Andi’s Kitchen Renovation: The Big Reveal
Before: The kitchen, although graced with beautiful large windows, left a little something to be desired.
After: A new kitchen from the studs inward, including a new Kohler sink and industrial task lighting above the windows for more functionality.
From Andi:
We love the new kitchen and feel truly lucky to have it. We’ve already hosted Friday cocktail gatherings and Easter dinner with friends. On both occasions the party revolved around the kitchen. The sparkly chandelier and zinc island make people want to celebrate — I love that about the space.Possibly the most luxurious thing is the increased square footage (we went from 95 to 170 square feet). All of our work tearing down the hallway wall, dismantling a hidden chimney, and structurally supporting the ceiling was worth it.
Check out this post to see diagrams of the changes that were made to the kitchen’s floor plan.
Before: the old refrigerator, shoved awkwardly into a pantry, and the old stove sitting in front of what used to be a fireplace.
After: the kitchen has been enlarged by removing a wall and opening it up to the hallway. The new fridge and stove sit in a special niche where the hidden fireplace once was.
A couple times per week, Dean and I stand in the kitchen and debate which element we like the best. We can never decide. The chandelier, zinc countertop, Blue Star range and sink are amongst our favorites.
Before: beat-up old cabinets.
After: the wall where the cabinets used to be has been completely removed, opening the kitchen up to the hallway beyond.
I guess my final choice is the zinc countertop. It has gotten quite a few rings and marks on it in the past few weeks, but the vendor assures me that this is all part of the patina process and I need to give it a few months to build up wear-and-tear. Then I will not notice every new mark and scratch. Regardless, I love how it looks and feels, the edges are beautiful, and it definitely sets the tone for the entire kitchen.
The new island, with zinc countertop, looking toward the dining room.
The vintage hutch provides storage for all dry food and baking ingredients. We added an electrical plug to the hutch and bolted it to the wall in case of earthquake, so it is as permanent as the other cabinetry now.
A close-up of the Blue Star range, with Ann Sacks tile behind.
Congratulations, Andi and Dean! Readers, Check out the full series to see the whole renovation process, step-by-step. And be sure to join us next week for a full budget breakdown.
The Renovation Diaries are a new collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style. See all of our Reno Diaries here.
(Diary text and ‘before’ images: Andi Forker. ‘After’ images: Lindsay Tella.)