Burgevin Gardens Kitchen Makeover: The Big Reveal!

This post is in partnership with Lowe’s! Thank you for supporting my amazing sponsors!

WELL. I am pooped.

It’s been a whirlwind couple of months whipping the kitchen at Burgevin Gardens into shape! What started as a “light budget refresh” quickly spiraled into just a little bit more than that, but honestly? This was a challenging project in a lot of ways, but a really fun one that turned out SO much better than I expected! It’s ended up being one of my favorite rooms I’ve ever renovated, and I’m really proud of what we accomplished with such a small budget, so let’s check it out! We’ll talk numbers at the end. I gotchu.

I mean. Can you blame me for having the deep, unshakeable urge to redo this kitchen? Like, if the word “bummer” took the form of a physical space, that’s this kitchen. It felt really cramped and harsh, awkwardly laid out, and spectacularly brown. John and I have talked a lot over time about all the possible renovations for this house (my favorite kind of conversation!), but plans around the kitchen always involved moving walls and doing all sorts of things that, frankly, are just not going to happen. So the choice was basically to radically scale back those plans or do nothing at all…which led to me innocently suggest to John that we should throw a little money and a buttload of elbow grease at it and see what we could make happen. This was not an insignificant demand. But I acted like it was so he’d agree.

He did.

Fixed her up nice, ya know? Where do we begin. There is so much to discuss.

I’d like to note now that this whole project was really made possible by my amazing partners at Lowe’s, who provided all the products to make this renovation so impactful on such a tight budget! It was truly my one-stop shop for all the new materials that went into this room—from the basic construction stuff to the lighting and hardware and that gorgeous tile! Between hitting a sale or two and just selecting from their huge array of super-nice-but-affordable products, Lowe’s kept the budget happy without sacrificing on the vision! I’m so grateful to them for allowing me to take this on!

So. The how. If you’ve fallen victim to my near-daily Instagram stories, you’ve basically watched this unfold in agonizing detail. And there was a lot of flying by the seat of my pants here—which is pretty typical of my approach to things, but this was maybe more than usual? We started with an inkling of plan to get away from a U-shape and really make use of the longest wall by flipping the stove to the fridge’s location and pushing the fridge down toward the end of the wall to create more floor space, since the room is pretty narrow at 9′ wide. The drop ceiling had to go, and that poor window needed to be seen again, and the soffits basically ejected themselves from the situation by being totally worthless, and then we were left with this. Life comes at you fast sometimes.

Then a series of other decisions occurred through no fault (much/all fault) of my own. Firstly, there had to be hardwoods under that vinyl and there WERE but they did not come easy. Secondly I felt a moral responsibility to center up the sink on that stunner window and get the dishwasher to a better spot.

Which necessitated some *minor* work done to the radiator lines to get them out of the way and, well, it’ll be worth it.

Also a vent for the range. But a proper one, to the exterior. Hello huge hole in the ceiling, joining the other huge holes.

Then we had to put this mess back together into a kitchen for a few thousand bucks before Thanksgiving. No biggie! In all honesty I probably should have removed that last bank of cabinetry and put it back later, but I was really clinging to that “light refresh” idea and that was the only thing keeping this room looking remotely like a kitchen.

Trying to keep some semblance of our original timeline intact, I brought in my old friend and cohort, Edwin, to bang out the patching and skim-coating for me in a few days, and then it was ON.

I patched and refinished the floors, made concrete countertops, tiled the backsplash, and spent a lot of time scratching my head over exactly how to make the old cabinets (custom, as it turned out! which made things even more difficult!) work in new locations and arrangements. This plan also expanded rapidly because I hadn’t entirely landed on a plan for how to make the tile work like I wanted it to, and John requested more storage…so the cabinetry plan went from rehanging some of what was there in different spots to reusing nearly all the original cabinets and building various new boxes to fill in where needed. There was also a lot of random carpentry stuff involved like fixing up the window trim, door casings, and adding baseboards. I made a whollllllleeeeee lotta sawdust.

It was a lot of project.

But somehow it never seemed that crazy? Honestly, things proceeded pretty seamlessly! Between John’s garage, my basement, and Lowe’s, we kinda had everything we needed to just keep plugging away at it. And then it was a kitchen again!

Changing the layout made SUCH a big difference. Between that and the two extra feet of ceiling height we got by removing the drop ceiling, this room feels so spacious now! AND there’s so much more storage—so much wasted space before!

A few weeks into this endeavor, John got all excited by the progress and decided on his own accord to buy a new fridge, and I wasn’t going to tell him not to! Nobody was too excited to put the old white french-door honker back in here, but it was an improvement for the vacation rental apartment upstairs. So we moved the upstairs fridge out, the downstairs fridge up, and then John got this slick counter-depth Hisense fridge for $800! It’s still on sale—marked down 46%!—so if you’re in the market…that’s quite a price point for a counter-depth fridge. Unheard of! We weren’t really sure what to make of the Hisense brand, but it’s totally nice! It doesn’t have any fancy features or anything, but it’s nice-looking and the interior organization is really well done. John loves it and reports that it’s performing like a champ!

I’m so happy (and relieved, haha!) with how our concrete countertops came out! We used this Quikrete Countertop Mix, built forms out of melamine, and poured them to 1.5″ thickness. They’re sealed with Waterlox (an old school tung oil based finish), which added a lot of warmth and dimension, as well as some sheen! It’s food-safe once fully cured. I’m not even usually a fan of concrete countertops, but I really think these came out so pretty and work well for this space. They also cost less than $175 to countertop this whole kitchen, which is kind of nuts! Poor man’s natural stone—I’ll take it! I think in this context it doesn’t scream “industrial” like it usually comes across.

Moving the stove and losing this wall of built-in cabinetry provided space for a nice freestanding piece. Originally this was going to be a butcherblock-topped storage piece (specifically, the one with the microwave on top in the before pic!), but at the last minute John suggested this sweet china cabinet that belonged to his grandparents! Sold! I love when I get to incorporate special things like that into someone’s space, and he’s excited for it to be put to use!

The other reason to lose the stove and cabinetry on this wall was that it allowed me to move the dishwasher over and center a nice big sink under the window. Like so.

We kept the faucet modern with this matte black Delta number, and I love it! The quality really seems excellent, and at $230 it’s very well-priced. I think my kitchen faucet was more than double that price, and this Delta is nicer.

I’m not mad.

I’m a little mad.

And the SINK! Love this sink; love the PRICE of this sink. Several years ago I got to go visit the Kohler factories in Wisconsin and see these being made, so I have a real soft spot for Kohler. Once you’ve seen a raw cast iron clawfoot tub glowing red-hot and getting enameled, the image kind of never leaves you! This heavy, deep, double-basin specimen can be installed both as undermount and drop-in, and it’s only $250! And made in Wisconsin! Just like Mark Ruffalo.

SHALL WE DISCUSS this gorgeous tile? This Bedrosians Cloe Tile from Lowe’s was really the jumping off point for this whole kitchen—that’s how much John loved it! It’s really beautiful stuff, and at $7.85/square foot it’s about half the price of similar tile from more boutique sources, which allowed us to use a generous amount of it here! It comes in white, gray, black, blue, and pink as well, and all in either this 5×5 format or a subway style. John wanted the subway but I pushed him into the square and I’m not sorry. I used a black epoxy grout and this charcoal-colored caulk where it meets the countertop.

I may be weird, but I was very excited to have a good reason to use a brown outlet. I got fancy with these nice metal plate covers that are sort of an oil-rubbed bronze finish—I couldn’t put a plastic cover on that tile!

Lights! I really love how the lighting all worked out! The pendant over the sink is this one by Progress Lighting ($67!), and the two hurricane-style pendants are by Kichler! At $135 a pop, those pendants are a STEAL. The scale is so nice, they’re really well-made, and they come with about a mile of extra cord and chain for all different types of installs. The glass shades are so substantial and pretty, too, and easily removed if you wanted to just stick them in the dishwasher every now and then. Now that I have a dishwasher, I will put nearly anything in it.

I’ll need a whole post to get into all the cabinet shenanigans I got into during this—stay tuned for that—but for now suffice to say it was a process. I decided to keep the lowers more or less as-is, with just paint and new hardware rather than totally refacing them. The uppers are also mostly the original cabinets, but hacked here and there with some new filler cabinets where I needed more! These cabinets were really nothing special at all, so I’m kind of extra-proud that we were able to reuse and totally transform them. Utilizing the original face-frames to go from those partial-overlay doors to inset ones on the uppers worked out great.

John and I tag-teamed making new very simple shaker-style doors for the uppers, and I think they came out really nicely! The drawers all have these classic Sumner Street Home bin pulls, and the doors have these coordinating knobs! I ordered the hinges on the new inset doors from Amerock, and just reused the old hinges for the lowers.

We didn’t have budget for a new stove, but this one works just fine so we put it back! The nice thing about stoves and dishwashers is that sizes are standardized and they can be easily replaced at any time—if they still work and budget is an issue, I’d take new counters and a backsplash over a new appliance any day! You don’t have to do everything at once to make a big difference.

Also, the range hood! I got this affordable but well-reviewed GE vent insert, which is tucked up about 2 inches inside that hood structure. We just boxed it in with a simple wood frame and drywalled the whole thing—I don’t love the way hood vents look generally, but I’m into this solution! I love that you can’t really see it, but it still has all the function including a task light with two brightness settings! It even has a remote control!

I agonized over paint colors a little more than usual in this space—that green tile is amazing but I had a hard time landing on the rest of the colors to complement it! The ceiling is Valspar “Wispy White,” a nice creamy white I planned to use on the walls as well…until I painted a coat and felt like it it was too stark with the cabinets. I then switched gears to a Benjamin Moore color called York Gray that I had color-matched at Lowe’s in Valspar Signature paint (matte) and mixed at 75% strength to lighten it up a touch. For trim, I used the York Gray at full strength—also color-matched to Valspar Signature paint—in a satin finish so it’s ever-so-slightly darker and has a sheen.

