Who would have ever thought we’d be without a kitchen for almost four months? Not us. But it’s baaaaaack. And it’s better than ever.
First a shot of the kitchen that came with the house when we purchased it almost two years ago:
And now for the dramatic transformation we promised. The granite was totally the icing on the cake. Here’s a shot of the whole shebang as seen from the living/dining room:
And here’s a shot of the left side with that sexy hood that we just used while MAKING DINNER. Sorry for the caps, we just haven’t made dinner at home in ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN DAYS!!! Oops, there I go again.
Here’s the right side with our stainless dishwasher, fridge, and microwave- is there anything we can’t cook in our new kitchen? Well, yes. But at least we’ll burn the filet mignon in style.
This is a shot of the little microwave nook, a really cute little bonus area in a corner of the kitchen that we originally planned to leave bare. Thank goodness for our kitchen designer Nancy Kulik, who convinced us that storage is better than floorage.
And here’s a closer shot of my favorite corner, which sports all sorts of little extras. A cabinet with a glass door (which does wonders for making the kitchen seem less “boxed in”)…
… and a built in double-tiered lazy susan for an insane amount of storage in the base cabinet:
And no kitchen is complete without a little jewelry. Our brushed nickel faucet fits the bill. And check out that undermount sink. Me-ow.
We hope the wait was worth it for all you lovely readers. We’d love to know what you think!
nichole says
Gorgeous! Absolutely beautiful! I love looking at before & after pictures and yours is a complete makeover! Great job…love reading your stories!
roxy says
The suspense!! I’ve been waiting all day long to see the pictures:) Definitely worth the wait!! Congrats!!!!
min hus says
That sound was me whistling at your kitchen. Verrrry niiice.
Cheryl says
Absolutely gorgeous! I can only dream of a kitchen like yours for now! Oh, and how do you live without a kitchen for 4 months??
Jennifer says
Wowee! That is awesome. It looks like something out of a magazine!
Aimee says
So pretty! What a difference the color makes. It looks like the kitchen is a lot bigger. Something along the lines of what you did is what we had planned to do for our kitchen, but the granite was out of our budget. We did paint our cabinets white though, so of course I always love to see other people with white cabinets because they must be cool people too. ;)
Kelly says
Woohoo! It’s gorgeous. Seriously, ya’ll did a totally stand up job! :) Magazine worthy! :)
Do you mind us asking for a ball park figure of how much it set you back? I’m always curious as to how much people put into their kitchens when renovating. It helps me figure out how much I need to save for when we buy a house and wanna redo! (And yes..if it was rude to ask you don’t have to answer! hahaha sorry! :) )
jenni@ThirteenEleven says
WONDERFUL !! (all caps!) Worth the wait for it to be done right. The countertops turned out fantastic. Can’t wait until we have real cabinets and countertops. We’re still in transition.
Heather says
Truly AMAZING! I know all the set backs you guys went through so I can imagine your little victory dance you did yesterday. Great job S!!
xoxo
YoungHouseLove says
Hey All You Fabulous Readers,
Boy are we tickled by all of your sweet responses. Every time we received another lovely comment we did the happy dance (as Burger looked on confusedly). It’s just super fun to have so much positive reinforcement after all the hard work and waiting. And we appreciate the time you each took to send those sweet replies.
As for Kelly’s ball park figure request, that’s actually our plan for the next post, so stay tuned to see where we scrimped and where we splurged.
xo
Sherry
SoupNumber5 says
Very nicely done! We’re in the process of redoing our kitchen. Hope it comes out just as nice. I applaud the work!
kim says
I found your site by googling “pashmina granite,” and am totally impressed with everything you’ve done! We’re knee deep in a kitchen reno, and I can’t decide between the pashmina granite and “tigris sand” Silestone (the latter of which was my first love). I love the way your kitchen looks — great job! — so the tide may be changing :-) We’re doing an all-white kitchen with some red accents (nothing really permanent — think Le Creuset and Kitchen Aid mixer…). Since you guys obviously have great taste, and have a huge chunk of Pashmina in front of you, I’d be curious to know whether you think it would look good with the red. I’ll stay tuned!
