Today I finally get to share my favorite part of our home with you….our kitchen. I love creating kitchens! They really are the heart of the home, and I love delving into cabinetry details and making them fit the needs of families. I’ve tried taking my own pictures, but they have all been bad. The fab Rebecca White came and saved the day! These are her photographs.
First up, I have to share what the kitchen looked like before we remodeled it. It was tiny! Not to mention the counter-tops were coming apart and the cabinets were pink. It was some awful idea of a rustic space.
And here is what it looks like today.
It’s a completely different space. Because of the architecture, we kept it “country”, but cleaned it up and made it more modern. We ripped off the ugly pine wainscot, and expanded the cabinets into the previous dining room. I also love painted cabinets, so we did some mixed with a chicken wire hutch done in natural, quarter-sawn oak. The painted cabinets had a simple shaker panel to make them more modern. We added a glaze and some dings to the painted cupboards. Not only did this age them nicely, it also fit into our “young family” needs. Dirty hand prints are hidden and the little dings they add with their feet? They get absorbed into the other intentional dings.
We still plan on changing out the hand rail. You can see everything in this front room.
In many parts of the country, granite is falling out of favor. It’s price point worked with our budget though, and it fit this country kitchen. I also needed some oranges to go with the rock around the fireplace we couldn’t replace, and granite is much more durable than marble. So it was our final choice.
I love my backsplash! It is my modern/country take on the standard subway style you see in designer kitchens. It feels a little more like our rugged mountains and humble beginnings.
This is the chicken wire hutch….and stacks of white dishes. I think all patterned dishes should be banned. White is so calm. All you have to do is find interesting shapes. I’m working on my collection. {Most of these were found @ Target}!!
I have to run! I hope you enjoyed seeing our kitchen. Have a wonderful day!
Oh my gosh, I love your kitchen! Very beautiful; awesome job to you guys for work well done. If granite is falling out of style, what are people using instead? Marble or the faux granite made from cement?
Thanks Chris! The craziness of granite is turning people off (something I’ve fought with myself). Busy backsplashes plus busy granite don’t work, but granite works with non-patterned backsplashes still. Marble is huge, but I’m wary of it with small kids/heavy use. I use my kitchen!! Marble, more in the east and California (although it’s coming our way and I’m sure it will go away too once the gray trend is over) and quartz. Quartz is awesome. It is more durable than granite, and is much quieter. I’m not sure if that’s what you meant by faux granite with cement, but it also is more expensive than granite. You can get granite at some great price points now if you want solid surface.
Your kitchen makeover turned out amazing!! I love the open and rustic modern it feels, you did a wonderful job!
Thank you Katrina!
This is beautiful, Tawna! You’re blessed to live in such a great space!
I really, really love how you blended the cream-colored painted cabinets with that brown hutch!
Wonderful!
Whitney
We are really blessed! Thanks so much Whitney!!
Love the countertop material! Beautiful!
Thank you so much Janet!