Bungalow Kitchen Reno: The Reveal

Thank you for sticking with us over the last month as we've shared the various stages of our kitchen renovation with you! It's been such a neat process, and we're getting to enjoy it all over again as we share it with y'all. We so appreciate all the sweet comments, and have to thank the Lord for providing us with the means and helping hands to make it happen. It's a small thing on the spectrum of importance, but we realize just how rich we are given where God has placed us and the things we're able to do. It's truly a treat and a gift, and we don't take it lightly!

Without further ado, I share with you the finished state of our kitchen...

(Click on photos to enlarge)

 

{Sources}

Butcher Block: IKEA (discontinued*)

Stain: Minwax (Early American)

Sealer: Waterlox

Upper cabinet color: Benjamin Moore (Chantilly Lace) 

Lower cabinet color: Benjamin Moore (October Mist) 

Wall color: Benjamin Moore (London Fog)

Sink: Kraus

Faucet: Moen

Backsplash: Merola Tile (with Delorean Gray grout) 

Pencil trim: Anatolia Tile

Rug: Loloi via Rugs USA

Knife magnet: RSVP via Amazon

To request additional sources, please contact me or leave a comment.

{Revisit the Kitchen Reno Series}

The Before Situation

*Preparing the Ingredients ("The Great Butcher Block Track-Down")

Staining and Sealing the Butcher Block Countertops
Painting Cabinets
The Sink That Started It All

Bungalow Kitchen Reno: The Sink That Started It All

I often chuckle when I look around in our kitchen now, and think that the straw that broke the camel's back to get us to this point was a sink. A white, porcelain, double basin sink, which was shallow as all get out. (Check out the Before post to refresh your memory.) Technically, I guess it was the sink, combined with oh-so-sad water pressure from the meh faucet, and the broken sprayer that straight up disconnected from the sink and left a hole in the counter. Hawt.

We went back and forth on which sink we wanted, and while I do love the look of the big white farmhouse sinks, I honestly didn't dig the idea of cutting into our cabinets. I also didn't see much utility in that design, per se, but I loved the idea of having one big basin. It's a small thing in the grand scheme of things, but it drove me nuts every time I did the dishes that I couldn't lay down flat my bigger pots and pans, and that the divided basin didn't really serve any utility for us. (For other homes, it probably makes perfect sense, which is why I love all the options and styles out there to choose from!) We looked everywhere, and even ventured outside the typical big box haunts by checking out IKEA and Seconds & Surplus. It was really helpful to see some of the options out there in person, to better hone in on what we liked and didn't like (as well as compare scale and size with the measurements of our existing sink), and this served us well as we ultimately ended up ordering a KRAUS sink that M found online. It was hard to image ordering something so critical to the design (and function) without seeing it in person, but it had everything we wanted and we liked knowing that we could take it back to Home Depot locally if it was a fail.
 

Holla!

The good news? It was glorious. Stainless steel, undermount, extra-deep, and even came with a steel grid (that we often use as a drying rack). The packaging made me laugh at first because you would have thought it was a precious relic, packed away in a fabric bag and lots of padding, but as soon as I saw it, I felt like it was totally deserving of the hoopla.

This guy was a strong contender...
Until M put the image of Gonzo in my head.

The next step was to find a faucet. This also proved to be tricky, because we didn't want to OD on stainless (as all of our other appliances--save for the microwave--are stainless steel), and I wanted to embrace this opportunity to create a statement in the design, something unexpected that would be a great anchor for years to come. I gravitated toward oil-rubbed and antique bronzed looks, which I thought would complement the oil-rubbed handles on all the cabinets, as well as hold its own against the butcher block counters and epic stainless sink. We went back and forth between the Moen Wetherly Mediterranean Bronze High-Arc Faucet and the Moen Annabelle Mediterranean Pull-Down Faucet, and after M made a compelling argument for an all-in-one faucet, we picked up the Annabelle model. (We didn't install the soap dispenser, nor did we use the baseplate. Kept it clean and simple.) It was the right choice and accomplished exactly what I hoped it would!

