We were thrilled to find Beth’s email in our inbox. Her account of the kitchen renovation had everything a great makeover story needs: an awkward before (yes, a brown fridge!), plenty of hands-on DIY work, a bit of tense timing (the countertops arrived the day before Christmas), and, best of all, a stunning after. Here is her note:
Hello, Sherry & John! We bought our current home a little over a year ago, and calling it outdated would be an understatement. Like you, we wanted a house we could renovate and make our own. The kitchen was dark, closed-in, and just plain uninviting. No matter how often I cleaned it, the fridge always smelled like garlic, and the old electric stove and oven burned everything.
Our first step was removing the linoleum and the carpet in the adjoining family room. For nearly a month we lived on the subfloor while we also removed a wall between the formal dining room and the kitchen. With four kids under ten and a dog, it was hectic, to say the least.
When we were ready, we installed prefinished hardwood to match the rest of the house. We ripped out the remaining cabinets, demoed the soffit, and got the floors in over a single weekend. With the floors down, we began installing cabinets ordered through Home Depot. They were in-stock models but required special ordering for our chosen 36-inch upper cabinets and a few unique lower-drawer configurations.
At first we considered concrete counters—my brother-in-law is a concrete finisher—but we were worried about the weight, especially with a large island. Instead we chose Silestone in the color “Cement.” In true holiday-timed fashion, the countertops were installed the day before Christmas Eve, which added to the stress. My husband Jake installed a marble subway tile backsplash that climbs all the way to the ceiling.
We replaced all the appliances with KitchenAid models. Lighting includes industrial-style fixtures alongside an outdoor-style pendant. The red counter stools are from Overstock, and the open shelving is a creative mix of materials Jake found at Home Depot. The corbels came from the same supplier as the cabinets.
The project took longer than we expected, but with four little ones and doing most of the work ourselves, that was to be expected. I still can’t believe this is my kitchen. Hope you enjoy it! —Beth
Many thanks to Beth and Jake for sharing their beautiful kitchen remodel. Their thoughtful choices—light, open planning, matching hardwood, durable countertops, and a striking backsplash—completely transformed the space. It’s a great reminder of what careful planning, creativity, and elbow grease can achieve. What’s your favorite detail? We’re both partial to those bold red stools—they really tie the room together and might inspire a few of our own updates.