the new kitchen {before & after}

We have officially moved into our home. That’s not to say we’re officially finished unpacking, though. That project is being carefully done, with every, single item getting a label of “keep and find its home now,” “throw it away,” or “give it away.” This part may take a while. Most importantly, we have emerged from the basement, victorious.

A few years ago, I received the best advice about moving: Unpack and load your kitchen first. It makes you feel much more organized, much more quickly. DONE.

A side note: We’re still finishing up a few projects, like touch-up paint, board and batten painting, small drywall patches, etc. You’ll see some of that in these photos. We also haven’t fully decorated everything yet, but that will morph over time. We’re learning how we use our new spaces still.

Are you ready?

First, as a refresher, this was our kitchen before:

And now…OH YEEHAW!! FARMHOUSE KITCHEN. BOOYAH!

We probably spent a good 35% of our renovation budget on our kitchen, and to be honest, it’s difficult to pinpoint my most favorite thing. It’s both beautiful and incredibly functional, and in fact, last week there were four of us (my mom, sister, daughter-in-law, and me) all prepping and cooking at the same time and there was still plenty of room. The large island is our main work and prep space, with the smaller island being used as a homework/art table/breakfast area.

Hank built open shelves in the butler’s pantry and the wall by our stove using gas pipe and reclaimed wood:

He also built a coat rack for the space between our french doors and the smaller island. This area is where we shed our boots from working with the animals and have jackets and leashes handy (for both the goats and the pup). The boys also hang their school backpacks here.

Since we opened up the wall that once separated the dining room from the kitchen, the space flows right into our revamped dining area.

Here’s a before and after of the dining room:

So, what did we do in these two spaces? In the kitchen, we gutted everything and took it down to the studs. The dining room was rewired where necessary, but we did not have to remove the sheetrock. Otherwise, we had the following work completed:

• install 2 new windows, a header for the large window over the smaller island, and replace the bay window
• install hardwood floors, patch in where the old cabinets were removed, sand, stain, and finish with a dark stain and commercial-grade sealer
• remove 2 walls
• replace slider doors with French doors
• gut laundry room and make into open butler’s pantry
• replace all electrical
• plumb in gas for new range/oven
• move plumbing for sink and fridge; cap off plumbing for washer/dryer
• install new vent for hood
• add pantry
• all new cabinetry, lighting fixtures, recessed lighting, and fan
• move baseboard heater
• new trim and paint
• replace wall insulation
• new subway tile

This kitchen has made every moment of washing dishes in the bathtub and cooking outside for almost three months completely worth it. In fact, our time in the basement is just a faint blur in our new kitchen bliss.

Next up? Perhaps our new master bath. That one will take your breath away. :)

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