Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

130 Comments

  1. Stephanie Thompson says:

    Wow! What a difference! Love it! You did a fabulous job! Lots of personality! You must be very pleased!

    1. Thank you, Stephanie! I am quite happy and I’m glad to hear it has personality… 🙂 Its hard to tell when it’s your own, but I was hoping it didn’t look like everyone else’s white kitchen (even though I love them all!)

    2. Lory, it is beautiful. I am curious why you didn’t replace the outer counter tops too.

      1. Thank you! At the time, it was a matter of cost. We had lots of granite around the perimeter of the kitchen which would cost a lot and the kitchen was still mostly white with the changes we made. However, I knew I would eventually want to replace the rest of the counters and we’ve since done that. You can see part 2 of our kitchen remodel in this post: https://designthusiasm.com/white-kitchen-remodel/

  2. Beautiful!! What a great transformation! What paint did u use for the cupboards?

    1. Thanks, Jeanie! And thanks for reminding me – I meant to add that to this post and will add it in now. It’s Muralo Semi-gloss in Benjamin Moore White Dove.

  3. what a vision, lory! so inspiring. yes, the sign is perfect over a pantry! love how you have accessorized and thanks for all the links. is the banana holder something you already had? i’m crushin on it. now i want those floors! lol!

    1. Thanks, Ruby! The banana holder is actually from The Enchanted Home Blog. She has a shop on her blog with wonderful things… 🙂

      1. Stunning makeover in every way!

  4. Love it! We had our formica kitchen cabinets painted Linen White- Benjamin Moore- and what a difference it made. Love the blue and white vase! Where can I purchase one like it?

    1. Thanks, Eve! The blue and white vase is from Tina’s shop at The Enchanted Home, but I just looked and she doesn’t seem to be carrying it now. I added a link to a very similar vase in the source list in this post. In fact, I think I may get one for the kitchen because I borrowed this one from our family room for these photos… 😉

  5. Oh Lory! I am swooning over your kitchen renovation! It is all so beautiful! I love every little detail! Enjoy your kitchen every single day, I know you will!

  6. C. GRESHAM says:

    I’m amazed that the black counters don’t detract from the overall light and airy ambiance of the new kitchen. In fact, through the eye of the lens, the dark counters aren’t even noticeable. Impressive!

    1. I so agree and I was really worried about that! I was so afraid they would bring the whole thing down but replacing them was just way too costly. In the end, replacing just the island was the right solution for us… 🙂

  7. Kathy Simonson says:

    I could hardly wait to open your post this morning in anticipation of seeing your kitchen completed and decorated…I’m ready to move in–LOL!! It is absolutely fabulous. The biggest transformation I think are the painted cupboards and added glass to the doors, but really all the changes together makes this a beautiful designer kitchen, but a very comfortable to live in space. Keeping your dark granite worked out very well and saved you quite a bit of dollars, and it makes your marble island stand out like it should–it is stunning. Thanks again for all your posts. Looking forward to watching your next space develop. You know you’re my favorite designer!!! Best-Kathy

    1. Aw Kathy, what a nice thing to say! Thank you so very much! It’s true, this renovation has made such a difference to me, because we spend so much time in the kitchen and it’s literally at the center of our house. It makes me happy to walk in there now… 🙂

  8. bobbi duncan says:

    So excited to see this final reveal, and it’s a stunner!!!!!!! Love all the accessories, too. Isn’t it amazing how transformed something can be in a short amount of time? Even all the clean-up is worth it when you love the finished look. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

    1. Thanks Bobbi, and it’s true, I’m amazed at how quickly it was done! In fact, I dragged it out a bit to fit the One Room Challenge, but it really only took 3 weeks once everything was ordered… 🙂

  9. Oh Lory! It’s gorgeous! I probably would have slept in there the first night after competition because I couldn’t drag myself away. Enjoy!

    1. Ha ha! Well, with the way I’m up all night working, I practically do sleep in the kitchen! (Writing this at 2:30 am, as we speak… ;-))

  10. Elizabeth Roderick says:

    I said WOW out loud twice when I saw the pictures. This is beautiful! You did a wonderful job.

  11. Lory!! It’s beautiful and so fresh! Seriously, I bet you just feel so calm and serene when you are are in there now. Love it so much! Congrats on such a beautiful space!

    1. Thanks so much, Ashley! And yes, it does make me feel serene. Finally working my way through these comments and next I hope to read all the other One Room Challenge posts. I hope I get thorough them before the next challenge! 😉

  12. Lory – this is gorgeous!!! It looks like a completely different house! We’ve painted kitchen cabinets and it’s a bear of a job, but this. This is a stunner!!!!

