Our budget-conscience DIY kitchen remodel took our space from dated 80s ranch to farmhouse style with wood counters, beadboard, and glass doors.
I’m over-the-moon-excited to tell you we are finally done with our kitchen remodel and it’s time for the reveal! Oh, and that we’re not living with this anymore. Can the do-it-yourself sigh of relief be heard around the world, do you think?
To give a brief recap, we started with a dated 1982 ranch house kitchen that had good bones and quality cabinets. Along with disgusting harvest gold tile, wagon-wheel light fixture, and dark wood everything. Doing it ourselves, we started with painting all the cabinets and changing out the light fixtures when we repainted the great room and rest of the house.
Then we took on smaller projects as we had time and finances. We removed some upper cabinet door centers and had them replaced with glass. We retrofitted the cabinet above the stove to hold a microwave and save precious counter space. We replaced every hinge and knob (in the whole house, too!). I created a vintage-looking mercury glass pendant.
And then we started on the final stretch: repainting all the cabinets (it had been a few years since the first painting, a-hem), installing a new countertop, sink, faucet, and remaking an area I call the butler’s pantry.
Are you ready? Here’s the kitchen in all her new glory:
I’m in love with everything: the counters, of course, but also the new beadboard backsplash, huge single sink, and farmhouse faucet.
Brian said the other day that it’s like being in somebody else’s kitchen, because our kitchen has a broken faucet, chipping, uneven & ugly tile counters, holes in the cabinetry and a stove that doesn’t fit. Ha! But we are SO glad that it doesn’t exist anymore – it’s fun to be in this kitchen.
Oh, on a side note, isn’t it amazing how tan the “white” color we painted originally (now only on the walls and ceiling) seems agains the cabinets?
DIY Kitchen Remodel
Just to see how far we’ve come in eight years, here’s our one photo of what the kitchen looked like when we bought the house (note to self: take more before pictures!).
Before:
Can you say brown? I seriously can’t believe we don’t have a picture from inside the kitchen – we really did run around taking before pictures after we moved in while we were getting ready to spray everything white. Grrr, well at least it’s enough to give you an idea of what it looked like.
And here it is today:
It’s like a breath of fresh air, right?
Of course, we never lived in any of the house like we found it. We removed wallpaper and painted everything the first week we owned the house and then we did these big-impact-low-cost updating projects to get us through until the full remodel:
- Changed every.single.hinge from “antique” brass to silver.
- Changed the small white ceramic knobs to more substantial silver bin pulls and glass knobs.
- Converted the recessed light over the sink to a pendant and added a vintage fixture we bought on ebay.
- Installed a vintage (ebay, again) main light fixture.
- Removed the inset panels from 6 upper cabinet doors: one on each side of the sink and on the “butler’s pantry” wall.
- Removed the sink cabinet doors and added a curtain plus a towel rod.
- Bought a new stainless refrigerator (there was no fridge) and then replaced the dishwasher after it broke around year four.
So, it was livable and even pleasant for awhile. Until more things started breaking. And the counters got even more grody, if that’s possible. Just take a look at these before-and-after photos and you will see why we are loving our new space:
Look at that long expanse of counters…sigh. And the new sink and faucet are wonderful! I sewed a new sink skirt out of black and cream ticking to tie in with all the other black. Plus, it’s pretty classic, so I don’t think I’ll get tired of it soon.
This remodel started more than a year ago with the installation of the overhead microwave which included retrofitting the cabinet above the stove (find a full tutorial here).
We finally finished the area with a piece of beadboard behind the teapots which can be removed to access the electrical outlet we installed.
I think the butler’s pantry area is the most dramatic – and it took the most finagling trying to figure out how to deal with the holes left from an awkward gigantic breadboard in the lower cabinet and the weird cut-out in the upper cabinet skirt. (Again: take better before pictures!)
I’m so proud of Brian for figuring out a way to make my vision for the upper cabinet skirt to come to life here – it wasn’t easy to make scrolls with a jigsaw on attached cabinets, but it looks like it was always meant to be this way, doesn’t it?
