OUR FARMHOUSE KITCHEN: BEFORE AND AFTER
The kitchen is often the heart of a farmhouse. One of our favorite rooms in our house now is the beautiful kitchen space we created, but that wasn't always the case.
Our farmhouse was in pretty rough shape when we bought it but not as bad as it could have been. We were fortunate the previous owners did a poor remodel job using cheap big box cabinets, lighting, and fixtures prior to selling. You may ask how I saw this as a positive? First, we did not need to rush into anything, as we could live in the space and see what needed to be done. Secondly, we did not have to live through a major gut job. For us, that was great news as we had a new baby on the way, and I was not sure I could deal with being a new parent and live through a kitchen remodel gut job.
We lived with the kitchen as it was for 3 or 4 years and did not do much. Our kitchen project took a bit of a back seat as other things in the house needed immediate attention. Both Andy and I love to cook, and the mounting list of annoyances and wish lists reached the point that we needed to bite the bullet and remodel the kitchen. Once we decided to take the plunge and go ahead and remodel we realized we had to stick to a budget as funds were tight.
Kitchen Before:
Here is our lovely big box home improvement kitchen. The cabinets were okay but the countertops, fixtures and layout had to go. One of the main things that made me crazy was the U shape, it broke up our large kitchen in half.
Kitchen Before:
I knew that we had really great potential with the space and with a few tweaks we could make this into our dream kitchen.
Kitchen After:
How we created ourfarmhouse kitchen:
One of the first items on the list was to open up the U shape and add an island. To save money we reused the carcass of the existing cabinets for the lower cabinets and replaces the doors and drawer fronts. We needed to create new uppers because I wanted the cabinets to go to the ceiling. When advising others on money saving tips in the kitchen we usually always suggest reusing your existing cabinets carcass and having new doors and hardware. The door style we choose is the Skaneateles in Teaselwood white, it is a clean simple classic style that is perfect for a farmhouse Kitchen.
The new layout is a dream and it works incredibly well, I can't say enough how much I love our island. It is the perfect size, it has 3- drawers on the stove side which are a dream to store utensils, bowls, and Tupperware. We found when we entertained that everyone hung out in the kitchen so the countertop height seating was a must. It works great in the evening when our son sits here to do his home work and I get dinner ready.
Countertops: We ended up splurging on the Carrera marble countertop for the island which I love. If you need perfection in your life, I do not recommend using Carrera , as it does etch and stain. In a later post I will give you some other options to Carrera. We wanted to warm up the space and for us with a wood worker and shop in the house it was a economical choice for our counter tops. I have to say I think they have been a great decision there is a lot of controversy out there about wood countertops but I have had no issues with them. Andy added a drain board next to the sink which makes clean up a breeze and no unsightly drain rack.
A decorative or tile backsplash was a must and I really wanted something simple but pulled everything together. This subway tile from Daltile, fit the bill and also fit our budget. It adds great texture, but still keeps a clean simple palette.
The fun part comes by adding the finishing details to give you a timeless farmhouse kitchen
Farmhouse sink : a kitchen is not complete without a farmhouse sink. I read recently that they are not as popular as they were a few years ago. After having our sink I will never go back, to me there is nothing better than one large bowl to be able to soak pans in or give a baby a bath in.
Color palette: should be soft we used Benjamin Moore Linen White
Open shelving: this is a great detail to put on display all your wonderful farmhouse collections.
Lighting: Think about unique or vintage styles lights, ours are reproductions of old schoolhouse fixtures. When looking for pendant lights over an island I tend to go with something that is not going to block the other side of the island if you are talking to someone.
Gooseneck Faucets: These can be a budget killer but if you look around you can find some that are too costly. Ours are oil rubbed bronze.
Stripe rugs we love Dash and Albert or cast off Orientals that we have switched out to, they are bomb proof.
Window treatments: They add so much warmth to a room and do not need to overpower the windows. I tend to keep them simple, and they can add that punch of color.
Cutting boards and baskets are a practical way to get more texture.
I hope you enjoyed our tour of our kitchen before and after. If you are interested in remodeling your kitchen take a look at our cabinet gallery for ideas. If you are considering a smaller remodel and want a great source for your cabinets take a look at our kitchen cabinet line. Our homeware line offers unique farmhouse accessories that look amazing on open shelving and the table.
XOXO,
Charity and Andy
After photos by Alice G Patterson Photography