Small Kitchen Refresh

When we found out we were having a second baby (when our oldest was just 8 months old) we knew our sweet story and half home in the city (that of course we just finished remodeling) just wasn’t going to work for our growing family. It was a mad dash to find something that would work for us before baby #2 made his appearance. We ended up finding a darling 1941 cottage style home on a beautiful piece of land that we could envision our family enjoying for years to come. The location couldn’t be beat, however, it needed some major updating. The sweet 90 year old couple who previous owned it definitely had their own style! But like so many old homes, the bones were there and it had plenty of character. It just needed some refreshing. Let’s take a look at the kitchen, shall we?

Before: Dark and Outdated

The previous owners really took Country style kitchen to heart. Sure, this was popular in the 90’s, but it felt very cramped, closed in with lots of different finishes. I knew from our previous home that so much time is spent in the kitchen and I wanted it to be inviting. I was envisioning after school snacks, homework and family dinners in this space and it just didn’t feel cohesive or bright and airy. It was time for a refresh. Let’s take a look at the before. (Photos from Realtor listing)

Step 1: Cabinet + Wall Refresh

What was there: The cabinets were in good shape and were solid wood, but they had a dark stain on them with outdated brass and ceramic hardware. There was a faux brick accent wall that just HAD to go.

What we did: We sprayed them Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee, to match the rest of the trim in the house. We replaced the outdated hardware with satin nickel cup style drawer pulls and simple cabinet knobs to match. We removed the faux bricks off the wall and skim coated to smooth it out.

Step 2: Appliance Upgrades

As someone who loves to cook and bake, a high quality set of kitchen appliances is really important to me.

What they were: Off white appliances with an inefficient dishwasher, electric stove and single oven.

What we did: We upgraded to Bosch stainless steel appliances including a gas stove with an electric oven, microwave that doubles as a convection oven and an efficient dishwasher with third rack…we had one in our old house and it’s key to getting those kid dishes/bottle components to stay put in the dishwasher!

Step 3: Countertops + Backsplash Upgrades

You never realize how much you miss stone countertops until you don’t have them.

What they were: The previous owners said they chose laminate because they didn’t see the point in investing in granite or other stone. However, it only cleans up with bleach, you can’t put anything hot on it, and as someone who loves to bake, rolling out dough on it is a complete nightmare. There was also no backsplash, so I was constantly wiping cooking splatters off the walls.

What we did: I wanted marble countertops from day one and no amount of etching or staining possibility was going to stop me. I wanted a natural stone and was okay with the natural patina. I worked with the wonderful designers at Minnesota Tile and Stone to choose the perfect slab. We looked at both Carrara marble and Mont Blanc and ended up choosing the Mont Blanc with a polished finish for many reasons. It’s more durable than Carrara, has a little bit of sparkle like granite, the depth of colors is more present and no two pieces are alike. It’s beautiful and unique. So far, I have spilled tomato sauce, wine, coffee and other things that would typically stain and it hasn’t left a mark. It’s all my countertop dreams come true.

I chose a matte white with a slight gray understone elongated 2×8 subway tile as the backsplash. I love the matte finish and it really pulls together the whole kitchen. If you’re ever on the fence about doing a backsplash, it’s worth it.

Sink + Faucet Upgrades

Honestly, the pièce de résistance is our Elkay quartz kitchen sink and semi-professional faucet.

What we had: An old, white drop in cast iron sink with leaking faucet. I really, really disliked this set up for so many reasons. 1) It stains and scratches and everything sticks to it! I was constantly scrubbing it and bleaching it to make it look decent. 2) I couldn’t fit my large pots and sheet pans in it to wash them. 3) The faucet didn’t have a spray feature for hand washing dishes. 4) Drop in sinks collect stuff all around the edges making clean up a mess.

What we did: We partnered up with Elkay to find the perfect sink and faucet for my needs. I still wanted a white sink, but I didn’t want cast iron and I wanted to be able to fit my large pots and pans in without issue. I still wanted somewhat of a divide from the disposal to keep food waste in one area and dishes in the other. They couldn’t have had a more perfect product for me.

The Sink

We decided on the Elkay Quartz Classic 33″ sink with Aqua Divide.

The Aqua Divide Feature: Low center divider and extra deep high capacity bowls allow pan handles to extend over center and makes it easy to wash large items, like baking sheets, over both bowls. 

Stain + bacteria resistant and EASY to clean: Completely washes clean with soapy water and doesn’t stain! I’ve tested this several times already. The quartz, nonporous structure means food and liquid won’t stick to surface AND prevents the spreading of bacteria.

Impact, heat and scratch resistant: The sink is molded from fine quartz sand to resist banging, chipping and scratches and it’s heat safe up to 535° so throw those hot pans in there without a worry! This sink is DURABLE and beautiful!

The Faucet

We chose the Elkay Avado Single Hole Kitchen Faucet with Semi-Professional Spout to replace our current faucet. This faucet is nothing short of amazing and makes hand washing or pre rinsing dishes a breeze. It includes a pull down sprayer with pause button and water saving features. I love how the lever only goes forward and doesn’t hit the backsplash AND it’s the perfect size and doesn’t overpower my small sink area.

What’s Next?

Our kitchen refresh is almost complete! We also added in some recessed lighting and replaced the outdated chandelier. Lighting is another easy way to update a space. We used the Halo LED recessed lights that are designed to retrofit into your space. No cans needed! We will be refinishing the wide plank floors to match the rest of the house and adding a couple reclaimed wooden shelves above the drop zone area. It’s been so fun to see this transformation finally come to life, and I’m looking forward to making many memories in this sweet space.

Thank you so much to Elkay USA for partnering on this project. As always, all thoughts and opinions are our own.

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