Earlier than Kitchen Reno Tour – Life Full and Frugal

Hey mates! Right now I assumed I might take y’all on a earlier than kitchen reno tour! After practically ten years of planning, dreaming, and saving, we’re renovating our kitchen. However earlier than we escape the sledge hammers and crowbars for demo day, I assumed I might let y’all see the place we’re beginning, so you’ll be able to comply with alongside within the transformation!

Repeat Renovators

I like watching individuals progress by way of their house renovations and seeing the blood sweat and tears that produce a ravishing transformation. It’s sort of a metaphor for all times, isn’t it? If you’re a very long time follower of Life Full and Frugal, you may keep in mind me mentioning that my husband and I’ve gone by way of a few renovations now. We moved into our present house in 2011. My husband and I usually dwell by a 5-year-plan, and now we have finished so all through our 20+ years collectively. Once we moved, our objective was to pay on the home for a number of years, then make it our personal by renovating.

Our first renovation was in 2014. We painted–principally all the things–eliminated the popcorn from the ceilings, and put in new flooring.  We had a lot on our plates throughout that renovation, it simply was not attainable to fully make over our kitchen. However just a little little bit of lipstick and rouge go a protracted approach to clean up an area. Throughout that renovation, we additionally re-oriented the island in our kitchen. That was a complete recreation changer! My kitchen functioned SO significantly better, and finally, that’s crucial factor!

Our second renovation was NOT within the 5-year-plan, however a tree fell on our home, and our plans modified. In consequence, my kitchen reno took a little bit of a detour. A lot of dwelling frugally is about ready, and never biting off greater than you’ll be able to chew. (Or pay for…) Despite all of it, that second (unplanned) renovation ended up being such a blessing! We doubled our classroom area and added a laundry room. I like that area a lot!

Earlier than Kitchen Reno Tour

My present kitchen has served us rather well through the years, and I’m so very grateful for it! However, there are some things that I’m actually trying ahead to within the new kitchen! As I present y’throughout on this earlier than kitchen reno tour, I’ll allow you to in on a few of our plans for the brand new design!

Saying Goodbye to my Electrical Range, and Good day to a Gasoline Range and (Lastly!) a Vent Hood!

In our present kitchen, now we have an electrical range. It resides in our kitchen island. We don’t have a vent hood. That is one thing that I’m REALLY enthusiastic about altering. I prepare dinner loads, and there are lots of occasions when now we have to open up all of the home windows to vent out the home. Since we dwell in Louisiana, that’s not all the time ultimate, to say the least! So, the plan is to take away the range from the island and place it on the north going through wall within the perimeter cupboards. This can permit us to put in a vent hood and drop a fuel line for a brand new fuel range.

I grew up cooking on a fuel range, and I additionally had one at our little home on Davis Lane. We lived there for 11 years. Once we moved to this home, I principally needed to re-learn the best way to prepare dinner on an electrical range. I’m actually enthusiastic about switching to knowledgeable fuel range. It’s positively an funding and a giant chunk of our funds goes towards this range. However, since now we have lived on this home, now we have gone by way of a minimum of three totally different electrical stoves. As you’ll be able to think about, that provides up!

Whereas looking for a brand new range for this kitchen transform, I used to be so annoyed by the truth that all the things I checked out was digital and got here with WIFI. Y’all…I simply can’t think about why anybody wants WIFI on their home equipment. The issue is, when these digital interfaces go south, you’ll pay about as a lot because it price for your entire range to exchange them! My objective is to purchase a very high quality piece of kit that can stand the take a look at of time. As Starla shared, generally you makes sacrifices to put money into good instruments to your kitchen. You simply need to determine what your priorities are, and the place you wish to get monetary savings, and the place you wish to make investments.

The Island of my Goals and Quartz Counter tops!

By eradicating the range from my kitchen island, we will have a very giant, open work area! I’m a messy prepare dinner. In our present kitchen, I principally have 4 little sq. toes of labor area on both facet of my range. As you’ll be able to think about, that is actually irritating. Additionally, our counter tops are made up of 12×12 terra cotta tiles. Let me simply say, these issues are completely indestructible! You may beat the mess out of them, lower on them, place scalding sizzling pans on them, and they’re simply superb. It’s additionally a very inexpensive approach to set up counter tops, and a really approachable DIY challenge.

