Diary of a Renovation: The Kitchen Reveal

With a crazy shooting and travel schedule in 2015 my effort to keep up with my renovation blog got buried, but of course the renovation continued, and we moved into our home mid-summer. Inside its starting to feel like home, while outside—well we will forget about that until spring.

Before the snow

The big focal point coming in to our home is our kitchen. We are fully enjoying and celebrating this open, inviting, and happy place. While many important elements are still pending such as tile, ceiling architecture, and new pendants: the kitchen is well into being the hub of the home.

Originally the overall design had the kitchen island turned horizontally; spinning it 45 degrees at the eleventh hour was critical to the success of the room.  The space we gained on the sides of the island created a more spacious work zones and aisles.  We have yet to feel boxed in while cooking, cleaning or eating. Every inch is designed for maximizing storage and functioning beautifully. Thank you Rebecca Reynolds and Crystal Cabinets for creating such an organized space!

Adding these tiles from Tiles by Laura in Hamden, Connecticut to the back wall is going to really transform the final look of this space. I can’t wait for them to arrive and be installed.

While the tile might have been a smaller component of the budget it is a key design element. Here is my foolproof way of testing tile so you know exactly what it will look like when it is installed.

The large island has definitely passed the crowd test. Cooking and entertaining go hand-in-hand in this space, and there is plenty of room for guests to gather around while we cook. Sunday morning breakfast is my favorite meal, and this island makes a great dining space. The stools from France and Son are amazingly comfortable. I just love the low backs and stylish modern looks.

The paradise blue marble counters from Granite World in Harwich, Massachusetts has endured cooking with tomatoes, limes, lemons, wine, oils and vinegars, and remains spot free and beautiful.

Lucas, my installer from Granite World, recommended that I coat the marble with Akemi, a clear non-yellowing sealant, twice-a-year. So far so good!

Finding the right fixtures and appliances was overwhelming so working with the right vendors was absolutely key. Snow and Jones in Yarmouth, Massachusetts was fantastic to work with. They steered us to this deep stainless Kohler undermount sink with the metal grid insert and the Kohler faucet. I would highly recommend a pullout faucet with swivel neck, It is so multi- functional!

See this amazing transformation from the beginning! Read the other blog posts in the renovation series here:

Part 1 – Getting Started

Part 2 – Hiring the Right Team

Part 3 – Creating a Home with Great Bones

Part 4 – Designing as you Go 

Part 5 – Planning the Design Direction

Part 6 – It’s Coming all Together