Love and Olive Oil
Final Reveal: Kitchen Renovation Before & After

Final Reveal: Kitchen Renovation Before & After

I’ve alluded to the fact that we moved recently, and you may (or may not) have noticed the leisurely posting schedule this spring and early summer, something anyone who has undergone a renovation can certainly understand. Not to mention I was kitchen-less for a good portion of that, I wasn’t able to create new recipes even if I had the time. It’s done now (well, mostly) and I figured it was about time I wrote a little something about it. :)

While we moved, we didn’t move far, maybe 100 yards to the other side of our condo complex (though that didn’t make it any easier). While we’ve been wanting more space for some time now, our desire to stay in our current neighborhood and community was much stronger, so we took a few more loads to Goodwill and stuck it out. Almost unbelievably, an amazing opportunity presented itself, allowing us to update and upgrade our space while still staying in the community we’ve come to adore. The new unit is larger, with a bonus guest room (something we’ve never had before) and a significantly larger space overall. We’d have been idiots to pass this up.

Of course, before we actually moved in, there was a good deal of work to be done. Because, let’s be honest, the new kitchen wasn’t exactly an upgrade from our old one. Exact same maple cabinets that were dwarfed by the tall ceilings. Un-utilized storage space. Dreaded black counter tops that weighed down the dark and dreary space. And a monstrous island that was far too large for its own good.

So we gutted it.

That was in February. We officially moved in mid-April. But it wasn’t until now that all the final loose ends were taken care of to a point where we could actually say it was “finished” (and of course, I say that loosely as we still have a laundry list of to-do items, trim to be painted and whatnot, but the space is at least presentable now.)

We’ve been incredibly fortunate in our partnerships over the years, and our relationship with KitchenAid, as a blogger partner and regular contributor to their blog, is one of our longest and most treasured (but, let’s be honest, we’ve been fans even longer). So it was with extreme excitement (nay, giddiness) that we partnered together to outfit this kitchen with a suite of amazing appliances. Seriously, I can’t say enough good things about these products, which not only look stunning but also boast some pretty awesome features (more on that later). Also, a big thank you to Delta and Rejuvenation who also contributed to transforming this space into my dream kitchen.

Someone please pinch me.

But enough about that… let’s get to the before & after pictures, shall we?

Townhouse Remodel: Kitchen Before/After

The biggest change we made was to the location of the sink and the removal of the existing island.

Based on the placement of the window, I really think this kitchen was originally designed as an L-shaped kitchen. I mean, why else would you have a window just that size at just that location if not to sit over the sink? I have a hunch that the architect designed it this way originally, then someone along the way decided that buyers want big islands (maybe they were watching too much HGTV?) so they stuck a massive one in the middle of the space. However it happened, I feel like we put it back the way it was supposed to be.

The new L-shape left plenty of open space for a more appropriately-scaled island, which we put together ourselves using some stainless steel legs from Etsy, topped with a beautiful piece of marble (my precious). I love how the open island gives us a ton of extra work space without feeling like a giant chunk in the space (seeing as we just took out a giant chunk, I didn’t want to put one right back).

While I would have loved to outfit the entire kitchen in marble, I knew that just wasn’t practical, seeing as how hard we are on our counters. So instead we went with a pure white quartz with a marble subway tile backsplash instead, plus the marble island (I’m going to embrace the fact that it will get etched and scratched and stained and be more beautiful because of it).

Townhouse Remodel: Kitchen Before/After

You can see here just how much of an eyesore that island was (and black? who paints an island black?)

The other big change? Replacing that dinky single row of cabinets with two rows of bright and beautiful, extra-tall white cabinets that reach all the way to the ceiling. Not only did it pretty much triple the available storage, but it makes the 10-foot ceilings look ridiculously tall.

We also bought a new ladder. Obviously (shorty over here can barely reach the third shelf of the bottom row).

I’ll admit that, even with all our kitchen equipment, those top cabinets are not even close to full. Room to grow, right?

Our goals with this remodel were to lighten and brighten the space (white, white, and more white) and maximize storage as much as possible.

I think we accomplished that, don’t you?

(click through for LOTS more photos of the final space!)

Townhouse Remodel: Kitchen Before/After

The old floors were in pretty bad shape, so refinishing them was a necessity, and a total P.I.T.A. (we were incredibly fortunate to have very few snags in this whole process, but the floors just about did me in.) The final result was worth it though. We chose a medium walnut color, which looks pretty darn fabulous against the white cabinets (though I’ll admit they’re much harder to keep clean).