whatever DeeDee Wants says
Wow! It looks amazing!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kim,
It’s so funny that you mentioned that Tigris Sand was your first love. I don’t know if you checked out some previous blog entries, but a handful of posts ago we explained how our countertop “first love” was Blanc Noir granite… but when we actually saw the big slabs we realized it would have been terrible. Much darker and more spotty than we’d like (we were going for a more marble-like-effect with veins and big movement as opposed to consistent blotches throughout the countertop). And that’s when we switched gears and found our beloved Pashmina.
I don’t want to sound completely biased (although I love love love my dear Pashmina) so I’ll just state the facts. It would look fantastic with red accents. I know this because I actually brought in a piece of art with red apples on it and it looks amazing just leaning against the wall and resting on the granite. I don’t think you can see it well in the detail shots above, but if you look at the pic with the lazy susan you can see it all blurred in the background. Trust me, it looks great.
I can totally picture a red mixer in the corner and a red tea kettle on the stove. So cute. Plus a white kitchen with red accents never goes out of style. Good luck with everything- I’m sure it will be just beautiful!
xo
Sherry
kim says
Thanks for the intelligence, Sherry! I’ll definitely keep it in mind :-)
Making it Lovely says
I don’t know where I’ve been and why I hadn’t seen your blog before, but wow! Gorgeous! Thanks for leaving a comment on my site, because that’s what I followed to end up over here!
Now to make my way through the archives…
Wanderluster says
Just came across your blog — you guys have done some fantastic work on your house! I’m in the midst of planning my own white kitchen reno so I loved seeing your pics. Good job!
Anonymous says
I am planning a white kitchen remodel and thinking of using pashmina as a substitute for marble. My search brought up your kitchen and it looks great. Pashmina is a go!
Darren says
Your kitchen is the best..now im wondering how i can change my half finished kitched to look as good as yours
YoungHouseLove says
So you say you’re in the middle of a kitchen renovation? We remember the feeling. Hopefully you’ll blink your eyes and it’ll all be over and your kitchen will be absolutely amazing. Good luck!
Sherry
Cathie says
Your kitchen is absolutely beautiful. Sorry you waited 4 months…I am waiting 4 weeks. I also picked out Pashmina, do you know if it comes under another name? Best of luck to you…
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Cathie,
Four weeks sounds like heaven… you’re a lucky girl! I’m so excited you also picked Pashmina- it’s such a great color. As for if it goes by any other name, we just recently learned that Home Depot either no longer sells it or has changed the name but we’re not sure what the new name would be. However, the good news is that any stoneyard in your area should have a similar looking slab. Just describe it as light with gray and black veins and flecks of garnet. We went to two local stoneyards back when we were doing our kitchen and they both had similar slabs with different names. Good luck with everything!
xo,
Sherry
PJ says
I just stumbled upon your blog and am absolutely in awe of all the work you put into your home. It’s beautiful! I especially love your kitchen. I was wondering what color paint you used on the walls. I think it might work well in my new kitchen.
Thanks!
PJ
YoungHouseLove says
Hey PJ!
The paint color in our kitchen (which we love and is also in our bedroom) is by Glidden and is called Gentle Tide. You can see a full breakdown of all of our paint colors here:
https://www.younghouselove.com/watching-paint-dry/
Do send us pictures if you end up using it!
-John
bungalowbliss says
Just located your blog, and boy am I thrilled! I’ll be tackling my kitchen next spring…three cheers for the results of your makeover!! Way to close off the doorway–such a better use of the space and everything is just gorgeous!
Jennie Gift says
Hello I was wondering what light you have over your sink. We are considering doing this in our kitchen and I am trying to find “just” the right one.
