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Home Decorating

Finished Kitchen Remodel

10 years ago

This has been a phased project. When I moved in, it had a new kitchen, but nothing that I was able to select.

This is an old urban row home (c. 1826), so keep that in mind when you wonder why it's so small, etc.

I've worked with the old cabinets, but painted the boxes and ordered new drawer and cabinet fronts. I then added a wall unit with the honed calacatta gold counter top and backsplash where there used to be nothing (I had temporary, open Ikea shelving for a while). I added the honed calacatta gold backsplash around the rest of the kitchen and put in a Dacor DR30D dual fuel professional range (which I love). The black granite then cracked, and I replaced it and the 4" backsplash with honed marron cohiba (a.k.a. antique brown granite) and continued down with the 4" honed calacatta gold tiles. At the same time, I had the 27", integrated (700TCI) Subzero fridge/freezer built in to give me the 3" countertop I needed to the left of the Dacor range. To do that, I had to order some new cabinet components and I ordered some fluted pieces for either side of the range, some lightrail for the rest of the cabinets, and re-designed/positioned the moulding to run it all up to the ceiling (while I was at it). Finally, I swapped out the old high hats for LEDs and added a reproduction iron and brass pendant with mirrored interior dome. Some paint touch up, and it's nearly completed. Just a few more touch ups.

I'll post details if you need them, but there are just so many, and I don't want to inundate you if you're not interested. Thanks for your help along the way, and enjoy.

Before they put in the kitchen it was a sunroom:

This is what it looked like when I moved in (after the previous owners had put in the kitchen and after I had painted it green just to put something other than the high gloss white they had everywhere):

After/now:

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Comments (26)

WalnutCreek Zone 7b/8a
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
A wonderfully spectacular transformation.
doodledog_gw
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Stunning!
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Dreamgoddess, what a delightful kitchen & dining room - you should be very proud of all you've accomplished! Is a match or near-match to your current counters not possible or not desired? Are they wood like the island, or? Looks like you can use any material from Victorian times to the 40's (or any convincing imitation of one) if you prefer historic mode. Stone, marble, zinc, copper, wood come to mind. A raw countertop, exterior or marine plywood can be covered in sheet copper, zinc or lineoleum with a little work. We did that once with copper in a Victorian kitchen add-on to a colonial house. Found the copper at a scrap yard, but you could ask a roofer who uses copper to sell you some shorts or sheath a counter for you or find a willing metalworker. My husband made a tabletop from tongue & groove oak flooring. I picked up a marbletop coffee table at a yard sale once for $10 just for the marble to use in a baking area. I see stone & all kinds of counters often on craigslist here & a city an hour away. Usually left-overs from a job offered by the homeowner or tradesmen, more common lately in this economy. There's also freecycle & local groups, Habitat for Humanity showrooms, and maintenance departments of labs & colleges & such who know what's about to be removed for modernization. Kitchen design & builder's showrooms swap out their displays & sell the old ones. Those in the business of kitchen installation sell the kitchens they've torn out & hauled off (if the homeowners don't advertise it beforehand). Ask around... I'd be tempted to pick up the identical match to your Hoosier, especially if it's inexpensive. Even if you don't use it for the countertop proper, it might make a great breadboard-type pull out for the cupboards you're contemplating (or a worktable elsewhere). But I'm a big fan of long breadboard pull-outs to double counterspace anyway, and the strategic location next to the dining room would make it a great stage for desert and coffee waiting in the wings. Basically anything fairly straight & sturdy can be used for a countertop, right? More delicate surfaces can always be protected with a sheet of glass as are furniture tops. I bet you're resourceful & will come up with many more possibilities once you get started! And a good brainstorm doesn't cost a dime.
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afr66- Wow I guess I saved a lot then although I guess I paid that much in time and headaches. Well my total came out to about 32k which was mostly because of the high end appliances and custom cabinets. But I got the fridge and hood on eBay so I saved quite a bit even on the big tag items. I got my $6000 fridge for $1850 + $600 shipping because of a small dent in the door that is not even noticeable unless you go looking for it. So $2450 total The hood I got for $800 marked down from $1555 900cfm fan for the hood from $850 to $350 The range I got for $3500 after $1000 mail in rebate. So my appliance total was around $8300 for almost $15000 worth of appliances. The cabinets were about $14000. Im not sure if this is a good price. This line was advertised as affordable custom cabinetry by my dealer but I don't have anything to compare it to. I got a quote from home depot for kraftmaid semi-custom cabinets that were not inset for $15000 but that price included an island and 3 more cabinets.
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Happyladi
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
It looked fine before but it's truly beautiful now! I love your choices. You mentioned you replaced the cabinet doors but they seem to look much the same to me-what am I missing?