A spur of the moment decision was made after removing the old laminate counters to go ahead and get a consult for backsplash tile. (The counter removal left a few decent sized holes and tears that needed to be patched and re-painted, so we had a candid conversation about doing double work, knowing we would eventually want backsplash anyway, and made the call. Like, the actual call to a tile guy who was recommended by our realtor, a.k.a. our sister-in-law. Best resource EVER.) We found our guy, agreed to the price (which was surprisingly low and quickly made the decision for us in terms of trying to do it ourselves), but now we needed tile. 

We looked at lots of options (yet again), and quickly narrowed down that we wanted a classic subway tile...with a twist. Something that was a little special, but still timeless and age-appropriate for the house. We considered mini subway tile, as well as colored and glass mosaic subway tile options, but ultimately fell in love with a Cobble Subway Mosaic (especially after getting our hands on a sample and seeing the quality). The handmade feel was a perfect compliment for the natural grain of the wood, coupled with the slick modernity of the stainless. 

So how did it all come together? Like dis...

Now that you've seen the bulk of the steps, next time I'll share all the After photos, as well as full list of our sourced materials! 

Other posts in the kitchen reno series:

The Before Situation

Preparing the Ingredients ("The Great Butcher Block Track-Down")

Staining and Sealing the Butcher Block Countertops
Painting Cabinets

Bungalow Kitchen Reno: Painting Cabinets

So here's a free lesson: you say to yourself, "Hey, why don't we paint the cabinets? That should only take a few hours!" You would, however, be totally wrong. TOTES wrong.

Early into our kitchen reno, which I warned in the "before" post unfolded in a very If You Give a Mouse a Cookie fashion (in that this little mouse kept adding "quick projects" along the way), I decided that the buttercream cabinets had to go. Even though the addition of butcher block countertops and a new sink to match the stainless appliances helped the overall look dramatically, the cabinets were still in need of some love to reflect the design we wanted. The kitchen cabinets are a simple shaker style and were installed by the previous owner, so they were in great shape and just needed some superficial help. However, knowing that they were relatively new, we wanted to do the paint job right and not just throw gobs of a new color on top. (If you've owned an older house that shows the tell-tale signs of many, many differing opinions about the right color for any given surface, you feel me on this.)

I have painted more walls than I can count, having started my interior design hobby at an early age. (Blue walls with puffy white clouds painted on them at 13-years-old? Nailed it. Loved them dearly for one whole year, which is like a decade for a teenager. Also, matching valances. Because...valances. #ChildOfThe80s) But cabinets? Horse of a different color. I consulted the experts (i.e. Pinterest search for "paint cabinets"), and decided on a pretty straightforward method: remove, sand, paint. 

As a reminder, buttercream.

We use Benjamin Moore paint for everything*, and I love that they offer paint and primer in one. Not only is their color selection fantastic, but you can get the job done in fewer coats with better coverage and greater longevity than I've seen with others. That being said, I'd recommend opting for primer if you're not using a quality paint to ensure it lasts, especially if your kitchen gets as much play as ours does. We also took the recommendation of our local Ben Moore expert* an opted for their pearl finish, which was the most matte we could go without sacrificing durability.

The most tedious aspect of this job for us was removing all the hardware, as well as the glass inlay in some of the upper cabinets. We drew out a grid on a piece of paper and marked spaces for all the hardware, including: hanging side, location, and top or bottom bracket (the latter was added when I hit a few whammies from not doing that with the first round of cabinets). 

Quick Tip: if I did this again, I'd soak the hardware in paint thinner to remove the previous color that had made its way onto the brackets and handles. By the time I circled back on reassembly, I was battling the screw-its and just put them on as is.

A tub of Clorox wipes came in handy to wipe down every surface and remove any gunk before sanding. (If you skip this step, the gunk can muck up the sander and make a hot mess. Simple, quick job that makes your life easier. Trust.) We used the mouse sander again with 220 grit sandpaper to rough up the surface a bit and ensure good adhesion, as well as smooth out some drip marks from the previous job. (We used 180 grit for areas that had more wear or more prominent drip marks. For older cabinets with a lot of wear, you might need a medium grit for the job, and finish with 220.) We vacuumed up the shavings and busted out our trusty tack cloth to finish the job. (Side note: tack cloths may be the worst feeling on bare hands in the world. Just awful, man.)