We also tore out the carpet on the upper two levels and installed the same hardwoods throughout. Because cats.

Seriously though, how many of our design decisions were based on the cats? More than I care to admit.

Townhouse Remodel: Kitchen Before/After

See what I mean? That window was meant for a sink.

Townhouse Remodel: Kitchen Before/After

That blue door though. Kendall (our oh-so-talented friend and interior designer who consulted with us on this project) gets full credit for that brilliant idea. Without her we’d still be picking out cabinet hardware (no, really, we seriously suck at decisions).

The powder room had a sliding door already, we simply repainted it and replaced the door hardware with something a bit smoother and more attractive, which makes a huge difference. (I really want to wallpaper the powder room in a fun graphic print… just have to convince Mr. Skeptical over here…)

Oh, and Kendall is also responsible for the beyond fabulous pendant lights. They are always the first thing people comment on when they walk into the space. Love, love, and love.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: White, marble, and shades of blue. Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: White on white on marble. Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Fresh tulips to brighten up the space. Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Open Shelves in the Kitchen Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Open Shelves in the Kitchen

The open shelving comes from Rejuvenation, and adds a nice stylish touch to an otherwise empty wall, plus a space for actual, live plants that Kalypso can’t reach (the plant on the window sill, on the other hand? Entirely fake. Did I fool you?) The open shelves are also the perfect place for our cat salt and pepper shakers (from West Elm, if you’re curious!) I mean, I couldn’t NOT buy them.

Yes, we are those people.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Delta Touch sensor faucet

The kitchen faucet is one of those fancy Touch20 faucets from Delta. It’s a feature I never knew I couldn’t live without (and I have to stop myself sometimes from trying to touch the other faucets in the house, wondering why they’re not working). It’s perfect for messy kitchen projects (which, let’s be honest, is pretty much every day around here), you simply touch anywhere on the neck or handle with any exposed bit of skin and voila! Water floweth. The faucet (fortunately) has a built-in safety feature that will turn itself off after so many minutes, because yes, the cat has managed to turn it on more than once (because I knew you were wondering). I’m sure this is exactly what Delta had in mind when they designed this feature.

The other cool feature of this faucet? The LED indicator light that actually knows the temperature of the water. Yes, it will slowly change from blue to purple to red as the water heats up. How cool is that?

The matching sensor soap dispenser coordinates perfectly, dispensing the perfect amount of soap with both a tap and a proximity sensor, though I’ll admit, sometimes it gets a little too excited for its own good, squirting out soap onto anything that get too close, be it a pot or pan or colander full of berries. So we do go through a bit more soap than we used to. Still, it’s an incredibly handy feature to have in the kitchen.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Casual dining room space.

Let’s play: spot the cat.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: White with pops of color (and a cat)

Find Kalypso.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: White with pops of color.

(Trick question. No cat in this one.)

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: I'm Dreaming of a White Kitchen. Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: The details. Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Kitchen and dining space.

Darn cats think they own the place.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Built in microwave oven and pantry space.

On the wall between the kitchen and the living room, the previous owners had installed an enormous full-depth cabinet. While I get the need for that storage, it blocked the lovely light and flow from the living room. It had to go. We had a hunch that the space underneath the stairs was empty, and so as soon as we signed on the dotted line we started busting out holes. And sure enough, that space was completely empty.

Not for long!

We basically ‘sunk’ a full-size pantry cabinet into the empty space behind it, so the front of the cabinet sits flush with the wall. We also managed to relocate the microwave from above the stove (I hate over the stove microwaves) into this wall with little more than a bit of electrical work. That left the space over the stove wide open for a sleek slide-out range hood, which is much more functional and not to mention downright gorgeous.

Also, that cable railing? Would you believe it used to be a chunky half-wall? Yep, we tore that down too.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: KitchenAid Slide-Out Range Hood

It’s probably the slickest hood I’ve ever seen.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: I love the blue interior of the KitchenAid electric double oven.

Even slicker? The blue oven interior. Gah I love it.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Built-in pantry under the stairs.

While we used some of the under-the-stair space for the built-in pantry, we definitely didn’t let the rest of it go to waste, either, installing a door in the dining room wall, finishing off the inside space, and adding a ton of shelving inside.

Please excuse my mess.

