Kitchen: Before and After.

Here it is! Our tiny kitchen remodel. This was our first "real" home project and we love the result!

After

Before

The white cabinets, open shelving, and overall lack of a 70's feel have made our entire first floor seem larger and more cheerful. And it's certainly more fun to cook in, which is always a plus for someone as cooking-averse as I am!

One of the dangers of marrying a Wisconsin boy is that your likely to end up with animal heads hanging from your walls. This is the only one I've allowed. It's kind of cute, I guess, considering that it's not actually a dead carcass. Plus it doubles as a bottle opener and apron hanger. 

I'm definitely not a pro at styling shelves, so if you have suggestions, suggest away! Here are our price and project lists, in case you're thinking of tackling your own kitchen remodel:

Project List:
1. Remove cabinet doors; fill holes and sand.
2. Tear out old countertop.
3. Replace and hook up new dishwasher.
4. Add "crown moulding" (a board and two pieces of trim) to the top of cabinets.
5. Add new lower cabinet doors.
6. Prime and paint cabinets, walls, and ceiling.
7. Paint chalkboard backsplash.
8. Put in new butcher block counter and strip of moulding.
9. Stain and varnish counter top (we decided to do this after living with the unfinished butcher block for a while and finding it to be unsustainable due to how often we were having to oil it, as well as constantly worrying about spills).
10. Re-hang spice racks.
11. Hang pot holder.
12. Hang Christmas lights under cabinets.
13. Replace ceiling light.

Price List:
Paint & primer $100
Dishwasher $400
Ikea butcher block counter $170
Stain and varnish $30
"Crown moulding" $30
Ceiling light $30
Ikea pot hanger $15
Lower cabinet doors $150 (I highly recommend this online company if you're looking for custom cabinet doors that don't cost an arm and a leg.)
Total: $925

Not too shabby for a brand new kitchen that adds resale value. And if you're like us, maybe you have a super generous and financially forward-thinking uncle/landlord who will foot the bill if you're willing to put in some labor. Renting has its benefits :).