Erin from A Wannabe Decorator’s Life blog is sharing her kitchen transformation with us today.
The kitchen before was functional and pretty enough…but very brown and dark.
and sometimes the details get lost in all of that wood tone, so she freshened up the cabinets with paint…
the white really brightens things up and gives it an overall more spacious feeling and that subway tile! Dreamy! …
before
after
Love the green cabinets too…an impression of a separate piece of built in storage.
before
after
See MORE before/after pictures, get the full details and more information on her kitchen reveal! Check out her gorgeous previous home while your’e there, follow along for her project updates in her newer home too!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful kitchen makeover, Erin! Gorgeous transformation and fun decorative details!
Interested in discussing YOUR KITCHEN? I’m excited to be joining blog friends, Heather, Jennifer, Jennifer, JB and Hometalk to answer kitchen questions and discuss all things kitchen. You’re invited to join the HomeTalk “Let’s Talk Kitchens” Facebook chat tomorrow, April 18th starting at 2 pm and an opportunity to win one of four prizes!
The official Kitchen Chat has ended but there’s always talk of kitchens (and everything home related) at HomeTalk and it’s free to join!
Robin and her husband are constantly doing a project (sound familiar?). They completely remodeled their old house on Willow Creek and now they’re having fun updating their new place on Stone House Lane. Today, Robin is sharing a little of her kitchen makeover reveal.
She started with this kitchen before…not bad. Just not Robin’s style.
And with a lot of DIY work…
I think her kitchen doubled in size! Beautiful, fresh, so open…
We’re finally shopping for tile for behind our stove area so I wanted to revisit how our kitchen has evolved and the tile we chose for our back splash as well as review the steps we took to install the tile. Our kitchen when we bought the house was outdated…
When we moved we only paint the walls green, inserted new SS appliances and range hood. We lived with it for 3 years then painted the cabinets and finally replaced the countertop with granite (Virginia Jet Mist). Working as time and budget allow sometimes mean waiting for the things we want.
We had a savings to get started on our dream kitchen (the dream where we have savings but the dream without winning the lottery.
Tools:
Tile saw
Trowel
Float
Putty knife
Bucket
Sponge
Bucket
Paper towels
Rags
Caulk gun
DAP Pro Caulk Tool Kit
Back Splash Tutorial:
1. Apply caulk to gap where countertop meets the wall.
2. We used a DAP Pro Caulk Tools to make an even/straight line, but a using your finger (and water) works just as well.
3. Prep area. Cover countertop or clean as you go to protect the counter top.
4. Upper cabinets sit back further than the edge of the countertop. We wanted out backsplash to cover the entire area. We started at the edge of the counter for our backsplash. Decide how your tile edge will be finished. We used a matching border from the countertop’s edge vertically and ended at the bottom of the end of the wall cabinet. We mitered the joint where vertical meets horizontal.
5. Apply border and tile with OmniGrip Adhesive using a trowel. Coat the wall (can be done directly on drywall). OmniGrip is pre-mixed so there’s no guessing on consistency and this product works really well for a back splash.
6. To lessen breakage and crumbling when cutting (the vibration nearly pulverizes edges of the marble), we used FrogTape on cuts.
7. Apply pressure to ‘set’ tiles in place.
Another shot of how we ended the tile on the countertop/cabinet edge.
8. Let dry at least 2 days.
9. Seal tiles using Tile Guard. Wipe on with a rag. It dries within seconds.
10. After drying, prep area by covering countertops or clean as you go – dried grout {We chose Quartz Lock in a darker gray} will be hard to remove.
Have a bucket of water handy.
11. Apply generous amount of Quartz Lock to the float using a putty knife.
Quartz Lock is pre-mixed. We cover with a plastic grocery bag, then the lid with a tight seal and save leftover for a future project.
12. Add grout to spaces between the tiles, filling every gap, working in small areas going to next step and starting again with the next area. Smoosh it in the gaps.
13. Using a well-wrung wet sponge, wipe in a diagonal motion (except when necessary against countertop and cabinets), wiping away grout from tile. Grout should stay in the cracks and gaps, but be cleaned away from tiles.
14. Rinse sponge.
15. Repeat.
16. Let dry. Grout will hide imperfections/crumbled edges of marble tile. Don’t stress with tiny chips. Grout will disguise them. We have an old farmhouse, so our motto is “imperfection adds character”.
Before Grout:
After Grout:
Kitchen before:
Kitchen after:
We’re thinking of stainless steel tiles for behind the stove but I haven’t decided on the pattern or shape of tiles yet.
