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bella tucker kitchen remodeling and kitchen cabinet painting

Bella Tucker

Kitchen Design-Cabinet Refinishing-Nashville TN

Take Down that Wall- Kitchen Before and After

By Dana Tucker 6 Comments

I have the coolest kitchen remodel to share with you today. It’s the first time we’ve taken down a wall in a kitchen update. I’m feeling very Chip and Joanna on this one. We had to bring in a general contractor to handle the heavy lifting. Here are some before and after photos. 

kitchen before remodel
Kitchen before
remodeled kitchen
Kitchen after remodel
before island
Before- stove in the island
kitchen after remodel
After- moved the stove out of the island.

The wall was load bearing and was anchored right in the middle of the countertop. In addition, the electrical panel for the whole house was located behind that piece of art- IN THE MIDDLE OF THE KITCHEN ISLAND. This just wasn’t going to work for our clients, the new owners of the home. They had a vision of a light and bright wide open kitchen. 

The wall had to come down! 

relocating the electrical panel
The electrical panel had to be relocated.
taking down a wall
The wall was demo’d.

This kitchen had a few issues that needed to be addressed. Whenever possible, I always want to move a cooktop out of the island and onto the perimeter. It provides a clean prep and entertaining space. I suggested they move the stove to where the current refrigerator was located and add a decorative stove hood above. The clients decided to upgrade the stove and refrigerator. 

kitchen under construction
Squared up and modified island. New stove hood

We moved the refrigerator over to the end of the cabinets in front of what used to be a small closet. We built cabinetry around it to connect it to the other cabinets. 

With the stove moved out, the island needed a complete re-work. Our client needed some deep drawers for storing pots and pans. Drawers are soooooooooo much more practical for storage. And we gave her lots on this end where the stove used to be. 

new island
New Island configuration

We also squared up the island on the ends. We added decorative molding to the back to pull the look together. 

refaced cabinetry
New shaker style cabinet doors and drawers.

We used MSI Calacatta Laza Quartz for the countertops. I love, love, love this countertop. It is a great less expensive option if you are considering something like Cambria Brittanica Quartz. We had the island fabricated with a 2 1/2 inch mitered edge.

mitered edge quartz countertop
MSI Calacatta Laza with a 2 1/2 inch mitered edge

I love doing a thicker edge on islands. It really sets them apart and makes them a focal point in a kitchen.  MSI Calacatta Laza Quartz Countertops

calacatta laza quartz
Perimeter countertops

Kitchen Lighting

Let’s talk about lighting for a minute.

Most of my clients think they want two pendants on their island. That works great when the longest part of the island is situated at the entrance to the kitchen. But when the shortest end of island is at the kitchen entrance I think it looks best to have one centered fixture. Check out my fancy illustration that I used to help my clients visualize my point. 

kitchen lighting
fancy illustration

They agreed that one central fixture would look best. 

one island light
One centered light over the island.

I love statement lighting over an island. Go big or go home, right??? I may have overshot it on this one. My client and I both fell in love with this huge chandelier light from Noir. Isn’t it amazing????????

Huge Island Light
Huge island light

I measured, and still think it would have worked, but my client thought it was too big for the space. I love this photo of her husband trying it out before install. In the end, they opted for something with less visual weight. They selected this light from Sazerac Stitches and it is perfect!!

sazerac stitches modern light
New island light

Totally perfect. Not to worry though, they are using the Noir Orion light in their family room that has soaring ceilings. Isn’t it perfect???

noir orion pendant
Noir Orion Pendant installed in family room.

We wanted to do sconces over the windows of the sink but weren’t able to because of a header beam, so we decided to mount them directly on the cabinets on each side of the sink. I love the way these turned out. 

jefferson sconces
Sconces were installed on either side of the windows.

Find the sconces HERE.

Speaking of lighting, check out this light over the dining table. My client picked this on her own and it is complete perfection. Find it HERE.

wisteria floating lantern
Eat-in perfection

We refaced all the cabinet doors and drawers with a shaker style cabinet. We painted all the cabinets to unify all the different woodwork. 

refaced doors and drawers
New shaker style doors and drawers ready for paint
benjamin moore fieldstone island
We painted the island Benjamin Moore Fieldstone.

white dove painted cabinets

PAINT COLORS

The perimeter cabinets are painted Benjamin Moore White Dove- OC-17

The island is painted Benjamin Moore Fieldstone- 1558

The walls are painted Benjamin Moore Nimbus- OC-17

Here is a summary of what we accomplished in this kitchen:

  • We removed the dividing wall and added a new support header.
  • We relocated all the wiring for the house to a new box in the main hall.
  • New drywall and paint in the kitchen.
  • We relocated the stove out of the island onto the back wall.
  • We relocated duck work for venting the new stove/hood.
  • We moved the refrigerator to the end of the cabinets and added built-in cabinetry.
  • We replaced all the doors and drawers with Shaker Style cabinet fronts.
  • We added storage in the island and squared it off. 
  • We added a decorative stove hood.
  • New countertops 
  • New back splash – subway tile
  • Painted all the cabinets and island
  • Installed new lighting over island, sink, and table
  • Refinished the hardwood floors
  • Installed new hardware. 
Delta Trinsic faucet and Elkay granite composite sink
Delta Trinsic faucet and Elkay granite composite sink.
relocated refrigerator
We relocated the stove and refrigerator
storage
Lots more storage

 

schoolhouse cabinet hardware
New cabinet hardware from Schoolhouse Electric
New island with decorative details
New island with decorative details
subway tile
New Subway Tile
new doors and hardware
New doors and hardware

Working with a general contractor was a new and challenging experience. There was a ton of work and trades and schedules to coordinate and manage. Our clients were so organized and on top of things and had a clear vision for what they wanted. They made a very challenging project a pleasant and rewarding experience. In the end, it all came together into a beautiful, live-able space that we can all be proud of. 

After photos by Geinger Hill. 

If you have a kitchen that is just not quite right, we’d love to talk to you. We do everything from custom cabinet painting to full kitchen project management and design. Fill out the form below if you’d like more information. 

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    Promise it will be great!

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Filed Under: Kitchen Before and Afters, Kitchen Design, Kitchen Updating

About Dana Tucker

By Dana Tucker | [email protected] | Google

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stone Depot says

    July 9, 2018 at 11:01 pm

    Love the new look. White looks sophisticated and neat.

  2. Lisa Strong says

    September 17, 2018 at 8:59 pm

    BEAUTIFUL, thorough project. Thank you for all of the detail and explanations. I learned so much just reading about what you did. I am now thinking about simplifying with white cabinets myself;)

  3. Dana Tucker says

    September 18, 2018 at 5:31 am

    Thanks girl!!! I’ve learned so much from you too!!! Let me know if you need help with your kitchen!!

  4. Michelle Akright says

    May 12, 2020 at 5:27 pm

    I love this kitchen redo. Beautiful. Can you tell me what color grout was used with the white subway tile? I am redoing mine and just ordered the same countertops.

  5. Dana Tucker says

    May 13, 2020 at 1:34 pm

    Thanks so much. I think we used TEC Sterling. Good luck on your project.

  6. Audra says

    August 22, 2020 at 4:01 pm

    Beautiful! We are using Laza for our remodel and haven’t picked a backsplash. What other tile backsplash have you done when using Laza? Thanks

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