Mid-August of last year, we moved back Newly remodeled kitchen after four months living in a construction site. One of the most telling things about the success of any design project is not whether you fall in love with it right away, but whether you still love it over time. When you actively live in a space, visually experiencing all of its elements, you realize new things about it that might have gone unnoticed during the design process.
Today I’m revisiting our kitchen remodeling project and sharing my thoughts on it now, twelve months later.
01
What is your general consensus a year later?
All in all, I love the kitchen remodel so much. I still love the design decisions I made. And I’m therefore glad we kept the board.
Retaining the lumber needed a contractor willing to do it when I knew some people would try to stop me. Looking back, I’m even more grateful that we passed the test (thank you, Kyle!). The process requires that the control panel be removed from certain areas and reinstalled in others. It’s not the easy way but I think it’s worth it.
me too love and cherish storage space that we have implemented into the design. I’ll never be someone who insists everything is “just like that” but I still value the organization and tidy to some extent. Everything here has space, making everything from clearing tables to cleaning easier than ever. This kind of organization and functionality is a dream.
02
Is there anything that surprises you?
Some of the design decisions I worried about turned out to be more amazing than I could have imagined. I’m worried about Pink the cabinet is “too pink” and it turns out that I like pink the most Navy.
03
How do you feel about the layout?
The problems that we decided not to solve by retaining the kitchen’s existing footprint certainly continue to be there. This is mainly concerned with the flow of traffic between the kitchen, living room, and the garage. (If you want a better feel for the layout and how these spaces relate to each other, you can check out the floor plan. in this blog post.) Having one of the main entrances to our house (from the garage) that goes directly to the kitchen is not functionally ideal. However, I still know that any changes we may have made to the layout will create a domino effect that causes other things to change. I try to remind myself that we decided to live with these kinds of inconveniences for the sake of a more sustainable kitchen remodel.
One layout change that we are considering in the not too distant future is kitchen dining area. The large window here is heavily worn and needs to be replaced. We are considering replacing the windows with French doors leading to the backyard.
04
How have things in the kitchen been maintained over time?
Almost everything is stable therefore Good. One thing that has shown wear and tear is the top coat cabinet, are chipping in some areas. My hunch is because we chose a paintable cabinet prototype.
One thing was organized extremely Also floor. There are a lot of people walking through the kitchen and that’s where the dogs spend the most time since they sleep here at night. We chose a bright white grout for the floor and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to clean. I use this brush and some OxiClean and any dirt removed in a flash.
05
What are some of your favorite memories in the kitchen during the past year?
Although I share it as a design project, first of all, this kitchen is where we are direct. And boy, we lived for the past year. Looking back, there were a lot of experiences I loved in this space. Here are a few things to remember:
- The coziness of the cooking space makes for a really cute, therapeutic place cook things. I love the neat feel, easy access to all of my cooking tools and a really great setting.
- The kitchen island has become the heart of our home. I love breakfast with my kids here, eat while watching the happenings outside. I love drawing and creating with them. When we have people come, the island is where everyone gathers. Recently, we had neighbors come over for donuts and coffee on a rainy weekend morning. Adults gather around the island and children run around and play. Although the kitchen is closed concept and a bit tight in certain areas, it still feels very welcoming.
Having a beautiful and personal space, where my whole family feels comfortable together, is very meaningful to me. There’s a sort of peaceful chaos in this kitchen, which is the best I could hope for.
Having a beautiful and personal space, where my whole family feels comfortable together, is very meaningful to me. There’s a sort of peaceful chaos in this kitchen, which is the best I could hope for.
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Kate is currently learning to play the ukulele, leaving her husband, children and dogs desperate. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.
