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    Kitchen Renovation with Dark Cabinets and Open Shelving

    August 23, 2019 by Ashley Mayes 146 Comments

    Our Kitchen Renovation with Dark Cabinets featured DIY open shelving, painted cabinets, wall tile and more! See how this budget kitchen remodel turned out. 

    Oh my gosh guys, today is the freakin' day! I'm so excited to show you the whole DIY kitchen remodel. You know what else? Today, marks the 40th time I've posted about our kitchen. There are 39 posts  linked at the bottom of this post that round up all the DIYs and design boards that went into this small kitchen renovation. So, if you want some of the nitty gritty how-to's for the space, stay tuned and click on below. 

    Kitchen Reveal with Dark Cabinets and Open Shelving

    Kitchen Renovation with Dark Cabinets and Open Shelving

    The backstory of our budget kitchen renovation in a nutshell is this... We decided that we were going to lightly update the kitchen about three years ago. "Lightly" meaning, take down wallpaper, paint, add new lighting... you know, that type of thing. Well, we did a few of those things and then started tacking on a few more. Then, all of sudden, Luke came home from work one day and I had taken the kitchen cabinets off the wall. I just knew that I wanted kitchen shelves instead of cabinets! BUT, to be completely honest, we had not saved for a kitchen renovation because we weren't planning on doing a kitchen renovation. As we kept doing or dreaming about projects, we realized that we could have a pretty fantastic (it might not be my dream kitchen, but it's close) kitchen if we took it slow and just paid for products as we had the cash for them. So, that's why this project has been the longest project ever. I think the next time around (for example, our basement remodel) we will have a more clear picture of what we want to do beforehand and how much it's going to cost. I can totally live through a one year project but I don't want another project to span over the course of a few years. Live and learn, right?

    Now that we have finished, we absolutely love it and would probably do it all over again if we had to. =)

    Without further adieu, grab a cup of coffee with me and let's chat about the kitchen.

    ** Posted 10/10/19: This post was originally posted on 11/23/2016. I refreshed the post with more details and new links to all the tutorials. After you read the reveal, if you are curious to see what the kitchen looks like today and to see if we still love everything including that open shelving... click over to see Kitchen Updates and What We Love About Our Kitchen.

    If you're a recent reader, then you may not have seen the kitchen before the renovation. So, I'm going to back up and share a few pictures of the before and then we can get into the nitty-gritty of what we decided to do and why.

    Kitchen Renovation BEFORE and AFTER

    This was the view standing in our eat-in kitchen and looking into the kitchen.

    Our kitchen - all the glory of the before

    A small pantry sits inside that vertical cabinet but it had a separation between the two sides which made it awkward to store things in. The desk was just a clutter trap for us. There was a small doorway between the kitchen and the formal dining with two mini doors. The doors seemed to add to an already awkward space and made the formal dining seem much too formal for us.

    We decided to get rid of the desk, move the oven to where the desk was and reconfigure the wall that would house the oven. That would enable us to open up the wall between the formal dining and the kitchen.

    Here's a very similar angle of where we are now:

    Click to see this completely renovated kitchen with brass sconces, open shelving and white tile!

    We gained about two more feet by opening up that wall, but you would have thought it was six feet! It made a huge impact!

    I knew from the previous pantry that I wanted a pantry that would be more usable. We don't have a ton of kitchen items. We are more of the mindset to have a few amazing knifes and pans instead of having just tons of both. So, of course we needed storage, but I didn't feel like we needed to have storage everywhere.

    Our Kitchen before the renovation

    Kitchen Reveal with Dark Cabinets and Open Shelving

    Let's chat about some of the specifics on why we chose what and what was original that we kept.

    Kitchen Remodel on a Budget

    Like I mentioned earlier, we didn't know we were going to do the whole kitchen remodel until we were in it. So, we really had to do one thing at a time and make one decision at a time.

    The first thing that we did was take down all the upper cabinets and remove the bunkhead. Once the cabinets were down and the bunkhead removed, we realized that our kitchen could feel so much more inviting if the window above the sink was larger. Enlarging a window is a decent investment but really changed the look and feel of our kitchen. 

    We opted to put in a five foot window. It's so nice to see more of the backyard and enjoy the yummy light that streams through the window.

    Before the renovation started, we knew that we had asbestos in the popcorn ceiling. When we took down the upper cabinets, we had to put in new drywall because there wasn't any drywall above the cabinets. We love the look of a smooth ceilings but didn't want to shell out the money to have the asbestos abated. My grandpa had a popcorn sprayer (from the old days when he was a home builder). We sprayed popcorn and tried to match the color that was there but it just wasn't working. So, a few months passed and we were able to afford the asbestos abatement and drywall install. It was a pretty big investment, but totally worth it.

