I go through the different phases we have gone through with this old farmhouse kitchen renovation. I am very pro slow reno, and this has definitely been a slow go. We have tackled this space as time and funds have allowed over the past 7 years.
Farmhouse Kitchen Renovation-How it all Began
Can you believe there was a time where they covered this beautiful hardwood flooring with linoleum? We realized this was the case when we started shifting the cabinets down this wall. We could see the same hardwood that is in the rest of our home was under the cabinets, and had a feeling that’s what was under the linoleum.
From what we can tell the cabinets that are in this kitchen were part of a store display, and to make it work they put almost a foot scribe or large spacer in this corner. We were initially thinking there must be a pipe or something in that right corner they were covering with this large scribe/spacer board. After taking a peak in the basement and not seeing any pipes or ducting or anything we decided to take a look behind the scribe. It was such a relief to see an empty corner.
Once that scribe was out we moved our large pantry cabinet down into that right corner. Then scooted the refrigerator next to the large pantry cabinet, and were able to build a small cabinet between the dishwasher and refrigerator. We now have a pullout for our recycle bins here, and it has been so nice. I never liked the look of having two appliances side by side. Plus there was never a good spot for our recycling bins before.
The floors aren’t perfect, there is a spot where they patched the flooring in front of the sink. I’m thinking there was a leak before. At this point in time we are covering this spot with a rug, but when we get around to refinishing the hardwood that goes through most of our downstairs we won’t have to worry about covering that anymore. (Are home projects ever really finished?) That was so rewarding uncovering these beautiful hardwood floors. Also a lot easier uncovering these hardwood floors than it was with the bathroom thank goodness. (Find that post here)
Farmhouse Kitchen Renovation-Phase 2-Giant Range Hood
We knew this hood needed to come down from the moment we set foot in our house with the realtor. Just getting that beast of a range hood down made the biggest difference. We could easily have conversations with people on the other side of the peninsula once that was out of the way, and the kitchen no longer felt so closed off.
This was a relatively easy and free project. It took a few phases before we had to spend money on a new range and range hood. We missed having the ventilation, but this phase with the chunk out of the ceiling lasted longer than I’d like to admit. To us it was still an improvement, and a step in the right direction.
Also peep that track lighting in the top right corner. That was something we added because we put a similar one in our last home and it worked really well there, but it didn’t take long for us to realize this was not right for this home. Our ceilings are lower in this home, and this track lighting made it feel even lower. So glad we switched those out for the flush mount lights.
Farmhouse Kitchen Renovation-Phase 3-Sink of my Dreams
Some links are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
This phase was more complicated than most sink installs. The original cabinet had to be altered to fit this apron front sink. (The doors came off and were actually used to make a shallow cabinet in our bathroom) There was some sawing to shorten the top of the cabinet, and the wide piece of wood below the sink was added.
We ended up stealing the 2 doors off the short cabinet that used to be above the refrigerator and using them on this cabinet here below the sink. They happened to be the perfect width and we made sure the height worked here. So thankful for my husband and father in law for helping me take this on. This project was outside of my comfort zone.
I love how this sink and sink cabinet turned out. I think I found the perfect little metal accent piece to make this wide piece on top of the doors here seem less awkward. So make sure to check back and see that in the final reveal of this room.
This Kohler Farmhouse sink is similar, and I think it might hold up better than the one we ended up getting. Ours is from Ikea, and it’s had a crack on the one side for a bit now. Also if you can find those stainless steel racks (sink rack side 1 and sink rack side 2 for this Kohler farmhouse sink I linked) we have loved the ones we have. We had silicone ones at first, but I love the stainless steel racks more.
Farmhouse Kitchen Renovation-Phase 4-Coffee Bar
There was this lower counter with base cabinets wrapping around our peninsula originally that was just kinda odd (you can see this in pics above in the other phases). We knew we wanted those out since they looked out of place and with our dining room table right in front of that row of cabinets it just didn’t function well.
This wall shown above was begging to be used for something. We didn’t want to lose the storage those cabinets provided so we decided to use that extra run of cabinets to make a little coffee bar. It actually functions pretty well for us, and I love the pop of color it provides.
We were able to use the existing laminate counter, but take it to the next level with this concrete finish. You can find more about that here. That was a fun addition and little budget saver. I still really love the way this turned out, but I do think this finish would work better in a less wet area. I wish we had looked into using some sort of top coat. We still have a little left we might just go back over it and then seal it.
