A Real Life Kitchen Makeover

No, this isn't my own kitchen, unfortunately. This beautiful new kitchen belongs to Chris's Aunt Neesie.  Neesie lives in a gorgeous oversized cape in a picturesque neighborhood in Washington. Chris and I have been eagerly following her kitchen makeover via email over the last few months. 

Her new kitchen is bright, clean, and uncluttered. This isn't a large space, but it certainly packs a lot of design punch. 

A remarkable change over what it looked like previously!

Neesie agreed to humor me by answering a few questions
Q: The countertops are beautiful. What is the name of the granite you used?  
A: The granite is called Bellisimo Lumineaux (or White Galaxy).

Q: How long did the renovation take?  

A: The kitchen portion of the project took about a month; however, because I remodeled the family room fireplace wall, the powder room, and put in new hardwood floors throughout, the total project took about two months.

Q: What do you love the most about your new kitchen?  
A: It is hard to pick one thing.  I have been dreaming of a new kitchen for 20 years and spent hours pouring over kitchen magazines.  The overall design of the kitchen came out exactly as I envisioned.  I love how open it feels without the upper cabinet over the peninsula.

Q: Is there anything you wish you'd done differently?  
A: The opening for the fridge is a bit too tight which makes it hard to open the left door.  The cabinet maker warned me about it, but I didn't want to sacrifice any more cabinet space.  I had my heart set on a counter depth French door refrigerator with custom panels which was wider than the standard refrigerator.

Q: Where did you splurge and where were you able to save some money?  
A: I splurged on the French door refrigerator with custom panels and on the induction stove.  The induction stove is amazing.  You can boil water in a minute and it is really sleek looking.  My biggest savings was hiring a very reasonable contractor who did an outstanding job.  He 
is my new best friend.

Q: What advice do you have for someone about to undergo a major kitchen remodel?  
A: Do your homework, don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions, be flexible, and be prepared for the unexpected.  You never know what is behind the walls, so have a contingency built into your budget.  Also, make sure you have a great contractor who can handle things in your absence.  Talk to people who have worked with the contractor and cabinet maker.

Thanks for sharing, Neesie! Chris and I can't wait to visit and enjoy your new kitchen for ourselves.