The cabinets are Valspar’s Cobalt Cannon in satin finish—a color we landed on after painting about 10,000 samples. Ha! We debated dark vs. light cabinetry up until the very last minute, but this nice slate blue/grey with just a hint of green won out in the end and I’m glad it did! I love the way it plays with the backsplash tile, and feels kind of rich and neutral at the same time.

That Valspar Signature paint, by the way? GOOD STUFF. At like $30 a gallon, the price is amazing for the quality. I did sand and prep the doors to some extent, but skipped primer, and the paint has adhered beautifully and I really don’t anticipate any problems with it over time.

Then. On the window. You may have noted. I really swung for the fences and painted her pink! I used the dregs of what I had leftover from painting my laundry room floor, so it’s a color-match of a Farrow & Ball color called “Setting Plaster.” Am I cool enough to pull this off? Not especially. But it’s kind of my nod to that good good British quirk that helped inspire this space, and it’s really delightful in real life. And John LOVES it, which is what’s important! Painting it the cabinet color was my back-up plan if the pink didn’t work, and I still think that would look great but more expected and less fun.

I also just live for a little controversy. It’s how I get my kicks.

Oh also! I was *this close* to just painting over the sash lock again like every other painter of this window in the last 100 years, but I just couldn’t do it. So I stripped it in the crock pot and put it back—I love this kinda mottled copper finish that was hiding under all that paint!

Also! The newly re-routed radiator lines got a fresh couple coats of the wall paint, and I like them! I feel like they add some utilitarian kinda charm to this room, and I’d so much rather see those than a big soffit or something! Breaking a couple joints and getting them re-routed into that corner chase really wasn’t such a big deal, but it ended up being unexpectedly expensive—to the tune of about $500—which honestly was a bit of a shock and I’m not especially clear on why it cost so much, just that it did. Plumbing has a way of doing that to you. Luckily since the sink only moved about a foot, we didn’t have to mess with any of the other plumbing, and I do think it was a worthwhile change.

What else! I hung a couple of vintage hooks I had floating around next to the china cabinet for aprons, tea towels, dog leashes, ya know! I’m still getting used to seeing that cabinet there, but I like it a lot! The microwave fits in the lower part (I love a concealed microwave!!) and I just went ahead and threw a bunch of dishware in the top primarily so I could take these pictures. STORAGE. FOR. DAYS. IN. HERE! I would guess the cabinet is from the 1950s—that colonial revival style has never really been my favorite and not what I would have chosen necessarily, but I think it looks so cute in this room! I’m so glad John suggested it.

I found these two antique portraits of George Washington and good ole’ Abe Lincoln laying around in John’s house and nabbed them for this little wall between the doorways to the dining room and the hallway. I think they’re charming! Sadly the previous owners appear to have removed and disposed of all the original doors on the first floor (second floor doors at least went up to the attic for safe keeping…but why remove them in the first place?!?!), but John and I found a bunch of salvage doors to address that! I think it would be nice for this room to have doors again. The one into the dining room is supposed to swing!

That being said, I am NOT mad about this view from the dining room into the kitchen! It used to look like a portal to another dimension, whereas now the kitchen really feels like a natural part of the house. I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.

(By the way, the wood flooring in the dining room is quartersawn oak, and the kitchen is douglas fir—getting them to match would be a losing battle anyway, especially without refinishing both, but I don’t mind that they look different. They are different!)

Guys. I really like this kitchen a lot. Let’s talk numbers!

First, I’d like to recognize that two major things contributed to the success of this budget because I do not like pushing unrealistic budgets. The first is that we relied a lot on reuse of materials—restoring what was already here, and excess supplies we both had leftover from other projects. I’ll try to note those items where appropriate! I am also not including myself in this budget. Mostly that’s because this was not a standard client gig due to my partnership with Lowe’s on this project, which really allowed me to treat this like a DIY project for myself even though it’s not my house! And that’s really kinda the point—to demonstrate what can be done in terms of high-impact work for a modest cost. So while this renovation was involved, there really isn’t any part of it that’s beyond the skill level of a hardworking DIYer! All of the projects in combination made it a lot of work, but none of them are all that difficult even if you’ve never, say, hacked a bunch of existing cabinets or poured concrete counters (I hadn’t either!).

Here’s how it broke down:

WALL REPAIR/NEW WORK:
1 Sheet 1/2″ Lightweight Drywall: $13.58
1 Sheet 3/8″ Lightweight Drywall: $12.57
Metal Corner Beads: $10.31
Drywall Nails (for corner bead): $4.48
11 Bags Quikset 90 Joint Compound: $131.78
Fiberglass Window Screening (which we embed in the skim-coat to prevent cracks): $17.98
*I had plaster washers, drywall screws, fiber mesh tape, scraps of 5/8″ drywall, and some window screening on hand.
TOTAL: $190.70

COUNTERTOPS:
6 Bags Quikrete High-Strength Countertop Mix: $107.64
1 sheet 4×8 Melamine (for the forms): $28.97
Steel Rebar (to reinforce around the sink cut-out): $7.74
2 sheets Metal Lath (embedded for reinforcement): $21.20
Gorilla Epoxy (for the seam): $5.31
*we had an old can of Waterlox on hand to seal the counters.
TOTAL: $170.86

BACKSPLASH:
5 Boxes Bedrosians Cloe Tile: $425.00
MAPEI Sanded Caulk: $8.48
*I had enough thinset and black epoxy grout on hand, so no need to buy additional!
TOTAL: $433.48

APPLIANCES:
GE 30-in Convertible Range Hood Insert: $328.75
Ducting Components: $101.65
Hisense Counter-Depth Refrigerator: $800 (the homeowner bought this so technically it wasn’t part of my budget, but I’m including it here for completeness)
*I had foil tape for the ducting on hand.
TOTAL: $1,230.40

ELECTRICAL:
Cable, Boxes, Wire nuts, etc: $113.33
New Range Outlet: $6.62
4 Brown 20-Amp countertop outlets: $23.92
Decorative Outlet Covers: $24.72
Progress Lighting Small Pendant (over sink): $75.57
Kichler Large Pendants: $270.88
Lightbulbs: $31.62
*we had electrical tape, NM cable staples, wire nuts, white outlets and GFCIs, plastic covers, dimmer switches, and assorted electrical screws on hand.
TOTAL: $546.66

PLUMBING:
Kohler Deerfield 33-in Cast Iron Sink: $70 (this is our actual cost because we returned two hundred dollars worth of extra joist hangers from the porch project for store credit to offset the cost of the new sink. I love a…flexible return policy)
Sink Strainers: $19.96
Delta Faucet: $236.09 (John also bought this so it wasn’t part of my budget. We could have reused the old faucet but he understandably didn’t want to. It’s pretty blah.)
New P-Trap and End Waste Outlet parts: $15.56
*we had teflon tape and plumber’s putty on hand.
TOTAL: $341.61

FLOORING:
Drum floor sander and edger rental, including sanding pads: $204.15
Mastic/Adhesive Remover: 28.98
*We had scrap wood for patching and a gallon of Bona Traffic HD polyurethane on hand.
TOTAL: $233.13

CABINETRY/HARDWARE/CARPENTRY:
2 Sheets of 3/4″ Maple Plywood: $96.86
2 Sheets of 1/2″ Maple Plywood: $89.36
Dowel for the Corner Guard: $5.97
2 Oak table legs (used for corner guard): 5.96
Shims: $3.38
Magnetic Catch with Strike for cabinet doors: $25.48
8 Sumner Street Home Bin Pulls: $24.64
27 Sumner Street Home Knobs: $76.95
38 Hinges for Inset doors: $125.40
*We had about 4 sheets of plywood, a little MDF, framing lumber, and a lot of scrap 1x, screws, finish nails, and brad nails on hand. We reused the crown molding from the old soffits to top off the cabinetry!
TOTAL: $454.00

PAINT:
Valspar Color Samples (various colors): $31.84
1 Gallon Valspar Signature Paint, Flat (Walls): $29.98
1 Quart Valspar Signature Paint, Satin (Trim): $16.98
2 Gallons Valspar Signature Paint, Satin (Cabinetry): $59.96
*I had the ceiling paint on hand, as well as patching compound, caulk, brushes, and rollers.
TOTAL: $138.76

MATERIALS TOTAL: $3,739.60

Now, that’s just the materials cost! Which I think is PRETTY DARN GOOD for everything we took on, and the result we got! Originally we weren’t planning to need a plumber (we did) or hire out the wall repair (worth every penny, thus is my hatred for DIYing that particular job), so that added about $1,500 to our actual cost. But still! Getting in and out of that NEARLY GUTTED kitchen for like $5K? I am JUST FINE with that!

Lastly, I just want to say a big HUGE thanks to John the homeowner for, once again, trusting me to tear apart his house for a little while! And to Lowe’s for seeing those before pictures and still letting me run wild with this kitchen—they really made this project possible and I’m so glad I got to do it!

And to you guys! I’ve never really shared quite so much of the process as I did with this kitchen over on Instagram stories, and it’s been so much fun talking with so many people about stuff I usually think I’m the only one who cares about! That really made the work more enjoyable for me and was a great motivator to keep going when I felt unsure or overwhelmed. I’m a lucky duck! I hope ya like it!

About Daniel Kanter

Hi, I'm Daniel, and I love houses! I'm a serial renovator, DIY-er, and dog-cuddler based in Kingston, New York. Follow along as I bring my 1865 Greek Revival back to life and tackle my 30s to varying degrees of success. Welcome!

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Archives: 2010-2022

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264 Comments

  1. 11.25.19

    My favorite thing about this kitchen is that I would have chosen exactly NONE of the things you did, but I love everything about it. So much vision! You’re a wizard.

    • 11.25.19
      Alissa said:

      Same. I would have been too nervous to pick out that bold tile and cabinet color – and would have missed this exceptional result! You have an incredible gift for vision, Daniel.

    • 11.25.19
      erjeya said:

      What Anna said. Holy holy. This a gd triumph, Daniel!

    • 11.25.19
      Sterling said:

      Yeah, we need an additional line item. Labor, designer: priceless.

    • 11.25.19
      Steph said:

      Love love love love love. Great job! Thanks so much for sharing the details along the journey on stories!

    • 11.25.19
      Lisa said:

      I just realized that the only place I’ve seen stuff like this has been in House of Interiors or on that Instagram account @englisheccentrichome. Good company;).

