It’s been a long time coming but we’re finally able to share our kitchen renovation journey from a recent house flip. This was in a two story traditional home with a lot of charm in a nice neighborhood, it just needed some help. So we decided to update several cosmetic features, like the floors, wall paint and finishes, while also adding a few extras along the way.
Here’s a few before pictures of the kitchen… there’s nothing much to see here!
Kitchen Renovation Phase 1: Planning
So typically with flips, Joshua finds the property, completes a lot of the work itself and manages the overall project, and I (Dejene) come up with a style and design plan. We follow a similar workflow each time and if you want to copy our expert planning process, check out our Comprehensive Guide to Creating Your Dream Kitchen.
The two major kitchen projects were:
- Tear out the wall between the kitchen and living room to create a more open kitchen layout
- Add in a kitchen island to add more storage space since there was a limited area for cabinetry along the kitchen wall
For the overall design, we wanted to keep the colors neutral and create a light, open space. With flip properties, sometimes it is best to present a clean neutral slate for the new owner to visualize their own style. So we chose beige cabinets, stainless steel appliances and black fixtures.
Related: Choosing the Perfect Colors for Your Home Renovation
Kitchen Renovation Phase 2: Demolition
Even though the previous owner had already started to gut the place, there was still quite a bit of demolition to do since we wanted to get rid of the wall that separated the living room and kitchen.
After a seamless demolition, Joshua decided to replace some of the drywall as part of the re-installation process. Also since a wall was removed, he added in a ceiling beam in its place. Another update was the window in the dining/breakfast area near the patio door was resized.
Next the electric and plumbing was reconfigured in the remodeled space. This was especially important for the new kitchen island, which would include a sink and dishwasher.
Kitchen Renovation Phase 3: Flooring and Paint
The next phase was to install flooring, replace the trim and paint the walls. We decided to continue the same laminate flooring (Home Depot A&A Trinity Mocha Laminate Wood Flooring) into the kitchen that was installed throughout the entire first floor for continuity. It also allowed the space to flow seamlessly into the living room, especially now that there was no longer a wall separating the two rooms.
For the trim, we have been using Polar Bear by Behr for almost all of the projects we do. In our opinion, it is a perfect shade of white trim for a home and goes well with the wall colors we choose. For the kitchen walls, we chose the color Crisp Linen by Behr.
Kitchen Renovation Phase 4: Cabinets, Island and Appliances
We chose the Nantucket Linen shaker-style cabinets from our local discount home improvement store, which provides both standard and custom options. Nantucket Linen is a beige-colored shaker style cabinet style which was a great choice for this kitchen. The cabinets we ordered came painted already, but needed to be assembled. This took some time but saved money in the long run. Gray granite countertops and stainless steel appliances complimented the cabinets well.
Then a kitchen island was constructed from two base cabinet pieces.
Related: The Best Renovations to Increase Home Value
Kitchen Renovation Phase 5: Final Touches
Lastly are the finishes. Since this was a flip house, I wanted to keep everything as neutral as possible. Since we decided on a soft white/beige color for the cabinets, so I wanted to add a black accent color for the cabinet hardware for contrast.
Here are the links to the different items we chose:
- Wall color – Behr Crisp Linen
- Trim color – Behr Polar Bear
- Flooring (Simliar) – Home Depot A&A Trinity Mocha Laminate Wood Flooring
- Kitchen Island Pendant Light – Wayfair Trent Austin Enciso 4
- Dining Area Pendant Light – Wayfair Wade Logan Isiah Semi Flush Mount
- Kitchen Faucet – Amazon Roddex Brushed Nickel
Once the finishes were installed, here is what the kitchen looked like:
Let us know what you think by tagging @hammerandhandsaw on Pinterest, Instagram or TikTok!
Did our story inspire you to finally start your own renovation but you’re not sure where to start? Check out our Comprehensive Guide to Creating Your Dream Kitchen or the Ultimate Guide to Planning a Home Renovation which features a planning guide, step-by-step information, helpful reference links and freebies to give you all the tools needed to jump into your own renovation project!