We did it! We survived renovating nearly the entire house & our marriage is stronger than ever. Yes, it took us some time, but our kitchen remodel is {almost} complete! We purchased our home in August of 2012, moving in late October.
The recipe for this kitchen remodel was simple: an abundance of wine. In reality, our kitchen remodel began with removing the white carpet {yes – crazy, right?} & replacing it with hardwoods.
Cabinets were painted white & new hardware was added. The unsightly black dishwasher was given a stainless makeover & we completed the first phase with new light fixtures before taking a year hiatus. When we started the kitchen, I dreamed of brass light fixtures & pulls, but they were nowhere to be found or over $1,000 each . Still, the kitchen had a completely different aesthetic with just a little renovation.
The next phase, was appliances. A great Black Friday sale made them possible & we finally took the leap, deciding that we would not tear out existing cabinets, completely redesigning the kitchen but make the most of the kitchen we had. I looked at ways to make every inch functional & found we did not only not need additional space, but we had spare cabinets after the organization transformation.
Fast forward another 8 months & we enter into the countertop & backsplash. This phase proved to test my sanity, but a second countertop & another 5 months later & they were installed, unbroken. Read more about our carrara marble look a like counters here.
We worked to make the most of our countertop space, removing the old convection oven & building a shelf that now hosts a small microwave & toaster. We installed new cabinet doors to match the originals to conceal the space, creating an appliance garage .
I can proudly say that we don’t have to take out the trash thanks to this little chute tucked into our subway tile backsplash. It keeps cleanup quick & easy while eliminating the need to take out the trash. It goes directly into our main trash can in the garage!
The vintage champagne bucket doubles as a utensil holder & conceals the trash chute.
The cutting board is a worry free work space when cutting or working with oils. My stand mixer is located in the corner, near the flours & sugar & just below the spice & baking pantry for convenience.
The windows offer bountiful light. The all white kitchen is my sanctuary. Aside from the countertops, my favorite element is the bridge faucet. Isn’t she pretty?
Follow along as we complete our home this Spring with the hashtag #celebratehome on Instagram, Pinterest & Facebook or subscribe here! What do you love about your kitchen?
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Your kitchen is absolutely lovely! We have also redone ours, classic white as well, with dark hardwood flooring. Our backsplash will be classic white subway, and we are in the same counter dilemma you were in. If I can’t find a carrara I like, I will do absolute black honed granite. My question is, how do you like your bridge faucet? Any problems with it? I love the Perrin and Rohl faucet, but they are quite pricey. I know they are all solid brass too. I just don’t know if I can justify the expense. Again, your kitchen is beautiful. You made all of the right choices. Everything looks classic and elegant. Enjoy it!
Thanks Ileana! I am still head over heels in love with the bridge faucet and highly recommend it!
Love your kitchen remodel–I stumbled upon it while looking for Danby Marble and am wondering if you have any regrets about the marble. I desperately want Imperial Danby in my kitchen, but of course, am encountering naysayers at every turn. We have 3 young children and I cook A LOT. Fabricators have convinced my husband I’m crazy and we will regret it within a year with horror stories of stains and chips–insisting marble is for people who do not use a kitchen… I’d love your input 🙂
I found much of the same. Danby is more dense & durable, but not as much as a manufactured product. My only frustration was oil. With 3 kids, cooking often & drinking plenty of wine, we never had issues with stains other than oil. Ask for a sample & test it!
Hi Julie,
Beautiful job on your kitchen! I’ve had the luxury of cooking (living!) in an all white kitchen with oak floors for two decades and never get tired of it. The counters are all Corian, which I didn’t care for at first since it’s so monochromatic and textureless, but it has remained spotless after raising three boys, countless holidays, umpteen projects, plus pets. Now I’d like to keep the Corian prep counters but switch out the island counter with marble Your Danby – what, Olympic white? – looks sensational. I’m curious whether you served as general contractor when selecting the slab; if so, how did you accomplish this without a kitchen consultant? We live in the DC area so not close to Vermont. Also, we have a very large island with a sink and cooktop; what’s the longest span we can expect to cover with one continuous slab? And thanks for sharing your work!
I selected the slab at a local warehouse. Danby is carried nationwide at stone suppliers. Our slab had just 1 discreet seam that was in the corner of the kitchen. Depending on the size of your island, you may be able to purchase a remnant. Danby comes at various price points – all the marble comes from the same “mine” & it’s my understanding that Olympic is generally very close to Mountain Danby, which is significantly less expensive. Some Danby leans toward Olympic {whiter} & some has a lot more grey. Keep this in mind when selecting your slab & look at the options…it may save you a significant amount of money! There are definitely some perks to Corian!
Your kitchen is stunning! Such a gorgeous makeover. I just adore your style.