    1. Thanks, Jen! Yes, I’m glad we went with a contractor for the cabinets. Fortunately we saved enough on the things we didn’t do to make that workable. I’m not the biggest DIY-er around (although I am thinking of painting some furniture in the New Year… ;-))

  13. LOVE the white and I know you are loving it!

  14. Marilyn Mead says:

    Beautiful before and after. I would love either one but my favorite is the new kitchen because I love the happiness it brings to the room. Great choice and thank you for sharing.

  15. Lory! What a stunning transformation!! Well done! I love the trio of chandeliers. One thing I noticed right off the bat was the addition of the corbels and maybe a tad bigger island countertop? Perfect! All the glass doors are the perfect touch. Bravo!!

    1. Thanks so much, Emily! Yes, actually the island counter is the same size and it always drove me crazy that the overhang had no corbels, nor is it deep enough for barstools. An odd thing, but the corbels made all the difference. Thanks for the kind words!

  16. Lory, your kitchen looks absolutely amazing. I love all the white!!! Have a GREAT weekend!

    1. Thanks so much, Lory! (I now get such a kick out of seeing your notifications in my inbox with the same name spelling… ;-))

  17. MARY-ANN (FROM CANADA!) says:

    Lory, your new kitchen is so beautiful! You have done such a great job with absolutely everything! Enjoy!

  18. What a bright, clean, beautiful transformation! It is wonderful down to the very last detail! Thank you for sharing!!!

  19. Lory! It looks so good! What a dramatic before and after. I’m sure walking in there every morning just makes you smile. Awesome job!

    1. Thanks, Nancy, and yes it does make me smile!! So fun to share it with you! As you can see I’m behind in my replies, so I will be getting to your email one of these days… 😉

  20. Lory, what a gorgeous renovation! I love white kitchens and I so agree… everything goes with a white kitchen! Beautiful!

  21. Gorgeous, gorgeous kitchen! Love how you have mixed in some vintage accessories…

  22. Debbie Kaplun says:

    How did you paint your cabinets? I’m thinking about doing this but wonder did someone paint them or did you? Any suggestions would be appreciated! Stunning results!

    1. Thanks, Debbie! We hired a contractor to paint them. I detail the process in the post before this. It’s linked above under “Painting the Existing Cabinets”. It’s certainly possible to DIY it but I didn’t want to take a chance given the quality of the cabinets.

  23. Looks wonderful! We have been struggling with the decision as to whether to paint our cherry cabinets white, but had never seen any “before” and “after” photos like yours. Husband thought it would be a travesty to paint them, but thanks to your photos his mind has been opened! Might I ask if you had them sprayed, or did you actually hand paint them your self?

    1. Thanks, Jan! We had them sprayed. The post before this one details the process a bit. It’s linked above under “Painting the Existing Cabinets”.

  24. This space is seriously stunning. I’m going to include your makeover in my favorites roundup next week – it’s just too gorgeous! XO

  25. Looks really great Lory and I’m glad that you went the route of not just ripping everything out!

    1. Thanks, Janet! There really was no need to rip them out, so I’m glad too to have saved the money… 🙂 (And so is hubby!!)

  26. Kathy Pelletier says:

    Lory, is the most beautiful kitchen I have seen recently .It is amazing how at one time cherry cainets were and are so beautiful but wow, what a difference the paint made. It just opened everything up and looks sooo wonderful.

    1. Thanks, Kathy! Yes, a lot of people still love cherry and it can look beautiful. I think it just wasn’t done well here, but also, I simply always wanted the white… 🙂 Thanks for the kind words!!

  27. What a big difference paint makes. Your kitchen is so much lighter and brighter. I was wondering about painting your cupboards. Does the BM paint cover smoothly without being sprayed? Your accessories are the topping on the cake. If I didn’t just buy new upholstered chairs for my eating area I would absolutely go for those cane back chair. They add wonderful texture as well as that French feel to the room.

    1. Thanks, Joanna!! Yes, I’m really happy with the chairs. I didn’t focus on them because we will be changing the table soon and styling at least the tabletop, so you can look forward to that down the road… 😉 As for the cabinets, the doors were sprayed and are much smoother than the sides which were painted by hand.

