Prettying Up a Builder Kitchen: One Room Challenge Final Reveal

Hi there! Welcome to the final reveal of my kitchen which I transformed in six weeks (with a little help from my friends, aka trades) as part of the One Room Challenge (ORC.)

If you are a new reader, you can read the previous five weekly updates here to get a sense of what has transpired:

one | two | three | four | five

The layout of the kitchen was just fine as was the existing cabinetry.  I just needed to change some of the finishes, appliances and fixtures – make it more me and more pretty (if that is even grammatically correct. 🙂 )

 

All “after” photos by the talented Stephani Buchman.

 So let’s look at the Before and then the After, shall we?

Kitchen circa 2005: cabinets don’t reach the ceiling, dated backsplash which divides the wall, laminate counters with the dreaded bullnose edge and curved corner, basic range, microwave over the range, ugly stools, all potlights and no pendant, plain peninsula, dirty grout, dull hardware, ugly, boring, blah…To this:

 

My black + white + (whatever colour I want to add, today it’s pink) kitchen.

I have to give a huge shout out to my cabinetmaker who created the panels on the peninsula, the range hood and the riser and new crown.  He is an absolute joy to work with and was able to match the new cabinetry paint colour to the old. (We also worked on the kitchen together that is in the Style at Home Makeovers with Style special issue out now.)  His handiwork dramatically changed the kitchen. If you know me,  I don’t personally like anything too embellished – simple, pretty and classic for the win is always my motto (for my own home anyway.)

Oh, and did you notice that the grout was cleaned? Yes, I splurged and had it professionally cleaned and sealed. What a huge difference. It’s back to it’s original white colour in most areas.

If you catch up on the previous posts, you can see my choices and my thinking behind them. The only design choice that changed from my original concept was the knobs.

So the inspiration/vibe is sort of a French café meets an English countryside tea room.  The stools, pendant, subway tiles and marble looking counter feel very French while the garden inspired wallpaper and faucet feel British (to me anyway!)

 

 

I think it’s the range that really ups the luxe factor in the kitchen. I love that it has a commercial feel while the legs make it look lighter in appearance. As I promised, stay tune for a post on the range. I couldn’t possibly go into all of its features here but I can say that it has been an absolute joy to cook with. It almost makes me like cooking!

I much prefer the look of a hood fan insert within cabinetry (rather than a stainless hood for example) as it looks understated and not so imposing. It was the perfect choice for my kitchen as it looks cleaner especially with the antique mirror. (We were going to do flashing on the bottom of the hood but it competed with the antique mirror so we nixed the idea.)

 

The antique mirror is one of my favourite things about the kitchen and I’m so glad I decided on this rather than going with plain glass. I think it adds that glam factor (and I can do a brocolli in the teeth check as well! 🙂 )

The counter is Silestone Lagoon in a suede finish (all sources linked to below.)  I really love the matte look and how it pairs well with the glossy subway tile. It is made to mimic marble and I think it really does that. A couple of people have asked what the counter is and if it is marble.

I’m so glad I decided to link up to the ORC because if I hadn’t I would be still debating over marble subway tile versus wallpaper.  (Seems I’m not the only designer who can make quick decisions with clients but labours over decisions in our own home.) So glad I went with the wallpaper! The black and white colour way is perfect for my kitchen – it doesn’t commit me to any colour.  My electrician was able to convert the pot light to a box for a pendant and I love the simplicity of this one.

 

 

Let’s talk about that gorgeous faucet for a minute. It is the Waterhill in chrome by Moen. I knew I wanted a bridge faucet and nothing too modern and this was the perfect choice. Stay tuned for a post on faucets in the near future.

 

Check out the rounded corners on my Blanco sink – so in love with it (if one can be in love with a sink.)

I pasted wallpaper to foam core (rather than wallpapering the cabinet) for the back of the bookcase. The beautiful print plus the Bon Appetit one is from Minted.  I know I have mentioned them on the blog over the years as I am a huge fan.

Here you can see the electrical outlets that my electrician moved lower and horizontally.

 

 

Those macarons were absolutely delicious!

 

To say I am pleased with the outcome is an understatement. I love my kitchen and wouldn’t change a thing. I just wished I had done it years ago!

I have to thank the generosity of the brands that partnered with me on this because without them, this makeover wouldn’t have the outcome it did and maybe wouldn’t have even happened.  Check out their product range if you are undergoing a kitchen and/or bath reno/makeover:

Silestone by Cosentino

Electrolux Canada

Blanco

Moen

Sources:

Counter: Silestone Lagoon in a suede finish

Range: Electrolux Icon Dual Fuel

Sink: Blanco Quatrus R15 U2

Faucet: Waterhill 2 handle, high arc faucet by Moen

Hardware: Button Faced Knob in polished nickel by Top Knobs

Wallpaper: Designers Guild Jacaranda in Noir

Paint colour (wall): Para P5223-24 Soaker Tub

Backsplash tile:  Urban Zebra though Factory Tile, Milton

Stools, pendant and pulls: Restoration Hardware

Flowers: Fiori Oakville

Accessories: Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, HomeSense, Zara Home, The Bay, Target, Ikea, Williams Sonoma and Anthropologie

Thanks so much for following along and leaving encouraging comments.  It was so wonderful to “meet” all of you and see the projects you have been working on.  And thanks to Linda at Calling it Home for coming up with this concept.  Many beautiful spaces across North America (and beyond) have been created as a result! Now go here to see what the 20 bloggers revealed and go here to see what fabulosity the other linking participants got up to.

Please feel free to ask me any questions in the comments.

Chat soon!

If you require design advice like prettying up your kitchen, please contact me at vanessa(at)vanessafrancis(dot)com. I would love to work with you.

(I had to add this photo again so the photo of me isn’t the last one as it shows up on my sidebar!)

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