Nevertheless, holding them clear is sort of unimaginable. Irrespective of how a lot I scrub these suckers every day, there isn’t any telling what mess resides in these grout strains! The terra cotta tends to suck all the sunshine out of my kitchen and makes all the things look purple! In addition they make it actually tough to do a lot baking in my kitchen. I normally simply go to our eating room desk to roll out pie crusts or knead dough. So, I’m actually trying ahead to the clear, open floor of quartz counter tops!

Let There Be Mild! And a Wooden Planked Ceiling!

On this earlier than kitchen reno tour, you’ll discover our kitchen lighting wants a superb bit of labor. Once we moved in, there have been two florescent lights. We took these out and changed them with recessed lighting, including two further lights. This improved the scenario, but it surely was all the time meant to be a brief repair. Within the new kitchen design, we are going to take away the present ceiling and wire in all new lighting. Lighting is crucial in work areas and since I’m a blogger, it’s much more vital! That is going to make taking pictures images and video a lot nicer!

We’re additionally planning on putting in a wooden planked ceiling. There are a few causes for this design alternative. At first, it’s one thing that we are able to do ourselves. Typically when doing a renovation, you simply have to concentrate on your limitations. We will NOT do drywall ourselves! So, as an alternative of hiring somebody to do the work, we’re taking over this challenge ourselves. The second purpose is that I really feel like it should add a number of character and architectural curiosity to our kitchen. My objective is all the time so as to add timeless allure and a lived-in feeling to our house constructed within the mid 90’s. Similar to we did in our boys’ lavatory!

Persevering with our Earlier than Kitchen Reno Tour and Speaking About Cabinetry!

Clearly, this kitchen reno is a whole over corridor, as a result of we’re additionally getting new cabinetry. In our present kitchen, I actually embraced the area above our cupboards. I added thrifted gadgets from flea markets and vintage shops so as to add  coloration and an eclectic really feel. I additionally tried to assist out our unhappy lighting scenario and get rid of some shadows by inserting Christmas lights on prime of our cupboards. They appear so fairly reflecting off of my assortment of blue classic mason jars! Including collected gadgets that you just love is an easy and frugal approach to improve the look of your kitchen while you don’t have the funds to fully transform.

So the plan for the brand new cupboards is to have them go as much as the ceiling. I’m hoping it will draw your eye up, making the ceiling peak seem taller. Our home has an open ground plan. The kitchen is open to the eating room on one facet, and the lounge on the opposite. Each of these rooms have vaulted ceilings and it makes the 8-foot kitchen ceiling really feel actually low. The hope is that, by enhancing the lighting, including the brilliant white wooden planked ceiling, and taking the cabinetry to the ceiling peak, it should assist our kitchen to really feel taller and extra open.

Ending Touches: Paint Colours, Backsplash, and {Hardware}

This kitchen has a stainless-steel, double sided sink. Within the new kitchen, we shall be choosing a cast-iron enameled apron sink. The backsplash would be the identical hexagon formed marble mosaic tiles that encompass our hearth. I haven’t chosen door knobs and drawer pulls but, and I’m nonetheless buying round for a faucet. Since our home is so open, paint colours will take their cues from the encompassing rooms. The perimeter cupboards will stay a crisp clear white, with a splash of coloration on the island. It would in all probability be a pale inexperienced or a smooth blue. These are my favourite colours!

So, that’s it for my earlier than kitchen reno tour and our plans for the brand new kitchen design! I hope y’all will be a part of us for this transformation. It’s gonna be a LOT of labor, however it will likely be a number of enjoyable as nicely. When you’ve got any recommendation or knowledge from your personal kitchen renovation, please share that with us within the feedback! I respect any steerage y’all have for me! God bless! ~Shanna

***Shanna’s Kitchen Transform Replace***

After 9 months, our kitchen is FINALLY DONE!!!! Come take a look at our European Cottage Impressed Kitchen Reveal!!!! We’re so pleased with the outcomes! And if you need to see the ENTIRE PROCESS of renovating, take a look at my vlog, “Shanna’s Kitchen Renovation Diaries” on our YouTube Channel! When you’re there, don’t overlook to SUBSCRIBE! I hope y’all benefit from the kitchen tour! ~Shanna

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