    Budget Kitchen Cabinets

    We kept the original cabinets (in the peninsula) as well as the granite countertop.  Neither one would be my choice, but we were trying to save where we could. I get lots of questions on what kitchen colors work with dark cabinets and, really, I feel like warm tones and cool tones both work. We have cooler tones on our ceiling and wall tile and warmer tones with the wood shelving and the countertop color.

    For the base cabinets, we painted them Cracked Pepper by Behr but color-matched that to Benjamin Moore Advance. The BM advance line is fantastic on wood. If you want to hear in-depth about cabinet painting, I did a whole podcast episode about how to paint cabinets and everything I'd recommend. 

    My grandpa and I built the base cabinets that flank the oven, the fridge enclosure and the pantry. It was quite the job. I learned so much through the process and am so grateful that I got to do that with my grandpa. During the process we went back and forth on the cabinet doors. We finally decided to buy them from a cabinet shop in town and it made sense to buy them for the whole kitchen and not just the new pieces. If you want to hear more about half custom/half DIY cabinet doors, then definitely check out that post. 

    We saved the leftover piece of granite from the old desk that was in the kitchen and had a granite store cut it in half. We used that measurement for the base cabinets that flank the oven. We saved a ton of money by making the dimensions of the cabinets fit the exact dimension of the granite piece that we had from the desk. I believe it cost us about $100 at the stone fabricator to have the granite countertop cut to size and polished when it was all said and done. 

    We saved a ton of money using the old kitchen cabinets that were in the peninsula. They aren't fancy with pull-out drawers but they work. Adding the new doors and cabinet hardware really changed the look of the cabinets. The new doors allowed us to change to hidden hinges which instantly make a kitchen (or bathroom) feel fresher. 

    *Affiliate links below, click to read my privacy and disclosure policy. Thanks for supporting this blog. 

    DIY Kitchen Cabinets, Fridge Enclosure and Pantry

    Kitchen Shelves Instead of Cabinets

    I knew I wanted floating shelves in the kitchen. I wasn't scared of the dust that might accumulate or the lack of having upper cabinets, I knew the open shelves would be gorgeous and functional. I have a HUGE DIY Open Shelving Kitchen guide that explains exactly how we hung them, how high off the countertops they are, what type of wood (ash wood stained with weathered oak stain), hardware we used, etc. Take a look, if you are thinking about adding open shelving in your house. In a nutshell, we hung steel mounting brackets for the open shelves before we tiled. 

    We tiled around the open shelf brackets and then took the brackets down for grouting. Once the tile was completely done, we installed the floating shelves.

    Tiling the kitchen wasn't hard but since we tiled from countertop to ceiling on three big walls, it did take us quite a while. We used very inexpensive 4x4 white tile. The square tile is a play on the timeless  look of subway tile but just a bit different. The grout color is "oyster gray." I like the look of dark grout with white tile in other people's homes, but didn't want the starkness in my home. I honestly didn't think a taupe-type color of grout would look good, but I really love the slightly warm, but gray color that it adds to the tile.

    We opted to buy pre-mixed grout so we could tile a bit at a time. It's way cheaper to mix your own grout but if you only have small pockets of time to work on tiling, then the pre-mixed grout is a good way to save time. 

    DIY Open Shelving in the Kitchen

    Wood Flooring Decision

    I guess the last "big" expense or project for this kitchen renovation was adding the wood flooring in the kitchen. We had 3" red oak wood floors originally in the kitchen and the eat-in kitchen but not throughout the rest of the house. The flooring difference between these spaces made each space feel closed-off from each other. Since we opened the wall between the dining room and the kitchen, we knew we either needed to patch the floors or have new flooring installed. We opted to have new flooring installed throughout most of the house. We went for 5" white oak and I just love how it turned out. 

    Other than that, we did a bunch of smaller upgrades. Our DIY pantry now has a built-in coffee bar and also houses our microwave. It's not the biggest space but it's mighty. I made a spice drawer organizer for one of our small cabinets and it was the easiest DIY!

    Make this Spice Drawer Organizer in just a few steps!

    For our sink, we went with a stainless one-basin sink and absolutely love the one-basin. I splurged on the automatic faucet. You can run your hand over the top and it will stay on for thirty seconds or underneath and it will stay on for ten seconds. I really love that!!

