Modern Kitchen Renovation - FINAL REVEAL

Oh my goodness! Six weeks has flown by so fast and now it’s time for the One Room Challenge FINAL REVEAL of my “Modern Kitchen Renovation”!!! This project started pretty smoothly, everything was either ahead of schedule or right on time until about the last two weeks. I had to unexpectedly repaint the lower cabinets again to a slightly different blue, we had a temporary minor water leak due to our plumbing inexperience, then the tile backsplash took us way longer to install because we are just way too picky. So because we ran out of time, there were a few things on my wishlist that didn’t make the cut and will probably get added later on after I take a little break. When I get some of my energy back I still need to hire an electrician to install my chrome pendant lights I’ve had for 3 years, find the under cabinet lights I have in storage and either build a shelf under the front of the kitchen island and/or a wood accent feature. But at the moment, I can finally rest and enjoy the view of my new kitchen! Which after 13 years, it’s kinda strange to leave the house then come back home and be wowed all over again by your own KITCHEN.

There are hundreds of other DESIGNERS and GUEST PARTICIPANTS like me who have also finished their room transformations, please show some support by visiting them at www.theoneroomchallenge.com. BIG THANKS to the One Room Challenge and Better Homes and Gardens for continuing to have this awesome event!!! If it wasn’t for the ORC, I probably wouldn’t have the motivation to take on such large DIY projects and be able to have completed rooms.

Kitchen BEFORE...

Kitchen AFTER...

Kitchen DECORATING...

My intention was to create a clean modern kitchen that I could add a lot of COLORFUL personality to. I almost always start off with a neutral room then afterwards throw in bold pops of COLOR in the decorative accents, artwork or textiles. My family has visited Mexico many times throughout the years and I was definitely inspired by ambiance there so I tried to incorporate a Modern Spanish Style when it came to picking out the home decor. I decorated it with colorful pottery, bright dishes/glassware, ornate rug, eclectic printed towels/napkins/placemats, lush cactus plants, fresh fruits, and natural baskets that reminded me of the markets. It looks exactly like I had imagined! I can’t wait to get cookin’ in my NEW KITCHEN and proudly show it off to family and friends!

PRODUCT SOURCES:

Behr Alkid Paint “English Channel” Blue @ Home Depot

LG Appliances @ Home Depot

Dekton “Fossil” Countertops @ Home Depot

Kohler Sink and Faucet @ Home Depot

Marble Hexagon Backsplash Tile @ Home Depot

Blue Ceramic Lanterns/Pottery @ Home Depot

Glassware/Under Cabinet Glass Rack @ Pier1

Opalhouse Rug, Stools, Cacti Jar/Shakers, Arched Basket, Tall Cactus, Threshold Silverware, Cookware, Pot Holders, Glass Planters @ Target

Seagrass Baskets with Lids, Cake Stand, Wood Tray, Cutting Boards, Tea Pot, Marble Cheese Boards, Seagrass Placemat, Paper Towel Holder, Cactus Soap Dispenser, Cabinet Towel Rack @ HomeGoods

Fiesta Dishes/Knives, Food Network Placemats/Towels/Napkins @ Kohls

Weight Scale, Small Cactus, Succulents @ Michaels Stores

Marble Bar Height Table @ World Market

THANK YOU!

THANKS to everyone who shared their support during this ORC kitchen project, it’s greatly appreciated!

Special THANKS to my hubby Charles who helped a bunch along the way and also kept me positive!

Of course last minute, ZOEY, our maltipoo puppy just had to stop by to say GOODBYE! She had her 1st Birthday last week. She stood by my side during this entire project. xoxo

Follow along on Instagram @thecreativeorchard to see more pics and videos of my KITCHEN that I will be sharing later this week.

The Creative Orchard’s ORC KITCHEN RENOVATION progress...

