This is the year of the kitchen makeover and I am so, so excited about it. Every house we have lived in has had a kitchen that was too good to completely redo. We’ve always been fortunate to have solid cabinets, a great layout, and good bones, so I have always focused my attention on cosmetic changes. I was ready to gut a kitchen, though, and design one from scratch with what I choose. This 50-year-old kitchen gives me the opportunity to go kitchen cabinet shopping for the first time ever.
Let me say, any room that is as hard-working as a kitchen and lasts for 50 years was well done. These cabinets are solid wood from the back to the sides to the shelves and they are still sturdy. But, the kitchen is getting tired. Most of the drawers on broken or on their last leg. The finish on the cabinets is smudgy and wearing off. The counters have chips, stains, and scratches. And, the linoleum floors are stained and, no matter how much I scrub them, they will never look clean. On top of it all, there is the duct tape. Duct tape on the backsplash over the stove, on the counter behind the sink, and on the floor in front of the fridge and going into the pantry. It’s just time for a total overhaul.
I had done some sketches for the kitchen, but those were based on the assumption that we weren’t going to remove any walls. After living in the space for a while, we decided we wanted to remove the walls (on the far left of the photo below) that surround the side entry/mudroom. It is a tight space and opening it up will bring more light into the room and open up the kitchen enough to add a narrow, freestanding island.
We had our contractor come out to make sure the wall could be removed and to put together some quotes for that as well as widening the window over the sink, removing the soffits, installing wood floors, and hanging the cabinets. As he was measuring and inspecting, Jeff casually said that we would really like to move the staircase to the basement, but that probably wasn’t a realistic option. Our contractor looked at the staircase, which cuts the kitchen almost in half, and a look of possibility washed over his face. He went straight to measuring, checking the basement and attic for load-bearing walls as well as any impediments to that plan. “You know, it might not be as difficult as you would think.” After some notations and more measuring, he confirmed that it could be done and might be more feasible than we assumed.
In the photo below, you can see the staircase to the basement protrudes into the kitchen. I was standing in the main part of the kitchen as I took the photo, so the stove and sink are behind me. To the right is the entrance to the living room, the eating area, and then the hall to the pantry and foyer. To the left are the mudroom, side entry, and dining room. The idea would be to turn the staircase so the entrance is right near the opening to the dining room. That would open the room completely and give us a lot of new options. We could have a large island and open up the eating area more. We would lose the large pantry but would have plenty of room to add another one in a different location. We are waiting for estimates to see if that construction work will fit into the budget along with the flooring, cabinetry, and the rest. It’s exciting to think about all of the possibilities!
So, let’s talk about kitchen cabinet shopping. I initially thought I wanted blue cabinets, so when I went to the cabinet showroom, that was what I was focused on. I looked at three cabinet lines – Medallion, KraftMaid, and Waypoint. All of those lines are plywood construction, soft-close, and have upgrade options for inserts and specialty cabinets. Medallion is the most expensive brand with a wider variety of color options, styles, and inset doors and drawers. Waypoint was a budget-friendly brand with fewer color and feature options. The kitchen designer also pointed out that the Waypoint cabinets aren’t quite as polished on the details (like small gaps showing on mitered corners.) Walking into the store, I assumed the cabinet I fell in love with would be Medallion. Isn’t that how it always works? Well, after reviewing different colors and cabinet options, I found myself loving one particular color and cabinet style by Waypoint, the most cost-effective of the selection.
None of the blue kitchen cabinet colors were the right blue. They either leaned too purple or were too gray or fell more into the teal category than blue. When I can’t find a blue I like, I go to my second favorite color – green. And, the green that I liked the best was Painted Sage by Waypoint. It’s a perfect rich green that’s not too saturated but is still confidently green. And, I loved how it played with some of the Farrow & Ball colors I’ve been looking at for the house.
This kitchen cabinet color has a similar feel to the custom color I used in our last kitchen for the island and butler’s pantry.
I do want to have more colored cabinets with just a few white ones (in Painted Linen) to break up the color a bit.
Here is how the Painted Sage Waypoint kitchen cabinet color looks in a room in the color and style I liked best – 540F…
The kitchen cabinet door style is clean and timeless and has a glass-front door option with traditional mullions. I also love the large bottom drawers. You can opt to have a smaller drawer inside the large drawers, too, for utensils, knives, etc.
So, I am ready to do some more sketches and put a cabinet layout together with the kitchen designer, but we have to wait to get estimates from the contractor before we take that step. Which walls we remove will have a dramatic impact on the layout. And, it’s possible that we’ll do the construction, flooring, and kitchen essentials in step one and finish the rest at a later time. I would be concerned about cabinet colors and styles being discontinued, though, so it would be better to do it all at one time.