We recycled the packing materials from the butcher block once again (adopting the plastic wrap as drop cloths and the long cardboard boxes as sanding and paint surfaces--one for each, of course), which was clutch because we ended up having to do a lot of the work inside due to weather. (In case you haven't heard, Texas is in need of an ark. I can help sand it...) At least the paint was water-based for this step (unlike the epically stinky stain and Waterlox), so that helped tremendously.

Benjamin Moore's October Mist

Picking the colors was not easy. Well, that's half true. I had found some really beautiful source images, and the color Piegon by Farrow and Ball kept coming up over and over again. However, at $100 a gallon, this cheapskate just couldn't take the plunge. After a quick internet search, I found a Benjamin Moore dupe and confidently bought a gallon of October Mist in pearl finish, which is the perfect gray-green that we wanted. I loved the look of lighter uppers with contrasting lower cabinets, and after sharing some inspiration pics with M, we decided on a clean white for the uppers (Chantilly Lace, if you please). Picking the white was the hard part. White is not white, always. Got some help from the good men at Ben Moore to tackle this one too, and we were happy with the choice. (There's a point at which you just have to pick one and move forward, so don't overthink it too much. But at the very least, put the paint samples up in the space and consider how they look together in all the various lights through the day. Then, just go with it.)

Quick Tip: Pinterest and online images are always a big component of any home project that we do, as it's important to me that M be equally on board with the vision (since it's his home too), so this is a key step that I recommend y'all take to keep the project a shared one.

We patiently painted the backs of the cabinets first (the side that faces in when closed) with two coats (to ensure we had nice coverage, especially with the white over the buttercream color, the bleed through of which would make the cabinets look old and grungy), and then flipped and finished the fronts with two coats. The inlays were painted first with a small natural brush, while the faces were done with a small roller (we used rollers that were indicated for--you guessed it--cabinets). We rested drawers against covered surfaces to dry, and they were actually really quick to do since they essentially only had one side (that mattered).

Meanwhile, we gently sanded the cabinet boxes and taped off nearby surfaces (especially our spanky new countertops) before painting the boxes as well. I debated pulling everything out of the shelves before sanding, but I was beat at this point (since this "quick project" was already dragging into a week, squeezed in between all the other life) so I just pushed crap back and mentally made a note to rinse out any dishes and pots before using them. (We survived, y'all. Little sawdust never hurt anyone. Ok, that's probably not true...)

Once everything dried to the recommended duration, we reattached the hardware and returned the cabinets and drawers to where they belonged. 

Quick tip: If I did this project again, I'd probably deal with an exposed kitchen for another 24 hours to let the paint cure even longer. We did experience some sticking when first opening and closing the cabinets and drawers, but that had very little impact to the paint job. They're fine now, but worth another day of kitchen chaos to let it really cure well.

Beat down of a task? Yup. But I'd do it again for the outcome. In a heartbeat. They instantly made the kitchen look so much cleaner and fresh, and seeing the results really helped encourage us to plow through a few more days/weeks of renovation to get to the big finish. We're nearly there...

*This post is not sponsored by Benjamin Moore, by the way. I like what I like, so I'm sharing.

Other posts in the kitchen reno series:

The Before Situation

Preparing the Ingredients ("The Great Butcher Block Track-Down")

Staining and Sealing the Butcher Block Countertops

Bungalow Kitchen Reno: Staining and Sealing the Butcher Block Countertops

Quick housekeeping thing: if you receive my posts via email (which, you're awesome), and you got my "new post" email on Friday featuring an outfit...I'm sorry. I think Blogger had a moment and decided to send a year-and-a-half-old post out to my email subscribers. Let's hope that doesn't happen again (and if it does, please remember that I wasn't saved until 2010, but I began blogging in 2009, so...context). More apologies to follow, probably.

Anywhoodle, back to our regularly scheduled programing...

Last time I continued to share the journey of our kitchen renovation by explaining the first stage: preparing and installing the butcher block countertops. There is more to be said on the topic of the counters, as this aspect of the project required the most effort on our part (i.e. more than a phone call and writing a check), so I'll talk more about that today. And if you didn't catch The Before Situation, you can catch up on that here. 