We just calculated that we’ll be in our house 7 years this summer. And we’re ready to put the finishing touches on the kitchen. About time, right? We’ll be removing the cabinets above the stove to install a proper vent. It means losing those two cupboards but more on a pantry coming soon too. What do you think?
I think the chef’s dream stove/range is on that ‘winning the lottery’ dream kitchen and he’ll have to make do with what we have but it’s functional. Sorry, Mr. DIY.
See more about our kitchen makeover at our Home Tour…
I’ve shown sneak peeks of the apartment renovation progress and you’ve likely seen the herringbone-like accent wall in the kitchen area…
Base paint color: True Value Easy Care – Baby Elephant (soft neutral gray) & Accent color: True Value Easy Care – Sweet Honey
Since we own this rental space, I was able to get a little creative in adding a fun accent wall as a backdrop behind some open shelving. Before paint…
Yes…I have ‘plans’ for a DIY radiator cover but I must confess that I feel it’s a LOT ambitious and I’m scared. Working up the courage to give it a try sometime this month. Anyway, after paint {including painting kitchen cabinets and Rustoleum Countertop Transformations}:
The open wall space above the wainscoting was the perfect spot to display open shelving as a solution for more storage/organization in this tiny apartment. True Value’s Easy Care Platinum and FrogTape were all I needed to add some interest to a flat textured wall. The pattern also helps disguise the un-hidden pipes. I put together a quick tutorial video using my iphone {pardon the portrait orientation, poor quality…amateur videographer but working hard on getting better!} explaining how I achieved the herringbone pattern:
The wall was finished and I was so happy to be able to move forward on the renovation! Shelves are budget friendly Ekby shelving and brackets from IKEA…
{installation was super easy using the Master Mechanic Swift Driver!}
Woo hoo! And just when I felt super good about a little DIY success, something went wrong upstairs with the plumbing. The joys of DIY… I was just too exhausted and heartbroken to deal with it. My Mr. DIY fixed the plumbing issue in the bathroom above and Bri’s boyfriend, Steve, saved the day by patching the ceiling below. and I set about touching up the paint… Now, all done for real… If you missed it yesterday, I shared the hardwood floors before/after refinishing:
We were chosen by True Value to be one of the members of the 2012 DIY Squad. I have been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY projects. However, the thoughts and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own. I have not been paid to publish positive comments and no one has twisted my arm to participate. This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.
I am no stranger to painting cabinets (painted kitchen cabinets). I get a lot of questions about Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations and I love that I had the opportunity to test the product for myself. My honest opinion? I seriously LOVED the kit. Reason #1 – no sanding! That step is my least favorite (and most time consuming and messy) part of re-doing kitchen cabinets.
The apartment kitchen before was looking outdated and sad…(and super dirty!)
but with such a small space, I really wanted to lighten things up.
I chose “pure white”. This kitchen is super tiny but I used Rustoleum’s how to measure guide to confirm that one kit would cover our space. It turned out to be more than enough.
I removed the doors and hardware. I used FrogTape to label my doors
and to prepare my space for painting (where cabinets met the wall and floor in certain areas).
Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations
The first step in the kit is ‘deglossing’. Simply generously apply the declosser to the wood (or laminate or even metal!) with the provided green scrubby. Rinse with a wet rag and let dry. This removed a lot of the dirt, grease and the “shine”.
The next step is applying the bonding coat (or … white paint provided by the kit). I started with the front side of the doors and while they were drying, moved to the cabinet frames.
Elevating doors made them easier to paint.
When painting doors, I find that after painting the edges, that running my finger along the underside helps prevent ‘drips’. This means painted fingers and old paint pants come in handy but if you skip this, you will definitely have drips/extra paint on the other side!
I gave everything 2 coats. I decided not to use the glaze which was provided in the kit since I wanted a clean white look. I think that if you’re not doing the glaze, that two coats is enough (because it will help achieve an awesome glazed look) but if going for the pure white, I recommend using a primer first (not provided) or giving everything 3 coats of paint if you have enough (which I did). I gave the outside of the doors (the most viewed area) 3 coats. The sides of cabinets, which are not seen, got two coats.
I removed my FrogTape as soon as I applied the last round of the bonding coat. I felt confident applying the clear protective coat without the FrogTape using an angled brush and didn’t want to pull off any of the bonding coat which can easily happen once paint dries.
Once the last bonding coat was dry, it was time to apply the protective coat. Only ONE coat is recommended. I brushed it on in the direction of the wood grain (do the same with the paint). It goes on shiny (wet) but has a beautiful, durable matte finish.