  28. Lory, I knew this reveal was going to be beautiful but it is even more stunning than I imagined! I love every detail from the amazing backsplash to the corbels on the island. Congratulations on a gorgeous transformation!
    Cheers! Shelley

  29. Lory, what a most beautiful transformation! Thanks for the inspiration as if we decide to remain in our house and not build the downsized home, then the first thing that will be done is to renovate our 11 year old kitchen. Bravo…a job well done!!!

    1. Thanks so much, Shirley! And I know that feeling of ‘should we stay or should we go’ all too well, because we went back and forth with it for a few years. When we moved into this house last year, I made it clear I wanted to re-do the kitchen before we agreed to buy… 😉 Good luck whichever way you decide to go!!

  30. WOW! A testament to the Power of Paint. An amazing transformation! Just beautiful.

  31. Absolutely stunning! I love every single detail, and I am obsessed with that chinoiserie vase. Wish I could find an exact one like that!

    1. Thanks, Monica!! The vase was purchased from The Enchanted Home’s online shop, but I linked to a similar one because she didn’t have any more in stock. You might still contact Tina or just keep watching the site because she often gets products back in. Funny thing is, since I ‘borrowed’ the vase from my den (where I have 2 on the fireplace), I’m planning to get the other one I linked to for my kitchen… 🙂

  32. Beth Golden says:

    Hi, I had the same color cabinets and had a painter paint them white. They have since peeled even after having him come back and seal it with a polyurethane. How did you paint yours?

  33. Absolutely gorgeous! Planning on painting our oak cabinets white. Did you use the same white for the cabinets and the woodwork trim?

  34. Wow….An amazing job. Love it. Do you have a rough idea how much the transformation cost.

  35. While it looks nice, cherrywood is tons more money then painted white wood. The cherry has a much more ritzy , high class look.

  36. Lori I so enjoyed looking through the pictures of your kitchen! So beautiful! What an awesome transformation. I really like the ice bucket for the utensils! Great idea!

  37. this is beautiful but I don’t see a reference for the floor?? Who made the floor?
    Thanks

  38. Carroll Nabors says:

    Maybe it’s just me but I liked it more before you painted the cabinets. I liked everything else you did, changing the back splash, island top and putting glass in some of the cabinet doors.
    I had white cabinets for years and finally changed them out for really dark wood ones. I guess I am just a fan of wood grain. Hope I have not offended you. Too much white is not my style.

    1. Hi Carroll! I can appreciate that my taste and style are not for everyone. It made me so sad to come into the kitchen in the morning and have it be dark and depressing. I love dark wood grains when they’re balanced against light bright rooms, like a beautiful piece of old wood furniture with lovely patina, surrounded by crisp white linens. But a full room of dark wood is not for me (unless it’s a sun-drenched old English library). The point of the post was to illustrate the dramatic change. I’m sorry you didn’t like it, but thanks for reading anyway.

  39. Absolutely stunning!

  40. Color me green. Corner to corner, your kitchen is gorgeous.

  41. Love the kitchen and will be using BM White Dove for cabinets and currently looking at quartz for countertops. What is the brand of the quartz/name of quartz used? Thanks! So beautiful!!

    1. Thank you! I’m not sure. I picked a slab from a marble yard, rather than picking from a sample in a showroom. But I do think it was a calacatta quartz.

  42. C. Coquette says:

    Lory,

    Thank you so much for this post as I am right in the middle of deciding what in the world to do with my narrow galley kitchen. Now I can clearly see what needs to be done and I don’t have to be scared of painting my cabinets!!! We also have a dark spot in the corner of the kitchen that never seems to get enough light. I am going to download/save this post for my future point of reference.

  43. Cecilia from Georgia says:

    Hi Lory, I wish you and your family a wonderful 2019! I just looked at your Home tour from the home you lived in for 20 years and I must say it was magnificent! I have very similar custom built maple cabinets and have been thinking about painting them. I have thought that a white glaze might get rid of the awful yellow tones in my cabinets (they are definitely dated) or would it be best to just go ahead and paint them. I see you painted the kitchen cabinets in your new home and they turned out so pretty. OK, my question is this– why did you paint the new cabinets and not the ones in the old house? My house is an open floor plan so I would have to do the same treatment to the cabinets across the room that is our living room area. I have oak hardwood floors so there is a lot of wood in the house. My counter top is a dark exotic granite and I love it — your black counter top works beautifully with your white cabinets. My house is slowly evolving into a English countryside style so I don’t like the golden maple in the cabinets. I would appreciate any thoughts you may have about the direction to go in with these cabinets!! Love your blog and look forward to seeing what you have for the new year! Oh gosh, this is so long and if I am out of boundaries for asking, please excuse me.

