Kitchen Makeover: One Room Challenge Week 1

Hi there! Did you enjoy the balmy weather on the weekend? Let’s hope it lasts for at least a few more weeks.

I’m finally working on my kitchen makeover. I know I have mentioned it once or twice on the blog over the years. Well, the stars have aligned and things are in motion to finally get this done. So exciting!

I’m also excited to be participating in Linda’s One Room Challenge Linking Event where anyone who wants to transform a space in real time in 6 weeks can do so.  Each week the participants will provide progress on the room. How’s that for impetus for transforming a space?

 

This week’s post is about inspiration and my plan for the kitchen.  I have always loved this kitchen designed by the talented Benjamin Dhong. I think the range elevation can look much like this, the only difference being the cabinet colour and his counter is marble.

 

I have only showed a couple photos of my kitchen on the blog over the years as it certainly is not the kitchen of my dreams.  We upgraded the cabinets with the builder when we bought the house 10 years ago.  They are painted maple – an off white colour very similar to Benjamin Moore Dove Wing OC-18 and they are staying.

But  a few things have bothered me over the years and now it’s time to fix them.  I never liked the microwave over the range and that the cabinets don’t reach the ceiling which is 9′ high.  And although I did like the tumbled marble and onyx backsplash when I chose it a decade ago, it’s too busy and dark so I want to lighten things up.

I would love to remove the shutters and replace with romans in a gorgeous fabric but that’s not going to happen.  I live in the burbs where your backyard neighbours are ohsoclose so privacy is important and you can’t beat shutters for that.

This is the other side of the kitchen where I decided to paint the bookcase and island one of my favourite blues.  Although I still love the colour in the bookcase, it has to go on the island. And the red stools? Yes, I was in a red phase 10 years ago. (That was slightly embarrassing to show you these photos.)

To wallpaper or not to wallpaper?

It’s a pretty straightforward makeover (or as they call it in the US, a remodel 🙂 ) but there has been one decision that I have laboured over. Do I tile around the windows with a marble subway tile? Or do I replace the backsplash with a 3×6 white subway tile (one that has a handmade quality) and only install it where the tile is now and wallpaper above.

I asked a few designer friends and they all said, do the marble backsplash to the ceiling- no question! So, that’s the route I was going to go as I have always loved that look anyway.  See Caitlin Wilson’s kitchen below which was House Beautiful’s Kitchen of the Month early this year and was also published in Rue magazine.

And then my sweet mother spent the day with us on Saturday and pointed out that the counter to ceiling backsplash tile may make the kitchen feel cold and wallpaper would definitely warm things up.  So true as I can’t use any fabric because of the shutters on the windows and I have tiles on the floor. Do what will make you happy, she said.  Such good advice Mom and that’s what I tell my clients all the time and write this blog called Decor Happy.  Wallpaper does make me happy! (By the way, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I got my love of wallpaper specifically floral wallpaper,  from my Mom.  All of our homes growing up had at least one or two rooms with wallpaper, including grasscloth.)

If you Google wallpaper in the kitchen, very few images come up – it’s not something that you see often. So, I took it as a sign when I came across this Pin while my Mom was over – wallpaper above white subway tile (although this is a bathroom, it would look similar in my kitchen.)

This gorgeous laundry room (below) was the standout in a show home in DC a few years ago.  Can the Gracie wallpaper be any more beautiful? As you know I love wallpaper but only if it is a painterly floral, botanical, vines, trees etc. Not really a fan of geometric wallpaper or heaven forbid, damask! I will provide more details on the wallpaper I chose in a future post (still not 100% decided) but this is kind of the idea. Just a hit of wallpaper for interest.

 

 

So here is what I am planning:

1) Upgrade the range to this beauty from Electrolux. (I had it installed last week and already the kitchen has kicked it up a notch.)

2) Replace the laminate counter with Silestone Lagoon – suede finish. I have this in my bathroom and love it.

3) Change the sink to this Blanco one. I have installed this with two clients recently and they love it.

4) Change the faucet to the Waterhill from Moen.

5) Extend cabinets to the ceiling with a frieze and new crown moulding (as in the first inspiration photo above.)

6) Add glass (or antique mirror as in the first inspiration image) to the four uppers flanking the range. (And buy all new white dishes so it looks pretty!) I thought (for a few seconds) about eliminating the uppers altogether and just having gorgeous tile with shelves but that wouldn’t really work for me. The glass will make it seem more airy though.

7) Finish off the peninsula with a more decorative end panel and banish the blue.

8) Change the hardware – not 100% decided but need to order stat!

9) Purchase a smaller microwave for the counter.

10) Purchase a hood fan insert.

11) Install white subway tile.

12) Wallpaper above the subway tile.

13) Convert a pot light over the sink to an electrical box to hang a pendant. Have my painter patch and paint.

14) Replace the counter stools.

15) Clean the grout! Although I would love to change the flooring, it is not in the budget. The grey-white porcelain tiles were an almost $5K upgrade with the builder and cleaning the grout to it’s original colour will make a huge difference. (I can’t believe I paid that much for the upgrade – still annoyed by this all these years later! Namaste Vanessa, namaste.)

16) Style it pretty and get it photographed.

Phew! I’m exhausted just thinking about this. Let’s hope everything goes according to plan. Did I mention I have less than 6 weeks to get this done?

And here are the products mentioned above so you can see the look and the potential:

 More details on all of the products in future posts.

My awesome cabinetmaker is making a range hood (similar to the one in the first image above) to match the cabinetry and I would love it to have the stainless detail like this one. :

And yes, I want to be looking as fashionable in my new kitchen in a few weeks as this lovely lady!

 

So stay tuned for multiple updates on this project with the final reveal being the first week of November. Wish me luck! Don’t forget to check out what the other ORC  linking participants are up to as well here and to see who the 20 designers/bloggers are and what they are working on go here.  Tons of inspiration, so click on over!

Have a great week everyone!