    I couldn't find a specific art piece that just felt right for us so I decided to make one. "It's Always Taco Tuesday" is such a perfect piece for us. I'm selling them in my Society 6 shop if you love it too! 

    Kitchen Renovation Cost

    We did most of the work on the kitchen ourselves, but did hire out the asbestos abatement, gas line, wood flooring and window enlargement.

    I know you all will ask "how much did it cost"? To be honest, we didn't keep a tab. We started the process and didn't know we were going to do a whole kitchen renovation. I think we spent in the ballpark of $15,000. With all new appliances, the asbestos/drywall work, new flooring and a new window... that all came to around 12,000. I think we spent the rest on all the other little things that go with a renovation. I will have to say that the total includes the eat-in kitchen too.

    Check out the original reveal of the eat-in kitchen if you missed that last year or check-out the newly updated modern eat-in kitchen as it looks today. 

    I'm so happy to have this remodel behind us. It was the biggest job we have ever taken on and we are just absolutely thrilled with how it turned out. Really, we are pinching ourselves that it turned out as well as it did!

    Before and After Photos

    Before Picture of Small Window and Upper CabinetsDark kitchen cabinets, white tile, open shelves and brass! Come over to see this DIY kitchen !!

    All the Sources for The Kitchen Renovation

    All the Kitchen Posts

    Gorgeous Eye Candy  |  Yes, We have a Kitchen | Hello Kitchen Remodel | Kitchen Lighting Cabinet Removal / Wallpaper Removal | Cabinet Removal in the Kitchen | Kitchen Lighting Take 2 | Kitchen Inspiration Black Windows and Doors | Kitchen Update Enlarged Opening | Bunkhead and Soffit Removal | Bold and Dark Trim | Framing the Kitchen Doorway | Kitchen Progress & More Bunkhead Removal | French Casement Window | Tips for Installing Baseboards | How to Install Drywall | Knife Block DIY | How to Mud Drywall | All the Details On Enlarging a Window | Eat-In Kitchen Reveal | How to Install Interior Window Trim | The Farmhouse Sink Dilemma | How to Install a Ventless, Ductless Rangehood | Affordable Storage Options for the Kitchen | How to Wire and Install Sconces | How to Create a Coffee Station Within a Small Pantry |  How to Organize a Small Pantry | Custom DIY Kitchen Doors and Cabinets - All the Details on the Cost | Tiling Part One | Modern Barstool Round-Up| Asbestos Removal and Drywall Install (all the details including cost) | DIY Spice Drawer Organizer | Wood Flooring Decision | Finishing Tile with Grout and Electrical Extenders |  How to Install Heavy-Duty Floating Shelves - For the Kitchen | Simple Feather Art | DIY Attic Access | DIY Wood Bead Trivet 

    How about a few more pictures?

    Kitchen Renovation with Dark Cabinets

    DIY Open Shelving in the Kitchen

    Dark blue kitchen with brass bar pulls and wood accents Dark blue kitchen with brass bar pulls and wood accents Dark blue kitchen with brass bar pulls and wood accents  Dark blue kitchen with brass bar pulls and wood accents

    Before and After Eclectic Kitchen with open shelving, white tile, lewis dolin bar pulls and white oak flooring

    DIY Kitchen Renovation with Dark Painted Cabinets, Open Shelving, and more!!

    Thanks for following along! I know a kitchen renovation with dark cabinets isn't everyone's cup of tea but we are still completely smitten. Come over and say hi on Instagram and see it styled today!

    Pin for later:

    Before and after kitchen photos

     

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    Reader Interactions



    Comments

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    1. Lizzie @ Living Pretty

      November 23, 2016 at 3:07 am

      Wow, Ashley! Your kitchen is amazing. I've loved all the sneak peeks leading up to this post and it's just as good as I was expecting. You killed it, truly. If I had to design my own dream kitchen, it really wouldn't be far off yours - I love it!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 9:55 am

        Thanks Lizzie! It's not huge but it has character and we love how it turned out!

        Reply
        • hMh

          May 13, 2017 at 12:00 am

          Just curious how u compensated for lost space after removing wall cabinets under bulkhead?...and is there a reason you didn't square off the granite at the end of peninsula where it's rounded off? it would've modernized it a lot if you did have to reuse it... is that something that can't be done once installed ? Love the dark colour with wood shelves. Very nice

          Reply
          • Ashley Mayes

            January 11, 2018 at 10:33 am

            oops, just saw this comment. We didn't square it off because we weren't sure how to do that! ha! It's something that I do agree would make it feel more modern... I need to add that back to my list as something to figure out.

