Kitchen updates are one of my favorites!

One of my favorite things about blogging is being able to track the progress of a space, for example, my kitchen updates!  My kitchen and dining area are my favorite part of our house. One of the main reasons we bought this house was because I loved that it was open and I could see so much potential in this space. I’ve found that really is key for purchasing a home! Before we get too far let’s take a look at how this space looked the day we moved in, before we made all of our kitchen updates.

Our Farmhouse Kitchen Updates

Since we moved in we have added granite, a backsplash, hardware to the cabinets, replaced the odd cabinet with open shelves, changed out the light fixtures, repainted, added new moldings and opened up the pantry.  I know that sounds like a LOT but keep in mind we have done this over 6 years and as our budget would allow.

I think one of the biggest assumptions made when looking at before and after pictures is that all the progress happened in a few months, when in reality, most of the time it has been a work in progress for a long time! Don’t be afraid to make changes in stages. This is usually how most people can afford to make home updates without going into a ton of debt.

Open Shelving

When it comes to decorations in my kitchen I try to keep them minimal.  I don’t like the clutter on my counter tops and I most definitely don’t like to clean around them! This led to having my hubby build me these open shelves.  It is a great way for me to display my collected dishes, yet they are still out of the way.  You can see the full tutorial on how we built them here.

Colored Barstools

I have repainted our mis-matched barstools!  I went with a lighter turquoise this time around. These barstools have been a great way to add some subtle color to our kitchen as well as a fun design element.  You can read all the details on my stools here. 

Table Decor

For my table I found this cute, long fake plant at Home Goods and it works perfect for our table. Another bonus is that when it is dinner time it is easy to move! Changing up your  table centerpiece is a great way to add a little something different to the room. I try to do this with every season/holiday change.

Farmhouse Pantry

And let’s not forget our pantry. This whole area was originally a bunch of mismatched bi-fold doors. I decided to turn this space into a more usable area, including both cupboards, a countertop, and a desk area. I love how my pantry turned out. It makes our kitchen space so much more user friendly! You can see my full pantry overhaul here.

Lighting

Last, but not least, is the light fixture my husband picked out!  It matches my cabinets perfectly.  It is the perfect way to pull the cream from my kitchen into this space as well. Lighting fixtures are a small change in comparison to other expenses, but the added decor and practicality they offer for kitchen updates is astounding.

I absolutely love how our kitchen updates turned out. Making small changes has really saved our budget, but it also ensured us that we got what we really wanted. Happy remodeling everyone!