    1. Hi Cecilia! Thank you for your lovely comment and I’m delighted to respond. I would probably go ahead and paint them white. The reason we didn’t paint the cabinets in my old house is because we moved 3 years ago and knew for a while we’d be moving. They were fully custom cabinets of great quality that we put in 20 years ago. It seemed pointless to paint them when we knew we were selling and figured it was up to the new owner to decide if they wanted the maple or not. Interestingly, I wanted a white kitchen when we first renovated that kitchen all that time ago, but our contractor talked me out of it saying white would be dated. Here we are 20 years later and I still love white. So… my opinion is… paint them white! 🙂

  44. Lory, it’s absolutely beautiful. What a difference. I love white kitchens and walls. All you have to do is change accessories and get a whole new look. I often refer to your style as ‘quiet elegance’ You never fail to impress.

  45. Digna Gantt says:

    I enjoyed the post about the dramatic kitchen renovation, and decided to subscribe. However, the e-mail which you were supposed to send me to finalize the subscription never appeared in my inbox. How should I proceed? Thank you

    1. Thank you for the kind words and for your interest! Did you check your spam folder? Can you also tell me which box you used to subscribe, so I can try to fix it? If all else fails, I would try using a different box. If you didn’t already use it, try the bar at the very top of the website. Please let me know if you still have a problem. Thanks!!

  46. Barbara C. says:

    Lovely. Probably my favorite room in your home!

  47. I love the kitchen. What I like best is that it’s reasonable, not so over the top that you can’t use some of these ideas. We are planning to paint our cabinets so I’m wondering if this paint color is a pure white or more of a creamy white with a yellow undertone? We had the same backsplash in our former home and loved it. I would like to do the marble again here. In the 90’s I had all brass hardware. If I decide to change that as well I’ll be keeping the current ones in a box in case I’m still alive when brassis out of favor once again!

    1. Thank you and lol about the box of hardware! In my case, I actually always love brass, so it would be my choice even if it wasn’t on trend. As for the paint, the type of paint is called muralo and the color we used is White Dove. I wouldn’t really call it cream because the undertones are cooler than that, but it isn’t an optic white either.

  48. So nice to see a beautiful make-over that didn’t require major construction or tons of cash. Well done!

  49. Sara Ross says:

    What a beautiful change! Makes me see that a few changes without replacing the appliances can make a huge difference. Where did you get your glass doors? I am having a hard time finding them online. Thanks for sharing.

  50. I absolutely love your kitchen! The transformation is amazing. I love the mix of metals too. I have the same in my home. Thank you for sharing. Jean

  51. We have been thinking about painting our cherry cabinets too. This definitely gives me the incentive to make the change. Your kitchen is beautiful and your personal touches really make it sing.
    Thank you for sharing all the details.

    1. Thank you so much, Susan! Of all the things we’ve done in our house, this is probably the one I most appreciate on a daily basis… 🙂 Good luck with your renovation!!

  52. Aimee Schmitt says:

    I am SO inspired. Your before photos resemble my current kitchen right down to the sink and pantry locations, dark counters and cherry finish. Have never liked this look…and am now inspired to take on a renovation like this. Did you have your cabinets professionally painted? My fear is that they won’t look great after a year or do not being factory painted. I am sure you researched this….thank you for posting.

    1. Hi Aimee! I’m so glad you were inspired!! Yes, I did have my cabinets painted by a professional. He took the doors to his shop and sprayed them, but painted the cabinets themselves by hand in my kitchen. They have held up very well. The only place where we have some chipping is by the pull out trash, since it’s used so frequently, but I just touch it up. I might have painted them myself, but I was also having the glass doors put in, so I had the same person work on both.

      I did paint the vanity in my daughter’s bathroom myself, which you can see here: https://designthusiasm.com/bathroom-makeover-on-a-budget/

  53. Hi Lory,
    I love your kitchen makeover! What a difference! It is incredibly gorgeous! I especially love your use of old silver bowls. I’m going put some of mine out that I haven’t used in years! It’ll be a little touch of vintage to brighten I kitchen up! As always, Thanks for sharing so many of your design ideas!