Once the protective coat is dry, re-attach doors and hardware.
I was going to just re-use the old hardware but I found an awesome deal at a yard sale with a bit of a prettier look. So new knobs for $2.00!
I think the result is beautiful. Painting cabinets is always time consuming but I found that the Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations kit is a great easy way to give old cabinets a new durable look!
This is not recommended by Rustoleum but using the same steps, I even gave the dingy scratched fridge the same treatment. Time will tell if it will hold up but since it works on laminate and metal…I felt it was a safe option. I gave it a ‘light’ brushing of the bonding coat and a layer of protective coat. The fridge looked extra yellow and dirty next to the new cabinets. Who wants that? Now it looks brand new!
Once again, before: {I know – I keep sharing this before but with each new project, I want you to see the progress and what we started with.}
After:
a close up…
Yes! Time to move onto some decorative details in the kitchen! Wahooooooo! More to come!
I can’t wait for this clutter to be gone and for the decorating to begin!
*I share my experience in this post and it is not meant as a full tutorial. Rustoleum includes detailed written instructions and an instructional DVD tutorial with each kit with additional help at Rustoleum Transformations website. I received product in exchange for my review.
This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.
Hellooooo, DIY friends! So it’s almost midnight here and even up until about a half hour ago, I had high hopes of editing photos and writing up a painting kitchen cabinets tutorial and Rusteoleum Cabinet Transformations review but my long work days have caught up with me and I can barely keep my eyes open so um, yea…not happening. I sometimes tend to get a little ambitious with trying to squeeze so much into one day. When I say DIY is my passion, I’m not joking. And I love blogging but I discovered some times there isn’t enough time for both. You’ve noticed that too, right? This past week and the next few days will reflect all work, no play, no blogging, no socializing but lots of rewards!
I plan to be up at the crack of dawn (or maybe a few minutes after that) to head back to the rental to work on some more DIY. You all know I love me some DIY projects and it’s a three day DIY weekend, friends! At least in this household it’ll be 3 fun days of DIY (although we may be persuaded to spend an afternoon with family, food and swimming one day because that does sound like a lot more fun than our summer: DIY apartment part 452, doesn’t it?).
So anyway, as I head off to bed for a few hours of sleep before heading back to DIY, DIY and more DIY, in place of sharing a full tutorial and review today, I leave you with this…
This is one area of the apartment that we started with…
{and that’s the cleaned up version…see the scary before here}
and this is what it looks like now (still some more to reveal yet/coming soon to a DIY blog near you. There will be much more to this kitchen than this current state!)…
Well, that is what it looks like now minus the clutter of additional tools and materials and MINUS that smooth ceiling to the left because there was a leak in the bathroom upstairs (uh oh!) and after a major freak out minor breakdown where I had to walk away to cry before gathering my strength, wiping my nose and wishing desperately that I could just run away to somewhere tropical and never DIY ever again – to return to clean up wet crumbling drywall and water. I may have ran out the door an wailed. Ask the neighbors. It wasn’t pretty. ::sigh:: The joys of DIY. Not always smooth sailing and according to plan. But, nothing to do but persevere and just clean it up and mentally make up a drywall patch check list because it won’t fix itself and a huge 5 x 2 foot hole in the ceiling to expose floor joints and the wood floor above isn’t going to make for a pretty reveal.
Sooooo…if you don’t see me around for a few days, I will be working on this list:
painting faux tileboard, ceiling, trim
grouting a bathroom floor
patching a ceiling
installing baseboards
fixing a painted accent wall
working on a few other *fun* DIY projects (YAY! Finally!)
installing a bathroom vanity, sink and faucets
installing a bathroom light
installing a toilet
staining/poly’ing hardwood floors
Again, with the ambition! I’m optimistic. I’ll be working my butt off to get as much done as I can. I’m not kidding myself. I know I’m not going to make my deadline of it being ALL done this weekend but we’re getting closer! What are YOU doing THIS weekend? If you’re enjoying one of those Pinterest inspired recipes…I’m so envious! Anyone else notice that busy DIY days = unhealthy eating?
HAVE AN AMAZING LABOR DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND if you’re celebrating!
If you’d like to see snippets of progress before it’s posted, I share updates on Facebook, Twitter and instagram.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I love company! If you’re not available to patch a ceiling or grout tile this weekend, I invite you to catch up on past posts, links from the DIY party or our home tour, visit links on our project page or to start thinking about inspiration for fall!
Did you know that if you subscribe by email (left side bar)…you can view the full post delivered right to your email? A great alternative to the truncated feed!
