Erin Trafford     

 

1. Wall Removal

The picture on the left is taken from the old dining room looking into the kitchen. See how small it looks inside? The view on the right is our new kitchen with the wall taken down. It’s incredible what taking out a wall can do! The Home Installs team from Home Hardware was able to expertly pull flooring bits from under our fridge and stove area to patch the visible floor, and you honestly cannot even tell the difference. It is totally seamless.​

2. From Congested to Clear

Here’s the same entryway but looking to the left. Instantly you can see how the design flows so much better! And how changing the lower cabinets from dark to white creates so much more space. You can also see in this comparison how much extra light there is in the new kitchen.

3. Stairs & Cabinets

This view was a dramatic change I wasn’t fully expecting, but it’s one of my favourites! Looking from the sunroom into the old dining room, I used to see the stairs and the wall and there wasn’t much light or flow. Now the new kitchen cabinets come all the way to the edge of the open stairs and create a much more cohesive feel.​

1. Welcome to Our New Kitchen!

The biggest impact we had on our new space was pulling down the non-load bearing wall between the old kitchen and dining room. Each of those rooms was about 10’ × 12’ so combining them gave us a lot more wall space to work with. ​

 

 

2. Our Fabulous Window Wall

We shifted the dining room into the adjoining sunroom and now the flow between the spaces is just so lovely. We float with ease from the stovetop right to the family table for meals. ​

3. Let There Be Light!

On certain afternoons the light in our kitchen is so striking that I just stop and soak it all in. In fact, the space is so inviting that I moved a plush ottoman and some throw pillows into the corner because I love to sit there and sip my afternoon coffee or tea while chatting with Dan and the girls about our weekend plans.​

4. Shaker Cabinets

I didn’t want something so trendy that I’d tire of it, or so stylized that it wouldn’t appeal to buyers if we decide to sell. We landed on a classic Shaker-style cabinet in a soft, creamy white that we matched to the wall paint (Love Letters WB002-0 by BeautiTone in a satin finish). The oil-rubbed bronze cabinet pulls and chunky wood shelves add pops of style. ​

5. Backsplash Glam

I’m obsessed with our new backsplash. It’s just so stunning to look at, and it’s one of those elements that grounds the space and adds a little bit of shine from both afar and up close. The veining in the marble and the shape of the tiles is fun and a bit glam— kinda like me!​

6. Organic Open Shelving

I find the trick with open shelves is to let them organically become what you need them to be, and not work too hard at styling them. Fill them with items you use daily, then plug any the gaps with pretty things like plants, candles and decorative bowls—of which I have many​!

7. Our New Sink is a Revelation

One of my biggest pet peeves with the old kitchen was that the sink wasn’t centered under the window. It drove me absolutely bonkers. Our new sink is legit so pretty. It’s got square edges, a really nice profile, and we paired it to a gooseneck faucet with pulldown spray nozzle. Life will just never be the same! I can’t believe I ever lived without a spray nozzle faucet and all I have to say is…all faucets need to be this way. ​

8. Island Oasis

The only thing that could make our island any more awesome is if it could magically transport me to Hawaii, but I digress. Our narrow space ruled out a fixed kitchen island or peninsula style run of cabinets. The solution was to put the island on wheels! It sits in the corner most days, but when we have a gathering, we just wheel it out for more prep and serving space. We topped it off with a chunky slab of hickory butcher block, which I love. It’s a bit more maintenance than our laminate counters, but it really stands out and adds a lovely warmth to the room. ​

The Heart of Our Home

There are many different elements that can make a kitchen appealing, from the floor to the cabinetry to the finishes, colours, lighting and so on. But I think the most important thing to consider is how it makes you feel. Since we renovated, I’ve baked more cookies just for fun than ever before. My husband has tried more fancy date night recipes, and we have had more impromptu kitchen dance parties than I can count. Our kitchen went from a total ugly duckling to a beautiful swan. It also became the heart of our home. And now that it’s done, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude and appreciation. Thank you so much to the entire team at Home Hardware for partnering with us on this journey. We literally could not have done it without the expertise, ideas and professionalism they brought to the project.

Read All the Installments of Erin & Dan’s Kitchen Reno:
< Planning Your Kitchen Renovation >
< Creating Custom Design & Storage Solutions >
< Choosing Your Counters & Tiles >
< How to Select Finishing Touches in Your Kitchen >​