Sherry’s junk drawer switcheroo was really only the start of our kitchen makeover — the kickoff to Phase 1 of a larger plan. With our self-imposed six-month “live with it” period nearly over, we finally began turning ideas into action last week. Our approach is deliberate: Phase 1 will be a relatively gentle refresh that reuses as much of the existing kitchen as possible (cabinets, countertops, vinyl floor, paneling, beams). Down the road we’ll save up and decide what to tackle in Phase 2, a more invasive renovation once we know exactly what we want to keep and what needs replacing. For now we want to see how much a thoughtful Phase 1 update can improve the space before moving on.
Here’s a current shot of the kitchen for reference.
And here’s an older view from the other direction — yes, there’s the stockings-and-tree photo — to help orient you. We don’t often shoot the room from this angle, so this is the latest from that perspective.
Below is the Phase 1 checklist. Even a light refresh includes several steps, so we’ll work on this intermittently as time, energy, and budget allow. The goals — not necessarily in order — are:
- Remove woodstove insert from fireplace <– done here
- Prime and paint fireplace <– done here
- Remove the small desk area to the right of the oven to create a wide opening into the dining room (we plan to add an island, so the desk is redundant)
- Prime and paint the dark wood paneling to brighten the room
- Open a double-wide doorway between the kitchen and dining room so it lines up with the dining room window — this will require a contractor and a permit
- Replace the low-hanging microwave over the cooktop with a proper vent hood (the current microwave isn’t to code and vents poorly)
- Swap the wall oven for a wall oven/microwave combo
- Prime and paint the cabinets
- Redo the backsplash
- Update the lighting (goodbye fluorescent fixtures)
- Add a substantial island with storage and seating where the current table sits
Sherry’s junk drawer move wasn’t an isolated act — it was part of preparing to remove the desk area and the cabinet above it. The future doorway will pass right through that section, so clearing it out was step one.
We actually taped the intended opening with green painter’s tape months ago and lived with it to make sure the placement felt right. After 60+ days we confirmed it’s the ideal spot: the opening will expand visual flow into the dining room and mirror the width of the front dining room window for a balanced look. We’re comfortable sacrificing that one upper cabinet and the desk for a more open layout and a larger island with extra storage and occasional desk-like use.
We could have kept the cabinet, but it had become a junk magnet — much like the kitchen table that we’re working to keep clear — and we’re not lacking upper storage. In fact, we easily moved the items from the glass-front cabinet into a mostly empty lazy-susan base cabinet, leaving room to spare.
Once the upper cabinet and junk drawer were cleared, we were ready to take that section of the kitchen down.
We removed the cabinet doors first to avoid breaking glass or causing injury. We’d like to reuse the glass-front doors somewhere else in the house if they fit — possibly in another room, though they don’t match other kitchen cabinets for a direct swap.
I supported the cabinet while Sherry unscrewed it from the wall and the adjacent cabinet, and it came down in one surprisingly light piece.
The upper cabinet was easy. The desk below required more effort. Sherry started by slicing through the silicone caulk where the granite backsplash met the wall, then pried the backsplash off with a screwdriver and used a hammer as a chisel to loosen it.
She cut the clear caulk holding the counter to the wall and the adjoining cabinet, expecting the countertop to lift away. After many tugs and slices, the granite and the drawer finally tipped forward in one powerful pull — confirming that granite is extremely heavy. Note: wear shoes during demo. Barefoot is a bad idea.
There was some damage where trim was missing and glue remained on the adjacent cabinet — manageable repairs that will involve scraping, wood putty, sanding, and staining or painting. Since we plan to paint the cabinets as part of Phase 1, extensive staining may not be necessary, but we’ll reattach missing trim.
One notable discovery was a hole in the vinyl floor where the desk leg had sat. Fortunately, the previous owners left extra vinyl tiles in the basement. After removing the damaged tile we found original hardwood beneath a thick plywood layer — a fun surprise, though restoring hardwood would be a Phase 2 project since it would require removing lower cabinets and appliances.
To repair the tile, I trimmed a spare tile to fit with a razor and pressed it into the leftover glue on the plywood. This tile isn’t peel-and-stick, so I relied on the existing adhesive. We weighted the tile with Clara’s car seat while the glue set, and it’s now secure.
There was a gap where the baseboard had been. We reused a piece of quarter-round salvaged from the desk front and Sherry used spackle to mend the baseboard gap and other small cracks in the paneling. Because this section of baseboard will be removed when we open the doorway into the dining room, we opted for a quick cosmetic fix rather than full replacement for now.
With the cabinet gone and the caulk spots visible, it’s time to prime and paint the dark paneling while we wait for the permit to open the wall. Sayonara, dark paneling — we’ll be brightening this kitchen very soon. In fact, we’re probably priming as you read this.