Ok, we’re calling it: the kitchen is officially done!
Well, mostly. There are a few finishing touches left, including:
- adding decorative molding to the back of the peninsula
- installing a message center or chalkboard on the side of the pantry
- adding the last floor transitions/reducers (and finishing that rectangle of fireplace tile)
- replacing the broken light in the fireplace area, likely with a spotlight to wash the wall
- choosing a window treatment (maybe a colorful Roman shade) over the sink
We also hope to refinish the surrounding oak floors eventually to better match the dark mocha cork in the kitchen so the whole house reads more cohesive. That’s a future project, though. For now the major work and most of the details are complete, and we’re amazed by how much this room has changed over the last five months. Can you believe we started chipping away at this remodel in October? It’s come a long way.
To save you a scroll, here’s the before shot for comparison.
It hardly feels like the same room. We can barely remember the dark paneled kitchen we lived with for nearly a year while planning this remodel and saving up.
Here’s the makeover viewed from the other side of the room:
And a before-and-after from the spot where we opened the wall to create a larger doorway between the kitchen and dining room:
Another doorway comparison, this time from the office into the kitchen:
Here are a few more current POVs of the room:
Many things are still flexible — countertop items and decor will rotate, which is fun for someone who loves to tweak. The two 4 x 6′ rugs you see are from our old house and aren’t permanent; they’re worn and stained, so we’ll likely replace them with softer, cleaner options to better define the space.
We just popped them down for a few photos, but we’ll swap them out when the right pieces show up.
About the bar stools we debated spray painting: with the new dark floor, the silver finish ties nicely to the stainless appliances and feels balanced, so we might live with them for a while before changing them. We’ll report back if we decide to alter them.
We’re also considering one more tweak: a reader sent a photoshopped image showing the range hood with a wider neck, and we like the idea. After finishing the floors and settling in, there’s a good chance we’ll beef up the hood’s neck someday.
Overall, we got very hands-on with this renovation — much more than our first kitchen redo. Over the years you learn skills and gain confidence, so five years later we felt comfortable tackling more ourselves. To save money, here are some of the things we did:
- handled all drywall and trim for the wall opening into the dining room
- relocated the fridge, pantry, and stove ourselves to improve the work triangle
- refinished and repainted our original cabinets and reused the sink and faucet
- added base cabinets from a ReStore to build the peninsula
- resold old items on Craigslist to recoup costs
- chose Corian counters instead of pricier stone
- bought appliances on sale and during a tax-free weekend
- built a cabinet around the fridge to make it look built-in
- scored a used range hood on Craigslist and built a cover for it
- installed our own penny tile backsplash
- built shelves ourselves
- bought inexpensive metal lab stools and affordable pendants from clearance outlets
- spray-painted one pendant to match the others
- laid clearance cork flooring ourselves
And here’s the budget breakdown:
- New cork floor + underlayment (including laundry): $848
- All new stainless appliances (after discounts and a swap): $2,129
- Opening the doorway (contractor work + our drywall/trim materials): $790
- Additional base cabinets from ReStore for peninsula: $88
- New pendants over island and sink: $149
- Cabinet built around fridge: $90
- Electrical work by local pros (three visits): $711
- Wood filler, primer, and paint for cabinets: $69
- JennAir range hood bought used: $60
- Wood and brackets to frame the hood: $115
- Materials for shelves: $141
- Corian counters (Glacier White): $1,700
- New cabinet hardware and hinges: $173
- Backsplash (penny tile): $280
- Four industrial lab stools: $168
- Miscellaneous supplies (fasteners, grout, sealer, molding, etc.): $194
- Items sold on Craigslist returned: +$750
- TOTAL SPENT: $6,955
Not bad considering a full professional renovation of a room this size (24′ x 12′) with all new cabinets, stone counters, custom hood and shelving, a large opening to the dining room, and other high-end upgrades could easily run around $30,000. We initially budgeted $10,000, so finishing under that feels like a win.
By comparison, our first kitchen remodel — done years ago with more professional help and granite counters — totaled about $20,500 for a much smaller room.
This second renovation took a lot of time — we started in October and typically worked 5–10 hours a week, totaling roughly 155 hours — but it was rewarding. We worked nights and weekends around daycare naps and our other responsibilities, so if you have a day job you can still tackle a major remodel; it may just take a few months.
Who’s excited to call this project done? Are you about to start a big kitchen renovation? We’d love to hear tips from anyone who saved money by doing things themselves — share what worked for you so this can be a helpful resource. And a big thank you to Clara and Burger for putting up with the hammering, drilling, and general chaos — they were total troopers (Clara still loves measuring the cabinets with her tape measure).
A five-month kitchen reno can disrupt daily life, but keeping appliances working as much as possible makes a huge difference. We only had a few days without major appliances, which felt minor compared to being without a kitchen for 113 days during our first reno. Extension cords and a little creativity can keep things functioning while you work.
Psst — to see more posts about our kitchen renovation, check our monthly project roundups for detailed updates and links to every step of the process.