Do you have a microwave hidden someplace?
Arapaho-Rd
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I love your kitchen! Don't care about the size, the result is perfect!
Fun2BHere
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Lovely attention to detail! It looks like a wonderfully efficient kitchen with good counter space. If it was a sun room before, where was the kitchen and what is the former kitchen now?
kam76
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Gorgeous! You did an amazing job! Love all the updates.
annzgw
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The built-in's on the far wall is great design, and eliminating the black backsplash made a huge difference! You done good!
Mind sharing the paint color?
User
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You made an adequate kitchen very nice and it seems a lot bigger with your changes too. If the now kitchen was once a sunroom, where was the kitchen?
peegee
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Absolutely gorgeous! Where did the microwave go?
(I assume from other postings the old kitchen was in the basement?)
pugga
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
beautiful! the first kitchen was nice, something similar to what i may have come up with (minus the black shelving). your finished version blows me away. your attention to the details is amazing and a real gift.
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Pop the cork on that Veuve Cliquot and celebrate a job well-done---in your kitchen as well as the rest of the house. Just splendid!

Thanks for taking us along on the ride.
outsideplaying_gw
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Just perfect! Functional and you don't even notice the size. Thanks for sharing your journey.
mtnrdredux_gw
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What a wonderful room. I thought i was tired of marble but I love your b/s; the shadings and the use of a sq tile in a bonded pattern is just enough to make it different.

The light must be great! Can you put a windowseat in the bow window?

BTW, it had no kitchen before? Was it a guest house?
maire_cate
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Another one wondering as to the whereabouts of the kitchen when there was a sunroom - was it in the basement?

My son's NoLib Apt is an 1800's rowhome - but his is only one room deep. His kitchen is in the basement, LR on the main floor, large bath, storage and dressing area on the 2nd floor and the one and only BR on the 3rd.
williamsem
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Love it! I vote you win the "best use of 3 inches reward", that little bit of counter next to the range looks Iike it really makes a difference there! Lovely window too.
bananafana
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
So great! I have an old house too. It's so fun to see a perfectly executed remodel of a smaller period kitchen. I am awed at what you've done! It's so perfect.
Pipdog
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I can tell you really thought about how to maximize the space in this kitchen and your choices are perfect. The marble is gorgeous.

How do you like your Dacor range? I am considering that brand for my next remodel. Which model is yours?
Sueb20
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Very pretty kitchen. I'm a little afraid of all the sharp objects hanging on the wall, though. ;)
Don't mess with Kevin!
livvyandbella
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Just lovely!!!
User
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I hadn't seen photos of the before kitchen--- the "after" is a great use of space and materials. I know from your posts that the fridge required a lot of extra work, but it is a 1000% improvement. Well done!
sedona_heaven
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Beautiful, calm, elegant, classic. What a transformation! Congratulations!
jrueter
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You have done such a marvelous job with this kitchen! I hope you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed watching the transformation. Cheers!!
KevinMP
Original Author
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The old cabinet doors were white thermofoil, but the boxes are plywood construction with solid dovetailed drawers and full extension glides. The new ones are painted maple in a different style. They're antique white.

The microwave is in the wall pantry cabinet. I'll post a picture again.

Range is Dacor DR30D, and I love it.

There was no kitchen because the previous owners owned the house next door which had a kitchen. They separated the houses for resale. The original kitchen was in the basement.

Someone asked about the wall color, it's BM Mount Saint Ann in Aura bath/spa matte.

The rugs are from Overstock. Safavieh Cambridge in blue and gold.
Thanks everyone.
beekeeperswife
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Congrats. It's fab!!
annzgw
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks for the paint color!
Ballard's also carries the rug, but they can't beat Overstock prices. Unfortunately, Overstock has limited sizes.
sis2two
10 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I just love it! You have a beautiful home and the colors that you've used look really nice together.

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