The kitchen was very nice…in the 80’s. Really, there were high-end appliances, all wood cabinets, and that lovely wallpaper. But, it was dark and outdated, so it all had to go.
After removing the cabinets and wallpaper (RIP), we made a few structural changes. We expanded the cased opening so that the bottom lined up with the counter and added a breakfast bar. We moved the range to the opposite wall. We also removed the soffit/bulkhead above the upper cabinets – and discovered a support beam! While that wasn’t ideal, we enclosed it with drywall, and it’s still 100% better than the huge soffit that was there before.
After waiting four months for our cabinets to arrive, our white kitchen with shaker cabinets, subway tile backsplash, quartz counters, and open shelving was finally done! When I told the contractor my design plan for the kitchen, he said: “But, it’s going to be all white.” I said, “Exactly!” I know an all white kitchen isn’t for everyone, but I really wanted a light and bright space that wouldn’t look dated in a few years. (“They” say a classic white kitchen never goes out of style…) And, it’s not that hard to keep clean. Honest.
My favorite change to the kitchen, though, is the addition of the breakfast bar. It really is the hub of our home. On most days, it’s sticky from dried-on syrup and yogurt and piled high with books, artwork, legos, rocks, and cicada exoskeletons. You name it, it’s probably been on our breakfast bar at some point. The boys eat there every morning and do schoolwork there in the afternoons. It was such a small change, but it really made a huge difference in how we use the space.
We made the open shelves ourselves with wood that we cut down to size and stained and brackets that we bought on Amazon. The shelves serve a mostly decorative purpose, but they help to break up the whiteness of the space. (Follow this link for a tutorial on how we made the shelves.)
Although I use the microwave a lot, I don’t like seeing the microwave in a kitchen. We resolved this issue by tucking the microwave into this cabinet, which also serves as a small island and extra storage for pots and pans.
We recently updated the kitchen with sconces above the open shelves. Check out my post on how to turn hardwired sconces into wireless sconces.
S O U R C E S
Counters: Corian Quartz (formerly Zodiaq quartz) in London Sky
Paint: Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray
Cabinet Hardware: Amerock Blackrock Pull and Forgings Cabinet Knob in Oil Rubbed Bronze
Hand Towel: similar blue and white Turkish hand towel
Sconces: Adjustable Retro Black Barn Wall Lights