ORC Week 1 | ORC Week 2 | ORC Week 3 | ORC Week 4 | ORC Week 5 | ORC Week 6 - REVEAL

Modern Kitchen Renovation - ORC Week 5

This is it. The 5th week of the One Room Challenge. There is only one week left until the final REVEAL! It is crunch time to get every single project done. I can’t remember if I have ever felt this stressed, exhausted, nervous and excited all the same time. But after this KITCHEN RENOVATION,  every DIY project I choose to do in the future should feel easy-peasy! Don’t forget there are many more ORC participants and designers out there working on their rooms too, so check those out at www.oneroomchallenge.com

The Creative Orchard’s ORC KITCHEN RENOVATION progress...

ORC Week 1 | ORC Week 2 | ORC Week 3 | ORC Week 4 | ORC Week 5 | ORC Week 6 - REVEAL

Update About Last Week...

Last week I shared my upper cabinet painting progress. I also mentioned that I had plans to repaint the lower cabinets again. And I’m happy to report all the cabinet painting is complete and I’m very satisfied with the outcome this time around. Instead of the Behr “Tidal” blue color, I quickly switched it out to a navy blue called “English Channel” which is also by Behr at the Home Depot. It looks much more muted and goes perfectly with the other blue tones throughout my home.

What Happened This Week...

Besides painting, my husband and I also began installing the mosaic tile backsplash. Definitely one of the most nerve racking projects that I have chosen to take on. Even though I did tons of research, attended a tile workshop at the Home Depot, watched videos online, etc., for some reason I was still extremely anxious to just get started. But once I accomplished a few sections, I caught on to the whole process pretty quickly. It’s very important to take your time and work on small areas. Keep in mind that sometimes trial and error is the best way to embrace the hands on learning experience.

FACTS/TIPS About INSTALLING Backsplash Tile...

1. Porcelain is easier to cut than natural stone
2. Square/Rectangle shaped tile is much easier to cut in a straight line rather than hexagon/circular shaped tile 
3. You can not cut natural stone tile using the scoring and snapping method 
4. Tile setting mats can not be used with small mosaic tile or heavy natural stone 
5. Make sure the mortar does not exceed past the tile’s surface 
6. If too much mortar is applied, remove enough in between to accommodate the grout, especially if they are two different colors 
7. Purchasing pre-mixed mortar and/or grout saves time and makes process easier 
8. Buy more tile than needed, extra may be necessary in case of emergency 
9. Double check all sheets of natural stone tile inside their boxes to make sure they look the same. Natural stone tile patterns and colors may vary drastically 
10. Invest in a good quality wet saw, especially when cutting natural stone 
11. Take the extra time to let tile sheets dry completely after cutting with a wet saw, otherwise the mortar may get too damp and cause tile to fall

Furniture Assembly...

For the countertop bar stools, I chose ones from Target.com that match with my existing dining chairs which are mid century modern Eiffel Tower replicas. I like the white plastic seats because they’re washable and kid friendly. I didn’t want to extend my previous kitchen island because I thought that would be too much of the dark gray counters so to break it up, I’m going to place a counter height white marble top table from WorldMarket.com in front of it. The detached table will be much more functional for my family’s needs because it can be transported around other areas of our home and accommodate two more stools which gives us the option to seat 4 people.

What's Happening Next...

During the next few days, we will be finishing the backsplash tile, touching up any paint, cleaning/repairing hardwood floors, organizing cabinet contents, shopping for last minute accessories and finally decorating. I’m looking forward to seeing the KITCHEN RENOVATION finished and how it all comes together along with the living room and dining room. Since I have a very open floor plan, that means all three rooms need to have the same color scheme and design style.












Guest Participant for:

One Room Challenge | ORC | @oneroomchallenge | #oneroomchallenge

Official Media Partner of ORC:

Better Homes and Gardens | BHG | @betterhomesandgardens | #bhgorc

I am almost done tiling and I only have one wall left to finish then I get to start on the fun part which is decorating!!! Watch my insta stories this week for a sneak peek tour of my kitchen... @thecreativeorchard  Everyone who is participating in the One Room Challenge will be revealing their final room transformations at the end of this week so stop by www.oneroomchallenge.com to see them all!