            Reply
      • Britt

        February 16, 2020 at 12:52 pm

        What's the name of the white paint you used in the eat in kitchen?

        Reply
        • Ashley Mayes

          February 26, 2020 at 1:38 pm

          Hi Britt,

          It's "Ultra White" by Valspar.

          Reply
    2. Maggie @ Maggie Overby Studios

      November 23, 2016 at 5:51 am

      What an amazing improvement. I have seen so many beautiful photos of the update but had not seen the before shots. Looks a lot like the kitchen in our rental which is badly in need of some improvemnts...I can only dream 🙁

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 9:56 am

        Thanks Maggie! It felt so good to put the before and after together! We kinda forgot how it used to look. Can't wait to see you get your hands dirty with your forever kitchen when the time comes!

        Reply
    3. Cassie Bustamante

      November 23, 2016 at 8:18 am

      ashley this kitchen is the stuff of dreams! i love it- the details are all perfect! it's just amazing!!!! and taco tuesday- YES!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 9:57 am

        Thanks Cassie! It's taken us forever to get here but we love where we ended up with it.

        Reply
        • Noelle

          November 07, 2020 at 8:55 pm

          Hi!
          What is the name of the cabinet hardware y'all used?
          Thanks!

          Reply
          • Ashley Mayes

            November 24, 2020 at 6:53 am

            Hi Noelle,

            It's Lewis Dolan bar pulls in brushed brass ( I got them from Spokane Hardware Hut online).

            Reply
    4. Lory at Designthusiasm

      November 23, 2016 at 8:59 am

      Ashley, it looks amazing! What a transformation and it so goes with your aesthetic. I'm not usually a fan of dark cabinets but you opened everything up so beautifully letting so much light in that it works perfectly. I also didn't realize - the cabinets are really a dark grey, right? I had thought they were hunter green from some of the photos I've seen. Love how the white subway tile keeps a light touch too, as well as the open shelving. Beautiful job!!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 9:58 am

        Thanks Lory! The cabinets are a weird gray/blue depending on the light.

        Reply
        • Nicole

          November 29, 2016 at 4:25 pm

          This is the exact color i want for our kitchen cabinets. We are currently building. Please please please tell me what brand and color of paint is?

          Reply
          • Ashley Mayes

            November 29, 2016 at 4:48 pm

            Hi Nicole,

            The color is called Cracked Pepper by Behr. We had it color-matched to Benjamin Moore so that we could use their Advance line.

            Reply
            • Nancy

              December 26, 2021 at 8:47 pm

              Where did you buy the cabinet doors? Thanks for sharing great and helpful information!

            • Ashley Mayes

              January 03, 2022 at 2:50 pm

              Hi,

              I bought them at a local cabinet maker shop.

        • rachelle

          January 08, 2018 at 10:23 am

          Hi there, wondering what is the color of cabinet you used?
          Thank you

          Reply
          • Ashley Mayes

            January 11, 2018 at 10:33 am

            It's Cracked Pepper by Behr.

            Reply
            • Rita

              January 23, 2018 at 9:32 am

              Hi, Looks amazing! What finish did you choose for the paint (satin, matte)?

            • Charisssa

              November 07, 2018 at 9:59 am

              Yeah, is it satin or matte finish?

            • Ashley Mayes

              November 08, 2018 at 9:41 am

              It's actually eggshell.

    5. Charlotte

      November 23, 2016 at 9:00 am

      Oh my goodness, it has come such a long ways!!! What a great space. Love all the details.

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 9:58 am

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    6. Jessica

      November 23, 2016 at 9:05 am

      There is so much to love in this space!!! I ne ER seen before pics of your kitchen and may I say, you did this kitchen right!!! You are giving me the feeling that I can tackle my kitchen and do a full reno.

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 9:58 am

        Thanks Jessica! You should go for it!!

        Reply
    7. Kyla @HouseOfHipsters

      November 23, 2016 at 10:23 am

      Ummmm, ya, so this right here...this is incredible! You have been one busy momma!!!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 9:58 am

        Yes! We have had so much going on! Thanks Kyla!

        Reply
    8. Jessica

      November 23, 2016 at 10:39 am

      Awesome job!!!

      I'm about to renovate a very similar space and this is great inspiration. I hadn't considered a peninsula before but it works in your space.

      Great job!!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 9:59 am

        Yay! I bet it will be great!

        Reply
    9. Shannon Churchill

      November 23, 2016 at 11:05 am

      What a stunning transformation!! I love every bit of it! Nice work.:) You're one of my favorite bloggers to follow!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 9:59 am

        Shannon- you are so sweet! Thank you!

