With all this time on my hands I’ve decided that I would finalize the kitchen design so that when we are back to work there will be no time wasted getting started. My original budget was (for me) on the high end at $20,000 – $25,000 which is a lot of money. Now, with being out of work I’ve come to realize that that is no longer what I want.  It’s not me.  Of all things I am a frugal person. There are a lot of things I can do myself, purchase prefabricated cabinets and install same with prefab countertops, install a new light fixture, paint, tile, flooring the list goes on. What I cannot do is where I will have to spend a few bucks – mostly plumbing and electrical work.

Here is a breakdown for my 11′ X 12′ space:

Cabinets – $3500

Countertops – $1200

Hardware – $200

Sink and faucet – $800

Backsplash – $800

Flooring – $1000

Electrical & Plumbing – $1000

Lighting – $300

Wood/drywall/trim – $1000

Paint – $100

Buffer – $500

Total NEW Budget – $10,400

I will no longer be removing the entire wall between the sitting room and kitchen. Once the stove and fridge is moved the kitchen will have an additional 25″ of space to move around. And maybe a bit of room for a slender island.

Here is my design for the kitchen:

Hampton Bay Edson – Grey/Taupe Cabinets Shaker style (Home Depot Canada) Prices vary per cabinet

Acacia Wood Countertops – Light Oak (Home Depot – Canada) $485 EA

Merula Tile Artisan Azul Decor (Home Depot – Canada) $169/box (14 sq.ft.)

Brass Classic double porcelain handle faucet with Shipping (Amazon.ca) $180.00

White Quartz Classic 33″ x 18″ Undercount Kitchen Sink (Wayfair.ca) Reg. $982.99 FOR $439.99 / Plumb Pak Keeney Deep thread cast brass sink power ball basket strainer 3.5″ White (amazon.ca) $26.45

Richelieu Regency Brass 3″ Handle (Home Depot Canada) – $7.06 EA (X17)  / Summer Street Home Hardware Small 1.5″ Centre Ring Pull (Wayfair.ca) $10.40 EA (X6)

Ceiling medallion – free (handmade) found two in a bin headed to the garbage at work. SCORE!!!

Andrews 5 – light candle style classic/traditional chandelier with crystal accents (Wayfair.ca) $269.99

Pine plank flooring painted blue (complimentary colour to the tile)

Here is the layout of the South Wall

Here is the layout of the North wall

As you can see I’m heading in the direction of French Country – which I absolutely adore. Rich brass tones, natural wood, crisp whites, rustic tiles – sigh!

I’ve decided to increase storage space by putting a double stack set of upper cabinets directly on top of the countertops on either side of the fridge. Here is an example of how that would look:

To save on cupboard space I like the idea of hanging my pots on the wall which is usually wasted space. Even lids can hang on the wall if the design is right. Here are some inspirational photos:

And I will continue to hang my wood cutting/serving boards on the wall which also makes the kitchen feel a little rustic and cozy.

Once the kitchen has been assembled I will pick a fresh paint colour to enhance the final feel of the kitchen.

Since I won’t have the eat-in kitchen I really love I’ve decided to turn the “sitting” room in to a little dining area and library. Just outside the kitchen will be my table and chairs and on the far side by the windows I will build custom book shelves that will look like they’ve always been there and add a chaise to curl up on.

And that concludes the new kitchen design.

Since it is Mothers Day I’d like to take a second to wish all the moms a light and happy Mothers day. Although not everyone can be with their moms with our current situation I hope you get to Face time or Zoom or just call them to make their day a little more special. I’ve decided to paint my mom a picture and bake a loaf of homemade bread which I know she will love (well mostly the bread 😛 )

Stay safe, stay healthy and be kind.

🙂