Being first time home owners we were eager to make our house a home (especially being an Interior Decorator, I was itching to get started) when we moved in September of 2019. For our first project we had our sights on the kitchen. We were working with a lot of builder-grade finishes – laminate countertops, outdated tile flooring, awful flushmount lighting. But the piece that frustrated us the most was the layout. I am a big baker and cook and with a cramped kitchen, it makes it so difficult to enjoy those elements of everyday life.
With small spaces it is essential to try and squeeze as much function out of it as possible and that’s where strategic space planning comes into play. We originally had a dividing wall between our kitchen and living room that served really no purpose on the living room side and on the kitchen side had our fridge and some cabinets on it. With significant space extending beyond the existing cabinetry and us knowing we would not need a dining table in the kitchen (we have a formal dining room on the same floor and prefer counter seating for our dining) we planned to move everything from that dividing wall and install on the far side of the kitchen. Even in doing that we would have additional space for additional shelving/storage (bar cart!!).
So that was the first plan of action – remove that wall, open up the space, and extend our kitchen cabinetry. We missed out on the timing to do this in 2019 as cold weather approached and we decided to wait until the Spring. Fast-forward to Spring 2020 and COVID posed bigger delays. All in all our kitchen renovation was about a year in the making (no small feat!). During that down time though we were able to really plan out what we wanted, what we needed and incorporate elements we really loved.
What were the must haves:
1) An island for additional prep space, entertaining and dining
2) New flooring for a cohesive flow throughout the main floor
3) New lighting to replace existing and for over the island
4) Fresh paint and hardware to better blend into our home and style
Let’s talk budget (always plan out your budget before any project) – this project was a tight budget for us so we very definitively knew where our splurges and saves were and stuck to it (DIY where you can and if you have family or friends that are willing to help, take them up on it – supply them with all the drinks and food!). The key is setting the budget per each item you know you are going to need, down to the parts, allow for a contingency for some additional spending and track, track, track! With every purchase we tracked the dollars as soon as the payment was made.
What were the splurges & the saves:
1) Splurge – Custom island
2) Save – New flooring
3) Splurge – Lighting
4) Save – Cabinets
5) Splurge – Quartz Counters
6) Keep – Appliances and backsplash
7) Invest – Pros (leave the engineering, major installs, plumbing and electrical to the professionals!)
8) DIY – Painting (cut costs by painting walls, trim and/or cabinets)
Our first splurge item was the island. It is the focal point of not just the kitchen, but of this whole open living space. So we worked with a local custom millwork company to bring our vision to life. Shaker detailing for a classic look, two extra wide drawers for our plates and many utensils, deep cabinet storage for all my serveware and baking pieces and a butcher block top, mainly for my love of wood details. A hub for all things prep! With this concept in mind we picked our colour palette for the space.
Fitting with the aesthetic we have built in our home so far we kept our walls very soft with Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. We have this running through most of our home and in my opinion this is the perfect white – incredibly versatile! For our cabinets we went with Benjamin Moor Grey Owl – another favourite of mine. It can honestly lend to warm or cool spaces, but in the case of our kitchen adds a really nice subtle contrast to the white walls, while pairing well with the warmth of the finishes. Lastly is Benjamin Moore Salamander for the island. From the get go I knew I needed some green in this kitchen and what better spot than the island for a statement. This hue is part of the teal family, but definitely is stronger on the green side, it can sometimes read black it is so dark. I am a strong believer that neutral doesn’t need to mean boring and definitely doesn’t need to mean tonal. Lots of colours provide depth and a bold richness to a space and still function as a neutral – this being one of them!
With this palette being the forefront of the design aesthetic, we went on to source flooring – a wide plank, luxury vinyl in a beautiful washed oak finish. This floor was perfect because it had all the right tones – there are dark and light greys, white, tan – all work with each space on our main floor. I have been asked before about the difference in hardwood and vinyl/laminate and the answer is both have positives and negatives. For us we wanted a budget-friendly option that would withstand our dog and eventually kids. The luxury vinyl was the perfect choice for these reasons.
The next splurge was lighting. Lighting in my opinion is an essential element in any space. It helps tell the design story, adds function, and adds dimension. My favourite design element to play with when it comes to lighting is scale. While there are rules when it comes to lighting sizes, you can challenge that and use scale to your advantage to deliver something unique yet still intentional. For our island pendants I went with a fixture larger in scale for our 5×3 island to increase the “wow factor” of this focal point in our home. The brass, cage detailing lends a modern flair to a retro-style fixture – perfect blending of the styles in our home. Another piece we invested in was all new LED pot lights for our kitchen and living room, each on dimmers. This gives us far more control on the lighting levels in these spaces and are far more energy-efficient.
When it came to the core functional areas of the kitchen we opted to save by keeping all of our existing appliances (for now!), our existing backsplash (which worked with our colour palette and style choices) and refinish our existing cabinetry. The great thing about the cabinetry we have is that it is a great quality that will last. Simply updating the paint and hardware instantly gives it a facelift without the hefty price tag. We chose beautiful brushed knobs for our cabinetry and in the same finish chose something more geometric for our island (all about those bold details here).
We did however splurge on new quartz countertops. We were upgrading our upper level bathroom at the same time so financially it made sense to invest in these slabs together and incur the install cost as a one time deal (definitely recommend going this way if you are looking to save some money in the long run). By upgrading the countertops not only are you finishing an overall look, but you are adding real value to your home.
Our kitchen has definitely been the space I get asked about most and generated the most buzz on my social channels. It was a long time in the making so it is lovely to know that so many found inspiration in the design of this space. We enjoy it every single day – it is 100% the heart of our home and where we spend majority of our time. I am counting down the days to when we can host parties and I can play hostess again!
What are the top pieces I get asked about, I recommend or suggest for recreating this space (each product name is linked):
1) Colvin 1-Light Globe Pendant on Wayfair (I have the 11.5″ option in Heritage Brass)
2) Emmory Counter Stools from Urban Barn (I can’t say enough about these stools – I recommend them constantly!)
3) Essence Pull-Out Kitchen Faucet from GROHE (The Brushed Cool Sunrise finish is so sleek and timeless)
4) Smeg 4-Slice Toaster from Williams Sonoma (If you frequently use your toaster and leave it on your counter, the Smeg toaster is like jewelry for your countertop. Side note: The white colour is only available at Williams Sonoma!)
5) Mid-Century Bar Cart from West Elm (If you are a cocktail fan like we are then a bar setup in the kitchen is a must!)
6) KitchenAid Pro Stand Mixer in Milkshake (Another must if you are a baker. The matte Milkshake colour cleans like a dream and is a nice change from the stainless or chrome options)
