Our Kitchen Remodel
I am so excited to finally share photos and updates of our home! We did some pretty major changes in almost every room - down to the studs in many spots. I’ve got to say, making home renovation decisions while also planning a wedding is not high on my to-do list to do again, but it was all worth it when I finally got to see all those decisions come to life. We absolutely could not have most of this without our parents providing their free labor for some of the major projects. They put in more hours at our new house than we did last year! They really helped make this home not only feel like ours, but function perfectly for our needs.
Okay first my favorite part - the kitchen.
Where We Started
It was very much a builder-grade kitchen that I’m not sure had been updated much since it was built. Basic, boxed-in, and not the light-filled space we knew it could be.
Opening Up the Space
The kitchen probably took the most time because we removed an entire wall and a half wall. As you can see in the before photos, there was this odd wall separating the kitchen from the living room that really had no purpose and wasn’t even a load-bearing wall.
Just opening the wall made such a dramatic difference in the whole living area. It was one of the first things I hoped we could remove so we could let in more light and add an island, and it set the tone for every decision that followed.
More Light, Bigger View
Once the walls were down, I wanted the room to feel as airy as it looked. We removed the cabinets surrounding the window and put up open shelving to keep the sightlines clean and the space feeling open.
And since I was feeling a bit bold, I also asked how hard it would be to put in a bigger picture window. Since we have vinyl siding, it wasn’t too much of a lift (according to my father-in-law), so we found one at Lowe’s and he got it installed. That one swap brings in so much light and makes the whole room feel connected to the outside.
Creating a Wheelchair Accessible Island
Next was mapping out the kitchen island. I wanted it to be short enough on one side for us to roll up and sit comfortably in our wheelchairs without looking like a “special” feature. We landed on a two-level design with an L-shaped lower section, so we can pull in from either side for meals or hanging out, while the standard-height run stays dedicated to prep. The island became the anchor of the whole layout.
Storage That Pulls Its Weight
After a lot of design research and reviews of different types of cabinets, we ultimately decided to go with KraftMaid shaker cabinets in the color Bonsai for the island. We customized it by adding a microwave cabinet, a pull-out trash can, and a thin cabinet for baking sheets.
The countertop was one of the last things installed and it looks spectacular. It ties together the green island and the light perimeter cabinets perfectly.
Backsplash Decision Fatigue
The most painful part of the kitchen design was deciding on tiles. I swear if you give me three choices I can (probably) make a quick decision, but thousands of options? Phew. I think the bathroom tile was harder, but tile decisions are exhausting.
We ended up ordering Riad White Ceramic Wall Tile - 4 x 4 in from the Tile Shop for the kitchen backsplash. Taking the tile up to the ceiling around the window makes such an impact when you walk into the house, and it frames that bigger picture window beautiful. It makes such an impact when you come into the house!
Painting Builder-Grade Cabinets
Instead of buying all new cabinets for the rest, we decided to paint them the same color as our trim (Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore). My mom spent so much time on these - cleaning, sanding, priming, panting, repainting. They came out so well though and look so much better than the building grade look they had previously.
We also removed the microwave from above the stove so we could actually reach it and my dad built a custom oven hood to fit the new layout. It’s one of those details that makes the kitchen feel tailored to us.
What’s Next
I could go on and on about all the details, but we’d be here forever. We've already made so many memories in the months we've been here and I can't wait to make more over the years. Stay tuned for more posts about other rooms we reconstructed. The main bathroom is next!
Products & Sources
- Island cabinets: KraftMaid Shaker in Bonsai
- Backsplash: Riad White Ceramic Wall Tile, 4 x 4 in (The Tile Shop)
- Perimeter cabinet paint: Benjamin Moore Pale Oak
- Shelf lights: Dimmable Picture Lights (Amazon)
- Open shelving: Light Grey Wooden Floating Shelves (At Home)
- Island pendant lights: Zander Single Light Glass Steel Dimmable Pendant (Joss & Main)
