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The kitchen makeover process comes with a range of emotions. There's excitement - after all, you're creating a new space to live in for you and your family. There might be some apprehension that comes with the cost of a kitchen makeover. Lastly, you might be a bit worried given that you may need to live for a period of time without working appliances or running water.
At Wayfair, we want to help make your renovations easy, and less of a transition and more of an exciting experience. That is why we have teamed up with a few bloggers who have tackled a kitchen makeover recently and asked them how they chose the perfect kitchen faucet and for more tips on getting through a kitchen makeover. Or check out our Kitchen Faucets Buying Guide for a quick run down on everything kitchen faucets. For some more general advice about how to remodel a kitchen, check out our guide on How to Remodel a Kitchen.
How did you choose your kitchen faucet? Were you considering other styles?
Laura @ Laura Trevey
We chose this particular kitchen faucet originally for the color. I was specifically looking for a faucet that matched the brushed gold hardware and lighting fixtures.
Brittany @ A Spark of Creativity
We love the brand MOEN and we knew we wanted a simple looking kitchen faucet that was also hands free. Being a mom of four little ones means I'm dealing with messes quite often and it's easy to wash your hands or the little ones' hands with the hands-free feature. We knew exactly what style and brand we wanted, so there was no debating.
Mandy @ Mandy Fitzgerald
We had new appliances, and a brand new kitchen sink, counter tops, and faucet when we moved in. We have the Water Ridge Pull Out Kitchen Faucet in Brushed Nickel, and we love it!
Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life
I chose my current kitchen faucet for style and for function. I looked at several with hot and cold handles, but felt that a single lever faucet with an in-counter soap pump would work best for me.
Jae @ Design OCD
I actually chose my kitchen faucet at the last minute, in a rush. I was planning to reuse the faucet that was already there, but didn't realize I wouldn't be able to until my countertops were installed. At the last minute, I chose a one-hole faucet that allowed for a moveable spray and a stationary position. It was inexpensive and available at the right time and quite nicely has not had any problems in the last five years.
How did you install the kitchen faucet? DIY? Professional? Why did you choose this route?
We had a professional plumber and electrician install the faucet, sink, and new disposal.
We had the kitchen professionally designed, so they installed the cabinets. We also had another company come in and do our counter tops, and they cut the surface for the sink and faucet. My husband did that actual install of the faucet, and it was such an easy and smooth process.
We were fortunate that when we moved into our home, much of the updates had already been done for us.
My husband is super handy, so having him install my new faucet was a blessing and I didn't have to wait for a plumber.
A professional installed the faucet at the same time as the new sink right after the counters went in. I went this route because it was included with the installation of the granite countertops.
What do you like most about your kitchen faucet?
After finding the Delta faucet, I was extremely happy with its size and high-tech features as well. The touch technology is amazing.
I love the sleek look and the hands-free feature.
As far as looks go, I love how the brushed nickel plays off of the hardware on our cabinets. As far as function, the swivel feature is great. Also, the ability to pull the faucet out and use the spray option makes watering our herbs a breeze.
I like having the single lever on the faucet since I usually have one hand full, so I can turn on hot-cold or warm with just one hand and shut it off so easily when my hands are full.
I love the streamlined modern look of it, and I like the fact that it's not just stationary.
In addition to choosing and installing kitchen faucets, we also asked the bloggers about the entire kitchen makeover process. Keep reading to learn more about their experiences.
What did you enjoy most about the kitchen makeover as it was going on?
The process started with shopping for the perfect marble countertop. Yes, we were advised on how to care for marble and how easily it stains. But you just can't beat the gorgeous look of natural stone. After looking at hundreds of slabs of stone, we decided on this white carrara extra polished marble. The cabinets were a natural wood and we had them painted white, which instantly updated the room. I knew I wanted a white and gold kitchen, so the next thing to shop for was the gold lighting, faucet and hardware. This was the real exciting part. For lighting, we chose two mini lanterns above the island and the coolest gold drum chandelier above the kitchen table. Our faucet is the Cassidy Delta faucet, which is incredible. And my favorite gold accent is the Lew's brushed brass hardware.
We purchased a fixer upper home about a year ago which gave us a blank canvas. Since our kitchen was all original from 1979, it needed some updating and we couldn't wait to get started. We removed a wall, removed the flooring, and gutted the kitchen down to the cement flooring. The best part of the kitchen makeover was the designing process and seeing it all come together. There is nothing more amazing than being able to pick the size of your island, the amount of cabinets and drawers that you want, the paint colors, appliances, and more. Our kitchen turned out amazing and it's truly a dream come true.
It's definitely a tie between two things, one was a bit of a surprise for me - cleaning! While I removed everything from the drawers and cabinets I found so many items I didn't use, weren't my style anymore, or were just in such rough shape it was time to trash them. I was able to donate a lot of items. Knowing that things would be less cluttered when I returned them to their proper spaces was a big stress reliever for me. The second part I equally enjoyed was simply the act of painting. I'm an abstract painter in my day to day job, so color and texture are my best friends. The feeling of covering up that yucky shade of orange with a fresh coat of warm grey was just so cathartic! I mean, I'd been staring at these cabinets fantasizing about changing them since my husband and I moved into our home. Also, the paint I used DecoArt's Americana Decor Satin Enamels, which has the BEST texture. So silky smooth!
