Progress is being made at Andrea and David’s house, although not as fast as they would like it to go. I’ve got a little update at the kitchen and you can see how far it’s come in the last month or so. It is coming along and they are about halfway through the kitchen renovation and it’s looking so much better than it did originally.
Let me go back and remind you where we started with this BEFORE shot of the kitchen. Remember this is a 1950’s original kitchen, with original appliances from that era and it’s never been touched.
I advised them to get rid of the scalloped pieces of wood and so those have been taken down and not sure what will hide the lights yet, but we’ll figure that out as we go along. Also, this is being done on a budget, remember that too. No bringing in a whole team to update this kitchen. It’s paint and doing things on a budget that we are doing to make this happen. I think most people can relate to this process and not everyone can go out and do everything all at once to their homes to update. Notice the refrigerator is just hanging out by itself. The original upper cabinet had to be taken down when they got a new fridge and never got fixed, so we are doing that now. I advised David that he needed to make that fridge look built in by adding panels of wood and adding back in a cabinet over head and trimming it all out.
Looking back towards the eat in kitchen part. Remember the froufrou drapes and wallpaper? Thankfully, it’s all gone now!
Here is it in process and they had a painter come in and help them with this part. All the doors were taken off and painted and then put back on. The cabinets were primed and painted with White Dove by Benjamin Moore. They ended up painting over the exposed hinges and we then got new knobs and pulls.
Wallpaper coming down. I couldn’t wait to see if after this happened. All the paneling was primed and painted White Dove as well and wow, is it like a new space now!
Again, we aren’t finished yet, but it’s looking so much better! That island is going. The old mirrored backsplash came down and they are shopping for new appliances. David wants to switch to a gas stove so they are getting that installed as well as a new stainless wall oven.
He’s still contemplating what to do with the open cabinets above. He may trim them out and use them for display. I want them to put in under cabinet lighting, but again, it’s one of those projects that require some electrical work, so we’ll see if it can happen.
David bought panels and built in the fridge and added a small cabinet over head and then trimmed it out with crown molding. That looks so much better too, to build it in!
Just getting new knobs and pulls freshens things up. A big thanks to Liberty Hardware for providing these new ones for them. I’ve worked with them at Haven and asked if they would help out our project and they said yes! They had already picked out these particular knobs and pulls at Home Depot and it all worked out great.
If you’re interested in these, here is the information:
PN0120H-BL-C Ceramic knob in black
P18949C-FB-C Step Edge Pull Black
I think the matte black finish looks great in their kitchen and updates this 1950’s home really well.
We shopped for granite on Saturday and have decided on this one called Santa Cecilia Light. It’s got lots of gray and black and is mostly neutral, without much of a golden tone, so we think it will be a good choice. I took them to my granite place I used 4 years ago in my house, Legacy Granite in Alpharetta and they always do a great job. This granite is priced at $29 a s.f., which is a great price. We think the backsplash will be white subway tile, which would definitely go with the feel of their house.
David has built in a banquette seating area in the eat in kitchen and this is going to be really cute when it’s all done. They will add a nice thick foam cushion, cut to fit and covered in a pretty fabric and we are going to do stationary Roman shades in a pretty fabric for the windows.
She’s going to get a more rectangular table to fit here and add 3 more single chairs and get rid of these.
Walls in here are painted Sea Salt by Sherwin Williams.
Painted and caulked and ready for cushions. I didn’t pick out that scalloped trim, by the way. 🙂 He added hinges on the top and these are also storage boxes, which will come in handy.
The desk area is getting a makeover too, so we are still brainstorming all this. We think a little bookshelf will be added on the far end and a new granite slab added to the top. Then above, we are going to add rustic wood shelving and brackets for more display and storage. The chair will go and that area may get built out with more storage too. Still brainstorming!
Doesn’t it look so much better to lighten this room up? I sure think so!
We’ve gone fabric shopping and pretty much decided on these two. The pretty peacock fabric will be stationary Roman shades and the geometric below will be for the banquette seating. It’s an indoor outdoor fabric, which should hold up well.
I think this project is going to be great! And getting the walls and cabinets painted and these new fabrics in here will totally liven up this kitchen so much. I knew you’d all like to see the progress and where we are now, so this is it!
Wow it’s looking fabulous! You’re spot on about the scallops remove them and it will totally update the space. Can’t wait to see the finished look!
This is great to see! It’s always inspiring to see gut jobs in kitchens, but I think most people need ideas for freshening up their spaces WITHOUT completely gutting things. It’s amazing what some paint, new hardware, and good fabric choices can do!
If you want a simple way to create a stationary Roman shade, I humbly submit my faux Roman shade tutorial. It’s my most-viewed post ever. I really do think it’s easy to do! Here it is if you want to take a look: http://www.impartinggrace.com/2011/05/faux-roman-shade-tutorial.html
They’re so lucky to have you guiding them in this process! 🙂
Hey, Richella, I remember your tutorial on the Roman shade and I told them there are many DIY’s out there, but they didn’t want to try it so hired it out.