        Reply
    10. Meg @ Green With Decor

      November 23, 2016 at 11:30 am

      Oh my gosh, this is GORGEOUS!! So many great design decisions, enjoy your fab kitchen!! And I love that taco Tuesday sign!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 9:59 am

        Thanks Meg! The print was the perfect thing of us!

        Reply
    11. Breanna

      November 23, 2016 at 12:17 pm

      I love your kitchen so much!!! It's seriously gorgeous. Come do mine next?! 😉

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 10:00 am

        Thanks girl! Wish we lived closer!! We could totally have fun doing demo work together.

        Reply
        • Jenn

          August 08, 2022 at 7:02 pm

          Your kitchen is beautiful! My kitchen has a similar layout to your original one and I've been thinking about moving the stove to the fridge wall. Do you find it inconvenient at all to have the stove be in the walkway through the kitchen?

          Reply
          • Ashley Mayes

            August 08, 2022 at 7:08 pm

            Hi, Thank you! It might have been the tiniest bit inconvenient when our son was younger and would ride on toys around the kitchen. Now, we feel like it's 100% fine and would do the same thing again if we had it to do over.

            Reply
    12. Tricia @ Suburban B's

      November 23, 2016 at 2:33 pm

      Wow Ashley - I never saw the starting point for your kitchen before and I am just stunned by the transformation. It's amazing! Kudos!! I totally love that you got to work with your Grandpa on so much of it. What a great story!!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 10:00 am

        Thanks Tricia! It's definitely come a long ways!

        Reply
    13. Christi Chambers

      November 23, 2016 at 5:08 pm

      Love it, Ashley!!!! Absolutely beautiful.

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 10:00 am

        Thanks Christi!! We can't wait to make memories in there.

        Reply
    14. Iris Nacole

      November 23, 2016 at 7:34 pm

      Wow, gorgeous! I mean, every last detail so well thought out. I thought I was the only one dealing with a kitchen remodel taking forever, but I'm not alone, and that makes me feel so much better. Even so, the fact that y'all did so much yourselves puts me to shame. I just had bad luck with contracted work. LOL! Anyhow, this is magazine worthy, and I truly hope it is given the chance to be seen by all. Congratulations!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 10:01 am

        Thanks Iris! Oh my, nope you are not alone. I'm crossing my fingers! xoxo

        Reply
    15. Karen Simon Peterson

      November 23, 2016 at 11:54 pm

      Your kitchen looks great- you did a wonderful job on it!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 10:00 am

        Thanks so much Karen!

        Reply
    16. Mary-the boondocks blog

      November 28, 2016 at 5:21 am

      Ashley I did a double take when I saw the before and after pics. I think the colors you have chosen make it look modern and sophisticated and in keeping with your aesthetic. And the best part for me was that you got to share the work with your grandpa. There is nothing like DIY to keep a family together.

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 28, 2016 at 10:01 am

        Thanks Mary! The before/afters kinda shocked us too! Love that I have that memory for sure!

        Reply
    17. Megan

      November 28, 2016 at 3:32 pm

      Are you joking me right now?! This is seriously perfect! You guys did an amazing job and I love your style! We are on the verge of starting a kitchen reno and those gold bar handles are exactly what I've been looking for!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        November 29, 2016 at 4:46 pm

        You are the sweetest! Thank you so much. The gold bar pulls are a bit expensive but totally worth it! They are so gorgeous and really have done well in our messy household! Good luck with your renovation!

        Reply
        • Beatrice Chorinksy

          May 25, 2017 at 1:45 pm

          Wondering where you got the gorgeous golden handle bars? Love your kitchen btw.!!!

          Reply
          • Ashley Mayes

            January 11, 2018 at 10:34 am

            Linked above. =) Lewis Dolin Bar Pulls

            Reply
    18. Jen

      December 09, 2016 at 9:10 am

      I love all your lighting fixtures! I just checked some of them out- WAY more affordable than places i was looking at that had similar styles!

      We've done a ton of our own remodeling too, and always have things like the countertops where you think, "I really wish we weren't keeping that to save money..." but then at the end, it's the piece that makes yours look just a little more like your own 🙂 Fantastic job!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        January 02, 2017 at 1:34 pm

        Yay! Glad you found some of them for cheap! Thanks so much for your lovely comments!

