Goodbye 90's Kitchen!

11 years ago

Goodbye golden yellow(ed) maple, hello clean and modern! We just completed a (not total) kitchen makeover - same cabinets, with a fresh, clean, modern look, Cambria quartz, stainless accents. Thank you Houzz'ers for the inspiration!

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houzzkm2017

11 years ago

Sorry - but I think Suburbanguy is dead wrong. Cabinets looks amazing. Countertop is 100% nicer than the old one, which looks so dated. Darker floors will be the final touch and they will be fantastic. I have them and they were done 5 years ago and there is no issues maintaining them and keeping them clean. And it's not a problem to re-finish floors when cabinets are already in. I've had it done in 3 properties. Yes it's easier and more common to do floors first and cabinets afterwards. But Floor guys know how to do it the other way and they take precautions to protect the cabinets. Not sure what suburban guy is talking about. Then again, most of his suggestions sound dated and boring to me. Everyone has their own tastes - no biggie. Oh and one more thing - your cabinets look completely transformed and beautiful. I just did a $50,000 kitchen and yours look very much like the custom ones I put in. Take pride in this project - it's fantastic!

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Comments (153)

Kelli
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
@gozvrmm - us too! LOL! (We paid cash for this project - if only we were rolling in the dough we could move mountains - and walls and floors!)
summitsittin
11 years ago
You definitely got the most out of your 8K. Awesome transformation.
richedd
11 years ago
I would have moved the refrigerator away from ovens. Love the fresh look.
Minniegirl
11 years ago
I think you did a great job with the budget you had. We have been thinking of doing our kitchen also. Almost finish all the other renos and kitchen is going to be last. We also have a strict budget. Your room is almost like ours. Can I ask you a couple of questions? What is the depth of your kitchen from kitchen sink window to back wall. Depth of your island top and how many feet is it from back wall to the end of your island. Just wondering how much space you have to walk through.
Thank you...
windingcreek_creations
11 years ago
I had painted cabinets all of my life. First in the old farm house I grew up in. Painted white with black hardware. Then my first apartment. I painted the cabinets in two of the homes since then. Now I have golden oak, and I really do love the wood grain and warmth of this kitchen, especially with my black appliances, which I have always loved the look of. I don't care what the fads are or what anyone else thinks. Paint is a great way to fix what you don't like and I found that simply changing hardware and wall color can make a huge difference too. The gist of all of this is - Make it yours. Change what you hate. If you have to, embrace what you can't change.
foofoo1960
11 years ago
Just read that this whole renovation cost you $8,000. That is incredible impact for that amount of money. Very well done!
Kelli
Original Author
11 years ago
OH no foofoo1960 - that was JUST the rebuilt island! The whole project, including the family room was about 30k.
Kelli
Original Author
11 years ago
@minniegirl - the room is about 13.5 feet wide (to the French doors leading to DR and short pantry wall). Island top (base is obv smaller) is about 44 inches across and aobut 44 inches from the wall also. LMK if you have more questions. Here is another perspective for you if it helps (shot with my iphone, natural light only - sorry if they aren't the best!)
foofoo1960
11 years ago
Oh, that's more like it. I did my kitchen, (with a carpenter in the family) for $19,000 (excluding appliances). I thought you were a miracle worker =).
Mary
11 years ago
The new photo of your kitchen , dknishuster, are great, so light, what a difference light makes, I think I like it more!
housefluffer
11 years ago
First...I love your new kitchen. Great job! I have the same stone fireplace. I see in a later pic that you changed it. Was it a huge procedure to get rid of the stone? Do you have a close up pic of the new fireplace? Thanks.
Kelli
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks @housefluffer. Yes, we have tons of custom woodwork so we did it all at the same time. The FAKE UGLY river rock took no time to demo by our demo team and our tile guy had the new stuff up in a (long) day. It's a type of environmentally responsible marble made from drop-cuts of other product lines. Company is called Azura stoneworks. Color is Grigio.
housefluffer
11 years ago
Thank you so much for taking the time to send your fireplace photos. I love the look. I posted my family room last year and asked Houzz readers for comments on whether to paint the wood. I was surprised that most people said NO! Rather than take the big leap and paint all the trim in my house, your fireplace idea would lighten the room up. Thanks again.
Kelli
Original Author
11 years ago
@housefluffer, anytime. So what did you do? Life is too short. Do what you like!
housefluffer
11 years ago
Ha! The only thing I have done is collect ideas. The housing market in my area is not great. What we have put into the house already may not be realized upon sale, so I have been holding off. May only stay here for three more years. But the fireplace does not seem as big of a commitment compared to all the trim, doors and wood paneling.
Lisa M.
11 years ago
I am sorry if this was asked before..... What is the color of your cambria Quartz countertops? Great kitchen!!!
Kelli thanked Lisa M.
wantsideas
11 years ago
Your updated kitchen looks beautiful. Great job.
Kelli thanked wantsideas
Kelli
Original Author
11 years ago
@Lisa M, it is Torquay. Thank you!
backsplashideas
11 years ago
I think this is a wonderful upgrade! It's fresh, clean, and modern. Great work!
PRO
SoCal Contractor
11 years ago
Great transformation!
PRO
Studio NOO Design
11 years ago
Very nice, love the big island !
Lin Johnson
11 years ago
Your kitchen is lovely, and honestly I didn't even notice the flooring until someone mentioned it! Lol. I had to chuckle at your comment about how you were 'just going to redo the fireplace.' Reminds me of a children's book I so readily identify with: 'If You Give a Moose a Muffin.' (Or ....a Mouse a Cookie). I always mention those books to my husband when my projects morph into something far beyond the original. Lol.
Kelli
Original Author
11 years ago
@linj2fly, totally! Good thing he likes to do projects too - my enabler!
Amy Hallman
11 years ago
Wow, people, you can give your opinions--particularly ones that are less than thrilled--a little more nicely. :) My feelings are hurt, and this isn't even my project. We could be running off participants before they will even start. I love the overhaul...but pointing out the floors could be darker was helpful. And I'm glad to hear she's considering. Nothing "blah" about this redo!
Kelli thanked Amy Hallman
jleach111
11 years ago
Beautiful..love it!!
Angie Schuster
11 years ago
@dknishuster - are your island cabs charcoal, or black? The color is really striking! I think a darker floor would be lovely with them, but I understand the problem with dust bunnies and footprints. I have dark hickory floors, and I adore the richness and warmth, but check out the footprints at the door in sunlight.... :)
mmdugaw
11 years ago
The last photos you posted are really flattering, kitchen looks great and the family room makes me envious. Must have been a grinchy holiday for some folks, their comments were so extreme!
Kelli thanked mmdugaw
Kelli
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Angie it's SW Black Fox. Inbetween. Has some really brown undertones in sunlight but looks charcoal/black all other times. Dark paint was a real challenge for our painter - something about how the develop the colors for the lacquer process. ~Kelli.
This was my palate:
Kelli
Original Author
11 years ago
my dream floors would be something in this mid color
mmdugaw
11 years ago
That is one huge house, look how far apart things are. The floors are beautiful and close to what's in my much smaller home. The dog paw prints don't show up like they did with dark floors, it was a constant battle.
Kelli
Original Author
11 years ago
Hey so here is a question for y'all - since we used existing cabinets and going to the ceiling was NOT an option, I struggle with what to do above. Decorate or not? And if so, with what?
Angie Schuster
11 years ago
@dknishuster - do NOT decorate up there! :) That's an 80's thing for sure....in my humble opinion.
Kelli thanked Angie Schuster
Judy Mishkin
11 years ago
no, don't go there. literally.
Kelli thanked Judy Mishkin
Kelli
Original Author
11 years ago
Angie! HA! Ok, that's what I was thinking - I am not a fake plants, baskets kind of girl. And the dust! Just wanted to confirm my thinking.
summitsittin
11 years ago
I'm glad to see someone else who used Torquay quartz. We move in on Sunday and used the same. I love it and think it looks great. I'm glad to hear that you love the look in your kitchen.