One of my favorite type of links in the DIY Project Parade is when someone shares a room reveal I might have otherwise missed. Here are some awesome room makeovers definitely worth a look:
Jessie at Imperfectly Polished shared her master bathroom before and a look at the gorgeous reveal.
I am loving the patio made from old doors at Shabby Love! She took an inspiration picture and created a beautiful version for herself. I believe this counts as a room reveal. Wow!
Brooke from Design Stash shared her pretty cottage living room makeover. I love her attention to detail and the transformation from before to after is a breath of fresh air. Beautiful job!
No budget for a new backsplash? Miranda from Pressing On shares my love of stencils {the impact adding design can make} – and created an awesome stenciled chevron backsplash. How beautiful is this?…
Cassie at Primitive and Proper shares her gorgeous master bedroom makeover. I love her comfortable style, mixing vintage and antique with beautiful navy and gold colors. Eclectic elegance…
I think these master bedroom makeovers are so inspiring. (It’s on our list of things to do!) and the colors, texture, pattern and accents that Lisa from Diary of a {Wannabe} Domestic Diva are so soothing and pretty!
I love a good before and after and the family room makeover at Totally Lauren Amber is just that – boring before with a beautiful transformation with so many details and so much to see! Gorgeous!
A big round of applause and praise for these girls and their amazing DIY talent. WOW!
Thanks so much for coming over to link up and join the party! We’d love to see your latest DIY project!
When Ethan from One Project Closer asked if I’d like to participate, I was thrilled. Ethan was one of the very first bloggers I met last year (here) and OPC started their before/after series contest 5 years ago to raise awareness which is something I support too! You can get more details by clicking the button above because there is still time to enter to win!
It’s always so hard to choose just winner from so many amazing DIY projects…I’m just a fan of DIY. Period. And throw in some pretty amazing spaces competing and I want to choose them all. But narrow it down, I did.
And now, {drumroll please}, the winner is…
Kitchen Remodel ~ It’s Overflowing
This is Aimee’s kitchen when they moved in. Outdated, for sure! But look at all of those cabinets and all of that space. Lots of potential!
kitchen before
This is Aimee’s kitchen now:
kitchen after
Wow, right?
The sunny yellow accents with all of the fresh white make this one happy space to prepare meals and gather…
Love how everything looks so clean and bright…
There is so much to see! Even a DIY cabinet housing the microwave and adding additional storage!
I love beautiful materials Aimee chose and her DIY work in this kitchen:
white granite
subway tile backsplash
painting and framing the kitchen cabinets
You can see ALL of the details, more pictures and links to her DIY projects at Aimee’s Kitchen Remodel Steps post.
Congratulations, Aimee!
Now pop over to enter your DIY makeover for a chance to win!
When I first saw the scratched, lightly burned and stained creamy colored laminate countertop in the rental, I knew I needed to either board up the door and run for the hills or an affordable and easy DIY solution. Rustoleum’s Countertop Transformations kit was a great way to rescue this kitchen.
kitchen before…
Rustoleum’s Countertop Transformations kit comes in 5 colors: Onyx, Charcoal, Java Stone, Desert Sand and Pebbled Ivory. Since the previous light color was stained, I decided to go with a darker color to avoid the same issue in the future. “Sleek and contemporary, Onyx is one of today’s most-sought after colors. Onyx’s black gleaming finish will modernize your kitchen and accent any decor. It perfectly complements kitchens with stark colors, white cabinets and stainless steel appliances.” The description sold me…an easy DIY way to modernize a kitchen?
A DIY option that doesn’t include removing the old and measuring for new, cutting new/etc.? Count me in! There’s a lot of DIY going on in this apartment and budget friendly, easy choices are a huge help!
I’m often asked about this DIY kit, so it was great to have the opportunity to give it a try for myself. Summary? Definitely worth the money and work to achieve the look of a brand new countertop!
My Rustoleum Countertop Transformations Experience
I read through the instructions. I also wrote down highlights when I watched the instructional DVD. The kit includes nearly everything but I did have to purchase 2 angled 2″ brushes, gloves, a 6″ microfiber roller and a 6″ foam roller (shown on the outside of the box). A shop vac is handy too.
I set up a work station close by with all of the materials on hand and ready to go.
and prepped the area using plastic drop cloths and FrogTape. I did not remove the sink, however removing the sink will make the process much easier.
