The Heart of the Home

The Heart of the Home

The kitchen truly is the heart of the home; the room that people just gravitate to... no doubt it has something to do with food!

This house has a large country kitchen, but was completely non-functional... and it wasn't very pretty either.

Before

The cupboards were made from plywood, the counter was two ends glued together and overall the kitchen was tired and aged with little natural light.

Because the Mudroom serves as the main entrance to the home and is situated right off the kitchen, all guests into the home are brought through the kitchen. So, I created a new floor plan for the large rectangular kitchen that brought the kitchen to the South end of the room, and the dining area to the North allowing for a pathway from the mudroom to the rest of the home that doesn't interefere with meal preperation.

With the addition of two new large windows, new vinyl flooring and cupboards, the kitchen is looking beautiful!

After

 

I chose a chandelier to add a little glitz to the kitchen and brighten the space, while picking up the crystal in the knobs of the cabinets.

The large window on the South wall is one of the best features in the kitchen (even the men notice!), giving view to the beautiful scenery of rolling farmlands. By enlarging the window not only did we significantly increase the natural light in the room, but we allowed for the view to be enjoyed from the dining table.

I chose a laminate countertop that ressembled a traditional white marble with a gray vein. Upgrading the edge to a beveled finish added a subtle elegance and feeling of luxury.

We had a limited budget, so, using basic, low cost products (minus the appliance splurge!), we were able to pair the right pieces together to create an elegant kitchen that looks much more expensive than the price tag! It's amazing what you can do without falling into "upgrading."