." It's far from sterile, there's plenty of natural texture in the counter and tiles, and nothing is really white except the dinette table. This look manages to be bright and light yet warm and earthy. Any kitchen I'd design would have lots of color and wouldn't veer so much toward "elegant," but I don't have any problem saying that this kitchen is a complete success. The designer has a great eye for incorporating her old-world elegance but keeping it on a suitable scale so that it doesn't read as grandiosity. She knew just when to stop.

This even makes the adjoining room look better -- amazing!

I personally don't dig the "Tuscan" look (prefer something more modern), but the new kitchen is definitely an improvement on the old one!

I'm with Bee for Brian - this is definitely not just another white kitchen. My initial thought was actually that the patterning (between tile and granite) looks too busy! Still, I think this is an improvement in all ways over the initial, and if I were to try to do the same thing (design, be my own contractor) there's no way it would EVER look this nice!

Really nice! Only thing missing is color. A soft shade of something on the walls would be the finishing touch. Maybe a light green or yellow? Without some color all of the beautiful selections kind of blend together :-(. Although, as someone else mentioned, those rooms get plenty of light, you could even go with a darker shade like camel or a light brown to bring out the brown in that gorgeous granite. Be brave! Go for the color!

Although I feel like the backsplash and counter together are discordant (maybe just not my style), anything's better than the before, especially if 20 grand was spent. However, I don't see how the 'flow' was improved by moving the peninsula or whatever you call it to the other side. Before, there was a nice straight path from the adjoining room to the breakfast nook. Now, every time you want to go from the breakfast nook to the other room or vice versa, you have to cut around the peninsula. This could get annoying really fast, especially if several people are in the kitchen, taking things out of the fridge etc. And if you're a klutz like me or a rambunctious child, you'd run into the corner of that peninsula constantly. I just don't get it.

This is beautiful, and such an improvement! I also think this is not just "another white kitchen," and I personally am quite fond of the old-world, Tuscan look; I would be happy as a clam in that kitchen!

It still look 80's after the renovation.

You have my same kitchen layout (the initial layout) and your solution for moving appliances, etc, seems brilliant.
One question: In my current kitchen, the counters are too far away, and never feel as if I had enough counter space. Did you face the same issue, and did the new layout solve that problem?

thanks! Its great, and really only 20K??

AN improvement, but visually overwhelming to me for some reason.

Definitely a better layout, but this reads less "old world glamour" and more "1970s French Provincial" to me.

It's certainly a huge improvement but it looks exactly like every kitchen built in suburban houses in the early 90s...I wouldn't be able to tell it apart from my mom's (or her neighbor's or my aunt's) kitchens

LOVE IT! although my own style veers toward minimalism and clean lines, the new look is consistent, coherent, and holds my interest, while still offering lots of function. i agree with the earlier comment that losing the straight path from the adjoining room might be inconvenient, but otherwise the breakfast nook would not have come together as nicely. kudos on keeping the existing flooring and ditching the electric stove. overall, an excellent remodel!

Great execution. Not my personal style, but they did a fantastic job for themselves!

It looks like a kitchen Krystle Carrington would like. Power to you if that's your style!!!

Great job! I'm also with BEE FOR BRIAN. Definitely not "another white kitchen". I love that deep window sill. You can grow all kinds of herbs and spices on that thing. Good move on keeping that Spanish floor. If it aint broke don't fix it.

Gosh I don't like this I find it very dated and old fashioned

Is is just me or does the "after" look dated? It looks like my mother-in-law's kitchen remodel about 1989. It looks very professionally done with quality materials, but just not my style I guess.

I had to double take, what an amazing job!

Awesome. I love everything about it.

I cannot fathom how this was done on $20k. I live in California, and I admit I live in an area where the cost of living is high. But I have done some extensive renos acting as my "own contractor", and I know what all that costs...including labor. I would have like to see a cost breakdown on the project.

It's not at all my style, but it's a well-designed,cohesive and practical kitchen.

