Kitchen Makeover Part 2: Base Cabinets, Paint, and Space!

Something Old...

After removing the old counter-tops, appliances, and base cabinets, I decided to keep the existing upper cabinets. They are not high-end, but they are extra-tall (and budget-friendly). So, step 1 was to remove the doors, sand the cabinets, and paint them white. I was living in the house at that point, eating microwave meals, so it was a bit of a sprint to install new appliances, base cabinets, counter tops, a sink, and flooring. The upper cabinet doors remained in the garage, waiting to be sanded and painted until recently.

Before view.

Something New...

I wanted as much brightness, lightness, and airiness in this room as was possible, so I bought stock unfinished oak base cabinets, which I painted white. I painted the walls a creamy and lemony yellow, which has proved controversial among my friends. Since I've always been fond of yellow, I think it is worlds better than the previous murky green. The old color took several coats of primer, and 3-4 coats of paint to fully cover.

New base cabinets!

Adjusting the Plan

After removing the large laundry closet, I installed my existing stack-able washer and dryer in the corner. This allowed me to fit in several more cabinets and approximately 4 feet of extra counter space (Thanks, Mom, for suggesting we remove the laundry closet!). It also removed the sensation of "cooking in a hallway" that  previously haunted anyone standing at the stove. I'm afraid my photos do not adequately convey the difference in the feeling of the room that this made.