Before & After: 3 Months + $3k = One Enviable Kitchen
Now, there’s nothing wrong with a bold color in the kitchen if it’s executed well. Sadly that was not the case for Shannon’s sporadically navy blue kitchen. She made some small updates to the space when she first moved in, but after living with the kitchen for a few years she decided it was time to give the space the true makeover it deserved.
From Shannon: When we first bought the house six years ago the kitchen walls and cabinet panels were painted a dark navy color. The floor was very old linoleum. We immediately painted the walls white and re-did the flooring to match the original hardwood floors throughout the rest of the house. You can see those minor changes in the photo below. We lived with it like this for several years before deciding to make big changes!
The initial decision to make the change came when we noticed the tile countertop being pulled down by the weight of the original farmhouse sink. The grout was pulling away and you could see the unevenness in the tiles. I knew I had to save the sink and I always wanted quartz countertops and open shelving so we decided to do it all!
The process took about three months, mainly because we did everything ourselves. We saved a lot of money by not hiring help. My boyfriend and grandfather are handy men and did all of the work. The tile was more tedious than we thought and because my boyfriend had to work on it after work hours and on weekends it took a little longer than planned. We spent around $3,000, with the main expense being the new bottom cabinets and quartz countertops while saving a ton on labor.
The kitchen is not very big so I love how taking away the bulky old top cabinets has made it feel so open. My favorite part is the shelving, my grandfather made the shelves and they turned out so beautiful. I was excited about adding some brass touches; the brackets, faucet, and hardware are my obsession.
My inspiration for the kitchen was beautiful open shelving — we revolved everything around the shelves! I wanted it to be bright and eclectic like the rest of our 1920s bungalow home. I knew I wanted a light white/grey marble or quartz countertops and to do a fun patterned black splash to add interest. I love how the black and white tile turned out. We added brass hardware; I liked the shape of the faucet for a modern touch. Vintage copper and thrift store finds are displayed throughout along with hanging plants for the homey, boho feel we so love.
Shannon’s words of wisdom: If you are doing a DIY be realistic about your timeline and setting a budget!
Thank you, Shannon! You can see more on Shannon’s website.