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25 Sept 2013

OUR BUDGET KITCHEN: BEFORE & PROGRESS TOUR


I've always meant to write about our kitchen for what seems like ages now.  I just never got around to doing it until now.  Our house was tenanted before we moved in a little over two years ago and you could tell.  A lot of the finishes in the house were original including the kitchen.  The landlords had tried to upgrade some things like the appliances, but since the original cabinetry was made for smaller appliances (as they used to make back in the 60s) they didn't quite fit right.  The counters were lower than standard (the dishwasher was cut into the floor!) and many of the cupboards were just so worn/broken.  We also wanted to enlarge the doorway from the kitchen to the dining room to make it a little more open.  All of this resulted in a complete gut of the kitchen.

Here are a few before pictures taken when we first viewed the house (all the things in here belonged to the tenants):

Our kitchen is still a work in progress despite starting this project about two years ago.  The kitchen is functional and looks pretty good, but there's still a lot to do such as building in the fridge, finishing the tops of the cabinets (some kind of moulding), customizing the toe kicks, adding under cabinet lighting, pendants over the island and finishing the island moulding.  For some of the above we have some reasons why we've waited to add the finishing touches (e.g., finding the right fridge), but it's mostly because other projects/life have taken precedent (e.g., two basement floods, having baby #2, etc.).  I am hoping that this fall/winter will be a good time to tackle some of the above along with our basement reno.

So here is how our kitchen is looking now after a couple days worth of de-cluttering and cleaning from top to bottom.  It looks much more lived in on a regular day. :)

This kitchen is a very budget remodel.  We have plans to remodel our house quite a bit (adding windows and such) and to possibly build an addition.  For this reason we didn't want to spend a ton of money on a kitchen that may need to be ripped out in a few years.  The biggest savings we made were on the cabinetry.  I got a little creative and combined Lowes off-the-shelf cabinets with Ikea pantries.  The white matched quite well and the fact that the shaker style Lowes cupboards had plain drawer fronts allowed me to incorporate that Ikea plain front pantries.  The backsplash was also a steal.  I found the prettiest turquoise 4" x 4" tile from a local clearance outlet.  I chose to lay them in brick pattern to give them a little more interest and was able to save about $500 in labour costs by doing it myself.  The faucet, hardware and sink all also came from a big box store.  The Ceasarstone (Misty Carrera) counters were a little bit of a splurge as well as the Wolf range.  The range will stay in our kitchen if we remodel though and if you like to bake/cook I would highly recommend this range.  I chose the dual fuel model since I bake quite a bit and need that dry heat for meringues and such.

Here are some more of the details in our kitchen:


I also thought it might be fun to show you the view(s) from all the different doorways into/out of the kitchen.  First up is the view from this doorway which is directly across from our front door/entry.

This is the view into our mini mudroom which is at the landing before the stairs that leads to our basement.  These are the only stairs in our house and I'm so grateful for that door so that I don't need to worry about baby gates.

The views from our dining room.  Little Pilot likes to pretend to take photos with my tripod.  You can also see where Co-pilot's high chair is kept between meals.

...and a little closer in. :) 

That's where we're at with our kitchen reno.  There's a ton of little things to finish up and I'm hoping that writing about it here will inspire us to get to work on them sooner rather than later.  Fingers and toes crossed!  For anyone who might be interested, here are the sources:

Sources:

Cupboards:  Lowes and Ikea
Faucet: Taymor
Sink:  Kohler
Hardware:  Lowes
Backsplash:  Local tile clearance outlet
Pendant:  Rona
Appliances: Range: Wolf
                    Hood Fan: Arda
                    Dishwasher: Bosch
Clock:  George Nelson from HomeSense
Stools: Artek High Stool 64 designed by Alvar Aalto
Glass Bowl (on island):  Iittala Ultima Thule
Cups, Creamer and Sugar jar:  Vintage (yard sale)

I hope I covered everything.  Let me know if I missed anything!

sharing this here and at Between Naps on the Porch, SavvySouthernStyle, diyshowoff

51 comments:

  1. What a change! Your kitchen in so bright and lovely. Love the blue ceramic tiles ♥

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    1. Thanks Minna! The kitchen really brightened up once we added with the white cupboards and colourful tile.

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  2. so light and airy- and I love the backsplash!!

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    1. Our kitchen faces north so all the white cupboards and light wood really help it feel brighter.

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  3. so happy to see your beautiful blue kitchen. your hard work is paying off...its a fantastic space. really love the blue tile...it's the perfect color and a beautiful focal point in your kitchen.

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    1. Thanks Emily. I was worried that I would grow tired of the blue when I first put up the backsplash, but I still really like it and am glad that I went for it. :)

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  4. Oh your kitchen is absolutely beautiful!!! Love how you mixed and matched the cabinets. And the tile looks great! Love the blond wood stools with everything too.

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    1. It was a bit of a puzzle to try and find inexpensive cabinets from two different manufacturers that would work well together, but I'm happy with how they turned out. Now we just have to finish all the details someday! :)

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  5. OH MY! I'm in LOOOOOVE! Everything about your kitchen is lovely and something I could picture in a kitchen of my own.

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    1. Aaah, thanks Ina. :) I will be so excited to see what you do when you find your next home.

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    2. We've found it! :D I'll tell you more later. But there's not much to do as it's sparkling new! :) I just need to decorate! Which I would need your help so you better start planning another trip down here. :) Hugs!

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    3. I'm so excited for you. Can't wait to here about it!

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  6. Thanks for sharing your lovely kitchen!

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    1. Your Welcome! I'm glad you liked it!

