How To Transform Your Outdated Kitchen
Honoring the history with a vision for what it could be.
When we purchased our 1929 Craftsman home, it was because we loved the history this home represented. We could see the potential to honor the past while updating the look and functionality of many of its rooms. The kitchen was probably the biggest remodel challenge of our new home, but it was one that needed to be addressed as soon as possible.
You won’t believe the beautiful transformation of our small traditional and closed kitchen/dining space to a fully renovated open farmhouse-style space perfect for large gatherings of family and friends.
Before
This wonderful historic 1929 Craftsman style house began as a traditional, segmented floor plan of 5 different rooms! You read that right. Five different rooms. Can you imagine the demo? Well let me give you a little glimpse into the glamour of demo day. Dust, dust, dust, and oh did I say DUST!
Exposing the Brick!!!
We knew it was there. We had seen multiple chimneys on the roof, but only one fireplace was exposed in the house. That rough unfinished brick chimney chute ran right through the kitchen!
Maybe the most exciting part of the remodel was pulling off the plaster and old double ovens to expose what was underneath. It was exactly what I had hoped it would be and more! This beautiful chimney runs through the middle of the house and was used for the furnace when the home was originally built. I felt like I was unearthing a long lost piece of art and I was so excited we could use it in the design of the kitchen.
The Vision
I had a vision to open up these rooms and create a warm, farm-style kitchen to meet our busy lifestyle, as well as family needs and loves! It was also VERY important to create more storage in this small space. I spent many hours on Pinterest narrowing down a design that I believed would be beautiful, functional, and most importantly, true to the history of the home. I had the vision in my head, but had to communicate it to engineers and cabinet designers! One evening I sat in my newly demolished space with only a tv tray, notepad, and a pencil. I sketched out a very, rough design for this space. (It’s important to note that we contracted the remodel ourselves.)
The Vision Comes to Life!
The transformation from the pencil sketches to the finished kitchen was both exhausting and exhilarating! While YOU get to the see the before and after immediately, it took us about 6 months from start to finish. Unfortunately, that is a lot of fast food, frozen microwave meals, and creative dish washing. Remodeling is not for the faint of heart. It takes determination, budgeting, and hard work, especially if you are doing much of the work on your own. However, the result is 100% worth it! There were challenges along the way, but I can honestly say, I would do it again. I love how it turned out and I think we were able to create a beautiful space that is so much more functional, but we also preserved the historic essence of the home.
Be sure to read the full remodel story, including the accident that set us back a little by clicking on the picture below. Also, we detailed how the walls of this kitchen are filled with scripture from family and friends who were a part of the remodel. We are forever grateful for friends and family members who helped with a lot of the detail work. God blessed us immensely.
You can also see a video tour of the finished remodel.
Harvesting Home is not just a title; it is a purpose. Our desire is that our home be a place that is purposeful, firmly planted in God’s truth, and ultimately yielding fruit in the lives of many people.
We are in the process of making this wonderful old house into something that fits our family without destroying the history and character of this home. It will take time and patience, very much like it does to build our families. But, the sacrifice and “sweat equity” that you invest in your family now, will reap a harvest of blessings one day. Oh wait…that’s a Harvesting Home!
Want to know more?
Here are a few articles you might like with more information about our home, hospitality, and making your home a Harvesting Home! One of our recent posts talks about “Bringing Back the Family Meal.” We love cooking in our kitchen and sharing meals around our big farm table! I hope you will share your comments below, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more ideas and encouragement on decorating, cooking, and creating a welcoming home for family and friends.
I often get asked where we purchased different items for our kitchen or what we used. If you have any questions, I am always happy to answer them! Listed below are some of the items we used in our remodel and just love in our farmhouse kitchen that you can purchase if you are interested.
Referral links for products we have used in this video and our kitchen are provided below for your convenience. Please see our full disclosure statement here: https://harvestinghome.com/disclosure-photo-usage-policy/
Feed on the Word Dinnerware is one of my favorite sets of dinnerware ever! I have found the set to be high quality and the white/black colors are a beautiful addition to any seasonal decorating style. You can find several purchasing options in the Feed on the Word store on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FFfAzx
Shaker Cabinet Hardware:
Polished Chrome Knobs: https://amzn.to/2Ymz5Dy
Polished Chrome Cabinet & Drawer Pull: https://amzn.to/2YqIlGZ
Overstock.com Tess Office Chair: https://bit.ly/2YrU47T
KitchenAid 48 in. 6.3 cu. ft. Smart Double Oven Commercial-Style Gas Range with Griddle and True Convection in Stainless Steel:
We purchased our major kitchen appliances through www.Build.com and have been very pleased! Their customer service was great, delivery was FREE and right on schedule, and the best part is that we saved $$$$ over retail appliance stores.
I love my Kitchen Aid mixer because it is durable and will last forever!
Farmhouse-style Chalkboard
We are often asked where we bought the chalkboard in our basement hallway, as seen at the end of the video. I found this specific chalkboard at an antique store, but there are now many similar styles you find! Check out this one linked, and then search for farmhouse style chalkboard to see a variety of sizes and styles.
I would love it if you would go through the post and pin, pin, pin to Pinterest! As always, we appreciate it when you share our Harvesting Home content!
Please email [email protected] or comment below if you have any questions or if we can help you with any of your decorating questions.
This is GORGEOUS Jana. I love everything but that big Harvesting Home sign is a showstopper! Did you build your own dining table?
Hugs,
Paula
http://www.dimplesonmywhat.com
Hi Paula! Thank you so much! That sign is one of my favorites too! I didn’t build the table, but bought it from a friend for a bargain! I had another farm table that was similar, but this one was just a little bigger. It would not be difficult to make with the right tools and a little work. Thank you for your kind comments! We love our kitchen and the memories we are making with family and friends.
Blessings to you!
Jana