OMG I thought I had seen this kitchen somewhere it's got all the same things as Kim Zolciak's monster mansion kitchen only a mimi-me version, on TARDY FOR THE WEDDING. Funny! REALLY REALLY FUNNY!

Lovely kitchen. However, my only comment would be that it would have been nice to see more of a reference to the home's 1937 vintage with a modern twist than an all-out time warp. But, to each their own.

Love the kept floor, the new breakfast nook and improved overall functionality, but the rest of the style is a bit fussy for my taste. However, it's not my kitchen so congratulations on a great job of making your home more of what you like and on an amazing budget.

I agree with the other posters who say it still looks dated. There's something a little over-the-top for me-- maybe it is all the curly-cues (light fixtures, art, accessories). It is definitely much lighter though and I'm sure the owner is enjoying the brighter space immensely.

There is alot to like here. I was about to say something like "not my taste" and then I realized that I WAS! It dawned on me that this is a whole lot like my previous home's kitchen in color and texture. I bought a condo in conversion mode, and while it still was not mine yet, I prepaid to upgrade the tile to a tuscan/spanish style porcelean in the kitchen. On moving in, I painted everything warm earthy "tuscan" colors. It was 1998. I loved it. It was perfect. I miss it.

Yet, my vision for my current home's style is much different (MCM/Art Deco with some quirks). Everything is painted cool shades in my current home.

So I guess it IS my style. Sometimes.

I still own the condo - I have tenents. I hope they are not lamenting my "dated" style!

The layout change is nice, but it still looks very dated. I would also like to point out that, although the white is obviously lighter, the "after" pictures were taken in the middle of the day, while the before pictures look like they were taken in the evening. Anyway, I feel like just painting the cabinets would have made enough of an impact, and would have cost a lot less.

I'm sorry, but WHICH kitchen was "stuck in the 80s"?

The new one looks as if Alexis and Krystle might start a catfight in it at any moment.

It sure is a lot brighter. I agree with others that it does look dated.

I really liked the old one better... The new one is too bright and kitsch (in a bad way).

It's definitely a womans kitchen, if I were a guy I would feel out of place with all the frilly stuff going on. I LOVE the granite, but agree with others that it doesn't stand out enough from the tiles on the backsplash. Can't stand the flooring, it doesn't match any of the other elements in the kitchen and keeps it stuck in some oldschool realm. A nice wood or even stained concrete would have matched better. Definitely not my style, but then again, I don't have to cook in it.

Love this kitchen!! Can understand why you went so light....after so many years of having such a dark kitchen. You must be so happy working in the space :)

Unfortunately, I think the new kitchen is going to also look "dated" (and probably also "dingy") in a few years.

Love the banquette though.

Whoa!
Rural and Rueful: It looks like she saved on that ceiling fan...

I have to agree with some of the others that this looks like a suburban kitchen from the 80's. Probably better quality and finish but still it's too dated a look for me.

Thank you for all the kind comments! I understand my design may not align with everyone’s tastes, but I do hope that it helps to inspire anyone who’s considering a remodel.

I will try to answer some of the questions. Yes the project cost around $20,000. The most expensive parts were the cabinets and granite counters, but even then, I got them for an incredible deal from the cabinet wholesaler. This was largely because the cabinets came in a box and required installation (which they completed in 3 days), and the granite came in a couple of pieces (far cheaper than a single).

The reason I why I moved the peninsula to the opposite side, was to bring the lagoon into view. Now we can sit at the bar or nook, and look through our dining room and lounge towards the lagoon. It’s also optimized for workflow and social gatherings.

Since we have a very small kitchen (11 by 12 feet), it was important for me to keep things more monotone and bright. The backsplash, granite, floor and wood hood added texture, and variety to the depth of the tones.

Thanks again for all your feedback, the kitchen was a dream come true for our family. It was everything I wanted.
denise

What a mega improvement from the "before", so bright and beautiful. The best is the banquette, though probably because I don't have one and I dearly covet one.

Great job!

This is gorgeous!