Thank you, Brandi!
I am in love with your hardwood floors. Would you mind sharing where you purchased the flooring and what kind it is? Your kitchen is beautiful.
Thanks, Sarah! Not at all – you can find more details about them here https://julieblanner.com/hand-scraped-wood-floors/
Hi Julie! I am in love with your blog and house! I am debating over painting our very nice but dark cherry wood cabinets in our kitchen – was it horrible to DIY? What brand of paint/color did you use? Also, where is your light fixture from? Do you have any tips for choosing light fixtures for certain areas?
Hi Audrey! I was really happy with our kitchen cabinets. I recommend lightly sanding, & using Valspar paint & primer in one – in a sprayer for a smooth finish & quick project. You can purchase or rent them. The light fixtures are from Pottery Barn. I’m happy to make recommendations if you’d like!
did you spray the cabinets while they were attached??
Yes, but doors were removed.
Hello, I’m just wondering what the painting process was like for the white cabinets. Did you sand them or use a paint stripper, and what type of paint (color and finish) did you use?
I’m most likely going to go this route for my own kitchen, and would appreciate any insight! Thanks:)
I recommend lightly sanding, spraying with primer, followed by paint. It provides a smooth finish. You can purchase sprayers reasonably at hardware stores or rent. I used a semi-gloss in white. I’d love to see the end result, Jonna!
Beautiful remodel! We are also doing white subway tile for our backsplash. Do you mind sharing the brand and color of your grout? Having trouble finding the grout for the clean look we are going for.
I’m sorry, Elizabeth, I wish I would have noted it. I went with almost the whitest white, but cannot recall the brand/name. I hope you love it as much as we did! It’s such a crisp, clean & timeless backsplash!
What countertops did you go with? I’ve read through both posts but can’t seem to find the details. Thanks 🙂
Danby Marble – I’m in love with it! https://julieblanner.com/the-great-kitchen-counter-debate/
Beautiful kitchen! Love your countertops!! How are you finding they hold up?
Great! I love them! I have a friend with quartz & hers still stain. These completely resist everything including red wine, however, they are prone to oil stains if you don’t wipe your counters after cooking. The veining completely disguises them though!
Did you do the fridge the same way you did the dishwasher?
No, we purchased a new refrigerator because it wasn’t functioning properly, however, if you have a smooth one, you could!
Love your kitchen marble. Where did you find it in the KC area? I would like to use it in a guest bath. Thanks for the great tips!
Thanks! Unique Stone. Be sure to read the post all about it called “Alternatives to Carrara”. I LOVE it!
Love your bridge faucet! It is beautiful. I am looking for one for my redo. What brand is it?
Thank you! I don’t recall the brand/name, but I purchased it from {shhhh} Home Depot. Don’t tell Lowes.
I sought out the perfect faucet for months before finding an affordable, beautiful bridge. I think it was $175.
I love this redo! We are about to buy a home that currently does not have a white kitchen but we want to redo it. I am curious about your painted cabinets. Have they held up well? Any tips?
It’s been 2.5 years since we painted them & only 2 tiny scuffs! I’d love to see it when you’re done!
Julie, did you paint them yourselves or have professional painters do it??? Also, how many coats, and did you put a sealer on them to keep the paint from being scraped??
Lightly sanded, primed & painted
What color is the paint on the cabinets?
It’s a code since it’s a custom color – you can find it here https://julieblanner.com/cream-kitchen-cabinets/
What a beautiful space!! I’m sorry I didn’t follow – what counter tops did you end up going with? I am in the middle of the same problem!
Thanks Erin! Details here https://julieblanner.com/the-great-kitchen-counter-debate/
Wow, what a fantastic transformation! I love me a white kitchen. We’re currently working on building our house & the kitchen is definitely one space I’m looking forward to so much!
Julie,
Your kitchen is beautiful! It’s amazing how wine can help with renovations. 🙂
It makes everything go easier.
I’ll have to send you some pics of our renovations. We still have a few touch-ups, but we’re very happy with our completions. Course, we don’t have three little ones to assist.
Congrats to you and Chris!
Love always,
Aunt Cindy
Thanks Aunt Cindy! I’d love to see! Glad you’re loving your new home.
It looks great! That us quite a transformation! I would have loved to see some open shelves though
Thanks Veronica! I LOVE open shelving, but just don’t think they’re the most practical in a small kitchen. There’s another area to the side of the kitchen I’m contemplating adding some to. I need somewhere to display my pretty cake platters!
I love open shelving, but the dusting is something I do not like. I have hanging cups and they need washing every other day. Ugh!
That would drive me crazy, but I bet it’s beautiful! I love open shelving too!
Wow! Looks amazing! I can hardly believe it’s the same space!
What a difference!! Looks great!