As much as we love our new house, we had to part with the kitchen.  And FAST!  It wasn’t going to be an easy project either!  The layout had 3 doorways, which didn’t leave room for many cabinets or any counter space.  We decided to gut the entire space and start over!

Kitchen (before)

In the original floor plan, there was an extra doorway that went from the kitchen to the first bedroom.  The bedroom has another doorway off the hallway, so we decided to close up the extra one.  By doing this, it created more wall space and the ability to create a galley style kitchen with much more counter space in the small 10 x 9 1/2 space.  We kept the sink location in front of the windows because moving it would require extensive plumbing work which = more time & $.  Relocating the stove and fridge required minimal electrical work.

Kitchen Floor Plan (before)

Kitchen Floor Plan (proposed)

Kitchen Elevations (proposed)

Here’s the run down of how we (with the help of family and friends) renovated our kitchen:

1. Gut the Kitchen

• Remove existing cabinets & countertops
• Remove layers of flooring
• Remove random tiles on walls

2. Admire the Empty Space

• There were 3 paint colors on the walls behind the appliances and cabinets and 3 layers of vinyl flooring.

3. Close the Doorway & Paint

4. Install Cabinets & Subflooring

(The electrician put in new counter-level outlets)

6. Plumbing for Sink & Insulation around the Window

7. Install Countertops

8. Lay Flooring Tiles

9. Install Sink & Appliances & Lighting

After the appliances were installed, we loaded the cupboards with all the goodies from our wedding gifts… a new knife set, pots and pans, blenders and gadgets.  Thanks to our new kitchen, we had the space to store all of it!  As of today we have a few minor things left to complete in the kitchen… but here are a few almost-done photos:

Kitchen (progress)

A special thanks to our family and friends that made this project possible in a week’s time!

Next: A sneak peak of the Nursery…