Tip: I taped around the sink. However, if you have a steady hand and an angled brush, I think it’s easier to wipe away basecoat when you get it on the sink. Tape will peel away some of the finish and require touch ups but those are super easy to do too! More on that below. Tape off wall near backsplash, cover cabinets, appliances (if near by) and floor with plastic drop cloths.
The first step is to sand the counters using the diamond embedded sanding block (provided in kit) to remove the shine from the laminate, sanding in a circular motion. It actually not only removed the glossy finish but the some of the stains as well. This is by far the hardest step – not too difficult, just time consuming and requires some muscle.
{as you can see above, I removed the loose laminate side strips because they were not secure and applied each step to the non-laminated sides}
Once the sanding was done, I cleaned the countertops with a damp cloth, removing all of the dust (several times) then let them dry.
Step 2 is applying the adhesive base coat. Have the materials ready to go including: adhesive base coat, wetting spray, paint tray and microfiber roller, 2″ angled brush and decorative color chips (in the spreader). Stir the adhesive base coat.
Starting with the backsplash area, apply a heavy coat (like icing on a cake) of the adhesive base coat to the top and front of the backsplash and two inches of the countertop against the backsplash. Use the brush to apply the adhesive base coat to the sides and front of the countertop. Pour the adhesive base coat into the paint tray and roll onto the large flat area of the countertop. Make sure that none of the countertop shows through. Work quickly!
Once every spot is covered, quickly move to the next steps. Spray the wetting agent and spread decorative color chips using the spreader according to instructions. Take handfuls and apply decorative color chips in hard to reach places, covering every area of adhesive base coat. There are plenty of decorative chips. Spare no expense!
It does make quite a mess but don’t worry, they’re very easy to sweep up. I let this sit overnight then swept up the excess decorative color chips with a shop vac.
It’s starting to look awesome!
Using the scraper provided, start removing build up of dried decorative chips along the coated surfaces (being careful not to dig or remove too much).
Next, using the sanding block in the kit, sand down the decorative color chips. And sand some more. And sand again.
Vacuum up the dust
and compare the sanded countertop with the sample piece.
Sand and vacuum again if needed.
Clean with a damp cloth, making sure to get all of the dust removed and let dry. Score the FrogTape with a utility knife (we only had a razor on hand) and remove tape.
Touch ups: When I removed my FrogTape from around the sink, it did peel away some of the finish. Not to worry. Simply touch up with the adhesive base coat using a foam brush, (wipe away base coat if it gets onto the sink/etc.), apply decorative chips and wait four hours.
Sweep up the chips. Sand. Clean.
Tip: Note that this process is messy and remember to over protect areas you don’t want involved. I have a little paint touch ups to do.
Again, make sure countertops are completely dust/dirt free and dry. {looking better already, isn’t it?}
On to the last step! Once the countertop has been sanded and cleaned, gather supplies and pour Part A of the protective coat with Part B and stir.
Apply the protective clear coat starting with the top and front of the backsplash and onto about 2 inches of the level countertop. Pour some of the protective coat into a paint tray and apply to the flat areas of the countertop using the foam roller. Don’t forget to apply protective coat to the sides also.
Keep kids and pets out of the room until the protective coat dries to avoid fingerprints, pet hair, etc. in the finish.
The transformation is amazing. What a gorgeous finish and huge improvement!
Let dry 48 hours for light use and 7 days to fully cure for normal use.
Thoughts: This do-it-yourself Rustoleum Countertop Transformations kit is messy but easy to use, an affordable option and the result is gorgeous. Dried nice to a nice hard finish. The countertop feels durable and looks 100% better! We’re thrilled with the results! Thanks to Bri for her help with this project! Two people are definitely better than one!
What do you think? Have you tried the Rustoleum Countertop Transformations?
Thinking about it? I hope sharing our experience helps! This YouTube video shares DIY tips.
Up next…oh yes I did! I painted those cabinets! I’ll share the process next week. But here’s a sneak peek…
I did receive product (Rustoleum Countertop Transformations kit) in exchange for a review however experience, pictures and opinion are my own. For more information about Rustoleum Countertop Transformations including a how-to-guide, colors, virtual tool, photo gallery with before and after pictures and where to buy, visit Rustoleum Countertop Transformations.
This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.
I’m trying to come up with ideas for the apartment backsplash. With a textured wall and tiny budget, my options are limited but here are some ideas I like.
The apartment kitchen certainly won’t look this fantastic, but a mirror backsplash could make the small one room first floor look larger. It may get a little smeary but it’s a lot easier to clean than textured walls.