When we left off, I had sanded off the factory finish, and our awesome helper Dave had the mammoth task of installing the countertops, sink, and faucet. I found many DIYs online that made all that look like no sweat, but we draw the line at some attempts, and this is where we wisely brought in an expert who had experience with IKEA's butcher block. Money well spent, especially given the care and attention to detail by Dave, who treated the project as if it were for his own home. That's gold, right there.

You see that hot mess in the center of the kitchen?
Yeah, it stayed there over the course of the weeks we spent working on this project.
It just made more sense than putting away, pulling it back out,
forgetting something we needed while we were covered in stain, etc.
Embrace the "Ugh" and know that it will be all worth it.
And use a drop cloth (or, in this case, the plastic in which the butcher block was packed).

With the counters in place, we proceeded to stain these bad boys. Although the natural birch color was lovely, we knew that we wanted to bring some warmth to the space.

Since this was our first attempt at staining, we kept a large scrap piece of butcher block to practice on, as well as to use as a test spot to determine what color stain, how many coats, etc. We already knew that Waterlox was our sealer of choice, and found the heads-up to be true that the tung oil does cause the stain to lighten a bit after application, so we kept that in mind, and made sure to test with the Waterlox, too, to avoid any surprises in the finished product. I'm not generally a fan of oil-based paints and whatnot, but we decided to go with Minwax, and landed on the Early American shade. (By the way, those color samples in hardware stores...they're lies. Testing stains--and paint in general--is crucial before running and gunning on your final product.)

Interesting lesson learned: we kept hearing folks recommend a wood conditioner before staining, so we actually bought a quart of it to use on the counters. When we tested with it, however (which we almost didn't do, not thinking it'd be all that different), we found that we didn't like the way the stain took to the wood. We liked the variations and quirks of the wood, and wanted to pick up all the little natural elements of the slabs, which we felt like we lost with the conditioner. So we didn't use it at all, but it was still worth trying and knowing that much.

We ended up doing four coats of Early American, but initially only planned for three. We liked the way the sample looked with three coats, but this is where the advice to wait and stain until the butcher block was in place totally nailed it. Looking at it in the space, we really felt like we needed it just a tad darker, especially knowing that it'd lighten at least a shade with the Waterlox (again, as we learned from our test applications). We even experimented with how long we left on each coat to ensure the right color acceptance. If it sounds like a lot of work, it's really not. I would just set an alarm and reapply every few hours, so it was more time consuming than anything. But so worth it in the end, to not finish everything up in a hurry and end up hating the end result.

As far as application, we waited the recommended time between coats, and applied the stain with stain pads. I'm sure there are lots of cool gadgets and tools out there, but we bought the cheapest, off-brand stain pads, and a cheap pack of work towels, and went to town. And our receptacle of choice to hold the stain? The lid of a Chik-Fil-A side salad. Recycling, y'all.

We finished the counters with three layers of Waterlox, and added a little extra on the wood around the sink and faucet for good measure. This stuff is potent, so either buy the low VOC option, or make sure you have good ventilation and a mask. We were hit and miss on weather as we did this, but opened the windows whenever we could, and had the air purifier on full blast. But often, we simply left the house to get a break from the fumes and try to protect our brain cells. We waited 24-hours between coats, as recommended, and used a natural bristle brush (bought a new, cheap one, and made sure to take some duct tape to it before using to catch any wayward bristles or random nonsense stuck to the brush that would try to get all up in our finish) to apply each coat. (And in case you missed it in the last post, I had applied three coats of Waterlox to the underside of the butcher block that would be placed near the sink and dishwasher to protect the wood from condensation or leaks.)

Final step (for this phase): apply a line of clear silicone around the sink to create a watertight seal. Like icing on the cake. (Dave had siliconed the under side and sink lip before installing, but we applied the bead around the exposed under-mount since we wanted to ensure the stain would take to that wood.)

So, I teased in the last post a little tidbit about brown paper bags being a sanding miracle. I read this tip from one of the blogs I was stalking that posted a DIY for butcher block counters, and I thought it sounded insane, but I had brown paper bags on hand, so thought, 'Hey, I like free. Let's do this!'