        Reply
    19. Kristen Rosemark

      January 19, 2017 at 9:37 pm

      Hi. You're kitchen is gorgeous. I particularly like the configuration of your over-refrigerator wine & cabinet storage. Any chance you could tell me how wide it is? I'm planning a kitchen reno now and would love to do that, too! Kind regards 🙂

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        January 20, 2017 at 11:07 am

        Thanks Kristen! If you google standard fridge and fridge enclosure guidelines... then you will get a pretty good idea. You need to allow a few inches on top for the fridge to vent and the enclosure will definitely be a different size if you choose counter-depth or regular-depth fridge.

        Reply
    20. Diana

      January 25, 2017 at 2:38 pm

      Amazing transformation! I love your lighting choices. 🙂

      http://dahliasanddimes.com/2017/01/04/kitchen-reveal-the-after/

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        January 25, 2017 at 4:17 pm

        Thanks so much! The lighting really helped make it.

        Reply
    21. Natasha

      April 24, 2017 at 6:02 am

      How do you like your single basin kitchen sink? I didn't see a source for it. I've never had a single basin but really like the way they look. I'm curious to know how it is for functionality.

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        April 24, 2017 at 2:57 pm

        We love it!! I missed linking it up. I got it from Amazon and it was around $400. In a perfect world, food would not get stuck in the corners but other than that, I really love it.

        Reply
    22. Jess

      April 27, 2017 at 7:17 pm

      what a stunning Reno! We are moved out and renovating our whole main floor and your kitchen is almost a spitting image of what we are planning. Minus the gold detail we could be twins! Drywall starts monday and I am so excited to finally be putting it back together! I absolutely love so many of the details! How amazing that you built those cabinets with your grandpa and really such a beautiful space.
      I am curious why don't you have stools at the island after the reno. The old ones looked pretty huge but I was surprised you didn't have a couple small stools tucked in there.
      Thanks for sharing - pinning to show hubby! inspirational for us! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        April 28, 2017 at 11:05 am

        Thanks Jess! We have stools now but they were backordered so I didn't have them in time to shoot the kitchen reveal. =) We have leather round one's without a back so they fit underneath the counter when not in use. Best of luck with your kitchen reno - I'm sure it will be amazing!

        Reply
    23. Sarah

      May 12, 2017 at 1:36 pm

      You are killin' it! What an incredible "budget" reno. Thanks for showing us how blah kitchens can be fabulous without a complete gut reno.

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        May 13, 2017 at 10:13 am

        You are so sweet! Thanks Sarah!

        Reply
    24. Michelle

      May 13, 2017 at 3:14 pm

      I love how this turned out. I have really been wanting to go Black with gold handles but I have Stainless Steel appliances and wasn't sure I could get away with it. I really love how the room has great light with the dark and the mix of gold and stainless steel. There is hope for me.

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        May 19, 2017 at 11:08 am

        Glad you feel inspired, Michelle!

        Reply
    25. Poulin Design Center

      June 15, 2017 at 4:45 am

      Nice blog! and nice design of kitchen, this type of kitchen make homes attractive.

      Reply
    26. North East Factory Direct

      June 15, 2017 at 4:47 am

      this kitchen is soooo Gorgeous! and It is so modern and clean looking. I’m really impressed.

      Reply
    27. Caitie

      June 16, 2017 at 10:01 pm

      Do you have rough dimensions you can share? It's a gorgeous makeover!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        June 20, 2017 at 6:13 pm

        Hi Caitie,

        What dimensions are you wanting?

        Thanks,

        Ashley

        Reply
    28. Caitie

      June 16, 2017 at 10:02 pm

      Can you share rough dimensions? It's gorgeous!

      Reply
    29. Lisa Maul

      July 15, 2017 at 3:19 pm

      What color white did you use on the kitchen walls? We have black cabinets too and I like the softness it brings to the space.

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        July 17, 2017 at 8:08 am

        Hi Lisa. It's Simply White by Valspar. It's a bright white with a blue undertone in person .... definitely love how it pairs with our cabinets. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    30. Karmen

      August 10, 2017 at 8:37 am

      Can you tell me the name of the light that you have in the kitchen. I searched for it at wayfair but the link just takes you to wayfair.

      Karmen

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        August 11, 2017 at 6:42 am

        Here's a link. (aff.) http://rstyle.me/n/cra66nb5yhf

        Thanks!

        Reply
        • Pamela sharp

          November 01, 2017 at 5:27 pm

          LOVE LOVE LOVE the kitchen!!! The gold handles and accents TOTALLY tie n with ur granite countertops!!! No need to change out counters!!! Also, at first I thought u did the white subway tile on the backsplash & walls but after a closer look, saw it was regular white tile! It’s a different twist on subway tile mania but also wondered if it was less costly?!? I’m sure it took a bit longer since tiles r smaller but LOOKS FANTASTIC!! WELL DONE!!!!!!!

