Before & After: A Smelly, Dated Dropped Ceiling Gets the Boot In This Kitchen Renovation

Written by

Hayley Lawrence
Hayley Lawrence
Hayley is a Georgia-born, dog-loving resident of Charlotte, NC since 1996. Hayley owns her own full-time wedding and portrait photography business - Lovely & Light - and is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill. Go Heels!
published Jan 20, 2016
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
(Image credit: Hayley Lawrence)

After buying this foreclosed one-bedroom in a trendy area of Charlotte, North Carolina, new homeowners Katie and Patrick were greeted with a less-than-encouraging scene. As they shared in their House Tour, “The day we officially moved in, this is what we found: a foreclosure notice, a bullet, an inmate identification card, and a dead pigeon.” First on the long list of much-needed home improvements was a renovation of the dated kitchen.

(Image credit: Hayley Lawrence)

Katie and Patrick tackled a smelly, ridiculously low dropped ceiling that made their already tight kitchen feel like it was closing in on them. They enlisted the help of family to tear it down, repair nail holes, remove glue residue, and dispose of the nasty construction.

(Image credit: Hayley Lawrence)
(Image credit: Hayley Lawrence)

Thanks to IKEA, the sink, hardware, cabinets, and countertops added modern style at an affordable price! Additionally, with the ceiling raised, lighting added, and a half wall removed, the kitchen got the light it so desperately needed.

(Image credit: Hayley Lawrence)
(Image credit: Hayley Lawrence)

On the dining room side, IKEA cabinets double as a counter and additional storage. Now that their kitchen is up-to-date, Katie and Patrick look forward to hosting that breakfast party they keep talking about.

(Image credit: Hayley Lawrence)

Thanks, Katie & Patrick!