You think one cabinet can change the feel of your entire kitchen? I certainly do. In our first project of 2023, we added a cabinet next to our stove and immediately I noticed a huge difference.
If you read all about the small changes we are making in the kitchen this shouldn’t be a surprise. I’m calling this Phase I of our Kitchen Refresh.
You could call it a renovation but we aren’t changing the layout or anything existing in here except (maybe) the floors. And to be honest this is probably the most renovation type post you’ll see out of us this year. It does not damper the excitement though! I told my husband “I feel like I have a brand new kitchen!”
First Project
In the past, I have shared that our kitchen is small with limited counter space. It’s also a high traffic zone and essentially the hallway to get to our back yard and basement. We have a small island in the middle of the kitchen. It serves as our main prepping, eating, and drop zone in the kitchen.
In the original plan, we were going to take out an existing cabinet next to the sink and replace it with a dishwasher. Moving the said cabinet in-between the fridge and stove.
So while a dishwasher would be nice, it isn’t actually necessary. Originally my husband planned to build a cabinet for the in-between space but since we didn’t need it to be custom dimensions; we were able to buy one cabinet from our local Menards instead.
Then we topped the cabinet with a butcher block countertop (and I love it!!) Once the countertop is sealed, I know it will be game changing for this whole wall.
Second Project
The next project in this kitchen refresh is adding a shelf above the stove. I have been dreaming of a shelf with a brass rail for far too long. I adore the look and honestly have a hard time getting things out of my head once the vision is clear. The original plan included a few Ikea shelves, but this time my husband made one for me 🙂
After looking at the space, making the shelf the same height as the fridge made the most sense. As for the shelf material, we used a rough sawn board and a wooden dowel. When I say “we” I mean I showed him what I wanted and this is what he created. lol
I could have attempted to build the shelf myself but I knew he would get it done much faster than I and he would enjoy having a project to do. I also selfishly wanted to sit inside on my sewing machine ha! Painting is far more enjoyable for me than construction.
It is painted the same color as our trim and I rub and buffed the dowel to give it the brash rail feel. The “s” hooks are from Amazon.
Before and After
I’m sure you have seen more dramatic before and afters but this feels like such a win between beauty and function.
Adding ONE cabinet with a workspace makes all the difference in this small kitchen. Being able to add it next to the stove is a dream come true. lol
I feel like I need to learn how to cook and function in this kitchen again. I don’t think I can express in words how exciting this change is.
I’ll be sharing more before and afters on Friday, taking you all the way back to when we first moved in so be on the lookout for that. Besides that I’ll be sharing a few reels of this space on instagram so make sure you are following me there!