And to cover up the base cabinet holes, we attached simple flat molding, both along the length and down the middle. Caulk and paint make everything look like it’s always been there.
I refinished the original wood breakfast bar to match the new counters and even though one is a wood veneer and the other is oak, the dark stain helps them coordinate nicely, I think.
Since we had everything out for staining and it really needed it, I went ahead and refinished the built-in desk, too. It looks 100 times better, so I’m glad I did (you can see a closeup of the desk before in this organizing post). Um, yes, next up is repainting the desk, too.
There will be a more detailed article with more details on our DIY kitchen remodel with a cost-breakdown, plus another article just on the counters. (UPDATE: here is the Details and Cost Breakdown article for the remodel and here is the article all about the wood counters.)
For now, though, how giddy do you think I am to be checking all these things off the master kitchen remodel to-do list?
Sand all cabinet doors and bases (filling holes and sanding as necessary)Demolish remaining tile countersCover openings left in a cabinet from an unused breadboard with molding (and a few other places to finish cabinets) – caulk and paintUse a jigsaw to even up the underside of one cabinet that had been cut out by previous ownersMove small cabinet by fridge over a couple inches to gain space between stove and corner cabinet (?)Paint all cabinets and doorsAdd beadboard as a backsplash – trim all edges, caulk/fill and paint(though there’s still a bit of caulking left)Measure and cut wood countersStain and finish countersInstall countersInstall new sinkInstall new faucet- Install rod for hanging utensils behind stove (decided against this after we rearranged our utensil drawers)
Replace old off-white electrical outlets with new white onesSew a new curtain for sink cabinetAdded 12/1: Cut, stain, and finish quarter-round to edge all the countertops
And that’s it! I’m calling it done and won’t bore you with a list again. So tell me – what do you think?
Like some more details? Go to this post to read more about the kitchen redo, including links and cost breakdown!
Jami – Your kitchen makeover is so beautiful! I love that it looks doable. Some minor changes made a HUGE impact. I adore your wood counters. I have a friend who has some and I am always envious. They are so warm and unique. Thank you for sharing at the Hunt & Host Home Tour link up!
Thank you so much, Kim! We still are loving our wood counters and even did a video on how they’ve held up. 🙂
My husband and I are planning a kitchen remodel (maybe arguing over it is better). He still likes the “hunter green & mauve with a chair rail and two different wallpapers” look. And I have to fend off that chair rail at least 3-4 times a year. Now I come across the GEORGEOUS wood countertop and I fall in love. I just hope he falls too. Pray for me ladies!!!
Gorgeous remodel! I’m interested in your wood countertops. How much care is involved after installation?
We get a lot of questions about this, actually, Dena – we’re planning on a 2-year update soon. 🙂 They actually look the same as when we finished them! We’ve had two ‘accidents’ from our kids using knives on the counter, but they were easily sanded and touched up with stain/poly and you’d never know it.
I am in love with your kitchen!! We painted our cupboards white already and need to do the floors and counters. I am voting for the butcher block. Maybe if I show my hubby your amazing kitchen he will want it also 🙂 . Great job!!
Thank you Fran – crossing my fingers for butcher block for you! 😉
Jami: how did you hang your sink curtain? Does it slide on a curtain rod? Love your kitchen – you all are so creative! Thanks for sharing!
It hangs on those simple, inexpensive rods they sell for hanging curtains on doors. It’s metal and you attach holders on each side of the cabinet to slide the rod in and out of – works great. 🙂
The gaping hole was probably where the cutting board went, but the board must have been lost. Personally, I love that feature in old kitchens for handy storage. … Great job overall. I’ve been thinking of doing beadboard in my white kitchen, and yours convinces me that it’s the right thing.
Just had to stop in and say Happy New Year!! From one Oregon gal to another. Still loving your Qt kitchen!! ~Shannon
Wow!! Where to begin, love the white and timber combination, so clean, warm and classic. I bet you just stand there some days and take it all it. Your kitchen is just lovely and a great inspiration.
Actually, I do Sarah, lol!
It just looks fabulous! I’m in love. You worked so hard on this project and are — deservedly — very proud! Thanks so much for your amazing inspiration!