I’m no stranger to paint + stencils and that combination would make for a beautiful backsplash. However with heavily textured walls, I’m not sure I’m up for that challenge. {Unless, like the chalkboard option, I install a thin piece of plyboard or similar material first.}
Tile is always an option. Not too difficult and depending on tile, it can be budget friendly. I’d just have to do some research on tiling over textured walls but where there’s a will, there’s a way and I’m positive it can be done. We love our marble subway tiles in our own kitchen.
Since I’m up to my eyeballs in apartment renovations, you’ll be seeing quite a few posts of our progress leading up to the reveal. Please bear with me until I get to the fun/creative/decorating stuff…I can’t wait for that part myself! It’s the reward for the dirty work, isn’t it? I shared the first project yesterday {sanding floors} and here is the apartment “before-before” and after cleaning/’in progress’ but before paint. Got that? lol It’s just the before pictures before and after cleaning, before and after sanding hardwood floors.
Everything got a bath. E.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g! It went from disgusting to clean. As you can tell, someone was a heavy indoor cigarette smoker. Thankfully with washing/scrubbing everything, sanding floors and primer+paint, airing out and sitting empty for quite a while, the smell will diminish. I apologize in advance for these ‘before’ cleaning pictures. I did spare you worse ones, I promise!
Okay, ready?
Dirty kitchen ‘before’ and before cleaning…{gag…what is the brown stuff all over the walls? Tobacco? Cooking grease? Coke explosion? Maybe we don’t want to know!}
All cleaned up and in progress…ready to move forward
paint ceiling {done!}
paint walls
paint trim
paint cabinets
redo countertop
storage and organizing solutions
thrifty furnishings
decorate!
There’s a paint fest going on! Envious, aren’t ya?
Pantry under the stairs – before
Apartment before then ‘after’ cleaned/sanded…
wall 1
wall 2
wall 3 – dirty before
in progress…
{You just turned 360 degrees and saw the entire first floor!}
Stairs are so narrow with a bend…we’ll have to get creative with upstairs furniture/getting furniture up!
before:
clean (done as of yesterday)
sanded (done as of yesterday)
stain stair treads
fun paint technique on the risers
paint trim and ceiling
patch ceiling/trim
Someone obviously wasn’t too careful with moving furniture out {it’s a super tight squeeze and odd angle for furniture} and tore off the trim and part of the ceiling on the way down…uh oh!
I love the vintage light fixture hanging in the hallway upstairs…
patch and paint ceiling
fun idea for the small wall space coming up!
Bathroom needs a complete overhaul, but we’ll see what’s in the budget. Hate.hate.hate the faux tile walls and yellowed tub surround. Actually, I hate it all! I may be able to get away with a new floor, vanity and lighting but that’s probably all we can manage financially for right now. Those walls and tub surround have to stay for now. Wahhhh!
new flooring
new baseboard trim
new vanity
new mirror/medicine cabinet
storage solutions
new lighting
paint
caulking
decorating!
This bathroom is so tiny, the sink/vanity only leaves a small entrance…
Bedroom before…
who paints half a room and walks away?
After will turn this small room into 3 areas:
office/study area
bedroom for one
dressing room
Improving with every little bit of TLC and elbow grease. Ah, progress. Still a ways to go, but getting started is always the tough part for me and we’ve passed that goal!
I just found some pictures from when we bought our house. I know you’ve seen the after shots but I thought you’d enjoy seeing a few before and ‘now’ pictures for comparison. This is one of the reasons I started blogging – watching the transformation of this old house and while I tend to see all that we have yet to do, these pictures are a reminder that we’ve come a long way, baby! Of course a really ugly before makes anything look like an improvement. So, even though our kitchen isn’t quite done, I have shared these after photos (there aren’t any super new ones) but it’s a reveal in reverse…before pictures to prove that we’ve made some changes.
Warning: The before photos are very scary and a lot of ‘yuck’ from neglect/previous owners. Our home sat empty for awhile. A year or two maybe? I don’t remember. But it’s the location and size and character of this old house that won my heart…not the dirt and outdated/cheap finishes. I saw past the grime. I had a vision.
Kitchen before – it’s love at first sight, right? ha! love the Mr. Yuck stickers on the bottom cabinets, don’t you?
kitchen now
Kitchen before: that’s a ceiling fan pull cord hanging down.
Kitchen after…
Kitchen before – what is that on the wall? I’m guessing the location of the previous owner’s kitchen garbage can? We don’t really want to know, do we?
kitchen now
Kitchen before…I’m amazed how much smaller this door makes that wall look!
See the ugly sidewalk and rusty grape arbor in the background below? French door installation in progress:
Kitchen now…let there be light!
