Hello Lovely!
Today I am finally sharing our kitchen transformation! We recently purchased a home in one of our favorite neighborhoods, but it was quite outdated, to put it mildly. We decided to completely renovate the interior of the home, and the kitchen was one of the spaces that underwent the biggest transformation. Before I share any after photos, let’s take a look at the space before…
BEFORE
Before beginning the renovations, Omar and I knew we wanted to have an all white kitchen, and I have always had my heart set on marble countertops. We had granite countertops in our previous kitchen, and while they were beautiful and durable, they did not have the light and airy feel that I was looking for. So many people tried to talk us out of going with marble countertops in the kitchen because of the stone’s delicate nature, but we did not let their opinions alter our decision! Marble is truly timeless, and with the proper care, you can keep it looking beautiful for many years. We had it in all of the bathrooms in our previous home, and even with the wear and tear, they still looked so lovely!
Prior to beginning the renovations, I also knew I wanted to have a pot filler above the range, and a white farmhouse sink. With so many details already predetermined in my mind, it made the kitchen design relatively easy. However, determining the new layout was a bit more challenging 😅. The previous kitchen was completely closed off from the rest of the house, aside from an opening the overlooked part of the family room. Our goal was to create an open-concept first floor and a galley style kitchen that would feel grand, without taking up any more square footage than the previous kitchen. Here is what we ended up creating for the final design...
AFTER
We decided to go with a classic style white cabinet. We were able to create a custom look, using semi-custom cabinets. We placed cabinets on both sides of the island, and two additional spice/pan racks on the ends of the back run in order to maximize storage and create a more custom look. Overall, I am so happy we ended up going with the semi-custom cabinets instead of fully custom, as it helped us save some money! We worked directly with John at Cabinetry Direct. He worked with us to create three dimensional CAD drawings of the various layouts we were considering. This made it so much easier to determine the final design, since it gave us a realistic idea of how everything would look together.
We selected Bianco Carrara Marble for the countertops and backsplash. The island is over 10 feet long and 4 feet wide, so finding a single slab that wide was much harder than I had expected. However, I finally found not one, but two consecutive slabs from the same lot, so our countertops match the backsplash perfectly. If you live in the Chicagoland area and are looking to update your kitchen or bathroom countertops, I highly recommend West Chicago Custom Countertops. I worked directly with Mireya and Ramiro and had a great experience. This is actually our second time working with the company, and we recommend them to all our friends and family.
While I had my heart set on marble, a pot filler, and a white farmhouse sink, Omar had his heart set on commercial grade appliances, and he needed every single piece to be from the same brand/line 🤦🏽♀️. He is so particular with certain things, and I find it hysterical! We went to our local Abt store and toured their incredible inspiration studio, which features full kitchen displays of nearly every single appliance brand you could think of. The sales associate, Kristal, was absolutely fantastic. She walked us through every display, brought over specialists from each brand to discuss the various product features, and spent several hours with us while we debated which brand we wanted to go with. I honestly cannot believe she put up with us for that long, especially with how particular Omar was being, and two crying babies on top of it all! She is a saint.
Our top contenders were La Cornue (I love their Cornufé ranges), Viking, and Wolf/Sub-Zero. Viking ultimately won us over! Not only is Viking considered one of the top appliance brands, their products are produced in the U.S.A.! They also have the most complete product offerings, so Omar was able to have his matching appliance set 😏. It was overall a win-win for us, and now that I have been able to use the appliances, I can honestly say they are worth every penny.
Our faucet and pot filler are both made by Waterstone. I love that their products are classic, elegant, high-quality, and made in America! Our plumber even commented on the quality of the products, and said they were the heaviest faucets he has ever installed! He has decades of experience, and does a lot of work for luxury home builders in our area, so that is saying something!
Overall, we are so happy with the final results of our kitchen renovation! It opens up directly to both the living and dining spaces, and feels bright and airy!
As always, thank you for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing the before and afters of the kitchen renovation! I will eventually add a few decorative pieces on the countertops, and displaying fresh florals on the island once our peonies bloom! I’d love to hear your thoughts on our design in the comments section below!
Yours Truly, Victoria
Cabinets: Cabinetry Direct
Countertop: West Chicago Custom Countertop
Farmhouse Sink: Kohler
Pot filler: Waterstone
Faucet: Waterstone
Hardware: Restoration Hardware
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