The colors I’m looking at for our “house palette” are Light Blue, Oval Room Blue, Calke Green, Card Room Green, Skimming Stone, Blue Gray, and All White, all by Farrow & Ball. I’m at the stage, though, where I have to paint some large sample boards, so I can put them in the rooms to see how they work with the light in this house. The light is just so different from our last house that I can’t trust what I think I know. Painting in this house has taken longer as well, simply because there is so much wallpaper and glue to remove before the paint can go on. I’m ready to start working on it again in earnest, though. I am ready for fresh paint and colors I love!
I’ll keep you posted on the comings and goings of the kitchen makeover as things get lined up.
46 Responses
I LOVE the color you chose for the cabinets and I’m excited to watch as you walk us through your remodel process. My kitchen is green and white, too, but reversed – green walls and white cabinets. I like it because I can change out the wall color if I ever get tired of it and it’s a lot less work than changing out the cabinet colors (though I have no plans to change it because I love it so).
It is interesting the way the same paint colors look in different rooms, let alone different houses. We made the mistake once of using a paint color we loved in an old house of ours and painting it in a new house and we didn’t like it at all. The light was so different that it just didn’t work.
It’s gonna be so pretty! My favorite colors as well!
It is gonna be smashing! Thanks for taking us with you.
I have kraftmaid in my kitchen and downstairs bath and I love the way they are constructed and have held up over 12 years. I’m surprised you didn’t find a blue you like. That’s what I have in the bathroom and it’s a great color. I got it about 4 years ago so maybe it’s not available now. I got a lower grade for my upstairs bath and it’s ok but kraftmaid I think is better. Kitchen maid had a longer wait (about 2 mos) this past summer.
I do like your green choice and since you’ve had it before I’m sure that will work fine.
I can’t wait to see it come together!
I’m having a problem with your blog the last couple of days! When I click onto your posts, the screen freezes at the top of the page so I can only see the first few paragraphs. I clicked on comments and it jumped all the way down here, but I can’t scroll up either! 🙁 Do you know if anyone else is having this problem? Do you think it’s on your end? I haven’t had this with any other blogs I’ve looked at. I’m using Chrome.
Actually, I was having the same problem and I just notified my tech folks to check it out. Thanks for letting me know!
I love the cabinet color! We are having custom cabinets made for a flip we are working on and I chose SW Rosemary. They look very similiar.
I am thinking about painting my kitchen cabinets. The are well built solid wood cabinets currently with a dark stain. I have been thinking of painting them a similar sage green color. I am just not sure about how it will ware. I am excited to see how your kitchen will look with the remodel. I may paint my cabinets after I see yours.
Yay! It’s fixed now! I love your plans so far for the kitchen- it’s going to be beautiful.
I have been following your blog for several years now and enjoy seeing your creativity at work! Please go to see the cabinets at Shady Grove cabinet shop in Greencastle PA. They do custom cabinets, custom colors, etc. They do excellent work and make their own cabinets. Cost-wise, they were comparable with other well-made, solid wood cabinets when were comparison shopped for our kitchen in 2019. We worked with Allan. In addition, because they are made in PA and shipped/installed in Maryland, you do not pay PA sales tax which can be a huge benefit when doing a large kitchen. I cannot say enough good things about them!
Check into doing demo work yourselves. It’s not difficult and it will save you some money!
We have considered that, but a part of the demo is taking out plaster and working around some plumbing and electrical, so we’d really rather hire that out. We will, however, be doing the painting and finishing woodwork (like building the rang hood) ourselves to save money. It’ll be a bit of a hybrid and it’s awesome that we have a contractor who’s willing to do just the pieces we want to have done.
I so look forward to seeing what the finished kitchen will look like. I too, am a huge fan of sage green, and blues. My kitchen cabinets are light maple, over 30 years old, but still in great condition, so I’m seriously considering painting them. But I’m having a bit of a dilemma with deciding which way to go. My kitchen is open to my dining room, on one side, which has dark sage green walls, with accents (drapes, table linens, etc) in what I would describe as teal, or peacock blue. Open on the other end to my entry way, which is also has sage green walls, though a bit lighter. I’m trying to come to terms as to whether I want to go with a lighter sage green on the cabinets, or really step out of my comfort zone, and go with a tad lighter shade of the teal blue that accents the dining room. My flooring is LVP that looks like stone, on the light side, and I would go with a completing light backsplash. Any ideas as to what I can do to assist me in my decision making?
