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Home DecoratingBefore & AfterKitchens
kristin_rebecca

Adding Interest to a Builder Grade Kitchen Before/After Pics

7 years ago

My retired parents purchased a new builder grade home several years ago that had some lovely features, but also felt a bit bland and came with bad laminate counters that really lacked any wow factor in the kitchen. My husband and I are experienced DIYers so we helped them punch up the drama and interest in their home with a small kitchen upgrade that included new 180fx laminate counters, since real stone or quartz was out of their budget. The small dual stainless sink was replaced with a large Blanco Silgranite gray metallic sink and a new faucet. We then added a real stacked stone backsplash that has a ton of sparkle and texture. We added retrofit pendant lights in place of the can lights above the island so there was no need for an electrician. The dining room lacked drama so I painted the ceiling inset a metallic aqua, and we replaced the typical builder grade chandelier with something with more shine and bling. Even small changes can make a large impact when dealing with a smaller, limited budget. They now feel they have a more modern, colorful, stylish home- not typical of a couple in their 70s. They love the younger, fresher feel to the space and it suits them, as they are not your typical grandparents.


As usual, we realize this won't be everyones cup of tea here, as we all have different tastes and likes. This post is to show what you can do to make smaller changes for a larger impact within a limited budget- especially if you can do some of the work yourself.


Before Kitchen:


After Kitchen:




Open Concept Living/Dining Room Decor:







Featured Answer
  • 7 years ago

    Wow! The kitchen looks fantastic, and the painted aqua ceiling inset is a stunning dramatic element!

    Comments (18)

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