    • 11.26.19
      Liz said:

      I echo what Anna said exactly. This is so beautiful. Amazing job all around, Daniel.

    • 11.26.19
      Ginny said:

      This, exactly!! I loved following along on insta and so many times I thought, “I don’t know…” but the result is 100%. You have the vision!!!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you, everybody! I’m blushing! :)

  2. 11.25.19
    Janet said:

    Gorgeous!!!

    • 11.25.19
      Jill said:

      I watched one of your insta stories on this remodel last night before going to bed and then had this incredibly involved dream where I woke up in the middle of the night in my parents’ house, went downstairs and discovered a crack in the long wall next to the front door. When I slid my fingers into it, it turned out it was a thin, faux panel finished to look like solid drywall and actually lifted easily away to reveal this kitchen behind it!

      Then you showed up and told me I had ruined the surprise. That my mother was the mysterious “homeowner John” you kept mentioning in your stories, and she had hired you to add this kitchen to the front of their house as a surprise to me. She had hired you on recommendation from my uncle and had no idea I followed you online.

      I felt so bad for ruining the surprise and woke up wondering why you were working in California and why my mom even thought I would like a second kitchen in their house, since I do not live there and also one kitchen per single-family home seems like plenty?

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Haha! DREAM OR PREMONITION?! Anyone’s guess!

  3. 11.25.19
    Sara L. said:

    I would like to say, with all sincerity, HOLY SHIT. Like, really. I have been avidly watching those insta stories for weeks, and I was not expecting a post today, and this is way above and beyond what I dreamed this place could look like. I mean, I know you are a miracle worker, and I’m not really that surprised, but, and I say again, HOLY SHIT.

    And I love that pink window! Perfect. So much of this is perfect. Wow.

    Do you plan on putting some art on the stove hood thingy?

    • 11.25.19
      Sara L. said:

      I forgot to mention the green glass furniture coasters! I loved that little peek of green on the floor. And I learned about those from a long ago post of yours! So cute here.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thanks so much, Sara! I love a glass furniture coaster!! I’ll leave art placement to John—I kinda like it blank, but it’s his kitchen now! :)

  4. 11.25.19
    hms said:

    This kitchen looks amazing and I hope John loves it to pieces. You both did a wonderful job on getting a huge amount of work done before the Holiday madness commences.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you! John is so happy with it. Which makes me so happy with it, too! :)

  5. 11.25.19
    Vanessa Johnston said:

    It looks AMAZING!!! I’ve loved following your Insta stories on this build, too! What a LOT of work. The tile and the pink window are my favorite parts, but everything looks SO GOOD!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you!! :)

  6. 11.25.19

    I was following so closely on insta stories and honestly freaked out when you painted the cabinets so dark with all the dark tile, but it turned out so good, I’m shocked and amazing and honestly not sure why I doubted you, your work is always so good! So yea, basically what Anna said above haha.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thanks Nicole! You were not alone in the dark-paint freakout! Haha! Glad it won ya over! :)

  7. 11.25.19
    jenna said:

    Oooooh, the cabinetry details! I MUST MUST MUST know all about making the change from overlay doors to inset doors. I love this “light refresh.” The pink, the tile, the everything!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      All the details coming soon! It’s not that hard!!

  8. 11.25.19
    Jill said:

    Pink window frame!!!??? Omg that is brilliant, gorgeous, and totally amazing. You really ARE a wizard. If I were a guy I would marry you just to watch you think. And work. ;)) Xoxo

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Aw thanks Jill!

  9. 11.25.19

    There is soooo much to love here. First, those tiles really make the room. I wasn’t sold on them when I thought the cabinets would be light, but they are perfect. Love the cabinet colors. The tiles have so much variation that the colors all work well together. Pink window frame! I would never take the chance—but it works here. I’m not a fan of hoods and usually hide them in cabinets, but if I ever have another kitchen reno, this is the way to go. Inexpensive and beautiful. Love the client’s contributions. A+ on finding the counter-depth fridge. IMO they make ALL the difference in a small kitchen and the elements from your house—oval photos and grandma’s hutch are what make this kitchen warm and inviting. The runner and the lighting actually compliment the hutch, which is amazing as you hadn’t planned for that.

    Bravo, Daniel! Enjoy, John! And thanks for sharing. I was thrilled to see your post notice come through and totally in the mood for a vicarious renovation thrill.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thanks so much Sally! I’m so glad we found that fridge—the old one would have been fiiiiinnneeee but counter-depth is just soooooo much nicer in this kind of space. I’m glad you like the room! :)

  10. 11.25.19
    Lonnie said:

    Great job. I followed the progress from the beginning and the end results is amazing

  11. 11.25.19
    Devlin DuVall said:

    I just want to give you a standing ovation!!!!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      *curtsy* :)

  12. 11.25.19
    Heidi said:

    Totally Amazing!!! Those upper cabinet doors, turned out beautifully!

  13. 11.25.19
    rebecca said:

    This is so so so gorgeous! It looks like it should have always been this way, but still fresh and so inviting.

  14. 11.25.19
    Emma said:

    ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :exploding brain emoji: this is INSANE, PLZ COME SAVE MY KITCHEN NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      I have two more I need to get to first!! One of them is my own!! But maybe after, haha!

  15. 11.25.19
    Betsy D said:

    WOW. This is amazing. I’ve loved following along on instagram stories and have awaited the reveal — great work!!!

  16. 11.25.19
    Shea said:

    Wow! Absolutely gorgeous! and an amazing budget.

  17. 11.25.19
    Colleen said:

    I enjoyed following this in real time in your stories. And you did such an amazing job! There’s so much personality in this space now. I freaking love it!

  18. 11.25.19
    Sarah said:

    You have done some amazing work before, and yet this might be your best ever!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Definitely one of my favorites! And I didn’t see that coming! Thank you! :)

  19. 11.25.19
    Rachel M said:

    It looks WONDERFUL!!! I was so used to seeing it torn apart or without the cabinets done from instagram that it was such a shock to see it put together again. That deVOL inspiration kitchen is one of my all time favorites so I heartily approve of the pink. We painted our living room pink recently and it was such a nice change. Warm and calming and fun! Your hard work really paid off here. Great job!

  20. 11.25.19
    Sarv said:

    OMG! I really didn’t expect that to see the final result today! such a surprise.
    I follow this project from the beging on instagram, and it was super exciting.
    I love all the details and changes you had done here. you are amazing!

  21. 11.25.19
    Susan said:

    OMG Daniel. You are amazing. If I ever win the lottery I am throwing a bunch of money at you to fix my house. I cannot get over the difference and I love that pink window!

  22. 11.25.19
    Cheryl said:

    Wow, just wow. That cabinet color is so great! When I saw your stories and you said ‘it’s done’ I thought impossible, but wow you pulled that off quick!

  23. 11.25.19
    Arli said:

    Wow, wow, wow! It’s a Thanksgiving miracle! Spectacular!

  24. 11.25.19
    amad4 said:

    It’s stunning Daniel – a million times better than a set of new kitchen cabinets from a big store and the setting plaster window from your left overs is a stroke of genius!.

    The blog photos show the cabinet colours more clearly – a wonderful use of blue and green.

    I love to see the family piece in use and the recovered oval portraits on the wall.

    The perfect eco-project. And such fun to watch the entire process from demolition to styling. Thank you.

    I wish we had Lowes in the UK!

  25. 11.25.19
    Jordan said:

    Amazing. AMAZING. AhMayZing
    It is so beautiful and as much as I love and trust the Brinson’s, you were spot on with taking the backsplash higher. It’s all just so wonderful. Great job!!

  26. 11.25.19
    Jenna said:

    It manages to look more like a part of the house AND updated in the same breath – bravo, good sir! Good riddance to the brown nightmare. Following on igram stories has been my life these past few weeks, seeing this today was stupid exciting. I really hope John has a wonderful thanksgiving in his new space!

  27. 11.25.19
    Doorot said:

    Hooray for the pink!!! I’m dead jealous. We just got the keys to our new house today and I wish I could just ship you over to pick your brain. Such an inspiration!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Ahhhhhhh mozel tov!! I’m here if ya get stuck! Don’t be a stranger! :)

  28. 11.25.19
    Annaliese said:

    I’ve been checking your IG stories like crazy and have loved seeing your progress! This kitchen is AMAZING. Congratulations! You’re so good, Daniel!

  29. 11.25.19
    RO said:

    I checked every single day for an instastory on this project. Would grab a coffee or drink and settle down to savor it. I was so surprised to see the final reveal today! Really fantastic. I can’t wait to check out those tiles at Lowes. I commented way back when you were first considering these partnerships with Lowes and am so happy to see the high quality content you generate with their help (you always had high quality content, but now at least you can reap some financial rewards). Again, this is fantastic. You are fantastic.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you so much, RO! And for the kind words of support on partnering up with Lowe’s—they’ve been beyond amazing and it was so cool to get to take on a project like this with their support! (and selection, of course!)

  30. 11.25.19
    Johanna said:

    I just can’t believe what you were able to get done here for that amount of money! Good thing I watched all the work that went into it on your Insta stories or I’d probably be tearing up my kitchen right now. I was expecting a “better than before” kitchen, but it’s a forever kitchen.

  31. 11.25.19
    Maggie said:

    We should all bow down to you! Pure talent and greatness deserves it!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Haha! READY TO START MY CULT. ;)

  32. 11.25.19
    Jill Greenberg said:

    Two questions:

    1) How did you finish the top of the backsplash since that tile doesn’t have a finished edge?

    2) I was the one sent you a picture of your inspiration kitchen via instagram and suggested slate as a paint color. You said you were already thinking exactly that. Were you also already using that kitchen as your inspiration? If so, WHAT a hilariously small world.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Good questions! I used painter’s tape on the face of the tile at the top and ran a good bead of caulk over the whole top edge of the tile to make it seamless with the wall and cover the spaces between the tiles, and then finished that off with the wall paint! I was worried it would read as unfinished but I ended up really loving it.

      I was, yes!! deVol appears to have posted a few different kitchens with that amazing green tile, and it’s just so goooooood. All their work is just insanely nice!

