Before & After: Updating the Kitchen in “The Ugliest House on The Block”

published Feb 28, 2016
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Before: a drab kitchen with wood paneling
(Image credit: Christa Rene Photography)

As a young married couple (and now toddler parents!), we’ve relocated 3 times in five years with Justin’s company. Our last move brought us home to Greenville, South Carolina, where the real estate market in our dream neighborhood was insanely competitive. Since we were relocating from Northern Maine, we couldn’t be on site when a potential home would go on the market so we ended up in multiple bidding wars on properties that we had only seen via FaceTime. By the time the second property was lost to another bidder, we knew we needed to get creative.

(Image credit: Christa Rene Photography)

We had been watching a heinous, outdated, over-priced, vacant Brady Bunch style ranch house on a great lot on an amazing street and thought maybe, just maybe, we could take on a renovation. After (too) much negotiating and finding out the house was built on a truss system, we pulled the trigger and bought the ugliest house on the block. We had a very tight timeline of 3 months to completely and totally gut all 2,000 square feet so our construction crew was waiting in the driveway on signing day. Our family moved into a temporary apartment, stored the majority of our belongings and began the process of a renovation. There were times that we didn’t think we would survive (or our marriage, for that matter) but the results were well worth it.

I designed our home and the kitchen was the cornerstone of the open concept floor plan. My favorite features are the marble look alike granite, subway tiles to the ceiling and the spice drawer (my husband’s favorite features are the candy drawer and touch faucet). Our home was designed with entertaining in mind and having an island that seats 7 in the middle of the open concept space has been perfect for get togethers. From my kitchen sink I can see into the living room, dining room, play room and both the front and back yards, making the layout perfect for a family.

You can see more of Stephanie’s reno on her blog Olive & Tate.

Thank you, Stephanie!