          Reply
          • Ashley Mayes

            November 02, 2017 at 10:03 am

            Awww, thanks Pamela! We tried to pick accessories that would tie in the granite since the granite was in good condition. The square tile is super affordable. I'm not sure how it compares with subway tile but the square tile is around .60 a square foot.

            Reply
    31. alma

      October 30, 2017 at 10:05 am

      Love you kitchen! I wanted to go with white cabinets nut I'm loving the dark cabinets!! Now i can't decide 🙁 Are you missing the upper cabinets???? Did you not need a lot of storage???

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        October 31, 2017 at 9:10 am

        Hi Alma. I absolutely love the open shelving and am fine with not having the uppers BUT if you are a person that likes to have lots of dishes, cups, etc,. it's probably not a good choice for you. I have enough storage but that's something to take into account for sure.

        Reply
    32. rachelle

      January 08, 2018 at 10:30 am

      Sorry for the duplicity... wondering what color are the cabinets and what sort of paint or the finish of the paint? And Is there any specifics on repainting them that you took?
      Thanks so much.

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        January 11, 2018 at 10:35 am

        Cracked Pepper by Behr. I just did a podcast episode talking about all the details on painting cabinets. https://biggerthanthethreeofus.com/painting-cabinets-podcast-episode-2/

        Reply
    33. Heather Pachiorka

      January 10, 2018 at 7:56 am

      I really like your granite...thought it was butcher block in one of the pictures, and it is very similar to what I have in my ensuite...so now I have another idea for how to use it with a charcoal! Looks great with the light fixture and cabinet pulls as well. Love your kitchen...

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        January 11, 2018 at 10:36 am

        Awww, thanks! Definitely granite and original to when we bought the house.

        Reply
    34. Chelsea

      January 25, 2018 at 7:18 pm

      Looks awesome! Any chance you remember the grout colour you used for the backsplash?

      Reply
      • Lisa

        May 31, 2020 at 12:33 pm

        Yes this kitchen is beautiful. Would love to know the grout color for the subway tile please. Thank you

        Reply
        • Ashley Mayes

          June 01, 2020 at 9:08 am

          Hi Lisa,

          Thank you! It's Oyster Gray which was a premixed color that we bought from Home Depot.

          Reply
    35. Kimberly

      January 28, 2018 at 4:34 pm

      Love this kitchen! Can you give more details about the backsplash? Size and glossy vs. matte? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        February 05, 2018 at 8:46 am

        It's directly linked on the post under "sources". It's from Home Depot. =)

        Reply
    36. Lisa

      February 19, 2018 at 7:00 am

      Ashley, so fun to check out your kitchen remodel! We have a similar layout in need of a reno and I love seeing how you reconfigured your space. The fact that you and your grandpa built some of those cabinets and worked on this together is just about the best thing ever!! It all came out beautifully!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        February 20, 2018 at 9:38 am

        Awww, thanks Lisa! We absolutely love it (and for the price... it really can't be beat!). Thanks for your super sweet comment.

        Reply
    37. Cortney Zieky

      May 24, 2018 at 6:47 am

      Where did you find your white back splash tile? love the shape!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        May 30, 2018 at 2:13 pm

        It's linked below but it's from Home Depot.

        Reply
        • Stefanie

          April 21, 2019 at 11:44 pm

          Can you reshare the link to your tile please? I tried clicking the Home Depot link but it just takes me to the home page... wonder if it's still available?

          Reply
          • Ashley Mayes

            April 25, 2019 at 10:37 am

            Oh, bummer. This looks to be it: https://fave.co/2L3TPvD

            Reply
    38. Val

      June 04, 2018 at 3:39 pm

      I recently painted my cabinets this same color bc I loved yours so much. I’m interested in the name of the dark charcoal color you painted frame and door? Also did you paint your walls and trim the same color white?

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        June 18, 2018 at 1:29 pm

        Thanks Val! It's actually the same color! And yes, ultra white in semi gloss for the trim and eggshell for the walls.

        Reply
    39. JSON formatter

      June 05, 2018 at 10:37 pm

      So fun to check out your kitchen remodel!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        June 18, 2018 at 1:28 pm

        Thanks so much!

        Reply
    40. Tracie

      January 05, 2019 at 6:23 pm

      Hi there! Just wanted to stop back by and thank you guys for your tips and tutorials. We re-did our kitchen ( replaced upper cabinets with floatingeccom shelves, painted cabinets etc.). We used a lot of your good info and recommendations (brackets, hood, primer, Paint. Wish I could post pictures!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        January 07, 2019 at 10:27 am

        Hi Tracie! Thanks so much for taking the time to write a comment! I bet your kitchen turned out beautifully! If you ever post on IG, just tag me! I'd love to see the kitchen.