  33. 11.25.19
    Heather said:

    BEAUTIFUL! I love, love, love it! My kitchen is in need of this! And for $5k and elbow grease? That makes it sound fully doable as opposed to some far off dream.

  34. 11.25.19
    Kristin said:

    What a nice surprise to see that the kitchen is done! I made people not talk to me when I was avidly watching your stories . The space is gorgeous and that pink window is everything! Bravo!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Hahaha! Apologies to those people trying to get your attention!! We had important business to take care of!

  35. 11.25.19
    Meggan said:

    The pink window with the tile color is *chef’s kiss*

  36. 11.25.19
    Emily said:

    DANIEL!!! You DID that!! It was such a surprise to get this post in my inbox today! We have been spoiled by your instagram story follow-along in real time. I loved that you slowed down the process for us there, it reminded me of watching a season of This Old House with my dad growing up (one episode devoted entirely to concrete – why not!?) But the fact that you also did this seemingly so quickly and with such confidence made it truly gratifying to watch come together. I have those same tiles in white earmarked for my backsplash, so I’m SO glad you endorsed them and showed us how to use them! I love how your earliest design mood boards are pretty much the direction you stuck to in the end. The monochrome cabinet direction was a great choice too. This kitchen seems so achievable for many – and yet it’s such a unique gem. It makes me wonder why those white cookie cutter kitchens are so popular. The fact that it was done on a budget and with creative design solutions only adds to its success. A kitchen like this is practical, and while I’m sure one could imagine moving walls and creating an expansive show-stopper (this house seems like it could support it), this kitchen has as just as much thought and consideration to detail and it shows. What a wonder clean lines and well thought design can do for a space. The overall style direction of sensible English country-ish kitchens is so perfect, you really nailed the Plain English / deVol vibe. Thank you Lowe’s for partnering with Daniel! Gonna go buy that Bedrosian’s tile now…

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Well gosh, thanks so much Emily! It was fun for me to share the process but I’m still just kinda shocked/appalled that anyone would want watch all that, haha! I need a vacation from myself. Good luck with the tile and enjoy!! It’s so so pretty IRL—I tried with these pictures but it’s better in real life!

  37. 11.25.19
    Hannah B. said:

    DANIEL. THIS IS SO GOOD. I really loved following on stories.. and yet am somehow still shocked by the after photos!? It’s so good! The layout change is SO SMART. I AM SORRY FOR YELLING. Please keep renovating forever. k thanks!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      KEEP YELLING FOREVER, I LIKE IT! ;)

  38. 11.25.19
    april said:

    This is brilliant and amazing and I love it! Also, you are a goddamn gift from the gods to us all. Praise be.

  39. 11.25.19
    Shannon Napier said:

    OMG! That is seriously GORGEOUS! AMAZING job guys!!!

  40. 11.25.19
    Sara said:

    You are insanely talented! Just, Wow!

    Loved following along in your Instagram stories. Watched every one of them over these past few weeks and still am amazed at the final outcome. Congratulations on a job very well done!

  41. 11.25.19

    Oh Em Gee! This is an amazing transformation. I love it all so much! Can’t wait to see how you made the upper cabinet doors, and oh, would you mind also sharing how you made those cute corner guards? Please? xxx

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      I can try!! The corner guard was a real figure-it-out-on-the-fly situation so I’m not sure how well I documented it, but just in case—you can actually order them online! I didn’t see any that are as simple as this but maybe they’re out there. I didn’t even think to look beforehand and just got a dowel and went to work, haha!

  42. 11.25.19
    hng23 said:

    HOLY SHIT AMAZEBALLS! That is fantastic & gorgeous. Kudos to you(& Lowe’s, for helping it happen)!!

  43. 11.25.19
    Sarah said:

    I am now dead inside because my brain and heart have exploded. IT LOOKS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Don’t leave me like this Sarah!!! (I’m glad you like it!)

  44. 11.25.19
    Ita Darling said:

    I have been living for this renovation everyday. You pulled a fast one and surprise ending!! How am I going to get through my life without your renovation play by plays??

    However- WELL DONE on your clever and thoughtful design that turned out beautiful.

    The pink window is a perfect touch and I love the hutch in there. Perfect for microwave concealment!

    You are a wizard.. now can I start that crowdfunding for your kitchen? I’m pretty sure we can patreon your way to a gorgeous kitchen in your house if we get all these fun stories and your on the fly decision making and witty commentary.

    But we will require more Bungie and Mekko appearances. :)

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you, Ita! Now that I know people are so interested in all the process detail stuff, I’ll try to story more while I’m working on stuff! The problem with my kitchen is definitely cost to some extent, but I think time is the bigger challenge! Can we Patreon my way to 36 hours in a day?! :)

  45. 11.25.19
    Cindy said:

    Loved every second of your stories, and love your humor. Can’t wait for the next one!

  46. 11.25.19
    Amanda Robbins said:

    Wow – I wasn’t immediately sold on the tiles and all of the dark color choices, but I’m blown away! It’s absolutely gorgeous. Everything tied together so perfectly – such a lovely room.

  47. 11.25.19
    Pam said:

    I have been following every step of the way! LOVE it!!!

  48. 11.25.19
    Lori said:

    Holy motherfucking shitballs, I love it so much!!!!

    And I can’t believe you posted this today. How late were you up finishing stuff last night?!!

    I love the cabinet colors. And it’s pretty funny to me because my first reaction once you guys took down the old uppers and busted down the soffits was that I looooved the colors that were on the walls underneath (I’m typing this on my laptop in my dining room with very similar colors on my vintage rug and wall art). I like how the new-old cabinets echo what was there originally.

    I will choose rectangular subway tile over square 99% of the time for anything that isn’t new construction, but I totally agree with you that square was the right choice for this space– I like how it echoes the square tiles you guys uncovered on the fireplace a few years back.

    The upper cabinets are everything I dreamed of. Cannot wait for your post going into that, because I am gonna do the same damn thing with my cabinet boxes now, hand to god.

    And thanks for instastorying this whole thing. It was nice to see just how much work this took and get a more accurate picture of the amount of time involved. And on that note, I don’t know what I’m gonna do with all my newfound free time not relentlessly refreshing IG! XD

    I hope you have a VERY RELAXING holiday and don’t pick up a power tool unless you really really want to!

    • 11.25.19
      Mom said:

      Or your mom really needs you to.

    • 11.26.19
      mom said:

      :-)

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      It was a busy last week, haha! And good eye on those old colors we uncovered!! We already had the tile picked out at that point, but it felt extra meant-to-be when we found that! And that was my thought on the square tiles too!! Just felt right for this house and I think those fireplace tiles had a lot to do with that for sure. Happy Thanksgiving! I’ll be leaving the tools at home, although Mom’s not joking below…I’m sure she has a job for me, haha.

  49. 11.25.19
    Sterling said:

    Witchcraft. But, like, the good kind.

  50. 11.25.19
    Melinda said:

    I have been LOVING your insta-stories on this project. Thank you for documenting and all the details along the way and in this post. We’re in a mid-90’s build with a kitchen filled with medium oak cabinetry and I have dreams of a re-do. Love your ideas here!

  51. 11.25.19
    Christy said:

    Beautiful job! I especially like the new/revised Shaker upper cabinets, and wish the lower cabinets could be renovated to match them.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you! That was the original plan for the lowers, but as the scope expanded in other ways I realized I could cut that particular job to keep us more on track and they’d really be fine with just paint and hardware. With more time and money I would have gone for it, I think!

  52. 11.25.19
    Lani said:

    Wow, like double, triple a trillion wows. It is a breath taking kitchen. You did an amazing job, your vision is exceptional. I hope that you really are proud of what you accomplished here with John. You transformed this U-shape kitchen and have provided us all with so much inspiration. The layout alone is outstanding but the colors you used, are so serene and classy. You really out did yourself.

  53. 11.25.19
    Casey said:

    Like everyone else, I have been obsessively following your Instagram stories and excitedly sharing them with anyone who would watch/listen. I CANNOT BELIEVE you were able to reveal this today! You are a true miracle worker. I’ve been following since your Manhattan days and love your writing, your design style, your perfectionist tendencies, and your ability to make us feel like anything is possible. Congratulations! I can’t wait for your next project!!

  54. 11.25.19
    Chris Betsold said:

    Okay, I LOVE this kitchen, and I was fully prepared to not like it with all those cabinet boxes. OUTSTANDING! (And I love the cabinet color!)

  55. 11.25.19
    Liz said:

    Bravoooo!

  56. 11.25.19
    Kirsten said:

    So Beautiful!! I have loved watching the Instagram stories. What a process, and what a satisfying outcome!

  57. 11.25.19
    Denise said:

    I’ve loved following along on your instagram stories! It’s A-MAZING!! I have to admit that I was a little worried when you were piecing cabinets together like frankenstein lol. It’s just so beautiful and love that you reuse and stay true to the character of the home!!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      I was also a little worried, haha! Thank you!! :) :)

  58. 11.25.19
    nella said:

    I was worried about the cabinet color, but they are gorgeous, especially with that tile. Are the top and bottom ones different colors, or is that just a trick of the light? Even following everything on stories didn’t quite prepare me, the sum is so much greater than the parts. It’s like the basement but prettier and more sophisticated.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Just lighting! (thank you!!)

  59. 11.25.19
    Megan said:

    I have been following you for such a long time, and am CONSISTENTLY BLOWN AWAY by your talent and vision. This kitchen is such an amazing transformation and without a doubt one of your best reveals! Keep up this amazing content—you’ve made my decision to continue to shop and Lowes for all my DIY projects easy when I see all the new products they’re carrying. GORGEOUS tile!

  60. 11.25.19
    April said:

    You really outdid yourself. Had fun following along on IG, and learned a lot!

