In Progress: Kitchen Renovation

We have had a little kitchen renovation project in the works around here this week. We knew when we bought this house that the bathrooms and kitchen would need some updating. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed this little kitchen. But there are some things we wanted to change to make it more functional for us.

Here is the before shot. It’s the day after we moved in. You can see we had a modified L-shape kitchen with a wrap around peninsula.

I have so loved the little bar area and bookshelf combo where the kids have eaten their breakfast and snacks. The problem was that it made the kitchen seem small and cramped, especially when we have guests.

So, the little bar is gone, and we’re trying to decide the best way to go from here.

We both love the look of natural granite, and it’s durability. We’re just struggling to justify the cost at this point. I won’t miss those old Formica laminate countertops in the least, but I’d like to make an environmentally sound and affordable choice. We’re undecided as to what we’ll end up doing. The cabinetry is in excellent shape, so we’ll refinish those. The countertops are proving to be our biggest expense, so we can afford to splurge a little here. I keep telling myself that granite will never need to be replaced.

We’ve also decided that a kitchen island is a must. I need the extra work and storage space. If possible, we’d like to rework the old peninsula to serve this purpose. It’s always better to use what you already have - it saves time, money, and waste. Although, I’m not sure how this particular repurposing will turn out. The peninsula is still rather large for the space. We’re going to try modifying it this weekend.

I’m really liking the way this kitchen has been opened up. It seems SO MUCH LARGER even though it hasn’t grown an inch. Traffic flow issues have been solved.

And I love this kitchen island. I have in mind to do something similar for our own. I’m blessed to have a wonderful husband who has many skills. We’ve never had to call a plumber or electrician. He’s an excellent carpenter, too. I look forward to seeing what he designs for our little kitchen.