Our Complete Kitchen Makeover

The kitchen is the heart of the home, where family and friends congregate. The household kitchen was designed for preparing and cooking meals. However, it has evolved slowly into the epicenter of the home.

Kitchens set the tone for the entire house. People invest a lot into kitchen upgrades because it is the most important room when it comes to the resale value of the home. We bought a house with a very outdated kitchen that was not well maintained and already half ripped out. We had a big decision to make – salvage the old cabinets or rip them out and start over.

The appliances were from the early ’80s so to fit modern day appliances we would have needed to cut the cabinets, so we ultimately chose to rip everything out and start from scratch. It was a VERY exciting opportunity to design my dream kitchen!

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Cabinets

I know designing a kitchen can have its challenges, so I wanted to make sure everything would be streamlined. Kitchen Cabinet Distributors to the rescue! Kitchen Cabinet Distributors (KCD) has their own cabinet and hardware pairings, which makes it super convenient. The cabinets are well made and visually stunning. KCD also has impeccable customer service that went above and beyond our expectations.

First we had to choose what style of cabinets, and ultimately Napa White was the best choice for our kitchen. From the full overlay doors to the soft close drawers, these are a dream. Yes, I am in love with our kitchen cabinets! Let me tell you why – anyone who cooks knows that it can be messy. My kids love to cook with me, and we really get into it. We experiment with flavors and ingredients, and yes… make a mess! KCD has a premium finish on their cabinets that cleans effortlessly. I just take a wet washcloth and it comes right off!

I also mentioned the soft close drawers and doors, which means no more fingers getting hurt and no more listening to doors open and slam shut with the kiddos. Mom win!

Something that I never would have thought of – cabinets on the back side of the kitchen island. Hello extra storage space! We were able to extend the island and create some beautifully crafted cabinets to fit our kitchen. This added so much functionality to our space.

KCD has a wide variety of accessories that help make your kitchen organized and functional. We opted for a lazy susan in the corner cabinets to maximize space and keep everything accessible. We also got a trash can and recycling insert which has been great for keeping the trash can out of eyesight.

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KCD took our space with my design ideas and made it into reality. They are sleek and well made, and I am so thrilled with the final product. The process was so fun I wish I could work with them again to design someone else’s kitchen!

Appliances

I love the look of elegant appliances, so I was drawn to ZLINE. They provide “attainable luxury” and that is exactly what we achieved with their appliances.

Range Top – I went with the 30″ range top that has handcrafted Italian burners, four burners, and cast iron grates. This thing is made to last and it looks SO beautiful.

Farm Sink – This stainless steel sink is resistant to chipping or cracking and is cUPC certified (materials used are lead free). The sink is so large and it really is a statement piece.

Wall Oven – Professional Electric Convection Cooking at its finest! I had never used convection before but it was a seamless transition and I cannot believe how fast and evenly it cooks!

Microwave – This microwave doubles as a second oven, as it has convection baking as well. This was a game changer in our kitchen!

Dishwasher – The dishwasher is so quiet and easy to use once you get the hang of the European model! Everything comes out sparkling clean and dry – it is also VERY sleek!

Backsplash

I LOVE bricks and wanted that charming element in our home. The kitchen was the most obvious place, rustic brick backsplashes are truly one of a kind. Old Mill Bricks provides the easiest and most innovative way to build your own brick wall or floor in your home, and they are REAL thin bricks.

I went with Rushmore Brickwebb Flats for the backsplash, and used Rushmore Brickwebb Herringbone behind the stove to add a design element. It turned out gorgeous and it was really easy to install!

Countertop

Both my husband and I are partial to granite countertops. There seems to be a huge uprising in quartz countertops, but they lack unique character that granite has.

SO – we went with a leathered granite, and my oh my it is beautiful and really pulled the kitchen together!

Ultimately, your kitchen should reflect your own personal style. Make a space YOU will be happy in with your family!