  61. 11.25.19
    Venessa said:

    I love the photography! You actually show all the angles and the before and after of each angle. I love this post. First time reading the blog and commenting and this came out amazing! The tile and cabinet color plus the new kitchen layout. Huge fan!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thanks Venessa! If I’ve learned anything in my time blogging, it’s take before shots from EVERY ANGLE! And then I always end up missing a few. Kicking myself for not having a “before” from the dining room looking in, but I do my best! :)

  62. 11.25.19
    Atina said:

    Having never really been too “into” Instagram, this story captivated my attention to the point that I was checking it multiple times a day because it has been so exciting. Today, I noticed that there was no post, so I just assumed you were taking a much-deserved break. THEN I SAW THIS POST. SOOO GOOD. Thrilled. Also, you’ve inspired me to use the same tile brand in my kitchen. Lowe’s can have all my money.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      It’s beautiful stuff—you won’t regret it! :) Thank you for the kind words and tuning into my insta-ramblings!

  63. 11.25.19
    mlou said:

    Amazing job! Incredible pile of work for a fantastic result. You did not include the coffee / stimulant costing in the budget. I am thinking it was significant item. You can stop those now and let your liver recover. Bravo.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Haha! I did a lot of work in the evening, so the hard cider budget was probably higher than the coffee budget lol. I really committed myself to finding the driest one possible and I think I did!! (Bad Seed, from NY!)

  64. 11.25.19
    Clarissa said:

    You sneaky devil! Dropping the reveal after only sharing glimpses of the paint on intastories! This after blows my mind. It’s gorgeous and I’m so glad you shared the process because idk if I’d believe it otherwise lol. Well done!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      I’m so sneaky!! Things were fast and furious toward the end there and I couldn’t keep up with the stories! It’s a balancing act because I actually have to get things done too!! :)

  65. 11.25.19
    Debbie in Toronto said:

    So proud of you !!! Have been following this all the way along and it’s incredible

    Love all the choices love love love

    And you were right , the fridge fits and it isn’t tiny

    GREAT JOB

  66. 11.25.19
    Caro said:

    Wow! A beautiful result. Love everything about it. But what will I do without the daily instagram stories. I’ve enjoyed the little daily installments do much. No detail is too small.

    • 11.25.19

      So so so good. Thank you for taking us with you throy the process. Like others, I was waiting for my daily update and thrilled to see the conclusion!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thanks you guys! I guess I’ll be back with more…I had no idea people would be interested in all that stuff, but I have been proven otherwise! My kinda people!

  67. 11.25.19
    Emily said:

    THIS IS INCREDIBLE. I’ve been glued to your stories. What a beautiful kitchen, those upper cabinets tuned out so perfectly. The color, the doors. Wowowowowow.

  68. 11.25.19
    Rachel said:

    This is just magic. It might be one of my favorite makeovers of yours ever, and I’ve been reading since you lived in Manhattan. Congratulations! All that hard work paid off with a simply stunning end result.
    P.S. I loved all the details on your Instagram stories!

  69. 11.25.19
    Susan Lippitt said:

    Daniel, congratulations, your ideas are magnificent. I was concerned about the room having a long skinny look but the strong horizontal line with the tile visually fixed it! I’m not sure about the pink window but it does invite the other touches of red in the room. I’m sure I could get used to it, even love it in about 5 minutes. Thanks for taking us all along with you, it was fun!!!

  70. 11.25.19
    Theresa said:

    I absolutely loved watching this unfold on IG stories. You’re adorable to listen to; I find myself rooting for you during your projects in this sisterly way. You were the reason I opened IG every day to watch this kitchen remodel. So well done. I’m absolutely in love with the tile, cabinet color and that pink window! I can’t wait to see the next project.

  71. 11.25.19
    Chris said:

    AAAAAAAA! It looks so good! That cabinet color is amazing. is it green? is it grey? is it blue? YES. It is all the things.

  72. 11.25.19
    Shannon said:

    This was the most fun story to follow and I’m sad it is over!!! The pink window is amazing and really all of it is just so good! Thanks for taking us with you and letting us see the “make it work” moments.

  73. 11.25.19
    Elena Cz said:

    I gasped out loud when I saw the pink window. I LOVE it. This kitchen is unbelievably beautiful, especially considering the scary before images. Loved following along in your Instagram stories ♥️

  74. 11.25.19
    Carmen said:

    I love this. It’s brilliant and so satisfying. That view from the dining room is beautiful and is about as huge of an improvement as is possible. Way to go!

  75. 11.25.19
    Jeannie said:

    I have been stuck to your Instagram stories for this entire project. They made it very enjoyable (voyeuristicish??) to see the progress on an almost daily basis. The before and after pictures are just unbelievable. I especially liked the concrete countertops and how the hardwood floors turned out. I kept wondering what in the heck you were going to do to make those cabinets workout, and man you really brought it. They are amazing!
    I’m not sure what I’m going to do with myself now that this project is complete, can you please rest up and pick another project to partner with Lowe’s and preform some more before and after magic?

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Trying to work on that now, haha! Fingers crossed!

  76. 11.25.19
    Candace said:

    Sweet baby jesus. One of my all time favorite renos you’ve done! You killed it, as per usual. And the insta stories! My favorite home reno/blogger voice. You’re both insanely talented, and hilarious. Keep the renos coming (she says, while still hoping your sanity can manage).

  77. 11.25.19
    Anna said:

    HOLY SHIT. It is amazing. I was watching Insta yesterday and I was shocked to see this post today. How?! You, sir, are a genius. I can’t wait to see your cabinetry post as I am genuinely agog at what you were able to achieve. I love everything. The pink is my favourite.

  78. 11.25.19
    Claudia said:

    WOW, you have outdone yourself – – I love EVERYTHING about this reno!! John is so lucky to have such a gorgeous and practical kitchen!

  79. 11.25.19
    Melissa said:

    DANIEL!! (Yes, screaming…). This is amazing! Loved following on Instagram stories and now it’s DONE?! What a great thanksgiving treat and surprise. Well done! Absolutely love it!!! I think there are going to be a lot of green floor to ceiling cabinets in our decor future!

  80. 11.25.19
    Jen said:

    Besides the fact that this is a fantastic example of ingenuity and working with what you have, this is also about how light changes paint! The cabinets look amazing and the color, depending on the light, switches from gray to blue to green–the uppers look gray in one pic, while the lowers JUST BELOW THEM look blue and i LOVE that! You did such an amazing job, Daniel. Love the work that you do and how you do it!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Yeah, it’s a great color!! But so far it really looks nice in all lighting conditions I’ve seen, which is thrilling. All those samples paid off! (thanks!!)

  81. 11.25.19
    Ash said:

    I’ve been seriously IG stalking you since this project started. We are in the middle of our own kitchen remodel, and we fully tore out the previous kitchen. Pretty much nothing was worth salvaging (old cabs will live in our friends workshop, but they weren’t nice enough to put work into). So now we are building it all from scratch, by ourselves. It is a daunting project, but also exciting! Thanks for all the inspiration.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Good luck!! You got this! :)

  82. 11.25.19
    MBDfromNC said:

    I love it so much! And thank you for sharing the process and responding to all those messages! It was super fun to see everything come together in real time. I had doubts about everything, the cement counters, green tile, ceiling trim, and cabinet paint but it’s amazing!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you!! I tried real hard to keep up with the messages! MANY definitely went unanswered but I *think* I at least read all of them, or tried anyway! I was not prepared for anybody to care about any of it and then it turned into a job unto itself trying to keep up, haha! But so fun—this work can be kinda isolating and it felt like I had all these friends hanging out and cheering it on. Technology’s wild!

  83. 11.25.19
    Karen said:

    I followed every step of this project, and, I have to admit, I just didn’t understand where you were going. I foolishly thought this was going to be the first project of yours that I didn’t love. I apologize. You are a genius. Of course I love it. Thank you.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Apology accepted, hahaha! It’s really hard to tell midway through stuff (even when you’re the one designing/building it!) which is why having John as a client was so great! He really let me go for it and trusted that it would all be ok, which is HUGE. And makes it so much more fun. :)

  84. 11.25.19
    Laura said:

    It’s SO SO SO SO beautiful!!!

    I cannot even, you are a magician!

  85. 11.25.19
    KathieB said:

    Well, you have done it again, Daniel! You never cease to amaze me not only with your skills and inventiveness, but also your wonderful “eye” for color and design. Kudos to you and John and Lowe’s. Time and $$ well spent. …and the IG stories were fabulous.

  86. 11.25.19
    Bre-anne Brown said:

    I think my favorite touches are the pink window paint and the gorgeous hidden range hood (I agree they’re usually not great to look at). But the whole thing is just *chef’s kiss.* Amazing work, as usual!

  87. 11.25.19
    Anna said:

    DANIEL! This is fantastic! I’ve never been so invested in a house project on instagram before and this is blowing my mind.
    Love love love it.

  88. 11.25.19
    Heather said:

    I loved following along on IG in real time. Looks fabulous!

  89. 11.25.19
    Rae Mackie said:

    I love this kitchen, especially the tiles. They have a gorgeous artisan handmade vibe. Well done

  90. 11.25.19
    Emily said:

    What did John say? Did he pass out? Offer to make you dinner every night for a month? How amazing!

    • 11.25.19
      John said:

      I Am thrilled and have made a lasagna for this genius. Still in shock at how beautiful it came out. I find myself standing in there for hours just absorbing it. More dinners to come lol. I’m forever in debt.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      And a delicious lasagna it was! Thank you for trusting me with your house, John! :) :)

  91. 11.25.19
    alliea_2 said:

    I’ve become addicted to your insta posts over the last few weeks, but the thought that this lovely kitchen is out in the world reconciles me to there being no more.

    Thank you for showing us all how it was done. I am awed by your industry, your talent and reuse of existing materials.

  92. 11.25.19
    Beth W said:

    AMAZING! Loved watching real-time on instagram and def. didn’t expect this when I got home from work today. Well done! I’m soooo glad that John went with a counter-depth fridge. I feel that they make a huge difference, in older kitchens especially, where a big honking fridge can distract from the vintage beauty there otherwise. Or put there, by you! Thank you also for putting before and after pics right next to each other in the post, it is so great to be able to compare side by side to really see just how much work you accomplished. Can’t wait to see the next project. I hope the IG stories weren’t too much for you, it was great to follow along!

  93. 11.25.19
    Cindy said:

    Shut (and I cannot stress this enough) UP. An absolute jaw-dropper. Well done, per usual!

