As I mentioned in a previous post, The Bachelorette had not planned to renovate her home … but Mother Nature (that is, the flooding caused in Charlotte’s Myers Park by rain from Hurricane Faye) had other ideas. While The Bachelorette still refuses to admit that she’s glad her house flooded – I think she’s just being stubborn – she will admit that she loves her new kitchen. So let’s show everyone how it turned out!
Here’s the “before” photo – laminate “granite-a-like” countertops, inexpensive white cabinets, plain surface mount sink and faucet (with a plastic spray handle!), white tile backsplash and a black range. Not only was the kitchen plain, it also wasn’t as functional as it could be. Check out the random shallow shelving in the corner. Can you say “wasted cabinet space?” I wish I had a “before” photo of the other side of the exterior door, where the refrigerator is. There, you could really see how much space wasn’t being efficiently utilized.
And here’s the (unstaged) “after.” Isn’t it so fresh, pretty and inviting? Not to mention that it was done on a modest budget! Remember, the renovation was unplanned … and homeowner’s insurance only covers restoring a damaged kitchen to its previous condition. In this case, that would have meant replacing only the lower cabinets. How terrible would that have looked?!?!
As you can see, we kept the existing light fixtures – I actually love the galvanized steel pendants – but just about everything else changed. The color really sets the tone of the room, so let’s start there. The walls are now Sherwin-Williams Universal Khaki (SW 6150), the ceiling is Sherwin-Williams Wool Skein (SW 6148), and the trim is Benjamin Moore Simply White (BM 2143-70, my favorite white!). The cabinets – selected at Charlotte’s now-defunct Home Depot Design Center – are Thomasville Cabinetry’s Raleigh Maple in Amaretto Creme, and the stainless appliances are by Jenn-Air. Adding features like a lazy susan to the cabinets substantially improved the amount of usable storage. You can’t tell in the photos, but The Bachelorette saved a lot of room by moving the microwave from beside the refrigerator and instead going with a microwave-range hood combo. And check out the double oven range! That is an awesome improvement in functionality for The Bachelorette, who loves to cook and entertain. New cabinets around the refrigerator also gave The Bachelorette some extra counter space, storage for small appliances and shallow pantry-style shelving. The Bachelorette also loves the bookcase on the side of her enlarged peninsula. Finally, the granite is Santa Cecilia from Harkey Tile & Stone, and the backsplash is a tumbled travertine subway tile, also from Harkey. Because both of those materials are stocked by Harkey, the price was substantially lower than any special-order selections.
What an incredible difference! You always hear that “the kitchen is the heart of the home,” and now The Bachelorette has a beautiful and budget-friendly kitchen that she and her guests can really enjoy.
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