  54. Your kitchen reno is lovely – what a visual difference it made to paint the existing cabinets white. The original dark cherry finish (though nice), along with not fitting in with your decorating preferences, simply overpowered this smaller space. I can see why you felt it was like a “dark hole”, the former look was too dark, closed in, and heavy looking . Putting in the glass doors on the refrigerator side of the kitchen echoed the single glass door on the opposite side corner cabinet and updated and opened it up as did the white marble subway tile. The black granite on the perimeter cabinets now acts as an accent (surrounded by all the white) instead of being a “light-sink” and the marble look quartz on the island further brightens and expands the room (the corbels were just what it needed to finish the look). I am a fan of the timeless white kitchen – it is so versatile as you can accent with a wide choice of colors in accents and decor. Love the use of the wine cooler for the cooking utensils and like you, I am a fan of the old marmalade jars to hold just about any number of smaller things (I have several of these).

    I was so glad to see that you saved virtually everything that was already there and kept the granite island top for future use. The original layout was great and you had quality cabinets. More folks need to do what you did and see what can be done to improve what is already there (keeping the cabinet boxes and adding all new doors, paint, and hardware is a great update solution). I get so sick of seeing all the unnecessary “total gut jobs” on reno shows that all to often trash perfectly good cabinets and counters. To see owners and show hosts gleefully smashing solid wood cabinets and granite countertops with a sledgehammer makes me sick. These items can be sold or donated to Habitat for a tax donation instead. Granted, some times things are in such a bad condition that they have to discarded before starting over, but everything salvageable should be salvaged and not sent to the land-fill.

    What you have done in your town home is spectacular and everything looks great. I enjoyed the tour of your former home and seeing the evolution of your style over the years. Your furniture and accessories look even better in your new, more open white spaces. Even though our styles differ (mine is less formal, more modern farmhouse with Coastal accents, featuring blue as an accent color, baskets and no gold or crystal), I appreciate your sharing of your insights into what makes a home work esthetically (regardless of one’s particular style). Good design and good ideas can be adapted to fit anyone’s style.

    I enjoy your blog and look forward to future postings on what you are doing in your home. Have a great 2021 and stay safe.

    All the best,
    Jill

    1. Thank you so much for your detailed comment! I shared a link on your other comment (about the under sink) to our latest kitchen update. Much smaller than this update, I finally replaced the last bits of the kitchen that I wanted to complete (but once again kept the old counter for future use… ;-)). Glad you are enjoying exploring the blog!!

  55. Informative and insightful post on kitchen renovation. Thanks for writing and sharing this post with us.

  56. Linda Hickey says:

    Love the transformation of your cabinets and countertops. Look so elegant.

  57. I must ask if your refrigerator is Samsung? It looks identical to ours. Love the frig but HATE the ice maker. We even had it replaced and still a bummer. Fortunately we have a guest house and the inexpensive refrigerator there makes ice and more ice so we bag it and bring to the main house. Curious if your ice maker makes enough ice for you.
    Love your updates and I too am admiring the banana bowl. Will check The Enchanted Home Blog. Thank you for that tip.

    1. Yes, it’s Samsung. We haven’t had any problem with the ice maker, but we don’t use a whole lot of ice. In fact, I don’t think I ever use ice. Hubby does sometimes.

  58. Oh my goodness. Your kitchen looks amazing! I would love to share this on my newsletter at PeacockRidgeFarm.com.
    Blessings to you.

    1. Thank you! And that’s great if you’d like to share. (I just ask that you please link to the post and provide attribution. Thanks!!)

  59. This is an inspiring post! Our whole house has been needing remodeling for a few years and we are finally starting the process with our kitchen. We are not sure how much everything will go yet but we have one main question, did you think we should use a dumpster rental for our remodel or simply make trips to your local dump? Thanks!

    1. Thank you! If you’re doing a large enough reno to need a dumpster, that’s something your contractor would take care of. Good luck!!

  60. Quinci Haller says:

    Your kitchen renovation is truly impressive, and the before-and-after photos showcase the remarkable transformation. The decision to paint the cabinets and add glass fronts was undoubtedly a game-changer, creating a light and airy ambiance with a touch of French influence. The strategic use of vintage accessories, like the aged French bread box and antique silver ice bucket, adds a charming and personalized touch to the countertops. The idea of renting a dumpster could be beneficial for others embarking on a similar renovation journey, helping to efficiently dispose of the old materials and streamline the process. The attention to detail, from the marble backsplash to the white quartz on the center island, reflects a thoughtful approach to design. Your skillful combination of metals, the trio of mini crystal chandeliers, and the overall coordination of elements demonstrate a keen eye for aesthetics. Congratulations on a successful kitchen makeover, and best of luck with your future projects!

  61. This was such a beautiful kitchen! You made me start thinking about our next kitchen already! Thank you for sharing your adventure .