I know…these aren’t really “now” pictures as in “today”. They are at least six months ago before the move to WordPress as you can tell by the watermark. But, I did just return from Haven so you know my kitchen isn’t photography-worthy but thanks for looking – I was happy to find the before pictures!
{patio & grape arbor after too}
So, what do you think? A better idea of where we started and our home is a fixer upper for sure! If you haven’t already, you can see more in our home tour. :)
Now if only the upstairs bathrooms still didn’t look like the before pictures. I’m doubting it, but was your house move-in ready or did you have to work at cleaning some filth?
Mr. DIY is the cook in our family. He finds cooking relaxing and therapeutic after a long day at work. He enjoys it. {Who am I to argue?}
We were super excited when we swapped out blue laminate countertops for granite last year. On a photo shoot day, it looks like this:
When Mr. DIY has finished creating a delicious meal, it looks like this on a good day:
And usually when I clean up, it’s streaky-looking in certain lighting. I was more than happy to try Granite Gold‘s products for a little help with cleaning that mess on a regular basis, to have an easy solution to my almost daily chore.The food is always amazing but the kitchen usually winds up looking like the Muppets Swedish Chef stopped by for a visit…
After clearing all of the clutter and crumbs, I used the Granite Gold cleaner to get through spills, water marks and grease…
I love the citrus scent and streak-free formula {not the result I was getting with brand name cleaning wipes}.
Our granite has a honed finish, but the Granite Gold polish brings out the granite’s natural beauty and when used weekly, provides ongoing protection against water marks.
Gorgeous shine! Great for cleaning our Virginia Mist granite and marble subway tile backsplash too!
One lucky DIY Show Off winner will receive:
The Granite Gold cleaning kit includes 5 must-have products:
Daily Cleaner: Our #1 best seller is a streak-free formula that safely deep-cleans natural stone surfaces, leaving a fresh citrus scent
Polish: Quickly add shine and luster to granite and other natural stone surfaces.
Shower Cleaner: Instead of using other household cleaners which can damage natural stone, our shower cleaner is the safe alternative to prevent mold, mildew, soap scum and hard water deposits
Outdoor Stone Cleaner: Easily attachable to your garden hose, it is safe to use on patios, decks and driveways because the biodegradable, ph-balanced formula won’t harm plants, animals, siding or plastics
Sealer: To provide long-lasting resistance to staining and soil build-up you only need to use our natural stone sealer once a year! So add it to your spring-cleaning to-do’s.
Specially formulated to clean and maintain all-natural surfaces, Granite Gold’s complete stone care line gives consumers the tools to keep their natural stone protected and looking first-class. The non-toxic and non-abrasive formula won’t scratch surfaces, is environmentally friendly and safe to use on any food-preparation surfaces.
+ a $50 Bed, Bath and Beyond gift card!
HOW TO ENTER TO WIN:
Sign up to receive the latest stone care advice from the experts at Granite Gold.
Visit Granite Gold on Facebook for latest stone care advice, helpful hints and updates. Leave a comment that you “like” Granite Gold.
Follow Granite Gold’s on Twitter for the answers to your stone care questions and leave a comment about it.
Comment on how you’ve helped spread the word about the Granite Gold giveaway (Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, G+, blogging). {THANK YOU for your help!}
Leave a comment telling Granite Gold which natural stone in your home could use a little special TLC.
Giveaway starts today and ends June 30th, 2012 at midnight EST. One winner will be chosen randomly and announced shortly after.Open to US residents 18+ only. Good luck!
DIY Show Off received compensation and product for this honest review based on personal experience and giveaway was donated by Granite Gold.
You may have seen this unbelievable kitchen makeover but it’s fairly new to me and in the event you haven’t had a chance to drool over it, I’m happy to share it today. Brooke from
had a decent kitchen to begin with. Just nothing special and not her style…
but today, after a lot of do-it-yourself hard work and beautiful choices, it’s a much ‘bigger-looking’ and brighter space with more character…
Awesome, right?
I don’t see one choice of beautiful materials or paint colors that I don’t love. See that gorgeous red table too?
Kitchen Renovation Q and A posts can be found here and here.
See more from Brooke {and TWO 2-year-old girls} at
Our farmhouse kitchen is still evolving. We still have some finishing touches such as baseboard trim, little pot rack/light fixture DIY, stove backsplash and kitchen island. But I wanted to show you how it’s looking today.
My Inspiration: With a kitchen remodel nearly done, I’ve been looking for an accent rug for in front of the kitchen sink and stove area. I haven’t been able to find something I like but one I did spy several painted foam mats on Pinterest
Project Inspiration
please pin this image directly from Sarah.Wandering.