🙂 Linda
Saw you on The Shabby Creek Cottage…this makeover is truly amazing! I can’t begin to tell you how much I love it..and those countertops are amazing! Just stunning!
Thank you, Christina – I really did slave over them and wondered a couple times if we shoulda just put laminate or something cheap down. Gasp! Of course now I’m SO glad for these beautiful counters. 🙂
Jami, it’s wonderful! I am so jealous of your countertops! I am just chompin’ to get my countertops done. I really love how you revamped the cabinets…it all looks so good.
Beautiful!
This looks fantstic!
Thanks Angie!
Absolutely Gorgeous!! I LOVE the new breadbox canister!! Where did you get it? Breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy your new kitchen! So what is your next project to tackle?
Thanks, Teresa – I found the bread box at a thrift store last summer – can you believe it? My heart seriously started pounding when I saw it and I was sure they were going to have it priced high, but it was just $3.99! Love those moments 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous kitchen remodel, Jami! I love the white cabinetry with the dark countertops–so pretty! Isn’t it nice to have a kitchen that is exactly how you want it? It makes working in there so much easier and such a pleasure. Well done–so much work obviously went into this, and what a beautiful result.
Thank you, Athena – I’m definitely in the honeymoon stage still and enjoying every minute in the kitchen now. 🙂
You do such great work, love the bead board back splash too!
This is lovely. I am so glad to hear you like your sink. My sister and I have been discussing the advantage and disadvantage of a sink like yours. She said it would be too big, and I said it would be just right. I can’t wait to tell her.
You made me smile, Madonna – and the more we use it the more we like it – especially with the rack in the bottom!
This is really beautiful! You guys have much more impressive DIY skills than I have – my efforts really LOOK like I did it myself (not that I’m complaining – I have fun), while you could easily pass this off as professional work. Fantastic.
Wonderful job Jamie- everything turned out so nice! I know that you are so happy that it is done and so proud of the way it turned out. Great job!
Hugs –
Carol
It looks fantastic! What did you find was the best/easiest method for painting your cabinets (both inside and out)? Brush, small foam roller or sprayer?
A foam roller all the way, Jennifer! I used a brush to cut in and then the roller. I thought about using the hand-held sprayer but I needed to do the cabinets and doors, so I decided to do both the same way.
Jami, I am so happy for you! The kitchen looks wonderful and must be such a joy to create in. Hats off to you, Brian, and your kids for all your hard work. 🙂
That is beautiful Jami…..great job! 🙂
What an amazing transformation! You give all the boring ranch houses hope. 🙂 I love the new sink skirt!
It looks fantastic! What a great job you’ve done!
Oh my I love this, its so fresh and beautiful, I’d say you knocked it out of the ball park with this remodel! Its right up there with my style, everything from the bead-board to the counters to the colors, its just fantastic and I’d say a job well done!!!!! You guys remind me of us with the DIY projects like this kitchen, I love it!
Thank you for sharing!
Terry
wow.
that looks AMAZING!
Gorgeous! I know you must be thrilled beyond words.We are in the process of moving to another state with a much more expensive housing market. Your transformations are inspiring as we look at the houses in our price range and think about potential.
Absolutely beautiful Jami! Love your new kitchen, great job!!
What a wonderful transformation! I’m happy to see non-granite countertops and look forward to reading that post. I’m a big fan of beadboard and I love how you tied in the desk with the counter changes. Job well done!
It looks awesome! you guys done a great job. Enoy and have fun in your new kitcchen.
Nicely done! The weird cutout turned out to be a blessing in disguise–your creative solution became a real plus. And beadboard to hide the electrical outlet? Smart! Enjoy your “new” kitchen!
It looks fabulous! Nice job.
Jami, you did a fantastic job! I’m getting ready to redo my kitchen and just hope it turns out near as pretty as yours.
Judy
Jami, it’s absolutely amazing!!! I especially love the countertops! Way to persevere. You guys did a great job. Xoxo
It’s gorgeous! Especially love the wood counters… you all are awesome DIY-ers!