I still can’t believe this space was totally empty before, because it’s seriously a ton of usable storage. Busting into that wall was the best thing we ever did. So. Much. Storage. Of course, it’s now completely full (where all this stuff went before I have no idea) but it’s probably the most functional feature of the entire space.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Hidden outlets under cabinets

Our electricians got the wild idea to install these under-cabinet outlet strips, instead of having outlets along the back wall. It was a bit tricky to install, but once they got it working I couldn’t imagine doing it any other way. For one, we now have about twice as many outlets as we used to, but also because the pretty marble backsplash is completely uninterrupted by ugly outlets.

Also? Under-cabinet lighting is a necessity in my mind. They installed some LED light strips for us with a switch built in. We’ve actually found ourselves turning on just this light in the evenings when we’re just hanging out and have no need for all the lights on; it’s the perfect amount of ambient light.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Large cabinet drawers for pots and pans.

The big drawers are also something I couldn’t imagine not having. So nice not to have to dig under a huge stack of pots and pans to find what you’re looking for.

Townhouse Remodel: Kitchen Before/After

In the living room, we installed an entire wall of cabinets (and a wine beer fridge, perhaps Taylor’s favorite feature of the new place). We call it the bar, but in reality 3/4 of it is full of props. Eventually we’ll get some nice big art to display on that glaringly blank wall, but big art is an investment and not something I want to rush into purchasing. Ask me again in 5 years, we’ll see if the wall is still blank then (ha).

We’re still waiting on some backordered furniture for the living room itself (story of my life), so you’ll just have to wait to see that. :)

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Living Room Bar Tray, stocked and loaded. Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Living Room Bar Area, stocked and loaded. Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Open shelves in the living room. Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Open shelves in the living room.

More open shelving and a seriously stocked bar finish it all off. Oh, and the bar is the perfect place for my retro slot machine toy (inherited from my grandparents) as well as my ampersand collection.

Townhouse Kitchen Remodel: Hidden pull outs for dishes and prop storage.

And inside? Prop storage galore.

Of course Sgt. Pepper sticking his nose where he doesn’t belong.

This is the cat's house, no question about that.

Isn’t that right Kalypso?

This is the cat’s house, no question about that.

Sources (for those interested):

(please note that KitchenAid, Delta, and Rejuvenation provided products for this renovation. However all opinions expressed are purely my own, and these are products I would have purchased regardless of any partnership affiliation. Some affiliate links below.)

There may be affiliate links in this post. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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62 Comments

  1. I love the spring colour palette! looks very fresh and airy.

  2. I really like your all kitchen designs! I love that all the accessories you have placed. Thanks for sharing such an amazing post!

  3. What a wonderful work you have done, keep it up.

  4. I just wandered over here from Apartment Therapy. Having done two white kitchens myself, I say I’m totally over them, but I’m happy to pay yours a big compliment. Your bright accessories really liven things up and give the place character. The decision to replace your island was 100% brilliant. May I make a suggestion about your blank wall? Until you come into enough money to buy the art of your dreams, buy or make a big canvas stretcher and staple a big piece of interesting fabric to it. A Japanese obi if you like Asian things … a cotton tablecloth made in India for an ethnic look … Marimekko fabric if you want something geometric or pop-ish … or get some inexpensive white frames at IKEA and frame a row of Italian silk scarves from a vintage store. You’ll have design for days and you can do it for under $100.

  5. I love your kitchen! Can you please tell me the dimensions and if you think the size is working out for you? We’re about to turn our l-shaped kitchen into a u-shaped one and I feel like your space might be about the same size as what ours will be.

  6. Great use of space, I love the amount of storage you were able to get into the area. Thanks for sharing!

  7. This makeover is so awesome!! I just purchased a place with a white kitchen and can’t wait to do a mini remodel!!  Are you going to make a post about how you made the island?  I’m curious how you attached the granite to the legs. Such a cool idea!! 

    • We won’t be doing a post on the island, but I can tell you we basically screwed a piece of cabinet-grade plywood onto the legs, with a 2×4 brace down the middle for extra support. Then the marble went on top of that (marble guys used some silicone adhesive I believe, just a few blobs of it). The shelf is also attached to the legs which adds stability as well. :)

  8. What beautiful, fun spaces. You must be thrilled!!!

  9. Where did you get the island–I love it!

  10. Lindsay, it’s beautiful, and it is so YOU. I am so inspired!! 

  11. Hi Lindsay

    I love your remodel!!  It is beautiful.  Maggie has been looking for a counter height table for her studio and this would be perfect.  I know it told where the legs are from, but do you have any other way to find them that might help me out?  Also, how big is the table?
    Had a great time with your M & D the last couple days.  The ladies tied the men both days on the course!!  

