We somewhat-remodeled our kitchen recently.
Nothing major in the sense that the layout remains unchanged, the appliances are still the same and the cabinets stayed put. But the changes were big enough to “pack a punch”.
Because we actually live in this house, I wasn’t going to pretend like our counters are always cleaned off and never have piles of coloring pages, markers or other kid paraphernalia strewn across them. So you’ll get the full effect with these pictures.
Our main goal was to take down the 2nd tier of our counters, which were bar stool height. It closed off the kitchen and wasn’t usable. So when we swapped out the formica counters for granite, we took down that higher counter level, and now have one continuous and much-more-functional counter area.
Old view, with 2 counter heights
New granite counters at a consistent counter height & 2 pendants.
Old view of the kitchen from the back door.
New, more open view into the kitchen
Old, obstructed view from the kitchen looking into the casual dining room.
New, much more open view from the kitchen.
The tile backsplash that once was.
New, pressed tin backsplash AND under-cabinet lighting.
This post is part of #iPPP (iPhone Photo Phun), where we link up photos taken from our smart phones. Any smart phone.
*I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the pressed tin backsplash. We ordered it from American Tin Ceilings and were very pleased. They give you the choice of dozens of colors and several pattern style, and were very affordably priced.
It looks great! Love the countertop.
I love the changes! The tile is beautiful.
Love the new look–it’s a great update!
Liz it looks great! There are very few situations where that two height counter works and yours is one of them. Great move with the pendants and the tin too. I love how that looks. And um the arches in your house…love them!
Thanks for the kind words. They mean a lot coming from a remodel pro like you.
wow, wow, wow…your kitchen looks amazing. ENJOY it!!!!!
It looks great. It’s amazing the difference a couple small changes can make!
YAY, you! Love the remodel – it definitely packs a punch!
Gorgeous!!
The kitchen is Shawn’s next project only he doesn’t know it yet
Uh oh. Sneak attack?
Nice work! Even the small changes make a big difference!
It looks amazing! You guys really did a great job without a “total” remodel. It looks so modern & fresh.
WOW!
Gorgeous. I thought it was beautiful before but then the after is stunning.
Great job.
LOVE the pressed tin, it’s so pretty. I bet you will really appreciate the under counter lightening, it’s such a little thing but it makes me happy.
Counter looks great too. Thumbs up all around.
Yes, the under-cabinet lighting really makes a HUGE difference!
Looks wonderful. So much more open!
That is a truly beautiful kitchen!
That’s crazy how much of a difference such a relatively small change made. Looks really good!
Ohhh, I really like it!
Wow. That is some great remodeling! Your kitchen is awesome
Oooo! I love it! I don’t like those second tier counters, either. I had one of those in an apartment and it drove me nuts. It was totally useless. Too small to eat on or to put any decorations on, and it blocked the view of the living room.
Love the new look!
Exactly! It blocks the view and that higher counter area wouldn’t even hold a normal sized plate safely. I don’t know who ever thought that was a good idea.
I love that backsplash. We’re planning a kitchen remodel and I’m kinda terrified. I may have to ask some advice!
It looks great – though, when I read the title of this post, I thought you had a “backup, miniature kitchen” and that was the one you remodeled.
I’d love a backup kitchen so that I don’t need to worry about projects in the main one…
That made me laugh. Could you imagine remodeling some Step2 kitchen?
Beautiful! I bet you just love your new kitchen!
Looks fantastic! I love when you can do little things and make a big difference…it’s so much more manageable than a huge project.
It looks great! Now, when can you come over and work on my kitchen?
I just do the design work. We’d need to convince Craig of the labor part.
It looks great!
Your kitchen is beautiful! It’s nice you have more light coming through. And I appreciate that your home looks lived in. Mine looks a little too lived in right now.
I know that I *should* have made it clean in order to showcase the changes, but I just couldn’t bring myself to put forth that effort.
That is an awesome idea. It does give so much more room! Love your little home improvement tips.
And I love that you love my home improvement tips. #WhoNeedsA2StoryFoyer
it’s so crazy how such a seemingly small change made such a difference! so open now
It is! We have 2 living spaces, but the kitchen doesn’t really open onto either of them. But at least now it *feels* more like it does with that wall down.
Love it! I was having a hard time imagining what it would look like without that second tier in the 1st picture, but it looks amazing! I would likely get into trouble by using that 1st tier as a wall of sorts and and excuse to keep all kinds of junk lined up against it. Yay for kitchen remodels! Come do mine next.
When they were littler, we used that wall to put their Step2 Kitchen and other shelving against it.
Wow, it looks great! That made a huge difference.
Looks great!! Yes a “little” change but makes a huge difference
It gives it such a different feel!
Love it! We had that same double counter in Florida and I hated that too, Good job!!
Whoever invented that concept should have been laughed at, not encouraged.
Gorgeoous remodel! I love the new, more functional counter for eating — I’m sure it will be a favorite homework spot!
You are spot on! Both the girls sit there to work, and any time Craig isn’t around for dinner, we “girls” eat there (there are just 3 stools).
I’ve seen a lot of that pressed tin and it looks just plain awesome.
Even “mini” i bet it was a lot of work! Worth it.
Dude, we found this fab place online that had all sorts of colors and patterns, and each sheet of pressed tin was the same price as the plastic sheets that are meant to look like tin that you can buy at Lowes.
Nice! I love your new kitchen.
Wow! Getting rid of that little bit of excess sure made a difference! And I love the new counter tops!
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Thanks and thanks!
LOVE the new look! Fabulous:-)
It looks great!
Love the transformation, Liz! I love that Craig is so handy, even in his metro fabulousness!
He needs to have something to balance out his make-up.
You all did a great job. My husband and I have been talking about doing the same thing. Knocking down a wall and having an island. But with one off to college next year….dunno if it’s going to happen soon. Enjoy your beautiful new family space.
Looks awesome!
Thank you!
I adore pressed tin and I fantasize about one day having a “study” lines with bookshleves and a pressed tin ceiling.
Good decision on the counter height, it looks like everything has a better flow.
We got those pressed tin sheets from a place online. Very affordable. They had several photos of people using it on the ceiling, too.
Love the changes! I’ve been wanting to make a few changes (like staining cabinets and add chalkboard paint to our pantry cabinet); nothing major. Small changes really can make a huge difference. And I love that you have a “lived in” house…
They absolutely do! And they can help you to fall back in love with your house.
Love your remodel! You must have spent a lot of time in it afterwards. I know I would have.
Happy WW from Jordyn at The Green House
Isn’t it fun? Well, once it’s complete, that is. We did a mini overhaul of our kitchen in the fall. Loving the granite! (You can’t see crumbs)
Ha! You are SO right on that!
The pressed tin adds a lot of character! Is that ceiling tile?
We ordered it from a place online called American Tin Ceiling. They sell them for both backsplashes and as ceiling tile. It’s very affordable, and they give you oodles of color options and pattern options, and you can even order smaller sized sample packs so you can match colors before ordering the 24″ x 24″ tin sheets.
We have the same split counter tops & I just showed my hubs what you guys did! Doing a little minor kitchen remodeling is on our to-do list as well, and now this is added to it! I love how much more usable counter space you have now!
OMG, it’s night and day! DEFINITELY take down that higher and totally-unusable counter!
What an amazing difference a little bit of change makes huh?
Wanna come do mine? Our new kitchen: no back splash.
In other words: Great job!
PS. While I get the point of them, I’ve never liked those two-tiered counters.
They are impractical. And I’m all about practicality.
Looks amazing! Go you!
Thanks, Katie!
Great idea to lower that little wall and have things more open. Looks great!