Yes we feel blessed to have Rhoda helping us! It is fun and making house look so much better
I have a similar 1950’s kitchen. They are so lucky to have the hardwoods go into the kitchen. The before pics are so busy it hurts my eyes. This new space is going to be so refreshing. I think if you could add a bookcase space to the end of that desk you could get rid of the bakers rack.
Every time I see more of this house, I’m sure we had the same builder. There are a lot of the same materials used–that paneling is the same we have in several places in the house (we painted it out when we moved here 18 years ago) and our fireplace has that same graduated stacking of the bricks. I’ve seen it in a few other houses around, too, so that builder was busy back in the day!
Very nice changes. Certainly easy to get used to one’s environment and not see how it can age in front of your eyes. Respectfully, may I suggest proofreading and avoidance of run on sentences would heighten the blog’s professionalism.
Beautiful start to what will be a lovely remodel.
Yes, definitely get rid of the scallop trim on the banquette and anywhere else.
Isn’t it amazing what a little paint can do???? So bright and airy now. Love the pulls and knobs as well. The banquette is going to be fabulous, and great storage! Can’t wait to see what you choose to do in the desk area. So many are phasing kitchen desks out these days (would love to change ours), and creating bar/coffee areas. Love the idea of adding some rustic touches. We didn’t want window treatments above our sink area, so we built a more streamlined wood cornice to cover our blind headers. More updated then the scallop trim.
Rhoda was wondering why the content of each topic flips to the side of your page in a narrow column . My daughter is having the same problem.
Thanks.
Carolyn, I am trying to figure out why this is happening for a few people. I’ve had about 10 people tell me this, but I can’t see it. I have my ad guy looking into it to see if he can figure it out. I can’t see it & everything looks normal on my Mac and laptop on 3 different browsers.
I think the kitchen has improved 100%. Painting the cabinets and paneling has made such a refreshing change. And the hardwood floors now don’t get lost in a sea of brown. The tips you have used are spot on.
The past few times I’ve been on your blog, everything is small and squished to the left of the page. If I click on a post, it will open like normal for a second and then shrink and shift back to the left side. Any ideas what’s going on? I enjoy reading your blog.
Thanks!
Sorry, I just saw another poster mention the same thing and you’re aware. I’ll keep checking back.
It looks wonderful! It’s amazing what paint and a little imagination can do – the fridge now looks perfect, nd the wood floors now look perfect – before everything blended together too much. Beautiful job. I particularly like the banquette – such a cosy little corner.
Yep, Rhoda, skinny column on the left is still happening for me. 🙁 It’s been almost a week now for me. Thanks for looking into it. Would a picture help at all?? I can’t screen shot on my laptop but I could use my phone to show you what I see and then email it.
HI, Kate, yes please send me a screen shot. I had one person do that already and it only showed one skinny column to the left and nothing else except my header. Is that what you’re seeing. I have no idea what could be going on for a few of you. This stuff is so strange!
Yes! Skinny column to the left and the entire rest of the page is white.
You may not know, but I thought I would ask……what type of primer and paint did the painter use: oil based or latex? Also, was the paint flat, semi gloss or gloss? How were the cabinets painted brush, rolled or sprayed? Just wondering, because my own DIY did not turn out this well. 🙂 BTW love the changes thus far!
Rene, Andrea can see if I’m correct on this, but the cabinets were all rolled and brushed, their painter didn’t spray them. The walls were painted with a water based primer, I’m pretty sure and the cabinets and paneling I think is an Eggshell finish. They used Dove White from Benjamin Moore and I think it isn’t a semi-gloss, although that would probably have been a better choice for the cabinets. I wasn’t there when they bought the paint.
What a difference! Can’t wait to see the finished room.
Hi Rhoda, Can you tell me the name and maker of the peacock fabric? It is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Thanks!
Susan, I’ll see if Andrea has the name of it.
Also the name and maker of the green cushion fabric please.
Great changes in Andrea’s kitchen! David did a good job building in the fridge and creating the banquette. I got so tickled that you got rid of the scallops on the cabinets but the owners snuck them back in on the banquette. LOL. We all like different things! Love the fabric choices– where did you source them?
Sigh, Mel…it was the hubby. We decided to pick our battles. She got the green geometric at Fabric and Fringe here in Marietta and I think the bird one is from Forsythe Fabrics down on the Westside of Atlanta.
Love the fabrics!! Did you find them and Lewis and Sharon?
See above comment for fabric sources.
I love the fabric choices! The scallops on the banquet will not even be noticeable once you get the kitchen finished. I don’t see anything wrong with them. It is all going to look so pretty!
This transformation is amazing. I am a big fan of mostly white kitchens, and I think the granite color is an excellent choice. It plays a supporting role, instead of jumping out and taking over the feel of the kitchen. One of the first things I noticed in the first picture was the bakers rack. They are one of my favorite ways to organize and display, so I am will be watching to see if it stays in the kitchen.
Thank you, Kristine, the bakers rack will not be staying, she’s going to move it outside. They are getting some open shelves above that desk area so that will add some storage too.
I think they will love the new look in their kitchen. But I have to say, I am pro-scallop on the built-in seating. I think it adds a nice cottage touch.