Updated Kitchen, counter tops, back splash and more: Guest

Renee at Modus Operandi recently finished her kitchen and it looks fabulous!

Ok, not TOTALLY finished, but for the most part, it's DONE!

Remember that we started this the day before Thanks Giving 2009.  Here we are, post Memorial Day weekend 2010, complete D.I.Y. kitchen, with the exception of installing the granite. 

Here are the first photos of my (almost completely complete) eternal kitchen remodel.

Here's my little kitchen before, not awful (ok, maybe a little awful, certainly boring) but tiny and not super functional.

 Kitchen the day after Thanks Giving after removing all the flooring and staining the concrete/installing the granite (midway)

Here's my kitchen TODAY!

Before

After (still missing some kick boards under the base cabinets where the concrete stain hit, but we have to have something to look forward to THIS weekend, right?)

We built the island (two base cabinets from Lowes for $200 before the granite was installed, liquid nailed it to the concrete, studded it to the floor and it's solid as a rock).

I desperately wanted to paint it turquoise, as I mentioned in a previous post but opted against it because we know we aren't going to be in this house for more than a few years and I didn't want to do anything too taste specific for resale purposes...I'll have to save that one for my future long term home.  It's tucked away in my IDEA file for future use!

This is the former kitchen Island, which we moved to the corner where the bistro table used to be.  There will eventually be an iron wine rack installed in that gap and the handles will be attached after another coat of paint is applied but for now, it's a perfectly functional beverage center.

I'm LOVING the way the contemporary silver handles contrast on the dark finish of the island.  It's tempting to do the ALL the cabinets in this finish but I think for now, I'm just going to enjoy everything as is.

 I inherited this hand painted plate from my grandmother last summer and I think it has found it's perfect place to be showcased.

The open shelving was something we went back and forth over for months. I'm SO thrilled we went with our gut on this one because it's not only gorgeous, in my opinion, but it is so incredibly functional.  I found myself using my china for the first time yesterday for a casual brunch I hosted, just because they were visible and accessible and it was such a nice touch to the experience. 

 This is my solution for lack of space for all of my spices...just thought I'd share because they're so conveniently close to my stove and I get more compliments on them!  I found them atWorld Market, but I think Ikea carries them also.

Overall, I really wanted a contemporary farmhouse kitchen and I think we managed to accomplish that.  I wanted a great juxtaposition between traditional and contemporary, something eclectic and out of the ordinary (like us).  I wanted something that would appeal to younger buyers because we live in a bit of a starter neighborhood, without scaring off the older ones, should that be the future owner.

We came in under budget.  We found the granite for $20.00 per sq ft. and found an incredible deal on the appliances, thanks to keeping an eye on the sales.  The open shelves were from Home Depot, 12" x 14' plank and brackets for under $50.00.

We reused the existing cabinetry, including the original island, as I mentioned as well as the upper cabinets which used to hang above the sink.

Over all, we spend less than $5000 on the entire project and I think the finished product looks like we spent much more.  Loving it!

All in all, I'm ecstatic with the results. It's funky, it's classic.  It also FEELS bigger because we used the once divided space meant for a small table and kitchen area and combined the two with the creation of the island. It fits perfectly with who we are as a family and while I would love to eventually change a few things, such as the lighting, moldings on the upper cabinets, etc.,
Everything about this kitchen is functional and unpretentious...yes, that's a paper pineapple my 4 year old made in preschool on top of the fridge...that's my life and my kitchen expresses that.


I think we can comfortably move on to the next project and enjoy the results of this one.

Hope you enjoyed it and just think, you no longer have to hear me whine about how long it's taken!!!  Now, on to the back yard...

Have a great day!

Very nice indeed!  I like that you reused old cabinets.  That is what we did in our last kitchen.  I also love the new counter tops and back splash, do you?