Hi, friends! It’s been almost a full year since we moved into our Chicago condo, and we’ve FINALLY completed our kitchen renovation – yippee! Andrew and I knew it would be a long process due to the fact that money doesn’t grow on trees (ha), but it was definitely worth the wait. There are still a few decorative things that we’d like to do, such as install board & batten on the island (Laura put it in Griff’s room – read about it here) and add some fun stools, but we’re really happy with how the big stuff turned out. Would I have done anything differently, you ask? Probably. Everything Andrew and I do is a learning experience, so that’s why I’m excited to share some of my tips with ya’ll today. Hopefully you can learn from my rookie mistakes. If you have any questions, be sure to comment below and I’ll be happy to help (see more photos here)! xoxo – Lauren
Kitchen Renovation
BEFORE
AFTER
In my opinion, an all-white kitchen will never go out of style, but here is where my “probably would have done things differently” answer comes into play. If I would have thought ahead enough, I would have not done a white back splash with white cabinets and white counters. I don’t think it looks bad, but it IS a lot of white. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for a good butcher’s block island and dark cabinets, but that style just doesn’t seem to fit this space. The floors are a little too orange and we tried to be conscious of what would brighten up the small kitchen quarters the best.
Our new counter tops are New Carrara quartz.
THE IN-BETWEEN PHASE
AFTER
The Accessories
Now, let’s talk about our new sink and faucet. I was more excited to get a one-bowl sink than I was to get the new counter tops!! Seriously, it’s life-changing. It’s like I have all the space in the world to do dishes and it makes me actually WANT to do dishes…is that weird? The faucet is just as cool too…I thought it would be too modern for me, but I actually really like it and it fits with our space (good finds, Andrew).
Kitchen Renovation Tips & Tricks:
- Create a budget and add $300. Whatever you think it’s going to cost, give yourself a little padding just in case something goes awry (because it most likely will).
- Countertops need to be 24 or 25 inches. In order to avoid tomato sauce (for example) from falling directly onto your cabinets, you want a little overhang on your counters.
- Think about the faucet. It’s really annoying to have to change handles for hot and cold water, especially when you have a pan in one hand! So, get a faucet that has a water-mixing valve (like ours above).
- If you’re purchasing stainless steel anything, be aware that it scratches really easily. In order to avoid scratches, get a few soft sponges to clean with.
- Plan for the big items first. I wish we would have done our counter tops before anything else because they inform the rest of the space.
- White cabinets dirty and knick easily. Make sure you have extra paint on hand (we keep a small sample in the closet), for any touch ups. We try to wipe our cabinets once a month to keep them clean.
- Book your plumber and counter top installation for the same day, if possible. We waited until the last minute to find a plumber, and had no water for a whole day. (P.S. if you’re looking for a local plumber, check out Thumbtack – I book all my handymen on here!)
- Make caulk your best friend. Once your back splash and counter tops are installed, you’ll want to caulk those seams together to give it that finished look. We used it in our bathroom to caulk the vanity to the wall, and it looks so much better.
- Follow @cleanmama on Instagram. She has so many tips for keeping your home clean, especially the kitchen!!