Y'all... We ripped off a section of paper bag about the size of my hand. Going in a small circular motion, we used the brown paper bag to sand between coats of Waterlox. Seriously, baby's butt. I guess it has just enough natural texture to work like a very, very fine grain sandpaper. But it made each coat look amazing, and we even went over our final layer with brown paper bag before stepping back and doing a happy dance.

Here she is...

I promise that I will share the deets on this AMAZING sink and faucet next time, but this post has already been uber long. Kudos to you for sticking through it. 

Other posts in the kitchen reno series:

The Before Situation

Preparing the Ingredients ("The Great Butcher Block Track-Down")

Painting Cabinets

Bungalow Kitchen Reno: Preparing the "Ingredients" (a.k.a. The Great Butcher Block Track-Down)

As a reminder, here's the before...

After diving into our bungalow remodel (which I introduced in my last post), things actually moved along fairly quickly, and we tried to be as tactful as possible as far as scheduling and planning. We knew that our kitchen would be difficult to use, so we set up stations throughout the house to hand wash dishes (master bath sink), cook things in the toaster oven (buffet in living room), and, most importantly, make our coffee (Michael's desk in the office, which worked out nicely since I spend 80% of my day in there anyway...in fact, trying to remember why we didn't keep the coffeemaker in here...). Nevertheless, much take-out was consumed in the process, which was rough on all fronts, but it comes with the territory. 

The first step was the project that started it all: new sink and new counters. We were very fortunate to have a family member of a friend of ours recommended to help us with this stage of things. I have to say, one of the most daunting aspects of home improvement for us is often finding the right people to help us (without doing it halfway, charging us our firstborn, or being unpleasant to have in our home for days on end). God was absolutely looking out for His kiddos in this regard, as we couldn't have been happier with the folks in our home. Stellar work, lots of laughs and high-fives, and even Scrappy didn't seem to mind the extra humans in his lair.

Speaking of which, say "Hello" to Dave, everyone...
"Hi, Dave!"

Before scheduling the counter and sink install, we had two very important jobs: (1) find the materials ("ingredients," if you will), and (2) prep the butcher block. Both jobs were vital to the final outcome, from both a functional and aesthetic perspective, so we didn't even schedule the install until both items were knocked out.

We managed to snag some solid wood butcher blocks from our "local" IKEA (I use quotation marks because it's an hour and a half away from us). The butcher blocks are no longer offered in the store or online, and are being discontinued as soon as supplies have sold out. This news is actually what accelerated the kitchen reno project, as we knew we couldn't find a deal like we would at IKEA, and we were not willing to use the partial particle board counters. We tracked them down and brought them home as soon as we could to get working on them. 

Inside scoop: if you're trying to get the solid wood butcher block, contact your local IKEA to see if they still have any in the warehouse. If so, you'll have to buy them with the home delivery service. Weird rule, but it actually worked out nicely for us because we didn't have to schlep them in the Jeep, and the delivery charge still made the whole purchase cheaper than the alternatives. Of course, if you're not in a delivery zone, this option is probably not available. Which, boo.

This is me sanding.
Dress by Forever21 (I know you're dying to know)

We sanded off the factory finish, knowing we wanted to stain, using 180 grit sandpaper on a mouse sander, finished with a 220 grit sandpaper. (We weren't trying to get too deeply into the wood, as they were already fairly smooth, so these finer grits were perfect.) I had never used a sander before, but by the end of this whole project, we were BFFs.  

Quick sanding tips: 

• Always sand WITH (i.e. in the direction of) the grain of the wood
• Wear goggles and a mask -- Safety first! 
• Get more tack cloths than you think you'll need
• Don't underestimate the amazingness of brown paper bags as sanding tools (More on this later...)

I'm sure there are many different approaches that could be taken, but we talked with our expert (Dave) and decided to sand first, install second, and stain last. The thought was that we could fully stain all exposed sides in place, and have a better sense of the desired tone once it was actually in the space. We did, however, apply three coats of Waterlox to the underside of that longest run of butcher block (near the sink and dishwasher) to protect from condensation and warping over time, given those areas would be most vulnerable.

"Ooooh....ahhhhh....."

Next up: more details on the butcher block countertop process..