Thanks!
Jennie
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jennie,
The seeded glass pendant light above our sink is from West Elm but I’m not sure if they make them anymore. If they don’t you can always search “seeded glass pendant” or “glass pendant light” and see what comes up on Google or even nextag.com. Happy hunting!
xo,
Sherry
Hilary says
Hi, I saw your “story” in The Nest magazine. First of all, I love your kitchen, great job! I have been wanting to paint my kitchen and the color you chose is PERFECT, thanks for picking that out! :) Did you have to use more than one coat? Just wondering if it seemed darker or lighter after it dried…thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Hilary,
We used two coats (the first coat went on a bit thin/light, but by the second coat it was perfect). Hope it helps! Happy painting…
xoxo,
Sherry
Laura says
Hi,
I love your website – you guys have done a great job with your house! Can you tell me where you got your kitchen cabinets?
Laura
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Laura,
We got our appliances from Lowe’s (Frigidaire) but almost all of the rest of the major kitchen components came from Home Depot (we used the free help of a certified kitchen designer to create a functional layout, purchased KraftMaid cabinets there, and even got our Stonemark granite counters from them). Of course we relied on ebay and other inexpensive stores to get cheap fixtures and pinch pennies where we could. It’s all about the mix. Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
Laura Beth says
Hey Sherry,
I’ve noticed that you have a stainless steel sink… how do you keep it clean and sparkling?! My husband and I have lived in our brand-new house for almost 2 years and the stainless sink is already looking rusted in some spots and I haven’t found anything to date to help with it. That sink is the only thing about my kitchen that I HATE! Thank you!
Lovely home by the way – but you knew that! :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Laura Beth,
We have a little insider’s secret and it’s called Barkeeper’s Friend. It’s available at most grocery stores and even at Home Depot/Lowe’s, and it’s perfect for whipping a stainless sink into shape. We actually haven’t had to use it on our current sink (it’s only about a year old and we keep it clean with regular rinsing and eco-friendly stuff like Mrs. Meyers, Seventh Generation, and Ecover) but we did try Barkeeper’s Friend on our old original-to-the-house sink and it worked like a charm! Hope it helps.
xoxo,
Sherry
Debi Schadel says
Hey! Can you talk a little bit about hiring the designer, how much that costs and if it’s worth it (instead of just going to Ikea and having them do it). I have a 10×10 kitchen that’s almost EXACTLY like yours so I’m excited to learn all I can about your design. Also, are you finding that you have enough storage/counter space?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Debi,
The services of Home Depot’s kitchen designer were 100% free with the purchase of our new kitchen with them, so we definitely got our money’s worth. Unlike the people who can assist you at Ikea, certain Home Depot kitchen employees are actually CKDs (certified kitchen designers) so they can add a lot of functional and beauty when it comes to a total kitchen reno. Without the help of our CKD from Home Depot not only would we not have about a fourth of the storage that we gained thanks to her craftiness, we also would have had a much less appealing and balanced layout- we love you Nancy from HD if you’re reading this!
Over a year later we find ourselves with more than enough storage space and way more counter space than we ever thought was possible in our modestly sized kitchen… so much that we store Christmas decorations and tools in the kitchen and even use the counters for craft projects since there’s so much room to spread out! Hope it helps.
xo,
Sherry
Debi Schadel says
Thanks Sherry for the information! I will make sure that my designer is a CKD when it’s time to redo our 80’s kitchen with the white wallpaper with red and black paint strokes on it! This is my first day exploring your blog (I found it on Houzz and I love your style!
Debi
Renee says
Hello Sherry,
Ah, today is the first day of my kitchen project. We just found that we cannot tear down a part of a wall as planned because of the structure issue…I guess remodel always costs more than you thought it would be :( Have you mention how much you put into this kitchen?? If you wouldn’t mind to share…:)
Thanks!