I love this drying rack I actually got it with my birthday money one year from amazon. I couldn’t find the exact one anymore but here’s a similar drying rack. It was hanging on the faux brick wall for a bit as you can see in the picture below. Having the metal drying rack filled with pretty mason jars made the faux brick wall a little more bearable.
If anyone is interested in the items they see above on the coffee bar I’ll list them out below.
Coffee Bar Essentials:
- coffee grinder (this one is similar, they don’t have the same one anymore)
- Cuisinart Single Serve
- Mug Holder (again not the same as ours but similar)
- French press (this is really similar, again they didn’t have the exact one pictured above)
- Nespresso Espresso Machine
- Air Fryer (I couldn’t find the one we have, this is the one I’ve been wanting it’s way prettier)
- Chalkboard Calendar
Farmhouse Kitchen Renovation-Phase 5-Butcher Block Counter
I know butcher block isn’t for everyone, and it doesn’t look great here since we hadn’t painted the cabinets yet. I think it’s so much cozier and makes your cabinets almost seem like a piece of furniture. They really pop now with the cabinets painted (see pics below), they add back that warmth of the wood without the darkness.
I am still really loving the butcher block. It has some extra “character” after living with it for a bit but I think that’s part of the charm. I’m not looking to have a perfect flawless kitchen, I want a home we can enjoy and not worry about the spills and things you can’t really avoid.
Before the next phase I also painted the cabinets and changed some of the hardware somewhere in between (as you can see in pic below). I think painting the cabinets made such a huge difference. It really started to feel like our home after the cabinets were freshened up with some paint and hardware. I could really start to see it coming together.
Also the pendant lights were added at some point. It’s been seven years I can’t remember all the changes that we made and when. We did so many small tweaks here and there when we had time and money. Plus over this course of 7 years we became parents to 3 littles so it’s been a bit chaotic.
Farmhouse Kitchen Reno-Phase 6-Range Hood & Backsplash
Let me start by saying I’ve never built a range hood before. I’m sure there are better and easier ways. I went out to our wood shed with the dimensions and design drawn up, and was on a mission to build this out of scrap wood. Which I was able to do.
I did look into buying a wood range hood first, but it was way more money than I was hoping to spend. Plus I couldn’t find the exact shape I was looking for. I wanted there to be an angle on the front but no angle on the sides because it butts up to the cabinets on the right. This was nearly impossible to find so I figured I would make it myself.
So the only thing we spent money on with the range hood is the actual electric vent unit (this Range Hood Insert is the same brand and similar to what we have). Going back I probably would have built it a little differently, but I like how it turned out it works great. I’m pretty happy with this first range hood I built, and even happier that it cost next to nothing for this custom piece.
Once I had the rough shell of the hood built my father in law was able to come in and install the backsplash. I am very thankful for that, I have not mastered the art of tiling yet. So him and my husband patched in the hole from the old vent and went to work on the backsplash, and it took a long time for me to figure out how to finish out the range hood but I got there eventually.
Farmhouse Kitchen Reno-Phase 7-From 2 windows to 1
One of the few times I’m ok with going from 2 windows to 1 window. These two windows were never quite right. First of all they are supposed to be installed side ways so they did not stay up on their own. We were always having to prop them up with a jar or something. The worst part to me was they almost blocked as much light as they let in.
It was such a happy day to have this new window installed. We picked the biggest window we could for this spot. It was a snug fit, and I love how much we can see out this window now. The amount of light we get in this south facing window now is such a big difference. This was one of the best things we did in this space. It was also one of the pricier phases and I don’t regret it at all.
Also I got that pendant from target pretty early on in our renovation years ago. I don’t think they make it anymore, but I found this pendant with a similar silhouette.
Farmhouse Kitchen Reno-Phase 8-The Finishing Touches/Crown
This phase felt like it lasted so long. We got to this point where it was pretty much all done except the final pieces of crown and trim. I think we were a bit burnt out on renovating and felt like it was good enough for now.
I have been struggling with and working on enjoying my home even through out the renovations. This kitchen holds some beautiful memories with my most favorite people and I am so thankful for that. 7 years is a long time, and it would be a shame to not try and enjoy it until the last project was done.
Speaking of I will be sharing our finished farmhouse kitchen renovation here soon so make sure you keep a look out for that. Also now that this room is done we are working through other projects (like finishing up the living room daybed situation) slowly but surely so there is more to come. Thank you for stopping by our old farmhouse!