The before looks 70s simplicity to me. Its definitely too dark, could use some brightness and the appliances need upgrading. I would have stuck with the already clean lines, since it is a ranch house and I like a good flow through the house.

The after looks very opulent, over the top, 80s to me with a lot going on in a small space. Like, let's have a "who shot JR?" party. If you want glamour in the kitchen, I would have gone more Kelly wearstler/ palm Springs glam. It would suit the ranch architecture well. You have to be careful going all out with those low ceilings.

But really the most important thing is the owner is happy in her new kitchen. Looks like that was accomplished, so bravo! But I do suggest having the JR party and everyone can break out those glam shoulder padded dynasty dresses from the back of their moms mothball closets. :)

It's not at all my taste, but I love that you preserved the original flooring.

It''s very late 80's to me. AND very pretentious, as in I want to be like the gals in the Real Housewives.

I much prefer the before, which could have been tweaked by painting the cabinets white and removing the upper cabinets above the counter next to the kiddie table (and adding pendant lighting in its place). Maybe switching out countertops. It would have been a 3K renovation instead of 20.

The coolest thing for me is the breakfast nook. Love it.

Denise did an incredible job, especially considering she undertook the whole project without a professional contractor! Design tastes aside, her kitchen is proof that a renovation of this scale can be done on a decent budget. In person the space is very cozy and welcoming, and not at all pretentious. My favorite addition is the nook. It was originally not part of the plan, but I'm so glad she decided to build the banquette. It really makes the space more cohesive and is probably my favorite part of her whole house.

The 70s were <u>not</u> about simplicity. They were about "Saturday Night Fever", platform shoes, shag wtw, glitter, Gucci, and spandex. Oh, yeah, purple, orange, and avocado green...together.

This is a very very girly kitchen. It reminds me of something my 68 year old mother would foist onto my father. Sorry, while well done, it is very 90's.

I would have kept the fridge at the back, with more counter space around the stove. Still, it is a very nice transformation. I'm also glad you kept the wonderful terracotta floor tiles, and granite is a fabulous choice for a kitchen counter, beautiful and durable. Great job!

@pearmelon, thanks for the feedback, I really wish our budget was larger, so we could create more wall space -- which would have allowed for more counter space around the stove. But our kitchen is very small with lots of windows and doorways, so the choices were limited.

May not be your style, but LMAO that anyone would think the before is better! Come on dude, REALLY!!!???

There are aspects of the "before" that I prefer -- like the counter tops and the backslash, and the general simplicity of it all -- but the "after" looks, of course, more polished. But the space seems to have been polished to a degree of garishness that simultaneously uplifts and diminishes it. For example, the lack of metallic conformity among the darkness of the cabinet hardware and light fixtures in comparison to the stainless steel of the appliances and the chrome or nickle faucet presents quite a bit of discord in the space. It is over-decorated and not well-harmonized in general (the busy granite could work with another backslash I suppose). All in all it must certainly feel like a more livable space to the owners. Not at lot of admirable choices though.

definitely not my style! it's not "old world" but KITSCH.

I wouldn't say I prefer the "before" but the "after" is definitely not my style at all... 20K for that, aouch.

Shame that some commenters can't see that, while it does not have the ubiquitous subway tile, Ikea white cupboards/butcher block, faux industrial look beloved of AT, this kitchen is, nonetheless, a beautiful, well-designed space for cooking and entertaining. Good design is as much about function as it is colour schemes and soft furnishings, and the owners have made good 'design' choices, not to be confused with 'style', which is very personal, and I think many people can't see past their own style preferences.

Seems a bit overblown for me. Like something a rich retiree would have in Florida in a fake French McMansion. But the countertops are gorgeous.

PIPSTAR, you made me laugh out loud! My sentiments exactly, though I never could have stated it so well!

I"m so sick of stainless steel appliances.

Wow! What a difference.

This kitchen is both white AND warm! Lovely and welcoming! Makes me smile!

HOLY CRAP!!! this is absolutely fantastic!! youre amazing!!