Renee
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Renee,
For everything from new electrical work (we added recessed lights and a pendant above the sink) to new hardwood flooring, all stainless appliances, new granite counters and all new cabinetry along with fixtures, the sink, and even two widened doorways (we knocked out two walls) it came to around $17K for our kitchen remodel (not bad for a total overhaul from the ground up). Of course we could have done a cheaper kitch reno if we sacrificed some of the things we splurged on (like the veiny marble-esque granite and the high quality KraftMaid cabinets) but we like to think that we’ll live here forever so we wanted a kitchen that would last through children and heavy use and all that unexpected stuff. Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
Renee says
Thank you Sherry! You did GREAT for 17K with a kitchen looking that GOOD!!! Thanks for the info. Hopefully my kitchen will turn out good as we expected. :)
Karin says
Hi Sherry-
I’m sorry if I just missed reading it somewhere, but can you tell me what kind of floors are in your kitchen? Are they hardwood or laminate? I love the look of your renovated kitchen. It’s very inspiring. Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Karin,
They’re hardwood floors from Lumber Liquidators (called Mocha Oak- and very affordable). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Phoebe says
Hi Sherry,
Your kitchen is gorgeous! It looks very similar in scale to ours, and we’re considering a similar layout. Do you know the approximate dimensions of your kitchen? I’ve been trying to figure out if we have enough room to put the fridge and stove across from each other like yours. Right now our stove is in a corner of the kitchen all by itself–very strange!
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Phoebe,
Our kitchen is definitely modestly sized (13 x 10 feet) but we found that taping off the floor with electric tape to mimic where the appliances could be placed really helped us envision everything as we planned the new layout. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Phoebe says
Thanks, Sherry! That’s almost exactly the same size as our kitchen. Great suggestion about the tape. Thanks!
Vicky Barrett says
I love your kitchen redo. I discovered this site 2 weeks ago and refer to it often as I remodel my own kitchen with just my imagination and tons of research! What I can’t decide is whether or not to paint all the window trim and baseboards white. I am painting the cabinets white and walls a barely there yellow. All the baseboards and window trim in this house are oak and it feels dated to me. It would be a major undertaking but worth it, if it modernized the spaces. What do you think? I have no one else to ask? Please help!
YoungHouseLove says
Definitely definitely paint that trim white if you’re looking to make things feel crisp and new. It’s even recommended by real estate agents to modernize homes so that really tells you something! Plus with the soft colors you’ll be bringing in, it will look like a totally new space with fresh white trim. Hope it helps! Oh and don’t forget to take before and after pics and send them our way. Wahoo!
xo,
s
Christy says
Hi! Love your home and site! Would you please share the model and color of the Kraftmaid cabinets. We are looking at doing a similar look in our house and was curious about the specifics. Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Christy,
You can look back in our archives for more info on the kitchen makeover but we basically got the cabinets through Home Depot (they’re called the Bel Air series from KraftMaid). We went with the Thermofoil finish for the cabinets instead of white painted ones for long-lasting durability and easy care. Hope it helps! I’d visit your local Home Depot for more info.
xo,
s
julie says
Hi, I recently found your site and I LOVE it. Your kitchen is beautiful I just had a question about where you placed your dishwasher. Have you had any problems with it not being next to the sink? Any problem with the pump going? My sink is in a similar position where in order for the sink to be centered under the window, there’s not enough room for the dishwasher to go right next to it. Just wondering if its been an issue for you guys. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Julie,
Nope, no problems at all. It’s actually fairly common not to place the dishwasher right next to the sink and a little extender pipe is just run through the backs of the cabinets for a seamless connection with just as much power and dependability. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Diane says
Hi youngsters –
Just noticed that you have a polished nickel faucet…I love the look, but I’ve heard that they stain and can tarnish, etc… How do you like your’s? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
No complaints at all! It’s actually super easy to care for (a quick wipe down from time to time keeps it looking like new). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mary says
What does it look like if you have your back facing the sink? My present kitchen is almost exactly like your old one, and we are looking to do it over… so I am curious how you used all of your space!