  94. 11.25.19
    Erin Carmody said:

    This is absolutely SPECTACULAR!! Sooooo in love with this kitchen!

  95. 11.25.19
    Kelly said:

    Wow. Never in the world of DIY on miniscule budgets has so much been done for so little. The tile is amazing and it looks seriously high end. The cabinets look custom ( but not custom as in reused and pieced together from other bits) – you would never know! And I agree with the other comments about the colors working so well together. Another amazing transformation!!

  96. 11.25.19
    Coletta Herbold said:

    Are the uppers and flowers the same color? I scrolled the article and cant find the answer.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Yep! Same color! Cobalt Cannon by Valspar! :)

  97. 11.25.19
    Patty said:

    Absolutely amazing! What a wonderful job! I have LOVED following along on Instagram stories and was at work today when I saw you posted the finished product. I made myself wait until I got home because I didn’t want to view it in little pictures on my phone, I wanted to see it in it’s full glory on my computer! Really amazing job and excellent re-use of what you had. Just proves that we should save everything! Bravo!

  98. 11.25.19
    gigi said:

    You are amazing. What a difference.

  99. 11.25.19
    Martha said:

    Incredible! Had so much fun following along. You’d have no idea this costs such a small amount for materials by looking at it!!

  100. 11.25.19
    Montana said:

    Wowza. My eyes bugged out like in a Cartoon when I saw the second photo. That is the most astonishing result! It is absolutely gorgeous. It looks like a vintage Parisian kitchen. I nominate you for a MacArthur Genius award. To take a kitchen so erm, challenged, and turn it into a Belle Époque experience is just amazing. You get all the applause I hope all the good comments you get will keep your spirits up forever. Really. My did go AAAOOOGAH!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      These comments! They will! Feeling very warm and fuzzy and humbled. What a truly wonderful community I have around me…I have (for once!) no words!

  101. 11.25.19
    Whitney said:

    This is so amazing. Would you please come do my kitchen now?!

  102. 11.25.19
    Alison said:

    WOWOWOWOWOW. I am in awe of this kitchen and how inspiring it all is! The colors, the tile, the layout – love, love, love. It was SUCH a pleasure getting to follow along and chat on insta as well. I think that’s actually why this makeover/reveal is SO satisfying, because we literally saw just how much work it took! I’m not a fan of the quick before/after and love the process. Thank you for taking us along for this fun ride… makes me EVEN MORE excited for your kitchen.

  103. 11.25.19
    Summer said:

    WOW!! I was not expecting to wake up to this post (having been checking for your stories first thing every morning(, and afternoon, and night, just in case)). I have held full faith throughout in your proven ability to knock it out of the park Every. Single. Time. and yet I’m still blown away!!! Congratulations, Daniel!!!!!! It looks absolutely incredible!

  104. 11.25.19
    Diann Smith said:

    You are amazing! That kitchen is delightful. I’m so glad you are partnering with Lowe’s and are able to share projects like this with us.

  105. 11.25.19
    Julia@Cuckoo4Design said:

    Love how unique your makeover is. It turned out freakin incredible

  106. 11.25.19
    Ellen said:

    I have been watching these Instagram stories every damn day. (Seriously what am I gonna do now. Back to cat videos I guess) This kitchen is amazing and it’s giving me such much inspiration

    • 11.25.19
      Sarah said:

      Hahahaha, yes back to cat videos. Instagram is design and cat videos, well at least mine is ;-)

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      I mean JUST SAYING, there’s also a shockingly large community of guinea pigs on instagram that are really something. The other day I saw one wearing sunglasses and riding on top of a turtle! And another dressed like Marie Antionette! So. Much. To. See!

  107. 11.25.19
    Joyce Libal said:

    WOW! and DOUBLE WOW!! What a transformation!

  108. 11.25.19
    Liz said:

    Daniel. This is SO GOOD. Ditto to everyone who will miss the daily Insta updates, but holy cow. Even following along, I had no idea it was going to look this amazing.

  109. 11.25.19
    b said:

    1. Loving the IG stories. Keep me entertained between posts. Please keep them coming!
    2. The colors are great.
    3. That tile . I wouldn’t have thought to look at Loews, soooo nice.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you, b! Their tile selection really is SO good, and just keeps getting better! Definitely check it out!!

  110. 11.25.19
    Kate C said:

    You’ve made heart in a home right there… beautifully done. I’ve been eyeing that tile myself for some time, and may have just talked my better (wiser) half into diy concrete countertops after watching your stories. Just a delicious room, really!! Thanks for sharing your process!

  111. 11.25.19
    Ashley said:

    This has been such a great IG series. I loved all of it (especially when House of Brinson came over). Thanks for being so detailed and breaking down your process and letting us come along for the ride. Can’t wait til the next one!

  112. 11.25.19
    Rg said:

    You are seriously such a visionary!!! This is such an incredibly executed design!!!

  113. 11.25.19
    Kristi said:

    I loved following along this whole time! Such a transformation! The tile is my favorite! Or is it the layout? Or the window? Or the cabinet color? You’re a visionary

  114. 11.25.19
    Barbara said:

    Wow! Aesthetically, the kitchen looks like it belongs in the house now. The colors are beautiful, rich and calm. Functionally, I LOVE that the stove was relocated away from the doorway (so unsafe to have hot pots where people are walking). I agree on the square tile vs the subway. It looks like it could be original. Bravo!

  115. 11.25.19
    kcf said:

    Co-sign everyone who were unsure about the direction this kitchen was taking and who are delighted to be proven wrong. Bravo!

  116. 11.25.19
    Tara said:

    I love it. Even the dark cabinets, which is did not expect to like at all. And extra points for leaving the pipes and cabinet hinges exposed – way cooler. Congratulations!

    • 11.25.19
      Lisa said:

      Yeah, I thought I would hate the dark cabinets. Who knew?

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      *timidly raises hand* hahaha. Thank you both!!

  117. 11.25.19
    Jacqui said:

    It’s amazing and wonderful and you’ve done a fabulous job. That tile! That cabinet colour with the tile! I love it. Thanks for the ride along xxx

  118. 11.25.19
    Meg said:

    You are a goddamn wizard, Daniel! I followed along on Stories and was so excited every day to see the progress & the end result is AMAZING! Congrats :)

  119. 11.25.19
    HANNA said:

    DAMN DUDE!!!! The tile looks soooo much better in your pics than on the Lowe’s website. What a stunning kitchen. I wish you would help me redo my soulless ’80s condo kitchen.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you! And it looks even BETTER in real life! Same thing with those pendant lights—the product shot was so small and hard to tell, so I was really delighted when they came out of the box so much better than I’d prepared myself for!

    • 11.26.19
      HANNA said:

      I wish I had ceilings high enough for that kind in fixture, sigh. But I think I could use that tile if I ever get around to actually doing something about my kitchen rather than just talking about it.

  120. 11.25.19
    Mariana said:

    It looks lovely! And I loved following it on your insta stories. Thank you for sharing the process. Your stories have been my favorite TV show for the past several weeks. I will miss checking on your project every morning when I wake up.

  121. 11.25.19
    Charlotte said:

    Amazing!!! I followed your insta stories raptly every day and I LOVED the daily updates! This kitchen looks so, so good! You should be proud and John is a very lucky dude!

  122. 11.25.19
    LD said:

    You are truly gifted!! And what everyone else said. Amazing!!

  123. 11.25.19
    Sara said:

    Very inspired by watching this on Instagram! Couldn’t wait to see how it would turn out and it doesn’t disappoint. Thanks for sharing your work.

  124. 11.25.19
    greta said:

    I was also surprised by your dark choices–especially when that was one of the big problems with the old kitchen. But, again your use of space and fabulous design decisions have just made a great room that looks perfectly at home in John’s house. John must be so happy. I hope that you are invited for Thanksgiving.

  125. 11.25.19
    Marjorie said:

    It’s amazing amazing UH-mazing. So glad I found you just in time to watch the end of this transformation. Five stars.

  126. 11.25.19
    Bobbi Lynn Gaukel said:

    I feel like I’ve been waiting for this post for FOREVER, and now I’m oddly completely satisfied, and also a bit sad. I really kind of don’t want it to be over. although I imagine you…do :) I mean, I only checked Instagram 3-4 times a day to see progress. What will I do with my LIFE NOW? I’ll probably read this post 3 or 4 times before I move on! Ha. This kitchen would be such a dream to cook and spend time in! I’m sure your homeowner is blown away. You. Are. Amazing. Thanks for taking us along with you on this one.

  127. 11.25.19
    Ryan T said:

    I never comment, but I had to for this especially since I love that you revealed this so soon after showing us the paint samples on IG stories! BTW you need to do more of those. I don’t even really watch my friends’ stories and yet I made sure to watch your progress for this project daily. Amazing result!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you, Ryan! I’m admittedly not really a story-watcher either so I’m blown away that anybody (let alone seemingly lots of people!) would listen to my vocal fry talking about cabinets or concrete or whatever for, like, 10 minutes a day. What a world! I’m so tickled by it! So much fun having the virtual company of so many kind folks!

  128. 11.25.19
    Riley Walker said:

    Does anyone else see Batman in the china cabinet? Holy China Microwave Cabinet!

  129. 11.25.19
    Bean said:

    I like the blue–there’s an old rule about not mixing blue with brown, but I think it is a silly rule. I had a feeling those cabinets were not cheap mass-manufacture, as they did look unusually sturdy. But, I very much prefer the shaker inset doors that are replacements and additions (even if that looks a tiny bit funky with the preserved doors on the bottom). If I were living there, I’d find an old stained-glass door and rehab it to go in-between the dining room and kitchen. In our new house, we rehabbed one to go between the reading nook and what would have been the renovated attic space–only the contractor we called to help with the renovation found other things that ate up the budget (about four times over). We call it the “door to Narnia”–though it is the door only to attic space we ran out of budget to rehab.

    I’m glad there was no beige on the cabinets–I very much prefer the blue.

  130. 11.25.19
    Lisa said:

    That pink window just makes the whole kitchen! Not that I haven’t loved all the individual bits and bobs as you put them in but I was wondering how it would tie together and you pulled this out of your brilliant hat. Such a pleasure to follow along in your Instagram stories.

