Surprise Kitchen & Dining Remodel
Five or six months ago, my friend Crystal asked if I’d be interested in collaborating on a special project that was close to her heart. She wanted to makeover her aunt’s kitchen and dining space- here in Utah. I’ll admit, Crystal did the majority of the work, but I was thrilled to be apart of such a unique passion project- even if just in a small way. Sentimental design projects for a deserving person? Count me in! Last week, I drove to her aunt’s house to finish installing the banquette, style, and photograph the space. Today, we’re sharing the end result. Click through for a beautiful kitchen and dining nook makeover that ended up being a really fun collaboration between four Utah bloggers: Crystal, Kristen, Kenna, and myself…
*Before we dive in- I want to thank ALL of our amazing brand partners who kindly donated product for this special project: Sherwin-Williams, Pepe & Carols, Nostalgic Hardware, Elkay, Article, Juniper Print Shop, Shelfology, Monarch Plank, and Urban Loft Window Treatments. Without them, this project wouldn’t have been possible. I’d also like to thank Crystal for organizing and including me!
Check out this before / progress image! This is the space we were dealing with. Crystal envisioned this room being bright, light-filled, and cheerful for her aunt. When Crystal was telling me about Patty, she went on and on about how she’s always so generous and helping others- even when she had been dealt a difficult hand. Here’s what she said about her aunt…
Patty is a single mom that has raised four boys on her own, all while working three jobs and dealing with various health issues. Despite all this, she has served her community and given so much to those around her!
Her reaction to her new kitchen was pretty priceless. I’ll see if I can get it to share on Instagram stories for you. I’m happy Crystal was able to make this happen for her, and I feel proud to have made a small contribution to the end result. Ready to see the after image?!
Pretty amazing, right? It’s clean, modern (but inviting), and will make the perfect fresh canvas for Patty to make her own, settle in, and begin creating beautiful memories.
I can’t take credit for the design plan, but I did tackle the styling and photographs. You’ll probably notice lots of my personal picks, from our shop. I’m sure at this point, you’ve seen the same products throughout my home for years and can recognize they’re my tried & true favorites. Ha!
This little corner vignette really highlights a few of my favorite things in the room: the textural backsplash tile, our cookbook stand, and that stunning cabinetry hardware! There are so many nice textures playing together in this vignette.
One of the biggest changes made to the floor plan and layout was moving the above range microwave to the newly installed bank of cabinets or pantry. That allowed room for a custom hood that blends nicely with the cabinetry.
The cabinetry wall also added a TON of additional storage, and helped the fridge to better fit into the space. Previously, it was positioned in the center of the wall and didn’t flow very well.
The sink area is definitely a highlight for me. When I was editing these photos, Emmett said it reminded him of our first kitchen. Perhaps it’s the shaker cabinets, the large farmhouse sink, or the pull-down faucet, but it really is a happy and functional moment that felt nostalgic to us.
I will always love some sort of open storage in a kitchen setting. The floating shelves were fun to style, and we kept them very simple. I could envision Patty keeping everyday dishes here, cookbooks, or even some plants in the spring and summer months.
While the kitchen is gorgeous and very well done, I think the little dining nook takes the cake for me. Lighting floods into the sliding doors, and it’s such a bright moment in the small space. I would definitely enjoy having my morning coffee or meals here.
Kristen and Kenna built the shiplap wall, which added some really nice visual interest. They also built the wooden bench seat. My job for this area was the banquette upholstery! You know I love a good upholstery project.
I envisioned a modern backboard that was also comfortable and sleek. Emmett and I cut radius corners, upholstered the board, and I sourced some nice leather to install it. I’m digging the contrast! We got the seat cushions on Amazon and Kristen built the bench to fit them (just like we did with our outdoor sofa).
Since sharing this project on Instagram, I’ve received hundreds of messages requesting a tutorial, so I decided to put one together for you (separate from this post). It will be on the blog next week, for those of you who would like to know how to replicate the look. It was really easy. I’ll share all of the tools and source links in that post.
Speaking of sources… I know I’ll get questions, so I made a roundup for you! Use the numbered links below the collage to shop- I’m sorry, the products are not clickable in this one…
01: chandelier // 02: semi flush mount // 03: round handle cutting board // 04: meditation abstract art // 05: tatine hand soap // 06: faux leather pillow // 07: round dining table // 08: striped pillow // 09: dining chairs // 10: potted rosemary // 11: hardwood flooring // 12: faucet // 13: cabinet knob // 14: cabinet pull // 15: single basin sink // 16: modern wall sconce // 17: dish brush // 18: marble bowl // 19: pot filler // 20: backsplash tile // 21: floating shelves // 22: kitchen towel // 23: berry bowl // 24: clawfoot pedestal dish // 25: cookbook stand // 26: round cutting board // 27: tuesday made candle // 28: paint color… sherwin-williams snowbound // 29: marble rolling pin
Let me know if I missed anything you’d like to know about! I’d be happy to share or find the resource or answer for you.
I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with a wonderful group of women for an incredibly deserving lady. It’s projects like this that remind me design and a focus on the home has the ability to make a real impact on someone’s life. In 2020, I didn’t get to do as many “giving back” projects as I normally would, thanks to the pandemic, but I’m hoping I can participate in more of these feel good makeovers in the year ahead! Do you enjoy them, too?
Crystal went above and beyond and also decided to makeover Patty’s living room, as an added surprise! I styled and photographed it, but I figured I’d send you to her blog first for the big reveal. If you’re interested to see how that space shaped up, she’ll be posting it here. Consider this your little sneak peek…
I hope you’re all having a good week, are keeping warm, and are finding bright moments that make you smile. This was a big one for me this month! It was great to have some human interaction, a positive project, and to work on something out-of-the-norm.
