Refacing Reveal: A Kitchen Makeover Story

This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.

Okay, you guys, it’s TIME! I can finally share with you the swoon-able goodness that is my kitchen makeover and cabinet refacing!  If you are keeping up, I shared what I wasn’t so fond of in the old kitchen here, and even gave y’all some insight to the Home Depot’s filming of the space and making of a video(See the full video HERE!)!  As the holiday weeks rolled by in Atlanta, the delivery boxes came rolling in. While some of them were Christmas presents, most of them were chock full of kitchen goodness, like lamps, ceiling fixtures, some dishes, wares and even a table runner or two.  I made sure not to peek into any of them to keep the suspense and excitement for the end of the project! 

Before we started the mini-renovation, I made sure to talk with the Home Depot about what I didn’t like about my kitchen.  While we had a great working triangle and I loved my existing floorplan, the style and finishings in the kitchen left a lot to be desired.  For instance, I hated the mismatching two-material countertops, or the hard-to-clean beadboard backsplash.  (I ended up scrubbing paint off every time I cleaned!)  I was craving something fresher, more to my style, and something that would give the kitchen a little more of a personal touch.  

After moving into the house less than a year ago, Chase and I had made the decision that we desperately wanted new countertops. The mixed media of laminate and wood facing was giving me a headache to look at… I needed some consistency, at least!  The nearly-20 old kitchen was original to the house, and though it functioned just fine, it really needed some TLC and a makeover.  

After meeting with my cabinet refacing expert from the Home Depot, I learned that refacing is not a full renovation – it’s actually much quicker and less costly, because you keep your original cabinet bases, floor plan and anything else that you love about your kitchen.  Veneer is applied to your existing boxes, and custom made drawers and doors are installed with your choice of paint or stain, as well as new hardware and hinges.  I opted for the new smooooooth closing drawer slides that will be really handy as Red rushes to slam a drawer! 

With a faster kitchen makeover (refacing instead of a full renovation), I would be able to get back to cooking and living fully in my kitchen.  That was really important to me with two small kids and a full workload.  Besides, there’s really no “good time” to redo your kitchen.  It’s one of the busiest rooms in the house, and you’re always using it!  With the short time that The Home Depot was working in my kitchen,  near magic was performed… Check out my NEW countertops and marble backsplash tile! Take a gander at the beautifully hung, square and level custom cabinet doors! 

The change in the kitchen has really been so dramatic – the “simple” refacing had a huge impact on the look of the kitchen. Now, it’s modern, clean, and well – easy to clean itself!  I especially love the farmhouse vibe it gives off. That’s right up my design alley!

And the butler’s pantry space that I’ve always wanted so badly is ready to perform it’s duties.  With all the refacing going on, I opted to add a beautiful mini fridge under the countertop as well as upgrade the bar sink that now welcomes quick rinses and drink preparations.  And do you notice anything missing?! Yup, it’s the MacGyvered rope lighting and plug hanging from the cabinet. I gave myself a kick in the pants to upgrade to new puck lights while the kitchen was being worked on.  They are properly installed up inside the cabinet, making the space feel finished and well lit. (By the way, the blue paint color is Secret Society by Behr Marquee, available at Home Depot! The beautiful lighting in the photographs make it look a little lighter, more like Award Night by Behr Marquee, but it does compliment the tile so nicely!)

Our kitchen desk space that often serves as a dinner buffet is finished out to match the rest of the kitchen, with the marble backsplash and granite countertops.  I can easily plug through a couple of blog posts at this beautiful new spot! (Not to mention this will be Red’s homework desk for a few years!)

And admittedly, while this kitchen table was a hand me down from my Mom, I LOVE the way I’ve been inspired in the new space.  These beautiful fixin’s from the Home Depot have the perfect craftsman appeal that I vow to keep with the rest of my decor.  It’s all so grown up, complete and just dang gorgeous! 

I’m pleased as punch with the end result, from the new aesthetic achieved by refacing the kitchen to the extremely polite and handy work of the installation team.  I honestly wanted them to stay long after the project was done; they were all that nice!  

Need a side-by-side recap to take in the entire kitchen makeover? Take a look at each portion of my kitchen in this little before and after matchup.  What do you think is the most dramatic change?