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  7. Love your kitchen! I've always been a big fan in the glimpses I've caught, even though you hadn't done a full post about it. the tile! the range! the big functional island!

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  8. I love how crisp and clean it all looks. The layout is fantastic & I especially love the color of the backsplash. Gorgeous!

    Angela @ Number Fifty-Three

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  9. Unfinished or not, it looks great! I wish my kitchen looked half this good. Our kitchen is a major area in our home that needs remodeling, but with a baby on the way we are hesitant to spend what money we do have saved on a kitchen. There are many baby things we need! Including doing a nursery - eek.

    Runt
    runtspickins@yahoo.com
    www.runtspickins.wordpress.com

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    1. Staying an extra six months at home and then being able to return to work part-time was one of the major factors in deciding to remodel our kitchen within a small budget. There's so much to think about when your family grows. Congratulations on your new baby on the way!

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  10. Your kitchen looks fantastic I love your splashback tile against the white cupboards. Iv just come out of a 6 month kitchen renovation only just bought my fridge back into the kitchen last weekend, and know how long it takes for all the last finishing touches before you finally feel it's done. I have some art to hang and then Ill be showing lots of after shots too :)

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    1. Oh, I can't wait to see those photos. Your kitchen is looking so nice already!

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  11. This is lovely !It's hard to believe it's even the same space.

    And now I have to check out those cabinets for our barn! I love them.

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    1. Thanks Kim! I like the cabinets quite a lot. They're probably good for a temporary reno like ours or a secondary kitchen (e.g., like a basement apartment or something). The cabinet boxes are actually pretty good quality (sturdier than Ikea), but the doors are not wood and they have less options for customizing. I can't wait to see your barn apartment come together!

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  12. I love your kitchen! Beautiful!

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  13. This is BEAUTIFUL!!!! Love all the details, backsplash tiles, the sink, WOW! Found you on Funky Junk Party!
    New follower now!

    Shelly
    minettesmaze.blogspot.com

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    1. I'm glad you dropped by my blog today! Thanks so much for following along. Welcome!

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  14. WOW that is seriously GOOD for a budget remodel that you did mostly yourself. I love the color variation in the turquoise tiles. And now I'm inspired to go clean my kitchen. It really needs it, haha!

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    1. Thanks so much! I think taking the time to take some photos of the kitchen was good cleaning/de-cluttering inspiration. It feels so much better in there now. I just have to do the same to the rest of the house which might just take me a gazillion years to accomplish. ;)

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  15. This is absolutely Gorgeous!So bright and spacious! Love it all.

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    1. Thanks Deidre. We really love how the white really brightens up our north-facing kitchen.

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  16. Oh I'm in love with your kitchen (and dining area)! We've just gutted ours this weekend so are looking for ideas - I love blue and your tiles are just gorgeous. I also like all of your accessories. And your dining table is a gorgeous shape - might look at borrowing some of your ideas... :-)

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    1. Thanks Petra! It's always so fun to plan a new space. Good luck with your reno!

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  17. Wow - so gorgeous! The white and blue is such a great combination and that Wolf Range!! Ack! You are a lucky girl...

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    1. Thanks Rhonda! I really love my range. Everything seems to bake and cook so much better on it!

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  18. I LOOOVE what you did with your kitchen!!

    Thanks for linking up! I featured your post in my wrap up http://tidymom.net/2013/creative-ideas-home-family/

    Hope you had a great weekend.

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    1. Thanks so much for the feature! :)

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  19. Very nice space planning and use of color! It's timeless, classic and has great light. You did a wonderful job!

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  20. Your kitchen renovation is amazing! Walking into that each morning must just make you smile. Love the fox theme birthday party too!

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  21. Wow! It's looking SO good! Congrats on the hard work. It's paying off.

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  22. I love it! What a difference from what you started with! I love how bright and cheery your kitchen is now. I'm stopping by from Home Stories A to Z (#5 DIY Photo Canvas) Have an awesome week, Nalle!

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  23. Stunning makeover. I adore everything...the turquoise tile, the countertops, the white cabinets, the floor...what a great before and after.

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  24. This is incredible! Love the faucet and the light over the sink...great design!

    Stopping by from the 36th Ave. Party, Dawn from http://www.ithinkwecouldbefriends.com

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  25. Hi! I'm from the Tribe ;) Your kitchen makeover is gorgeous!!! I love it! We are in the midst of our kitchen reno...waiting on tile and still have to get new countertops, lighting, and appliances. xo Kristin

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  26. It's gorgeous! I love the tile and it's so bright!

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  27. I don't know how i missed this last week! I love it. That blue tile is so happy! And I love the white cabinets.

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  28. What an improvement! Great job!!

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  29. What a great space! Beautiful transformation. I would love to invite you to share this at Modern Cottage Monday at Http://www.curatebycarriecorson.com

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  30. Love the backsplash and the faucet!

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  31. Your kitchen looks wonderful! l love the backsplash tile. My husband and I have had a hard time finding a tile that we both like for our kitchen and when I found yours I thought it was perfect. So, I showed it to my husband and he immediately agreed that it was. Will you please share whatever information you have on the manufacturer/brand? Anything, so I can hopefully find it? Thank you!!

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    1. Hi Alyssa, The tile was purchased from tile master: http://www.tilemastercanada.com, but it was on clearance. We purchased it about three years ago so I am not sure if they would have it anymore. I don't have the original packaging for the tiles and unfortunately the backs of the leftover tiles don't have a manufacturers name. :( I know that modwalls: http://www.modwalls.com carries a turquoise glass subway tile which may be an alternative. Best of luck finding some tiles for your kitchen!

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