I lurked, I learned, I'm finished!!

13 years ago

I found this site back in the summer when I was looking for pictures of chandeliers in kitchens. Since then I have been hooked. When I was planning our renovation and expansion, I learned so much on this site. So many things I never knew I needed to consider. So thank you to all who asked the questions I needed to ask, and everyone who gave such great advise to myself and all the other "lurkers" out there.

Here are the details:

Cabinets - Custom Amish made painted SW Casa Blanca

Hardware - Amerock

Fridge - Electrolux

Stove - Bosch Dual fuel

MW - Bosch

Chandeleir over sink - Minka

Pendants over peninsula - Lowes

Granite - Giallo Ornamental

Sink - Ticor 60/40

Faucet - Delta

Counter stools - JC Penney

One of the details you can't see is the in ceiling speakers and sound system that my DH installed when all the walls and ceiling were out.

This was the original kitchen from 1976. The cabinets had been painted and the appliances were about 8-10 yrs old. As you can see there was almost no counter space and the storage space was almost non existant.

I can't believe I cooked in this for 20 years!

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Comments (24)

rexroat
13 years ago
Congratulations...it is beautiful!

I hope you enjoyed the first Thanksgiving in your new kitchen.
tangy5566
13 years ago
Congrats! It looks great! I hope all my lurking will pay off as well. Love the light fixture over the sink, nice touch.
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red_eared_slider86
13 years ago
Oh how elegant! I had to go back and forth between the before and after to see what changes you made, and I had to ask why on earth did somebody design the old kitchen the way that they did? Thank goodness you came along and made it right! Very well done! Congratulations!
momfromthenorth
13 years ago
Another congratulations! That's quite beautiful :) I love your little chandeliers over the sink and counter end, as well as the little bits of decorative trim you have put here and there. Just enough to be classy and not overdone. I hope you enjoy your new kitchen for the next 20 years.
craftlady07
13 years ago
Wonderful job!!
I love the chandelier over the sink and your granite choice!
I'm going to go with Venetian Gold (antique finihs) but Giallo Ornamental was my 2nd runner up.
islanddevil
13 years ago
Lovely and what a transformation! Great light fixtures; can you be more specific and supply model # or names? LOVE your floor; what is it?
flwrs_n_co
13 years ago
Great transformation!! I love your creamy cabs with the yellow walls--it makes me want to bake something buttery! Your corner chandy is charming! Also love your granite & floor. Love the beautiful half round window over the fridge! Couldn't believe the before pics were of the same space! Enjoy the fruits of your labor!
wizardnm
13 years ago
Lovely, you made so many improvements. It's now a beautiful space and very inviting.
dianalo
13 years ago
Very pretty! So glad you got your chandelier and so much more!
byronroad
13 years ago
Gosh, I love your kitchen, so calm and soothing and elegant. Our stories are the same - my kitchen was from 1972 with not much counter space and I, too cooked in it for 20 years. This year we redid it - creamy white cabinets, giallo ornamental granite, and mid tone brown (maple) hardwood floors. The floor plan is also similar - the extended u-shape with the peninsula and a corner sink, such a useful and functional plan. Thankyou for posting. I've often wondered how the giallo ornamental would look in a photo with the cabinets and it's how I wanted it to look. Well done.
breezygirl
13 years ago
You earn a gold star for cooking in that teeny kitchen for 20 years. You've got a beautiful kitchen now. I don't know if I've ever seen a chandy over a sink before, but it works! Love it! Your colors work to create a harmonious color palette. Congratulations on pulling off a great look!

Please tell us about your floor!
macybaby
13 years ago
Thanks for posting the pictures - I'm working on the design of my window seat/pantry/baking center, and a few of your pictures showed the "look" I was considering, so now I know it will look great!
houseful
13 years ago
It is so elegant and serene! I love all the small touches like the display niches, cabinet feet, wood deco under the sink.

I am trying to get some perspective here. Is your kitchen on an upper level? How did you open up your ceiling over the frig? That really lets in lots of light!
blonde1125
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you for all your kind words. This site had been such an inspiration and help to me.
Hopefully here are some answers to your questions.
My inspiration was from the cover of Kitchen Mag I picked up back in the summer.
Our kitchen is on the upper floor of a bilevel home. We did push the back wall out 5' to gain some extra space and vaulted the ceiling in the new addition. The eliptical over the fridge was DH's idea since the kitchen is north facing. It really does help to bring in some extra light.
I got the chandelier over the sink from Lighting by Gregory, the link is
http://lightingbygregory.com/lighting/product/ml-3122-301.html
The lights over the peninsula I picked up at the local Lowe's. Sorry I don't have the box anymore to get the name and model #, but they were not expensive.
The wall paint color is SW Blonde. Which looks more tan at some parts of the day and more yellow gold at others.
The floor is 3/4" tongue and groove Golden Teak Acacia from Lumber Liquidators. While it looks nice, I'm not sure I would recommend it. GC had to scrap a lot of it due to poor quality control, weird wood grain and colorations, missing tongues on the boards, and a few pieces even had dry rot!
I still need to do backsplash tile and window treatments, but that will have to wait until after the holidays.
remodelfla
13 years ago
WOWZA! What a huge transformation! I just love the color you choose for the cabinets... so pretty. Also, love the granite. It really looks great all pulled together!
hydrangea_luvr
13 years ago
Wow! This is gorgeous. So many beautiful details (love the light over the sink). You've done a great job. Enjoy!
bmorepanic
13 years ago
So much better, that arrangement of the room. And really beautiful.
joan2121
13 years ago
I love your new kitchen! What a timely post for me- this week I have to decide between giallo ornamental or brown suede granite. My cabinets are creamy white, also. I love the over all look- Thanks so much for posting!
shelayne
13 years ago
Oh my! You did a fantastic job! That is so gorgeous! It is warm and elegant and just beautiful! Love the color of your cabs and how it looks so pretty with your granite. The chandy above your corner sink is such an elegant touch! Love your furniture feet, too!

I bet you LOVE cooking in that kitchen--I know I would!

Love it! Congrats!
ellendi
13 years ago
Ditto! I especially love the corner sink and the hutch. You used every inch of space wisely in this kitchen. I also like the yellow walls. Would you mind sharing the paint color?
blonde1125
Original Author
13 years ago
Walls are SW Blonde. Sometimes they look more yellow/gold, sometimes they look more tan. I have never had a paint that changed color so much depending on the lighting! They did come out a little more yellow in the pictures.
allblack
13 years ago
It looks lovely, an amazing transformation!

Are you planning a backsplash? We are just finishing a similar kitchen reno with creamy white cabinets, hardwood floors, yellow walls, and giallo michaelangelo quartz for perimeter tops and are searching for a backsplash that ties it all together. I'd be interested in knowing if you guys are going through the same decision process.
honeychurch
13 years ago
Congratulations! Love your light fixtures and sink with two big windows.
TxMarti
13 years ago
What a great use of your space! I love all the little details you've added and that great bank of ceiling to floor cabinets. Wonderful kitchen; it looks so warm and classic.

I lurked, I learned, I'm finished!!

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