How to bring your dated kitchen to life, to love what you have, and how to give it a fresh start with a little extra TLC.

Kitchen Project!

To refresh your kitchen, I encourage you to think big! Don't let your budget dissuade you from your dreams. Choose what you want as if money was not of any concern. This will help give you a better idea of what your really like and what you really want to see happen. Then, you can start the scale back process to find something comparable in your budget. 

Here, we have a very simple mini-kitchen redo. In their dream kitchen, the client wanted to put in all new hard wood floors, change the cabinet color, update the backsplash and countertops, and change the appliances to a more modern stainless steel. But, they didn't have nearly what was needed for a complete remodel. Plus, it seemed a tad wasteful, especially since these items are a pretty good quality to begin with. They may be a bit dated, but they are still good!

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How to bring your dated kitchen to life,
to love what you have, and how​
 to give it a fresh start with a little extra TLC.

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Step 1: Storyboards. Show me your dream kitchen. A great place to start is Pinterest or Houzz. On Pinterest, create a board with all of your favorite kitchen pics or ideas. Houzz works the same way, but instead of creating a board, create your Ideabook. These are my two favorite sites for putting together storyboards. Show pics of your favorite kitchen, favorite cabinets, flooring, colors, etc. From there, you will start to see a theme and what really appeals to you, be it a light and airy kitchen, or rich and warm cabinetry.

Step 2: Budget Snapshot. It's not time for a total budget breakdown just yet, but you need to have a general idea of what you really can and can't do. Can you really afford new flooring or appliances? Touch-ups instead of major changes? Is your oven so awful that this is a definite must-go item? Or can you really only afford a change to the backsplash? You need to keep this in mind when deciding what items you must keep, as your decor will center around those items. 
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Step 3: What to keep. After reviewing your storyboards and budget snapshot, figure out what items or appliances to keep. Again, I don't like to be wasteful, so let's figure out how you can make your current items work. It's like throwing out something that has been so good to you through the years! In this case, the client really couldn't make any changes to these larger ticket items. And what you may have thought to be the ugly duckling in the room is really the exact item needed to tie the room together!

Countertop

Backsplash

Kitchen Island

Oak Cabinetry

Black Appliances

Tile Floor

Step 4: What to change. Because we aren't able to make changes to the big ticket items above, that means we need to work our decor around it and modernize it into something beautiful. To do so, my suggestions are to change out the dining table, stools, window treatments and wall color.

Step 5: The Real Budget. Okay, now I need to know what you can really spend and our willing to spend. The exciting part is that you won't need to make changes to the bigger items that can add up quickly! Give yourself some instant savings by working with what you already have. For this kitchen makeover, the client was willing to spend $3500 on changes to upgrade the look and feel.  
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Step 6: What To Purchase. This is where I use my expertise and have the most fun! I take your storyboards, your existing kitchen items and appliances (whether you love them or not), and figure out how to find you all the fabulous items that will help you create your dream kitchen while staying within your budget. 

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Like what you see? 
All items are available for purchase in my 
​Kitchen Project Shop.

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Benjamin Moore Lewisville Green

Ballard Essential Cushion

Burlap Valance 'Fleur de Lis'

Burlap Valance ' Eiffel Tower'

LeMans Dining Chair

Sidney Dining Table

Marlow Nailhead Counterstool

LeMans Counterstool

Step 7: Action! The items have arrived and are in place! Check out the before and after photos.

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Before Photos

After Photos

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More Kitchen Photos

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Summary
The client desperately wanted to upgrade and change their kitchen. They did not have the time, nor budget to deal with the stress of a total kitchen remodel. They were tired of their kitchen, which felt dark, bland, small, and outdated. They wanted something fresh and modern with a french country twist. Instead of changing out the black appliances, we accentuated them with the black french country table and chairs. And the mix-and-match valances were a great Esty find. The light green walls instantly brightened up the kitchen and made it feel more airy, especially with the white floors. The texture from the leather stools give the illusion of warmth. Looks like a brand new kitchen!