As an interior designer, working through and updated kitchen design in my own home is an exciting prospect, but it can also come with some reservations and even challenges. Thankfully, my experience (both as a designer and having now lived in my kitchen for 4 years) served the process well!

Shortly after purchasing our 1805 House, we began our first round of renovations – one of which included our kitchen. And in the fall of 2019, the first rendition of our kitchen was completed. For those of you who might be new to FunCycled, when we purchased this home, we deemed it the Repurposed Idea House. Repurposing has always been a a key component to FunCycled, so keeping that at the forefront for our new home seemed appropriate. approaSomehow we just knew that with each step, new ways of repurpos

Before the Update & Renovation

I want to share with you the very first before pictures. Those that we encountered when we first saw our home. When designing any space, I think it is important to remember how things begin. During any renovation, discouragement or concern can creep in, so having a benchmark from where things started is key to keeping you focused, recognizing that the process is and will be worth it!

As you can see, this was not exactly the kind of foundation needed for a truly functional kitchen, so we first decided to do a complete renovation of the space. Kitchen renovations are at the top of many homeowners’ lists. If you have never completed a renovation project before, here are some answers to some frequently asked questions:

First Kitchen Design – Round One

This was a huge project the first time around! As you can see, we did ALL of the MAJOR work at this point! And, truthfully, it was fantastic! I mean what an improvement, right?

This was taken after our first major kitchen renovation at the Repurposed Idea House.

You can see the whole story behind the kitchen renovation project, linked up below:

Update & (RE)Vision – Time to Tweak Things

After having lived in our kitchen for a few years, it was time to make a few changes to the kitchen. Everything still functioned well, so thankfully, we didn’t need to replace any appliances or “bigger ticket” items. When faced with updating or re-designing your space, you need to answer a few questions. What is my goal here with this update? Are there things that don’t function well and need to be reevaluated? Am I hoping for And what exactly needs toSo what exactly did we need to do? And what exactly was the goal? was needed? The goal of my interior designer kitchen makeover was to….

The Final Reveal – A Kitchen That Reflects My Style

I absolutely LOVE our updated and refreshed kitchen! It has charm, character, color, function, and completely full of life and energy!

Kitchen Styling with a Vintage Vignette

It’s not that I did not care for this shelf after the first go around. Actually, I really liked it (and still do). But it didn’t have the fullness I really wanted to capture. The nature of the exposed wallpaper (original to the home) elicited the need to extend the story of this wall. I saw no better way than to add special vintage collections curated from my journeys.

Before

After

Designing with Color

Don’t get me wrong – white cabinets and white subway tile, complete with black grout, fixtures and counter created a timeless farmhouse vibe for our kitchen. Over time, though, I realized that I wanted to add color and warmth to our kitchen. Painting the cabinets and adding copper antiques alongside plants added the warmth and depth I was looking for.

Before

After

Showcasing Character

It might be hard to see, but I first styled the wall behind my island with a collage of dishes, DIY’d and patterned with undulating gold lines to create a Faux Kinjutsu plate wall. You can learn more about the Kinjutsu technique here. The idea is super cool and I loved the creativity behind this, but the white plates on the white wall fell a little flat after a while. So, it was time to tell a new story! After spotting a couple of these old brass pots and ladels at an antique store, I began a healthy search and scoured one local community until I had enough to fill the wall. I love how it turned out, and I guess I ended up with a few stories to tell in the process!

Before

After

Enjoying the Details

Looking for More Inspiration & Help?

We have completed hundreds of kitchen renovations, makeovers, and updates throughout the years, and I would love to help you with yours! Let’s get connected. You can fill out the contact us form or feel free to drop us a comment or question below so we can best direct you! I have also pulled together some helpful links which will inspire you on your journey!

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We offer interior design, kitchen cabinet painting, and custom built tables, barn doors, and repurposed furniture. Thank you, again, for working with us and for taking the time to spread the word about what we do. 

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ; )

Exquisite Spaces. Sustainable Designs. Brighter Futures.