        Reply
    41. Scarlet

      August 10, 2019 at 12:22 pm

      It is so beautiful. We need to redo our kitchen to I am pinning this for all the fabulous kitchen details. I love that cabinet color too!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        August 22, 2019 at 9:57 am

        That's such a fun process! Good luck!!

        Reply
    42. Hope Russell

      October 16, 2019 at 7:56 am

      Hello Ashley,

      I just came across this post. Your kitchen is beautiful. I’m just about to do the same thing with our kitchen window but I’m not sure where to start with the labor. Did you just contract it out with a construction company, or did the window company do all the framing? Thanks in advance.

      Hope

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        October 16, 2019 at 5:12 pm

        Hi Hope,

        We used a small construction company who was interested in a one-off job. They wanted to use a specific window brand and I picked it out. They took care of picking it up and all the supplies that went into that. I had them bid it for us to finish off the inside of the trim and tile work. You can have it bid from start-to-finish by a construction company or a window company. For trickier installs (enlargements), Pella for example will use one of their regular contractors and work with you that way.

        Hope that helps!
        Ashley

        Reply
        • Melissa

          January 10, 2023 at 8:56 pm

          Looking to do this to a window in St. Louis Missouri- just relocated from Maryland.
          Just wanting to clarify- did Pella do all of the work of enlarging the frame for your window? I have called so many window companies. Unless it is removing a current window and replacing with the same size, they are not interested. I'm losing hope!

          Reply
          • Ashley Mayes

            January 12, 2023 at 10:05 am

            I called Pella to ask for window contractors they recommend (who source through their stores). Another option for this is to use a general contractor. We did this for our basement egress windows (similar situation with enlarging the windows). It took some effort to find someone to do the basement as well but it's worth it!

            Reply
    43. Ginger Runnels

      February 04, 2020 at 3:11 pm

      Love your kitchen so much! Can you tell me about the cabinet hardware? Style, where to purchase?
      Thanks!
      Ginger

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        February 06, 2020 at 2:55 pm

        Thank you Ginger! It's by Lewis Dolin. Here's a link: https://rstyle.me/+ySnToAys6X2-d14BoPD2yw

        Reply
    44. laura

      August 06, 2020 at 10:43 am

      Where did you get the floating shelves? not the hardware, just the wood?

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        August 24, 2020 at 9:09 am

        Hi Laura,

        I searched "Exotic wood store" in my area and that opened up a bunch of options to buying all different types of slab woods.

        Reply
    45. Cleveland Cabinets

      August 12, 2021 at 7:48 am

      Wow, what a stunning kitchen! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    46. Nikki

      December 18, 2021 at 10:54 am

      Hi Ashley! Random question, we are doing the same tile and grout as you and am wondering the grout line size you used? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        December 22, 2021 at 10:51 am

        I can't remember! I think it might have been the smallest green spacers (Home Depot) that I could find.

        Reply
    47. Melissa

      March 01, 2022 at 4:35 pm

      I stumbled upon your site while looking for kitchen renovations. I am so grateful I did!!! Your layout is almost identical to mine. I am curious to know the depth of your cabinets on the peninsula. They definitely do not seem to be 24" like standard base cabinets. Do you mind sharing?

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        March 02, 2022 at 11:41 am

        Hi, They are original (70s era) cabinets in the peninsula. They aren't standard and are around 14" which is annoying! ha.

        Reply
    48. Suzy

      March 13, 2023 at 11:55 am

      Hi Ashley,
      Beautiful kitchen! Can you tell me how thick your floating open shelves are? I'm installing open shelves in our kitchen (10" depth x 45" length) and am unsure what thickness of shelf I should get.

      Reply
      • Ashley Mayes

        March 19, 2023 at 12:24 pm

        Hi, The thickness will depend on your shelf brackets. Whoever you buy your shelf brackets from will have a template for the size that you are able to use.

        Reply
    49. Melinda

      January 13, 2021 at 9:44 am

      Hello! I LOVE how you made your countertops look intentional and not outdated. Absolutely stunning kitchen!! Do you have any color suggestions for updating what I believe is baltic brown granite with a black granite island? The baltic brown has a good amount of the lighter tan (or grey/beige?) and cream. But also has brown and black too. I can send a picture too. Thank you so much for your advice!

      Reply

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