Bungalow Kitchen Reno: The Before Situation

When we found the spunky 1930s bungalow that would become our first home, we were so excited for all the improvements that the previous owner had made, many of which were right in line with what we would have chosen for ourselves. (Except for the paint colors. Every single room was a different color, which was charming and totally worked with her eclectic decor, but for these neutral-loving folks, it meant calling in the reinforcements--i.e., family--and giving everything a fresh coat.) 

One of the things we respected most about the previous owner's design choices is that everything felt appropriate for the age of the home, often as nods to classic, craftsman style. We wanted to do the same as we made the home our own, and made a lot of progress within the first year, though encouraging one another along the way not to rush it. A home takes a while to establish, after all, and you can't force that cozy feeling that comes when a family really settles into their space. It just takes time.

That being said, tackling the kitchen was a project that we earmarked early on as a "To Do," but given that it was functional, we let it fall down the last of priorities until the time was right. Fast forward three years, and close up on this gal wresting with a broken water sprayer, a shallow, sad kitchen sink, and a bubbling (uggo) laminate countertop for the very last time.

We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a special message from Natty: 
Look, let me say first that I am insanely grateful for our home. No sarcasm, no pithy comment to follow. We have welcomed countless family and friends into our home, filled it with prayer, love, and laughter, and constantly look around thinking, "Whoa. This is ours." So with that in mind, proceed, and know that I'm being silly, but do not at all want to convey ungratefulness or disapproval if, say, someone looks at these pics and thinks, 'Huh, I like the before better.' Taste is highly subjective, so get on with your bad self!

Also, if you're the type who tends to get steamrolled by comparison, and you struggle with trying to keep up with bloggers and Pinterest, and know another reno feature will make you officially hate your home...Honey, skip these posts. You don't need them. Focus on what is good, what is true, what is lovely, and don't dive head first into what you know makes your heart ache for STUFF. It's just stuff, it's all dust, and your sweet heart is so much more important than that. Kay?

All that being said, I present to you The Before Situation...

If you feel like there's a whole lot of yellow happening, it's not your eyes. It's Buttercream-palooza up in here, made only worse by the warm white bulbs. (I'll share with you later the free lesson my husband gave me on light temperature and how it affects a space. It's cray.) 

So, it's cute overall, right? Not the worst thing ever. And if you're having a hard time orienting yourself to how it's arranged, see the pic below. Essentially, it's a rectangle, two doors on either side. The kitchen is in the center of our home, so the door by the stove leads to living room, den, guest room, etc., and the door by the fridge leads to master, office, utility room, etc., and the wall not shown has a sliding glass door that leads out to the backyard. They made excellent use of space, I have to say. We did paint the walls when we moved in to try to at least give some help to this space, but it was not an easy task to find a suitable color when you're trying to mesh yellowish cabinets with dark gray laminate. (We ended up using Benjamin Moore's Cotswald to bring out the warm tones in the laminate and make the cabinet color look more intentional. Also, the color reminds me of coffee. DONE.)

 

And then...double basin white porcelain sink. Can I tell you how much I dislike a poorly designed double basin sinks? I mean, if you can't fit ANYTHING bigger than a cereal bowl well on either side, the divider just makes no sense. And ours was shallow at that, so I was a hot little potato every time I did the dishes, covered in spatter and wishing for water pressure that didn't rival a squirt gun.

Overall, we knew that this was a space that we wanted to put our stamp on because we spend so much time in here. (See that coffee area over there? Natty likely. I'd move into that corner if I could.) Like many of my projects, it very much unfolded in an If You Give a Mouse a Cookie fashion. "If you give her a new faucet, she's going to want a new sink. And if she gets a new sink, she's going to want new counters. And if you're going to get new counters, you should probably go ahead and install backsplash. And while your kitchen is totally amuck, you'd might as well paint the cabinets..."

 And so we embarked on the journey, adjusting our budget every step of the way, buying the ingredients as we came upon them. (I use the term "ingredients" not because I'm making a clever kitchen pun, but rather, I don't know what you call the crap you need for construction projects. Mise en place? No, still kitchen lingo? Well, I got nothing, y'all.)

Stay tuned for some along-the-way updates, tips I learned along the way (primarily from other awesome DIYers and Bloggers out there), and photos of our new kitchen! 

P.S. It seems moot to share sources for the before stages, but just leave a comment if you have any questions. Will source as I'm able as we move toward final stages.