  131. 11.25.19
    Sarah in Indiana said:

    I have been marveling over your Instastories on this project daily, and have been literally cheering as you have built this kitchen from scratch with your blood, sweat and tears. It is so beautiful, and you are a freaking wizard to have transformed the before into this after in so short a time and on such a shoestring budget. You are a phenom, and I promise to keep buying things from Lowe’s If they will keep sponsoring your projects.

    I am obsessed with this tile and seriously pondering whether to put it in my kitchen or bathroom, or maybe different versions in each, so Lowes, seriously keep sending money Daniel’s way. After you redid your bathroom I bought 2 stock cabinets from the line you used and redid my laundry room, so see, Lowe’s, it’s working! And my life is genuinely changed for the better because my laundry room now has functional storage and is no longer a depressing pit.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Aw, that’s so nice to hear! Having a well-functioning laundry space is L I F E C H A N G I N G!! Yay!

  132. 11.25.19
    LLBills said:

    OMG. So good. Really beautiful. I have been watching your stories with eager anticipation. For this very post! Well done! Would you ever consult on a Brooklyn Pre-war kitchen revamp?

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Yeah, feel free to email me! I don’t really work in the city anymore but i dip my toe into consulting kinda work every now and then!

  133. 11.25.19
    Callie Barcellos said:

    This turned out so well!! I love it so much and it is very inspiring! Thank you!!

  134. 11.25.19
    Sara said:

    Checking your daily Instagram stories to see what progress you made that day has been one of my favorite evening activities. I love everything about how and what you did!

  135. 11.26.19
    Parker said:

    IT’S PERFECT!!! Watching on ig was super fun

  136. 11.26.19
    Ann said:

    I’m thinking Lowe’s should print up “As Recommended by Daniel” display signs for some of your popular picks (like the tile in this kitchen!).
    These tiles look about 10 times more expensive than they are.
    Well done!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      I am READY for this! I spend so much time at Lowe’s I could curate the whole store, like, just for fun. haha!

  137. 11.26.19
    Shavonda said:

    HOLY SMOKES!! This kitchen is AMAAAAZING! Every detail is fantastic. The cabinet color, the tile, the new layout, the gorgeous vintage storage piece, the pink window trim…just literally everything is amazing. So so good. And to come in under 5K. You are a literal genius.

  138. 11.26.19
    Barbara H. said:

    It’s all been said above. Love the surprise fast ending. You were the very bright spot in a downer day – retinal surgery needed – will I ever see clearly again? I’ll miss the Instagram stories so much. Congratulations.

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      They’ll be back! Cheering you on from here for a smooth and fast recovery, Barbara! So sorry you’re going through that. Sending virtual hugs!!

  139. 11.26.19
    Emily said:

    Oh wow, so completely beautiful! I love how balanced it all is: style, charm, atmosphere, sophistication. How can it be moody but airy at the same time?? It’s really amazing, Daniel.

    Oh! It’s like you captured that same sort of ineffable style that French women have and then you turned that into an elegant yet unpredictable kitchen.

  140. 11.26.19

    Great job! Congratulations, it looks really nice.

  141. 11.26.19
    Diane said:

    Absolutely stunning – you truly showed what could be done on a budget and you brought the kitchen back to the feel of the rest of this lovely house…. Great work, as always!

  142. 11.26.19
    Alena said:

    So beautiful!

  143. 11.26.19
    Julie A said:

    This is the first time I’ve been exposed to your work, and I’m looking forward to checking out more of it! Aside from all the stunningly beautiful aesthetic choices you made in this project, I really want to highlight the amazing, sustainable, practical choices you made. You’ve let the soul of the house shine through, rather than removing everything just to put your own designer stamp on it for the sake of creativity or an eye-catching blog post. I would argue that we need to see more examples of work that make responsible use of resources – but of course, with as much finesse and thought and care that you have offered, here. Bravo!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you so much Julie! It’s really my favorite way to work and it was especially challenging and fun on this project, so I’m glad it’s appreciated!

      Welcome to the fray! Only about a decade of archives and then you’ll be all caught up, haha! ;)

  144. 11.26.19
    Jackie said:

    Sometimes the rooms you design make me hurt with wanting it so bad. This is one of those rooms. I just love it.

  145. 11.26.19
    Blair said:

    Your renovations are a joy to follow and this latest is no exception. Great job!

  146. 11.26.19
    Missy said:

    You are my hero.

  147. 11.26.19
    Adriana Gores said:

    I’m almost embarrassed to admit that this transformation made me kind of emotional. Watching your stories all these weeks, the love and attention and labor that went into this project and then to see the finished product looking SO STUNNING. No words.

  148. 11.26.19
    Mariane Seguin said:

    This kitchen is like Mark Ruffalo, beautiful, warm and manly! Also following this reno unfold on insta stories was a blast, I’ll miss your daily update.

  149. 11.26.19

    What an exquisite job! And for $5K? Beyond incredible. Well done. P.S. I’d be happy to move in any time now. ;)

  150. 11.26.19
    Kim said:

    I commented (so much) on your IG stories…mostly to express MY doubts about tile height, wall color, cabinet color, but WOW! Everything looks amazing! and the pink window is The. Best. Thing. Ever.

  151. 11.26.19
    Deadairgirl said:

    Well, crud. I might have to break down and open a social media account. The process is the best part and I missed it all! Fabulous end product, but the “doing” part of DIY is the best! Congratulations on a beautiful kitchen!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      Ack, sorry!! Instagram is a fun place, though (ya know, aside from the part where we’ve all sold our souls to Zuckerberg)! Maybe I’ll figure out a way to condense all of it into something I can post to youtube or whatever. I think all those process videos probably add up to like…hours?! of shaky camera work and blabbing about nonsense, haha! But I guess if you’re into that kind of thing! ;)

    • 11.26.19
      Susan said:

      Please put the series on youtube. Don’t have instagram and missed the whole process!!! Wahh! I’m so SAD I missed it!!!!

  152. 11.26.19
    Lori said:

    Popping back in here to say that I really, really, really, endlessly appreciated that you took the time to add recap text to your Stories. It would have been so easy not to when you were so crunched for time, but that extra mile made a huge difference for me. I would have been so frustrated at not being able to follow along otherwise!

    • 11.26.19
      Daniel said:

      I’m so glad it helped, and grateful that you brought it to my attention! Please always let me know if/how I can improve in areas I’m not thinking about!! Thanks for cheering me on throughout! :) <3

  153. 11.26.19
    Jane said:

    I loved following along on insta stories….I couldn’t wait for the next story to appear. Those stories got me through a really tough time ….my fav was the cabinetry diy….so enjoyed that part! Watching it all unfold taught me that renovations are rarely a straight line and it is ok to reuse and figure to your heart’s (and your budget’s) content. Well done on all fronts!

  154. 11.26.19
    Chaucea said:

    UNF!!

    Those inset doors, the dark green tile… fucking delicious!

    I’ve been swooning over deVOL kitchens for awhile now, and this kitchen really reminds me of all those sexy bits in their kitchens.

    Beautifully done!

  155. 11.26.19
    JaneH said:

    That is drop dead gorgeous! It’s always a lot of fun to watch you bloom as a creative and a professional, Daniel, but this is…a whole new level.

    BTW I really, really like the little cabinet. It’s a charming surprise in that space!

  156. 11.26.19
    Susan said:

    Wow! I love this. It has a classic, timeless, yet intensely personal feel to it, like a homeowner could have done it years ago, you walked in to buy the house and you’d hate to change a thing. Yet it looks current and contemporary too. It looks like it SUITS this house, so so beautifully. What Iover best is that it doesn’t look like all the kitchens in blog-land right now. Nobody does what you do and that’s why I love your blog. None of it is what I would havery thought of or chosen and yet it’s just delicious!!!

  157. 11.26.19
    Kelley said:

    Was here for the reveal yesterday and had to come back for a second look. So good. Can’t get over it.

  158. 11.26.19
    Jeannette said:

    My second look too.
    A seriously beautiful room. The golden floor, the jewel box emerald surround, the palest pink window and her friend, the ruby rug. Really, really good.
    You have Michelangelo’s gift, I’m serious, of being able to see the statue inside the rough block of marble. The real bones of the way the room should be arranged.
    The new height on the ceiling makes the whole space like much more gracious and changes the energy entirely.
    Such a good job, one of your best. Thank you for sharing it with us.

  159. 11.26.19
    Liz said:

    Wow. This is just so much more than awesome. I love EVERY SINGLE THING about it. The window!! The window gods, me and every other window lover thank you to infinity for bringing it back to life. And the pinkness factor: Only YOU, Daniel. If it had wavy glass I would wet my pants. I think the cabinet is just perfect. Great job. As usual. xo

  160. 11.27.19
    Jen said:

    My jaw literally dropped. Even though I thought the tile was pretty, I was afraid that in situ it was going to read 80s Hunter Green. But your wall paint color pivot, and that dark color on the cabinets is so perfect. The finished room is beyond stunning. And like many others, I loved following along on Stories!

  161. 11.27.19
    K said:

    OMG! So good! Love your blog! so original and real life stuff! You have incredible talent and vision! I know someday we will all see you on HGTV! And when you are please keep it real ! So may designers start getting fancy and out of touch with the majority of people who don’t have huge budgets to work with! Thank you so much for sharing! You are incredible!

  162. 11.27.19
    Mary A said:

    In case you haven’t noticed, WE LOVED THE INSTASTORIES! The more detailed and longer the better! Please keep them coming!

  163. 11.27.19
    Amanda said:

    What do you call that little finial and rounded trim at the corner next to the dishwasher? It’s so cute and gives it a great historic feel.

    • 11.27.19
      Daniel said:

      Thanks! Corner Guard, Corner Protector, or my personal favorite—Corner Soldier!

  164. 11.27.19
    Jennifer said:

    This is mind blowing! You are SO talented and persistent and hard-working. Your vision is unique and beautiful; your craftsmanship is incredible; and your results are drool-worthy. I particularly admire your dedication to restoration and reuse. Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed post for those of us not on Instagram. What a gift it is to peek into this transformation.

