It isn’t going to be a before and after because we are still in the process and need to do a few more things but you can see where we are for now.
Let’s start with a NOW and then we will get into the BEFORE, During and more NOW photos.

Welcome to our Kitchen.

Ignore the ceiling fan box over there.  It will be installed on the covered patio.

We have lots of cabinet space but it was a little dark.

The lighting needed updated and brought into the proper century.

The counters were laminate.

The hardware on the cabinets needed updated as well.

We would move this refrigerator to the downstairs kitchen for my parents in the in-law quarters.

We wanted to update the kitchen sink and faucet as well.

The laminate counter tops.

We closed on the house on Friday morning, went to the house and started working on the cabinets.

We sanded and sanded and sanded the cabinets.

Nothing was taking off the finish except sanding.

They had a teflon coat of lacquer on them.

We removed all the doors and the drawers.

Saturday- we finished sanding the cabinets, taped off the floor, appliances, etc etc…

Ken assisted while my brother-in-law painted.

They worked late Saturday night and then started again the next day.

Granite

On Monday and Tuesday the granite was installed.

Just 4 days after closing we were well on our way into projects.

New corbels were installed.

I will do a tutorial on the Restoration Hardware knock-off corbels on Tuesday.

We are still working on stripping, sanding, painting and installing the cabinet doors.

The drawers have all been done and the new hardware has been installed on those– a post on that will be coming soon.

We put our stainless steel refrigerator in the kitchen.

We installed a new faucet.

We still need to get the tiling behind the faucet done.

There are 2 fireplaces in the kitchen. One is by the table in the hearth room area and one is in the kitchen area.

A TV can go above the fireplace but we have the 5 TVs in other areas of the house so we will have to purchase another to put there.

In the meantime we have some decor there.

Decor and Window treatments help me feel settled and it gives it that softer homey feel.

I try to get the kids rooms and out living spaces settled as quickly as possible so they feel like it is HOME.

TODAY we have officially been moved in for a month.

The other day our youngest son said he hoped we never moved from this house.  This was our one child who didn’t want to move – he wanted to stay at the other house.

This light was sold (with many others in the house) to a vintage light guy who has an antique place in the West Bottoms of Kansas City.

All of the lights were from Italy or France and were great quality but they just did not fit our style.

It was replaced with this new light fixture.

The light bulb is that vintage look but it is an LED.

We try to do all LEDs throughout the house.

We do have a few more to replace but almost everything in the house has been changed over.

The kitchen fan was in working order but it was white with gold and just needed updated.

This light has the LED light.

I love the curved blades.

Here is where we are NOW.

…and a close up of the bar stools.

Once we have the cabinets done we will show off the rest of the kitchen.

~The hearth room is on the other side of the chalkboard menu wall.

I have a tutorial on that table coming soon.

Check back Tuesday for a tutorial on the Restoration Hardware knock off corbels.

Happy 4th of July and a huge thank you to all of those who have served and given us our freedom– freedom is not free.

DIY SHOWOFF PARTY