    • You may want to search for kitchen islands, since those are usually counter height to begin with. Maybe she’s less picky than we are, haha.

      The final dimensions of the island are 36×54.

  12. Ohhhh the prop storage, light fixtures, and pops of turquoise. I am seriously drooling at it all. Contrats! You must love living there now. How exciting!!!

  13. I have an awkward island in my apartment that is slanted across from a sink in the corner, and I have island envy! At first I was a bit skeptical of getting rid of a big island, but sometimes the two-level ones with a sink can get really tricky in terms of usable space. I cannot wait to get a house and get an huge island that is completely flat—perfect for baking projects, spreading out paperwork, whatever.

  14. This is just beautiful Lindsay! I love how airy and bright it looks and totally makes sense for the sink by the window. I love the Kitchenaid appliances. Now I wish my range had an exciting color on the inside. 

  15. It looks so bright and beautiful! Love the airiness and that island/table!

  16. You gals really outdid yourself with this! I have never been so jealous of a friend’s home before. It. Is. Stunning!

  17. Looks fab! I can’t believe the sink wasn’t under the window in the first place?! What a waste of space by the original kitchen designer. Good work!

  18. Beautiful, just beautiful!!! I love your style, can you help me resign my kitchen!!! :)

  19. Absolutely gorgeous and functional! 100% improvement! I love what you did and love those blue/turquoise lights. Please share where you found those!  Only good things will come out of this kitchen including happiness  you must feel when you are in it! Enjoy!

    • There’s a direct link in the sources above, and I think they can be ordered online there. Or you can search for the brand/item elsewhere, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the same lights on other sites!

      And thank you!! :)

  20. Looks FANTASTIC! We just refaced our cabinets in our kitchen to white from hickory – what a difference. Also put quartz (carrerra marble like quartz) on our island. Just love it! I know you will enjoy your new kitchen for many years! I love that you said “light and bright” – that was the words I used too. Have a great weekend!

  21. It looks so incredible! So bright and airy – I’m so jealous of those gorgeous kitchen cabinets! They really do make the space look enormous and so different. And those appliances…SWOON.

  22. This is just too gorgeous! Such a bright, happy space and so many fun details. What a great place to create. And I am beyond honored that some of my titles adorn your very chic shelves. Enjoy your fabulous new home!! xo

  23. It looks AWESOME!! So nice and bright. I like the under the cabinet lights and the outlets under the cabinet too. Also, the countertops and the island top, lovely. 

    Also, it’s really the kitties’ home, you two just happen to live there (and pay the bills). ;)

  24. So beautiful, Lindsay! I’ve been a follower of your blog for several years now and have been reading about the saga of the floor/water issue and the move and remodel. I’m glad the process is almost done. I live in an old house with three cats, and I would love to upgrade, especially the tiny kitchen. For now it works, but there’s a lot I would like to change. It’s amazing how many decisions we make for our furry friends :)

    Thanks for sharing the amazing results of your remodel. I hope to use some as inspiration in the future. Looking forward to more delicious recipes and cat photos, of course.

  25. Absolutely LOVE this kitchen!!! We are buying a house now and this gives me perfect inspiration!! PINNING!!! :)

  26. We’ve seriously been considering a touchless faucet for the sole purpose of appeasing our cat, who 5x a day jumps up on the sink and begs us to turn it on so he can get some water straight from the faucet…. He refuses to drink out of his water bowl – and didn’t even touch the cat drinking fountain we got awhile back. The only other thing he’ll drink out of his human drinking glasses! CATS (ugh I love him so much)

    • This made me laugh. We have some water-glass-thieves but ours have never been into the faucet thing. I totally think you need this faucet for your kitty. :)

  27. LOVE it!! So, so gorgeous!! I love lots of white, and the little pops of blue is just perfection! I can imagine it’s extra fun working in such a bright and beautiful space! And oh what I would give to get to browse all those fun prop cabinets!!

  28. Just WOW! I immediately sent the hood to my husband, who has been complaining about our too-close-to-the-stove dual microwave/hood. I don’t use a microwave and we’ve been wanting to get rid of it! Genius KitchenAid! Love the all white with your clean line styling, pops of color! Perfection all the way around. Thank you for the resources too… those legs for your island and the hood especially! What a fun and inviting space, Lindsay!

    • I adore this hood! Though do note there is a ‘chunk’ that has to go up inside the cabinet above, so you do lose some space that way. Worth it for the sleek look on the outside though. :)

  29. Wow!! I love everything about your remodel!! That blue inside the oven? Gorgeous! Your new island? Genius! When can I move in? : ) Enjoy your wonderful new space!