Oh, Marian! I just did a screen save of the brand and the color that you chose. We are looking to do our Butler’s pantry, and I think that exact cabinet will be amazing! We have to go a little lower cost as well, but I even think the lower cost ones are made well! I’m going to go see where I can purchase that brand of cabinets in Virginia! The timing was wonderful and I am so so excited to see how incredibly gorgeous your kitchen will look.
Yes, the kitchen designer I spoke to carries all three brands and was very upfront about the benefits and shortfalls of each. I was able to interact with the Waypoint cabinets and they really were my favorite. They looked and felt well-made.
I love a great kitchen renovation, so am very excited to follow along! I love what you’ve chosen so far!
Question- do you use the Farrow and Ball paint or have it color matched to another paint supplier? I’ve heard that this is a thinner paint, although I’m sure it has great depth of color.
I have done both. Having it color-matched is a bit tricky, though, because their colors are nuanced. You just need to work with someone who is willing to dry and tweak it in the store to make sure it’s a good match. I love the real F&B paint, though, and it’s not much more expensive than the Benjamin Moore paints I use and I just love F&B colors.
Oh I your color choices.
I have white cabinets trimmed in a Sage Green. It is bright, yet calming & I still love it after many many years.
I’m very excited for you!
Green, oh what a beautiful green. I am so happily jealous I can’t even stand it.
The kitchen is always my favorite room for a makeover! I can’t wait!
I love your blog because you love the things that I love…antiques, timeless decor, blue and white…the list goes on.
Recently, I’ve been loving green kitchen cabinets, but have doubted myself since I have always wanted blue and whites in my kitchen.
I am so glad to hear that you switched to green cabinets. I know that you will blend all my favorite colors in a way that will be amazing and will inspire my future home. Can’t wait to see this beautiful kitchen come to life!
Aw, it sounds like we do love a lot of the same things! I resisted green for a long time, but I realized it was the grass to my blue and white sky. It’s grounding and even feels like a neutral. And then I don’t have too many blues competing. I can get blue and white fabrics and accessories and know they’ll all play nice.
Yes, girl! to everything ESPECIALLY the Green!?
Wanted to let you know that I have also been having difficulty reading your blog. It freezes and then jumps. I can read it on my phone, but prefer the laptop. Also, redid our kitchen 2 years ago and have never looked back. We used Omega cabinets in a combination of navy and white and I love them. Good luck. It always takes longer and costs more than you think, but it’s worth it in the end.
So exciting to see your plans. The cabinet style and color will be beautiful!!! It will be fun to watch as you plan and then a brand new kitchen takes shape. Very happy for you!
Your kitchen is going to be gorgeous! I see green as a neutral as you do:-) I have always been a lover of (all) greens and I adore blue and green together. The cabinets are lovely and if moving stairs and removing walls becomes budget feasable I say go for it – now is the time to do it! It sounds like you have an excellent contractor to work with you on this big project and that in itself will be of immeasurable value to you. I am so happy for you to get this project started – thank you for taking us along with you! Happy New Year!
How exciting to think that the stairs to the basement could be moved! I love how “random” statements can cause positive changes like that! So glad that Jeff mentioned that desire and that your contractor ran with it! I hope it’s affordable for your budget! 🙂
I used Calke Green on my kitchen cabinets and I love it. My whole house is color matched to Farrow and Ball colors and it turned out perfect! So excited to see what you will do!
I adore your color choices especially in the photo with the old wood. I don’t know if that is a cutting board or table, but the combination is warm, homey and comforting. And I am so glad your husband made that comment about the stairs. Sometimes it’s the casual remark or casual decor decision that makes all the difference. So much fun doing this with you:)
Just love your color palette and design choices; it’s so homey and yet a classic, beautiful style. I was fortunate to do a kitchen makeover a few years ago and while it was a big job, I love my kitchen every day.
Very Vivi et Margot, Very beautiful. Cant wait to see your dreams come true.
My son’s home in Pittsburgh had a very similar situation with the stair case eating so much of the room. An I beam was necessary, ( not necessarily in your case ) but we moved the stairway flush against the outer wall ( the wall behind the red chair in your photo ) eliminating the need for any wall or door, the stairway went down from kitchen floor level and a railing separated it from the room and kept it safe. The whole kitchen needed new flooring, so the crater where the stairs used to be was covered with the new floor, secret secure. It’s such a good thing, and not as expensive as you’d think.
So exciting! I love the color you chose for the cabinets. It’s such a cheerful green. And the color palette you chose for the house is also gorgeous. Farrow and Ball has such a beautiful array of colors. I have used several of their colors in my home and they never fail to be classic. I can’t wait to see how the kitchen turns out!