Linn and her husband recently removated their kitchen (must visit her to see that awesome-ness!) But the old kitchen cart felt out of place so they stained the top, painted the base to match their painted cabinets and gave it some new hardware.
Now (still working on stove backsplash and DIY kitchen island)…
Countertops are Virginia Jet Mist granite. Dark charcoal grey with random white veining. The closest we could find to soapstone but with less maintenance.
Hi there, everyone–it’s Christy from 11 Magnolia Lane (again!). I’m laughing as I write this, because I know that if you’ve seen part 1 of my kitchen reveal here on the DIY Showoff or on 11 Magnolia Lane, then probably not more than a few days or weeks have passed–and now I’m changing it again! I let Roeshel know that it was a work in progress, and she graciously invited me to show the updates I’ve made (thanks, Roeshel!).I know I’m not the only one constantly tweaking and updating things in my decor, and although I was thrilled with how my kitchen cabinets turned out, I didn’t like the paint color I put on the walls. I also wanted to tear down my tile backsplash and update my range hood. I lived with it for about three months, but Thanksgiving was drawing nearer, and I was hosting the holiday this year, so I had motivation to proceed quickly.
Here’s what I started out with when we bought the house in June (it’s more of a “during” than a “before” but you get the idea!):
Here’s my first reveal, in August:
Now, here’s reveal number two, after painting the walls, painting the tile backsplash, spray painting the exhaust hood with stainless steel paint, and adding window treatments (made with canvas drop cloths):
I normally choose lighter paint colors, but the Old Prairie by Benjamin Moore that I used first had some green undertones that just didn’t work with my White Dove cabinets. After trying three different paint samples on the wall for a few days (BM’s Camouflage, BM’s London Fog, and BM’s Waynesboro Taupe), Waynesboro Taupe–the darkest of the three colors–won.
After I painted the walls, I turned to the backsplash. I read up on painting tile, and decided that I really had nothing to lose, because I was already planning on taking the backsplash down. Why not try to paint it first and see if I could save time and money? The brown of the tile really clashed with my countertops–they have some brown in them but they’re really more gray. The warm and the cool tones right next to each other really bothered me (my husband thought I was nuts about that, although he admits that he likes the result).First, I scrubbed the tiles really well. TSP works great, and I also used rubbing alcohol to degrease the tiles. Next, I had to wait a day or two before priming to let the grout dry (I HATE to wait to start a project!). I tried to sand the tiles but they were too hard to really get roughed up by the sandpaper, so I was sure to use a primer for glossy surfaces that specifically mentioned ceramic tile (Zinsser Bulls-Eye 123; although sometimes I use their oil based primer in the gold can, too). I primed with one coat, and then applied two coats of oil-based paint. I bought a quart of Behr from Home Depot, tinted to match White Dove at half strength. I used a brush to prime and paint–you really have to work a bit to get the paint into the grout and a roller just wasn’t cutting it. Plus, I have some decorative tiles that needed extra attention. While I think I should add a clear coat at some point, I’m really happy with how it’s turned out, and I’ve been able to wipe splatters off without removing any paint.Here are a few before and after shots of the backsplash. Note the frozen pizza and the Sonic milkshake in the first shot. These are essentials for effectively tackling home improvement jobs!
The exhaust hood and fan were black, and while I’m dying to pull the old one out and do a nice, custom-built one, I decided that a $5 can of Epoxy appliance spray paint would be a worthwhile investment for a quick fix in the meantime. I did take the hood down to spray it, but that’s because I’m pretty comfortable working with electricity and didn’t mind rewiring it when I hung it back up. I think you could probably use tape and plastic to protect the cabinets enough to spray it in place, if you needed to. Love the appliance spray paint!
My last update was to add the window treatments around the sliding glass door, and this really made a huge difference in the room. I used canvas painter’s dropcloths from Home Depot (6′ x 9′ and $11 each!) and sewed them to the right length. Mine are tied with jute twine and swagged, but if I let them hang they would puddle on the floor (which was intentional). The balloon valance over the sink is completely no-sew. I just draped the dropcloth (another 6 ‘ x 9′) and tied three pieces of twine around it and adjusted it. Since we’re a military family and move frequently, I need as many no-sew options as possible, just to keep things versatile for the next house.
I think I might be done with the kitchen, at least for awhile, but I’ll be sure to let you know if I make any more changes. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a few more pictures. Thanks for stopping by!
This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience. 
This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience. 
