This week I’m showing you how to update your builder-basic kitchen WITHOUT replacing cabinets, flooring, or countertops!

Before & After: Virtual Rendering

If you have a kitchen that looks like this, where it feels very builder-basic there’s a few simple ways that we can use the existing cabinets, countertops, and flooring but still make it feel like a brand new space.

When you first look at this kitchen, you’d probably think it needed an expensive renovation to completely transform the space, but really we didn’t do that much. We stained the cabinets, updated the light fixtures, added some furniture, and painted the walls.

Because the existing cabinets look to be in great shape, there’s no need to do the extra expense of replacing them. I think with stain or paint you can easily breath new life into them. I know what you’re thinking… “dark brown cabinets are outdated” BUT rich chocolate brown cabinets are making a comeback! I promise you’re going to be seeing more and more of them in the coming months.

With the orange cabinets and warm toned floor, the yellow-ish beige color on the wall is NOT working. We need something that counteracts with the warmth of the floors and makes them feel lighter. so I would paint the walls a more cool toned neutral like Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams.

Looking at the existing recessed lighting, I would remove the one above the kitchen sink and leave the two in the middle, then I would add pendant lights over the island for visual balance. Then I would swap out the fixture over the kitchen table with an aged brass light that compliments the brown cabinets.

For the backsplash, I would do a simple square tile with varying white tones to tie in the countertops. The varying tones adds visual interest and character without being over the top– we want the eye to be drawn more towards the light fixtures and cabinetry.

To tie everything together, I would add gold hardware on the cabinets and a gold faucet that matches the pendant lights with pieces of gold decor on the countertops. Then I would finish by adding greenery to the space for life and color, and practical decor pieces like a fruit bowl and cutting board to add depth and character.

This space is almost completely unrecognizable with just a few simple changes! Let me know what you think of this design in the comments on Instagram and follow along for weekly room transformations! You can shop the links for this space below or on my Amazon and LTK storefronts!

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A post shared by Amanda Vernaci | Come Stay Awhile (@comestayawhile)

Helpful Blogs & Tutorials

How to Choose the Perfect Paint Sheen

How to Paint Interior Oak Trim

How to Transform Wood Paneling Using Gel Stain

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