The kitchen: Before, After and the Inbetween
It's okay to have an "inbetween", making progress is something that should be celebrated.
The Kitchen story…
This is the dated, very dated, (very decorated?!) kitchen. It was in rough shape and hadn't had a lot of attention in what looks like years and years and years!
It has been transformed and now looks like this…
A clean, white, classic kitchen with lots of functional work space and storage. White shaker style doors are a classic in kitchen design. The dark grey countertops contrast nicely and provide a ton of work space. With some reconfiguring we were able to transform this space into something much more usable. What seemed like a small kitchen was actually just a poor use of space.
There is a place for everything with this pantry wall. A 12" deep pantry created a lot of extra storage without taking much away from the square footage of the space. No more loosing canned goods in the back of a deep cupboard.
In an all-white kitchen it is easy to change a couple of small accessories for a different look. This is fun to change with the season, decorate for a holiday, or if you are thinking resale it gives the next owner a clean slate to decorate using the colours they love very easily.
As with any project there are costs involved and a kitchen design with new cabinets, countertops, flooring, backsplash etc., is not exactly inexpensive. It's typically a bigger project. A project well worth the investment. Both the financial investment and the time it takes to complete the job and live without a kitchen during construction and installation.
Before it was possible to completely renovate this kitchen to what it is now we started with an midway point. Something to fix it up "for now" something very inexpensive but with big impact. It also brought us closer to the final goal. It made it more enjoyable and livable in the process, in the time it takes to save and plan for something even better. Part of having a final plan is sometimes a step by step process, a practical and affordable way to reach your end goal without suffering in the meantime.
This is the inbetween...
Isn't it incredible what some wall paper stripping, elbow grease and paint can do? It's not perfect, it could be better, but isn't it like a breath of fresh air compared to the before?
It's the same counter top, same cabinets, same flooring, same sink, same faucet. The appliances, the fridge and stove changed, a step towards the final goal, and much needed at the time. There is still a lot that doesn't work perfectly about this kitchen. The cupboards weren't exactly functional, it was a fight to open and close the drawers, the cabinet door under the sink would not stay closed. This is the view walking in from the dining room…
…it's like walking into a wall. It interrupted the traffic flow through to the back door and put the traffic flow into the middle of the kitchen interrupting the functionality of the kitchen. There was still a lack of counter space compared to what there could be. The island is now closer to the main working area of the kitchen giving a large work space and separating it from the natural traffic pattern through to the back door. The green floor didn't exactly go with the light blue countertops either.
In the end, it's okay to invest a little in the in-between while you plan for the ultimate. It's okay to enjoy the process. Even a little step towards the final goal is more than no step at all. If we were to skip this step, we would still eventually have to strip the wall paper, prep and prime the walls, and purchase new appliances. The only thing saved would be the time and energy to paint the cabinets which was well worth it for the year or two the kitchen stayed in the in-between state.
What do you think? What do you typically do? Take small steps to complete your goal? Is there a space in your home ready for an inbetween? Are you ready to take steps toward planning for your renovation?