Our Kitchen “Update” Inspiration

One of the biggest projects we knew we would be undertaking when we bought our home last summer was updating the kitchen. It’s a mid-90’s kitchen, complete with laminate countertops, old cabinets, and a knee wall. The kitchen is the first room you see when you walk into the front door, so we really want to put some love into it! At this point, we’re planning on doing everything ourselves, save for the removal and installation of new countertops. We’re going to tackle the backsplash tiling, installing new lighting (Mike’s become a pro!) and probably adding some trim to the cabinets to modernize them a bit. I’ve had a vision for this update since about 3 days after we moved in, so I am very excited to get the process going!

Here’s a look at a sort of mood board for the space:

Countertops | Backsplash Tile | Faux Olive Tree (similar) | Kitchen Faucet | Small Cabinet Pull | Large Cabinet Pull | 7-Light Globe Fixture | Glass Pendant Fixture | Faux Eucalyptus Wreath | Counter Stools | Wood Floating Shelves | Metal Coffee Sign | Pie Wall Art

I would describe our home as cozy modern. I love the clean lines and simplicity of modern furniture and decor, but it can feel cold and uninteresting sometimes. I like adding the cozy elements to soften it – wood, greenery, some farmhouse-inspired pieces (that aren’t too rustic or farmhouse). Since the rest of our home is decorated in this style, we’re definitely bringing that into the kitchen, as well! We’re going with some lightly marbled countertops and (as of right now!) classic white subway tile for the backsplash. We’re still undecided on grout color – I like the simplicity and crispness of white, but am always drawn to photos of kitchens that used a grey or darker grout color with subway tile. We’re going with black for the metal elements – kitchen faucet, hardware, and hinges on cabinets (the existing need to be changed out). I love the way the black pops against the white and it will go with the rest of the hardware in our home! Then, to make sure it’s not feeling too modern or cold, we’ll add in some wood and more rustic elements, like counter stools and some open shelving. We already got these reclaimed wood floating shelves delivered and I cannot wait to get them up on the wall!

As far as decor goes, the wall space is pretty limited, so there won’t be much. We will have a spot above our pass-through (which is right where our kitchen sink is) that I will find something for. I like the idea of a sign like that coffee or pie one. The only other wall spot will be where the floating shelves go, which will be a mix of kitchen goods and maybe some decorative items! For the bay window nook we have, I added a faux olive tree that I love. It fills the space nicely without blocking out the great natural light that we get in there in the afternoon.

I can’t wait to see it come together! First thing we’ll be doing is the countertops and then we’ll start tackling the tiling and everything else. I’m excited to share the transformation with you!