    I’ll be smiling for weeks as details of this stunner pop into my head…

  165. 11.27.19
    DH said:

    I’ve been obsessively following this in IG. it looks fucking amazing.

  166. 11.27.19
    Jessa said:

    I love it! Especially the tiles and cabinet colour. I love deep/bottle green, it’s so classy! I admit when you started doing the concrete counters on insta I was sceptical.. but actually they blend in really well and allow the tiles to shine.

  167. 11.28.19
    Nina said:

    I’ve said it before I’ll say it again. You should really clap yourself on the back for creating something so beautiful & bringing us all along with you with such humor, talent, & creativity. And most especially for creating a community that doesn’t make me cringe to peek thru the comments. It’s truly a testament to your Daniel-ness. I hope you’re getting some well deserved rest. You’ve done an exceptional job! What a beautiful transformation! Heart & star eye emojis for days.

  168. 11.28.19
    Kim said:

    DANIEL.
    I am so in love with the look of this kitchen I have DIED. I almost can’t believe it’s that same horrible, ugly room you started out with. I followed along on Instagram and really enjoyed that aspect of the remodel. Loved hearing all the little things that were planned, unplanned, exciting, and annoying. Love, love, LOVE how this turned out!!!

  169. 11.29.19
    Laura said:

    Lowe’s – do you KNOW what a gem you’ve scored in this human? Whatever you’re paying him, pay more because he’s doing a great job!

    The kitchen is great and watching it all unfold was even better. The incredible cold! The sticky glued floors! The broken tile pieces! The cracks in the counter top! The paint color drama! Loved it all.

  170. 12.1.19
    Joan said:

    Maybe this is a thing I’ve just never noticed before, but I especially like (besides absolutely everything) how far up the wall the tiles go. It makes them substantial as well as beautiful.

  171. 12.1.19
    Nicolette said:

    I LOVED following along with your IG stories and yet I’m still surprised with the reveal! You truly deserve some sort of award. Also, and most importantly, when is Mom going to make an appearance?

  172. 12.2.19
    Mom said:

    So Daniel forwarded me a note about people noticing my failure to comment. First, AMAZING JOB from top to bottom. So much hard work on Daniel’s part that I can’t imagine what an hourly rate for him would look like if you added that cost on—not enough. He rarely knows what day it is because he works on all of them and by most people’s standards a crazy number of hours in each day. Second, Daniel knows that I absolutely despise green. Worst color ever. It only belongs outside. I left town one time and came home to a bathroom of mine painted mint green. He lived, but barely. I was so mad. Having said that, I love these Lowe’s tiles and would have liked them better in any OTHER color. The cabinet color, OMG-one of the best colors ever and it looks great with the tile. It kind of reads cool and warm at the same time to me. I love it. Finally, the kitchen is SO much more practical and SO much more inviting all at the same time. Those counters were quite the undertaking and came out great. So proud of Daniel and his willingness to just tackle anything. And love and immense respect for his work ethic.

    • 12.4.19
      Jessica said:

      Yay! I always appreciate your take on things. And your tremendous sense of humour!

  173. 12.3.19
    Pericolosa said:

    yeah. what they all said.

  174. 12.3.19
    Tara said:

    Holy cow!!!! This is so beautiful! I love the green & white. John must be so thrilled, so satisfied to work in a space like that. Well done!

  175. 12.4.19
    Alena said:

    Daniel’s Mom is THE BEST :)

  176. 12.4.19
    Dana said:

    I echo everyone else’s comments….AMAZING, Insta-stories, etc
    But i want to encourage everyone who loved this project to be sure to click on the Lowes link Daniel tucked into the start of this post so that Lowes knows how much their partnership with him is appreciated. I suspect they are about to sell out of that amazing tile, but let’s make sure to support those that support this amazing work!

  177. 12.4.19
    J-Dub said:

    Daniel,
    This has been such a fun project to follow — always more fun to follow than do?? — on this site and IG. Your vision and ability to bring it to reality (and shout out to Edgar & Co as well) is inspiring. And Lowes, kudos for sponsoring Daniel’s work. I’m an almost everyday Lowe’s shopper and it’s a great education to see how you can take all those bits and pieces from all their aisles and turn it all into a home.
    Suggestion for a future partnership project…There are many of us with old houses with issues similar to yours. Floors with damaged sections, radiators needing tlc, window therapy, restoring trim and architectural features, the list goes on and on. How about a reader home project? Lowe’s helps with the materials, you work your magic 24/7 as you do, and homeowner provides all else?!?! LOL how about it??? PICK ME.
    You’re an inspiration, thanks for including us.
    J-Dub

  178. 12.5.19
    Gina Reed said:

    Question: Did you pour the concrete countertops in place or did you do them outside/another location and carry them in?

    Second Question: How idiot-proof is pouring concrete countertops for someone who has I would say average intellect on construction and such?

    Whew, got those inquiring mind questions out of the way. Now, let me give you my opinion: AWESOME SAUCE! A beautiful transformation and very tasteful!

    • 12.11.19
      Daniel said:

      Sorry for the slow reply, Gina! We built simple forms out of melamine and poured them in the garage and then installed them. Particularly as a novice concrete-countertop-maker, I think this was an easier approach? But I’ve never tried to cast in place. There are lots of good tutorials on blogs and youtube about how to do it! For casting in a different location, Lowe’s actually has a great little video tutorial here!

      *I pretty much did the same steps as the tutorial, except I mixed the concrete in a 5 gallon bucket using a corded drill with a mixer attachment. I think it would allow you to work faster and maybe a bit easier, but their method should work just as well! I also didn’t cut the base piece of melamine to the countertop size but just built the form on top—this allowed me to reuse the same sheet of melamine for all three sections!

  179. 12.6.19
    Anne E said:

    Oh, I don’t know, it doesn’t look that much better JUST KIDDING I DO HAVE EYES.
    Did not think I would like that green backsplash tile when you first posted pictures of it, but seeing the kitchen all finished, it looks amazing. You have such vision and talent!

  180. 12.6.19
    Kelly said:

    Hello! This kitchen is incredible. I watched the instastories raptly and cannot believe how much elbow grease went into every little thing. One thing I really appreciate about your blogging style is the *narrative thread* of a certain color (laundry room pink!) or product (waterlox! but can’t truly remember whether that was featured in another post or not, but you know what I mean), or pieces of scrap wood (from somewhere in your house!). It’s like a fun lil prize for readers who remember first reading about that product and your thought process at the time. There’s my two cents, keep up the great work!

    • 12.11.19
      Daniel said:

      Aw, thanks for noticing, Kelly! Using colors and materials in different ways across projects is weirdly enjoyable for me (I assumed only me!), so this kitchen has lumber in it from a couple different houses, some scraps of wood flooring from my own house, the Waterlox was leftover from another project…it makes them all feel tied together to me and helps avoid unnecessary waste!

  181. 12.7.19
    Lauren Jackson said:

    I need to know about this making inset cabinet doors!!!! And if I want to redo my lower with drawer to inset does it involve rebuilding the entire drawer? I think yes.

    • 12.11.19
      Daniel said:

      Coming right up! I actually don’t think so, but I’m sure it depends on the cabinet/drawer! I didn’t try it for this project, but on these cabinets I’m pretty sure if I had just ripped the edges of the drawer front off on the table saw, and maybe moved the glides back about 3/4″, it would have worked out. There is about 3″ of wasted space between the back of the cabinet and the back of the door, so plenty of room to play!

  182. 12.18.19
    Karla said:

    I have that same “pine in the kitchen and oak in the dining room” issue at the big house. It looks like they are both Craftsman era/style houses? My floor guy suggested that we ‘breadboard’ a piece going perpendicular to make a visual threshold right over the joint between the two woods. We are going to that when he refinishes the dining room floor (hopefully next year). I love the “new” kitchen and wish you worked in the Midwest. I need a local “Daniel” LOL.

    • 12.20.19
      Daniel said:

      That sounds like a good solution! This house is funny—it was built in the 1880s but then heavily renovated in about 1920 with an addition the size of the original house (the kitchen is in this addition) and the original house rearranged to contain fewer but much larger rooms. So the 1920s work has a weird kinda craftsman, kinda tudor, kinda victorian vibe! The mismatched flooring doesn’t bother me at all—it’s just how the house is!—but I agree that a more seamless transition would be an improvement!

  183. 12.19.19
    Kimberly Arbuckle said:

    The Pink Window!!! I’m usually a white kitchen gal, but this one is a whole new world for me, especially with dark wood throughout the rest of the house. The pendant lamps are gorgeous. Do they provide enough light? I like my work surfaces bright. I love the china cabinet. This is your best and most ingenious work yet. Huzzah!

    • 12.20.19
      Daniel said:

      Thank you Kimberly! I do think they provide enough light!! And I only put 40-W bulbs in them (well, they’re LED replacements for 40-w bulbs), so each light is 120 watts—but they could be a LOT brighter with higher-watt bulbs, too! Between the three pendants and the built-in lights on the range hood, I think the surfaces are very well-lit!

  184. 12.19.19
    Marlena said:

    Simply stunning!

  185. 1.14.20
    Sarah White said:

    This is incredible!!! I love it

  186. 7.8.20
    Caroline said:

    Gorgeous as per uzsh. I’m always blown away by what you accomplish. Stunning space!

  187. 3.6.21
    Jessica said:

    I’m digging back in time here a bit, but maybe you’ll see this! Do you have any pointers or references you used for moving the range hood? I’m wanting to install one in a kitchen that currently has no exhaust ducting, but the obvious location for the hood is on the external wall, and it seems like it can’t be too hard? Maybe I’m overconfident, but I’d love to pick your brain if you’ve got any knowledge to share on this. Thanks!

    • 5.6.21

      You basically just drill a hole through the wall and stick a duct through, and put a wall cap on to keep drafts and bugs out! And need a power source. All the range hoods I’ve used have come with fairly detailed or at least sufficient instructions—depending on your home’s construction (brick is gonna be a lot harder than wood, for instance), it’s really not too bad!

  188. 8.30.21
    Margaret Chamberlain said:

    WOW! Amazing transformation. And it was creative and fits the house. Thanks for sharing.