Next up: A much anticipated kitchen makeover

Get ready folks. I’m finally tackling the kitchen!

Other than some haphazard decorating and replacing the light fixture, we haven’t changed anything in here since we moved in. We didn’t even re-paint. Actually, I just kind of gave up on this room knowing that no amount of dressing would hide aging bisque appliances and not-my-style countertops. (Not to sound like a complainer. I know there are many kitchens worse off than this one.)

So after nearly five years of living with it in its current state, it’s finally time to tackle some much needed updates. And with the late-March due date of baby #2 ticking down, I am not sure if this is a smart idea or a crazy idea. Time will tell.

But first, a little “before” tour…

Our modest kitchen is fairly small at 10’x12′. Not “apartment small,” but definitely “old depression-era house small.” There’s no island. No peninsula. No pantry! Still by old house standards, we have a lot of counter space. It was likely last remodeled in the 90s, and I think they did a decent job. The layout works. The appliances are in the right spots. And all of that makes doing a cosmetic update possible.

The cabinets are staying the same. I love the look of painted cabinets, but I’m not ready to open up that can of worms just yet (if ever). The cabinets are maple (not orangey oak as they may appear in the photos), so I will save painting for a later date, if necessary.

The ceramic tile floors are also in good shape and are neutral enough. The light colored grout gets pretty gross, so I recently scrubbed it as clean as I could get it (I went through a whole can of Bar Keepers Friend!) and then put two coats of grout sealer on it. We will see how that holds up. I’m hopeful I won’t be on my hands and knees scrubbing again in the near future.

While we have a fair amount of counter space, the existing laminate is a pink and peachy faux marble that I don’t love. My husband doesn’t see the pink tones, but you do right? Plus it doesn’t contrast enough with the tone of the cabinets. I do have to say that it is excellent at hiding crumbs and grime, though. I’m usually pretty horrified when I get down at eye level and discover all the filth I missed wiping up.

Our appliances work OK. Just OK. They are all about 18 to 20 years old. (Tip: If you inherited appliances with your home, this is a great site for dating them.)

The stove periodically spikes in temperature 100 degrees, which makes baking fun. And it lacks any sort of modern features like self-cleaning or letting you know when it’s preheated.

And this actually isn’t even the refrigerator that came with the house. About a year ago, that one stopped working, and coincidentally, my parents had just replaced their fridge so they donated their old one to us. Lucky for us, it was the right size to fit within the cabinetry. And weirdly, it’s the same approximate age as the one we had. But now this one has started cooling unevenly. Ever cracked a frozen egg?

To make it a dysfunctional appliance trifecta, the dishwasher is hooked up incorrectly and frequently collects dirty drain water from the sink in the bottom. (Yeah, that’s stinky.)

This area behind the sink drives me nuts. So many things to fix in one photo. The faucet is leaky and terrible. The sprayer hasn’t worked for going on three years.

And check out the most unique feature: the sink light. I don’t understand it. I might have turned it on twice in the time we’ve lived here (and that was just to see if it worked). What’s weirder is that there’s a non-GFCI outlet on the underside. Hello, electrical hazard!

And the after-thought of a tile backsplash? Yeah, that has to go.

I also plan on repainting the upper third of the walls which are currently a dark brown, but I’m going to wait until I’m not so big and pregnant anymore. Not going to push myself on this one. Maybe late spring/summer?

So what do you think? Enough work for the couple of months of free time I have left?