Before and After: Kitchen

The kitchen has easily been the most expensive renovation in the house, but it desperately needed an upgrade.

BEFORE:

This is the view looking into the kitchen before the opening was shifted and expanded, to create a more open floorplan.

AFTER:

BEFORE:

These cabinets are the cheapest available at the big box store, and the countertops were installed haphazardly by a previous homeowner. This whole area wasn't functioning well.

AFTER:

With the opening shifted over, a row of cabinets could fit along the north wall.  This allowed us to put in a beverage fridge.  The new counter depth refrigerator is in a more functional location and the new tall pantry utilizes the space efficiently. The exterior door will be replaced in the future.

BEFORE:

The dishwasher broke 4 months after we moved in, and was replaced before we began renovating the kitchen.  The range is the same, and will be replaced eventually.  The floorplan for this section didn't change, because it functions fine.  Notice the "lava" tile.

AFTER:

I like the free standing hood, and extra tall cabinets.  We did install a single-basin extra-deep sink, and it might be the best little decision we made with this renovation.  After a lot of searching, we found the exact same flooring in the living room to install in the kitchen and office.

BEFORE:

The lonely large refrigerator.  This was such an awkward location.

AFTER:

The wall is gone, the large refrigerator turned into a view of the living room.  With the new opening, we got to utilize the large sq footage of the kitchen, and install a large island.

OVERALL:
This was a complex renovation, but was totally worth it.  It completely changed how we work and function in the house.

Before and After: Living Room

The next couple of months I will be working on Before and After series on the work done on the house do far, since many rooms are nearly completed.  I am starting with the living room; the first room you see when you walk into the house.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

This is what you see when you walk in the door.  Wide curtains make the small window look bigger, especially in person.  The walls were painted Behr Wheat Bread, and the coffered ceiling was painted bright white.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The small archway and built-in bookcases between the living room and kitchen were removed, and a large 10 foot opening went in its place.  This created a more open floorplan, and brighter living spaces.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

An overhead light was added to the dining nook.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

These views aren't identical, but pretty gives you an idea of the changes.  Curtains  have been added to the window alcove.

Most of the major renovations have been completed in the living room.  I am most happy that we opened up the living room to the kitchen, and painted the coffered ceiling.  Both changes make the room look much bigger, and modern.  The room no longer feels isolated, dark, and dated.  The house was built in the 50s, but the multiple renovations really only expanded the house.  It seems that affordable cosmetic touches were completed in the late 90s/early 2000s.  The house needed to be modernized with an open floor plan, new electrical considerations, and crisp, neutral paint colors.

MORE ROOMS TO BE ADDED