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! When you stand with your back to the sink there’s a super wide five foot doorway that looks into the dining area in our living room (which you can see by clicking the House Tour tab under the header). We widened it from a standard 30 inch opening and it’s such a great upgrade. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Tiffanie says
What is the name of the paint color in your kitchen? I love how clean, bright, and airy your space is.
Tiffanie says
Never mind Young House Love, I found the answer I was looking for :)
Jennifer says
Maybe you already answered this somewhere, but how did you deal with not having a kitchen for so long? Did you eat out every day? It gets expensive (and unhealthy).
Robert Fruchter says
Hi can you tell me what type of store you bought the Pashmina counter top from.
thanks
bob
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Robert,
We got our Pashmina granite counter through Home Depot but we’ve since heard they have discontinued it! The good news is that almost any local granite shop should have it (but it might not be called by the same name). Just describe it as a white and gray veiny granite with flecks of garnet. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Elle says
Hi Sherry and John,
Maybe you can help clear this up. I know you guys are super into “green” living (as am I) and it really surprised me to find out that you installed granite counter tops in your new kitch. I’ve heard that they emit harmful radon into the atmosphere of your home, which can increase your risk of cancer. We actually had the previous owners install a radon mitigation system before we agree to purchase the place because the radon levels were slightly higher than “normal”. The last thing we want to do is put the dang radon back into our home! So what made you go with granite? Did you research other counter top options first?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Elle,
We actually have a radon mitigation system in our house because our abode was at a level 10 when we moved in (dangerously high, 4+ is considered high so imagine a 10.0!). We did think long and hard about whether we would be adding radon back to the house and did a lot of research that indicated the amount we were bringing in (no giant island, it’s a very small room) would not effect out radon levels very much in the least (but of course we were still cautious because our mitigation system is in our basement so it wouldn’t effect our kitchen- it keeps our house at a very low .01 level by blocking radon in the soil under our house but it wouldn’t protect the kitch). Good thing we did our research because we’re pleased to share that even with the new counters our radon levels are welllll below the .04 that is recommended as safe (last time we tested, since we test each year, they were a .02, which is less than outside air!). We believe that in very large amounts (giant islands and long/wide expanses of counters) you might see a much more noticeable increase (and we always recommend that people test their homes every winter when all their windows are sealed for the 48 hour test) but for us we’re so pleased that we made the choice that we did. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Elle says
Yes, that did help clear things up :) What about having to seal granite every so often? I’m not sure I want something that high maintenance, though I absolutely LOVE the look of granite!
YoungHouseLove says
We actually chose the granite we did through Home Depot because it comes with Permashield protection, which is a patented sealed-for-life finish that we never have to maintain (other than wiping down spills, but no heavy duty sealing ever!). So far it has been awesome. Not one stain or spot. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Elle says
Woo-hoo!! Granite counter tops are definitely going on my Christmas wish list then! Thanks a bunch!
Amber says
Your kitchen is B-E-A-utiful! I love your choice of color/texture on your countertops. I am also looking into different types of countertops, Caeserstone being one of them. Are you able to place hot pans on granite? Are they pretty resistant to heat?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amber,
We’ve heard that granite can definitely stand up to the heat (our friends consistently place hot pans and dishes straight from the oven right onto their granite) although we must admit that it only takes a second to use a trivet, so by habit we still do that with ours. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Victoria says
Great looking kitchen!! Can you give the specifics on your cabinets? I know they are from Home Depot, but which cabinet line specifically (Kraftmaid, Hampton Bay, etc). Also, can you tell me the name of your finish, or were they sprayed on site? Thanks!
Victoria
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Victoria,
They’re KraftMaid cabinets in a design called Bel Air through Home Depot and they’re actually Thermofoil (we learned that they’re super durable so they’ll last forever in our forever house). Hope it helps!
xo,
s