I would not decorate above the cabinets.

Price would probably be prohibitive, but if you have a good custom millwork guy in your area you could probably add smaller cabinets above your existing cabinets and then put a nice piece of trim above the smaller cabinets to finish it off to the ceiling. A good trim guy could do that without making it look like two different sets of cabinets. You've already saved money by leaving your old cabinets in and freshening them up so this would be a good place to spend some cash to redefine the entire space. Just a thought.

Good luck..........but do not decorate up there -please.
Idicula Samuel
11 years ago
Dknishuster very nice transformation. We were wanting to do our kitchen in grey but we never could agree on it. However we kept the same countertop and backsplash that we planned to use with grey cabinets and instead went with expresso stain.

However we did change the oaky gold cabinets
Talianko Design Group, LLC
11 years ago
It was time - what a fantastic job!
PRO
Biondo Roofing In New Jersey
11 years ago
Modern and beautiful!
PRO
M&R Custom Millwork Inc
11 years ago
Amazing what paint and new hardware can do. Great job on your kitchen update.
PRO
Betty Wasserman Art & Interiors
10 years ago
Nice job!
Alla
10 years ago
How high is the ceiling in the kitchen? We have the same layout and are redoing the kitchen now, but we are not sure we would like to eat at the island instead of the table that we have between the kitchen and a living room.
mrsbran747
10 years ago
The 90kitchen was nice but you made it better
mrsbran747
10 years ago
Much better
mrsbran747
10 years ago
It will get dirty so get ready
jaymee
10 years ago
To those who do not like the new "white" marble counters and prefer the dark granite: some of us do not have perfect eyesight, and light counters are much better for preparation; isn't that what kitchen countertops are for? I have lived in two houses with dark or black granite countertops, I can say that they show every drop of water left there, and if you don't dry them immediately after any use, the water "stain" looks awful; they are not as forgiving as lighter shades or granite with lots of swirl or pattern. As I posted earlier, with dark-stained wood floor, this kitchen will look absolutely fabulous. And yes, to each his own :) !
Kelli
Original Author
10 years ago
@alchonka2000 Our ceilings are 9 foot ceilings. We love the island for eating breakfast, kid homework, etc.
Kelli
Original Author
10 years ago
@jaymee you are so right about black having prints and haze on it. Surprisingly the white is much cleaner!
PRO
Raegan Ford Interior Design
9 years ago
You did an amazing job!!
Kelli
Original Author
9 years ago

Much cleaner photos! :-)
PRO
Mega Builders
9 years ago
Fantastic!