  30. Oh my gosh, it’s gorgeous!!! You must be frolicking in your new kitchen.  It’s crazy how much bigger it all looks!

  31. LOVE what you did with your kitchen…looks so bright and inviting!  Like how you created more storage space.  Isn’t it fun redoing a room…we redid our kitchen
    several years ago. What a messy project, but in the end, so worth it.

  32. It looks amazing – so bright and open! I love how you put the sink under the window – I totally agree with you! We have a bird feeder hanging outside the window next to our kitchen sink and it’s like I am in a fairy tale when I am doing dishes. Cinderella, anyone? Loved your splashes of color throughout, too!

    • We have a hard enough time keeping the cat out of the kitchen window as it is, if we put a bird feeder there it would be impossible! Haha. Instead we get to watch the hipsters at the pool… almost as entertaining. :)

  33. two words: HOLY MOLY

  34. It looks so good, Lindsay! We are looking forward to buying a space where we can customize the kitchen. I think these last several years of renting have made me appreciate personalization and also have made me know what kinds of things I’d want in a kitchen. Thanks for sharing and for giving me a few more ideas to add to my wish list!

  35. This is FABULOUS. I love the thoughtful, spacious storage and all of the light! It’s gorgeous.

  36. Lindsay, I LOVE your new kitchen!!! Oh my gawd, dream kitchen! It’s gorgeous!!! I love how you styled everything! So light, bright and beautiful!

  37. I looooove my over the stove microwave, but I hate backsplashes, so we’re even. :D

    Seriously, the design is great. Much more functional. And I, too opted for Caesarstone quartz instead of marble because I need durability. Marble is so pretty, but just so darn fussy.

    This reminds me that I need to finish my kitchen (it’s been almost two years now!) so I can update. :)

  38. Wow! What an amazing transformation! Great job! Love how you used up all that empty space for more storage.

  39. Congratulation!
    The place is beautiful, modern, simple, excellent natural light. The little island is so cute. Enjoy!

  40. I absolutely love your renovation. We did a minor one and it was a huge PITA so I can only imagine how it was doing a full overhaul.
    One question – that knife block!! I need that in my life. May I ask who makes it?

  41. Wow! You did such an amazing job! The kitchen looks so bright and open. Really gorgeous! Can’t wait to see all of the recipes shot in the new bright space!

  42. I am absolutely in love with this space! So open and airy and quirky and it fits you both SO perfectly. What a beautiful place to cook. So happy for you two!!

  43. WOW! I have kitchen envy from this remodel. I just love the layout, the fixtures, the appliances (that oven!) and the island. The pop of color on the sliding door and the pendants lights is great.
    You guys have done a fabulous job with everything.
    Props to Taylor on his beer fridge! :)
    So much light in this place – great for your lovely photo shoots.
    Thank you for sharing the transformation and renovation!

  44. Absolutely gorgeous! I love every single thing!!

  45. So, so pretty! That window was definitely built for a sink. And I love the tall cabinets. It looks like a million dollars.

  46. Love it!  A sink definitely belong by the window.

  47. It’s absolutely stunning and I can totally relate to so much of what you have been going through!! I bought a 1912 house this spring and gutted 80% of it, including the kitchen and baths. And have been living thru remodeling since late May. It’s 95% done but there are always things that crop up and just when I think I’m done, it’s not. I went with white quartz and white subway tiles too, shaker white cabinets, long chrome drawer pulls but no touchless faucet. Good to know you love yours that much!

    Your space is truly beautiful and so functional!! My hardwood is from 1912 and naturally about the color yours ended up because to refinish the floors would have done me in. Yours came out soooo pretty! And Rejuvination and KitchenAid as partners. Wow. I wish that would have happened to me :) Congrats on this wonderful space you have created!

  48. It looks fantastic. You are so right about the sink and window. 
    I love wood but something about that honey shade….is so much better in white.
    Big drawers rule!
    I’ve had marble countertops for 15 years. They have gotten some scratches and etching from where well-meaning friends left lemons or tomatoes or whatever. But we treat it every year and the marks fade. Get some cutting boards with deep grooves to catch juices–they will save your marble.
    You did a great job. Enjoy!

    • Thank you! And totally agree about the cabinets/drawers. :)

      Curious what you use to treat your marble? We have a sealer but if there’s some magic product that’ll help keep it looking lovely I’d love to know!

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