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Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets

Today I’m so excited to share with you the final reveal of our kitchen renovation! I think you will agree this is a pretty mind-blowing transformation and we did it without removing a single kitchen cabinet. Obviously, this saved us an enormous amount of money and yet it didn’t diminish the impact of this dramatic kitchen renovation.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

I’m including a few ‘before and after’ photos because I think the difference is so compelling. The photo below shows you the original kitchen as it looked before the renovation. We had already replaced the lighting over the island when we moved in a year ago, as well as painted the walls greige in anticipation of the project I envisioned.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

Below is the same view in the completed kitchen and you can see nothing was moved from it’s place and yet the striking change and overall feel is like the difference between night and day. From dark and depressing with no real design sense, the kitchen is now light and airy, with a French influenced sensibility and antique touches to play off the classic details.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

I’ve detailed the construction in the last few weeks’ (which you can access at the bottom of this post), and this week I focused on styling and ensuring the space reflected my taste and lifestyle. I try to keep my counters relatively clear and spent a good bit of time shopping for just the right accessories to accommodate the things I deemed necessary to keep readily available.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

The previous kitchen was dominated by dark cherry cabinets, a muddy toned ceramic floor and black granite counters. The choppy backsplash was part granite and part steel grey tile and the net effect was dour and characterless. It felt oppressive to me every time I walked into the room.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

Without a doubt the most significant change was brought about by painting the cabinets, but of equal importance to defining the new look was adding glass fronts to the doors. This opened up the whole space while providing both storage and display options. I chose to go all white when styling the inside of the cabinets for a tranquil and organized look.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

The beauty of a white kitchen is that it can be accessorized with pretty much any color. The pink and green floral adds a delightful pop of color, as the chinoiserie vase lends a classical note that works perfectly with the design of the kitchen.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

A last “before” photo, below, shows one of the darkest angles in the room. I worried that this view would never be filled with light, but alas, the transformation is remarkable.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

Bolstered by the new marble backsplash and white quartz on the center island, this vantage point now reveals an extraordinarily evolved perspective. You can also spot the scrolled corbels that were added for polish beneath the countertop. The lovely new floor is also visible here, which gives the room its essential character.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

When styling the countertops I was certain I wanted vintage and preferably French in origin. That worked out well for this aged French bread box and I picked up the condiment set at a local antique market. (Yes, odd that it says bread in English, but it did originate in France.)

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

The view from the den is among my favorites because the light openness is common to both rooms. You can get a peek at our cabinet and bin pulls which complement the brass in the chandeliers.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

Next to the stove I’m using an antique silver ice bucket to corral all of my utensils. A vintage silver serving tray rests casually against the backsplash.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

This great little sign was added not long ago and is perfect above the pantry doors. I’d still like to add new door levers to dress up the pantry a bit. The wall color is Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige which provides the perfect backdrop.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

The pieces are placed in groupings on the counters to ensure breathing room between them

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

Lately I’ve had a thing for vintage marmalade jars and the one below holds antique silver dessert forks and mother-of-pearl knives.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

I’ve always love mixing metals in my decor and both gold and silver are utilized here. The shallow footed bowl holds a stack of plates for charm, as well as easy access.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

I love my trio of mini crystal chandies and they finally make sense in the renovated space.

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

The final glimpse shows a peek at the breakfast area, but that’s still got some changes coming, so we’ll leave that for another day. I couldn’t be happier with this room transformation and how quickly it all came together. The money we saved by painting the cabinets and using existing appliances made the project very manageable. I’m already thinking about my next One Room Challenge and I can tell you it’s another biggie!

Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets | Designthusiasm.com

Source List – Click on the items below for direct links to the products. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. (This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)

The paint we used for the cabinets is Muralo Semi-gloss in Benjamin Moore White Dove.

To see our renovation in more detail please visit these posts from the prior weeks:

Updating the Island Counter | Changing the Kitchen Floor

Replacing the Kitchen Counter for a Dramatic Impact | Designthusiasm.com     Faux Wood Tile for the New Kitchen Floor | Designthusiasm.com

Installing a New Backsplash | Painting the Existing Cabinets

Calcatta gold marble backsplash | kitchen renovation | Designthusiasm.com     White painted cabinets simplify a kitchen renovation | Designthusiasm.com

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Comments

  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!

    Reply

  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?

    Reply

    • 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… 😉

      Reply

  6. 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!

    Reply

  7. 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

    Reply

    • 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… 🙂

      Reply

  8. 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.

    Reply

    • 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… ;-))

      Reply

  15. 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.

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  24. 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!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  25. 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?

    Reply

  28. 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.

    Reply

  29. 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.

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

    • 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!!

      Reply

    • 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… 🙂

      Reply

  36. 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?

    Reply

  42. 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.

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  45. 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!!

    Reply

  46. 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.

    Reply

  47. 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.

    Reply

    • 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! 🙂

      Reply

  48. 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.

    Reply

  49. 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

    Reply

    • 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!!

      Reply

  51. 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!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  53. 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.

    Reply

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