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!