Looking forward to following along! Are you planning to use any freestanding antique pieces in this kitchen? If I recall correctly, you were dreaming of such a kitchen at one point. But maybe that was for a more historic house where that would fit better.
Yes, I would like to incorporate some freestanding pieces and will figure that piece out once we know what walls are coming down or being moved. I have always dreamed of a mostly-freestanding kitchen, but that’s not a great fit for this house, so we’ll be doing a bit of a hybrid. We’ll mostly have built-in cabinets, though, to suit the age and style of the home.
After spending five years researching; I was finally able to gut my kitchen and have a new kitchen after 30 years! One thing that this researching did was what not to do. Don’t spend the money on the inside of drawers. There are so many options to add spice racks, utensils inserts and etc. The one thing I did that I love is cabinets that looks like a free standing piece of furniture in a warm oak. It really stands out white my white cabinets.
One thing we were surprised by was we always sat at our oak table and since we have a bigger island we sit there everyday for every meal. I love the table but I’m thinking of turning that space into a cozy chair area for coffee.
Good luck and have fun with the decision making.
How exciting! The green cabinets look wonderful. I think you should consider all the various possibilities of where those stairs could be relocated within the spaces in order to maximize the spaciousness. Looking forward to watching it all transpire via the blog!
I enjoy watching Lynette Yoder on her YouTube channel. Her family completely gutted their kitchen in Sarasota, FL and installed custom painted green kitchen cabinets her uncle made….a pretty color you might enjoy looking at.
A young mother on YouTube, Lynette Yoder and husband, just completely gutted their new to them home’s kitchen in Sarasota, Fl., and installed custom kitchen cabinets painted a lovely green. Her uncle has a custom cabinet shop in Ohio and made them. You might enjoy seeing them.
We have redone our kitchen in the last year. Two times because the first time, appliance sizes had changed and I couldn’t reach my microwave. To fix that, a whole wall had to change. We ended up with three drawers which I never thought I would like. I LOVE them!! It is a game changer. Hope you can consider adding lots of drawers!
so exciting! cabinets are a huge investment. Something I learned along the way Rev-a-shelf is a company that sells cabinet organizers- lots of cabinet companies use them. If budget gets really tight research installing much of this yourself. the only one I might not attempt is the blind corner pull out- unless you do prior to counters(its huge and hard to manage ). You are mostly saving labor costs. Fun company to look at catalog- bathroom organization is also doable this way. One tip I would highly recommend is to utilize an end to build a small broom and mop cupboard. this is about 6”total linear added to a pantry side or fridge cabinet, mostly cost of door panels. Our current kitchen didn’t get one and I miss it. Just keeps these things handy and the dusty mess separate from other spaces. I also LOVE my pull out garbage cabinet, I actually have 2, one is just recycling. I also put my microwave under the counter- do not regret that one bit! We only use ours to reheat, and its always got doggo nose prints on it, but no counter clutter. We did glass shelves in our glass cabinets and that’s something I wouldn’t do again. They can not hold same weight and chipping of dishes is an issue(Im short and bump stuff). I may end up putting painted wood in.
I will never complain about my 20-year-old kitchen again, a 50-year-old kitchen held together with duct tape, wow! It made me laugh, duct tape is taking over the earth. I love the colour, though I am like you, a blue lover. I love to see how you will rebuild this part of your house.
Our c.1955 kitchen cabinets were stick built by someone who knew what he was doing! Talk about solid…and the nails! So many hand-driven, very long, nails. Demo was not easy but gave us an appreciation of quality carpentry. We had planned on white cabinets but after doing a bit (well, a lot!) of Pinterest browsing, decided on green, SW Coastal Plain…a medium, grayish, green for the perimeter cabinets with a soft white (SW Panda White) island. We can always paint it down the road if we get tired of the green but for now, we like it! I’ve designed most of our kitchens and it’s something I just love to do so I hope you are enjoying the process…it’s pretty darn rewarding to sketch something then see it built!
So excited for you! I love that you are sharing not only the process, but your thinking as well. I’m learning from you, so I appreciate your honesty. Have fun with the process.
I have sold Waypoint cabinetry for little over a year and have been very impressed with the quality and selection for a cabinet in their price point. The new Sage paint is gorgeous. It will pair well with the blues that you are so fond of.
I agree with Jeanna, Rev-a-Shelf is a great resource for in cabinet organization items. Go to their website for a full catalog. It gives very detailed measurements of the cabinet openings required for installation. The units will come with templates and very easy to follow instructions.
Enjoy the process and have fun!