The thing I enjoy most about my kitchen makeover is having a totally new look and what seemed like a fresh start for my kitchen. Going from dark to light gave the kitchen a much more modern and contemporary look. Bringing back in just a few accessories opens the room up and makes it so much more inviting. I love the black island too. It has become the central focal point of the kitchen.
I was very excited to see the old cabinets removed and the kitchen completely gutted. I'd lived with those old cabinets for a long time, and it was so nice to finally see them gone. I also enjoyed the fact that my remodel was relatively short - the entire kitchen was done in about two weeks.
What was most challenging about your kitchen makeover?
We were only without our kitchen appliances for a couple of days, so everything went very smoothly for this project.
The only challenging part was designing the kitchen to ensure we got everything we wanted and needed and it fit into place. I knew I wanted a very large island with lots of storage and we had to make sure we had plenty of storage. It was a few days of back and forth with designs but it was all worth it.
Honestly, it was probably just not having access to our kitchen and having all the contents of the cabinets and drawers all over the place. It was a crazy mess for a week or so. Oh, and reattaching the cabinet doors above the microwave. Do yourself a favor and get a friend to help you with that part.
The most challenging part of the makeover was covering dark brown walls. A coat of primer and then two coats of white made the room look crisp and clean.
The most challenging part of the remodel was the backsplash. When the kitchen was gutted, the old backsplash was cut right out of the wall. This meant, to install the new backsplash, new sheetrock had to be installed first.
What piece of advice would you give people starting a kitchen makeover?
Do research ahead of time. I created a secret Pinterest board and collected kitchen ideas and products that I loved. This was a fantastic tool for me to be able to look at everything in one place. If you're interesed, follow my Kitchen Pinterest Board for frequently updated kitchen products and looks.
Make sure you make a list of exactly everything you want in your kitchen. You only get one chance to design a kitchen and you want to be in love with the end result. Add lots of storage and mix in drawers and cabinets for maximum storage. I love the large, deep drawers for all our pots, pans and lids.
You don't have to spend your entire paycheck to update your kitchen. One of the things I enjoy most about our kitchen now that the makeover is complete, is our choice to not install a formal back-splash. After months of reading DIY tutorials and preparing both the budget and the space for my dream back-splash (herringbone marble tile) my husband and I prepared to empty the checking account and make our kitchen classy. We walked to the counter section of the hardware store and held up the back-splash sample to the counter top that looked most like ours and were completely underwhelmed. It just didn't look right, no matter how much I wanted it to. I ended up painting the space with a dark shade of grey that provided the pop of contrast necessary to complete the space using leftover paint from our half bath! We saved so much time and money and it fits with the rest of the space perfectly. I'll also share advice that I received which saved me a massive headache: When you remove your hardware, put them in individual plastic bags with labels on the bag and labels on the corresponding cabinet door or drawer. You may think you'll remember which tiny screw goes where, but after a couple days of cleaning, painting and reorganizing, it's a safe bet that you won't. This will keep things simple and give you one less stress!
The best advice I could give someone when starting a kitchen makeover is to have a plan and then be realistic with your time table. Also, if at first you don't succeed, then try, try again. When I started painting the island, I painted it a really deep charcoal color in a flat paint that everyone was using. It looked black in their pictures, but just didn't relate in my home. I repainted it black in an eggshell finish and it looks perfect. So if your first attempt doesn't work out, try again.
Research beforehand. Look at as many pictures and designs as you can. Seek out the help of a professional for the design portion if needed to make sure you are maximizing your space.
What do you enjoy most about your kitchen following the makeover?
We are so happy with the way our kitchen makeover turned out. The gold jewelry (modern brushed brass hardware, faucet and lighting) just sparkles against the white cabinets and polished white carrara marble countertops. It's truly our dream kitchen.
We chose to go with white cabinets and white counters with grey veins running through, and I'm absolutely in love. We have a crisp, clean kitchen with a black island and I'm so in love. Plus, we have more than enough storage which is amazing.
I just love the color of the cabinets. When our cabinets were that orange-y color, I disliked our kitchen so much. I wanted to change everything, even replace the counter-top. But after painting, the flecks of grey in the counter-top became more noticeable and the changes that I had wanted to make just didn't feel necessary anymore. Plus, the color flows really well with the cool toned palette of the rest of our home, so it no longer feels out of place.
I love being in my newly made-over kitchen. I love how bright, cheery and modern it feels. Seems like I want to cook more and that definitely pleases my family.
Um, everything! It's brighter, it's modern, it's more open! I love the functional improvements too, like a pull out spice rack and a pullout garbage drawer.
Do you have any daily routines that involve your kitchen? What are they?
Every day when I wake up I clean the dishes in the sink, clean the counters off with my thieves cleaner (smells so amazing) and light some candles to start my day. I absolutely love my kitchen and the before and after is so remarkable. It's my dream kitchen and I'm beyond happy!
Feeding our pup, Luna Bear, every morning and night - so having the pull out kitchen faucet for filling her water bowl is great. I also cook a lot, and I'm not organized about it. I'm really messy, so having cabinets that are so easy to wipe down is a lifesaver!
My daily kitchen routines are super simple. I can't seem to cook unless my kitchen is clean. Wiping down counters, the range, and sink after each meal keeps it ready to use at any minute, plus it just looks so pretty when it shines.
Besides cooking? I cook in there almost every day. Weekly, I purchase flowers and put them in the corner of the peninsula. It's always a treat to walk in and see a bright spot of color in the gray and white kitchen.
We hope you enjoyed some tips from the experts who have already completed a kitchen makeover!