Every kitchen renovation comes with its own challenges and solutions. That’s why looking at kitchen transformations can help you think through not just what you want your kitchen to look like, but how the process takes shape from before to after. With that in mind, we gathered 11 amazing kitchen transformations from our Kitchen of the Week series. Check out the before-and-after photos, then click on the links to dive deeper into how the homeowners and designers made it all happen.
Before Photo
MLB Design Group
1. Terrific Tudor
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Liz Harris, Madalyn Urdal and their two daughters, plus three cats, a dog and a guinea pig
Location: Seattle
Size: About 170 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer: Marie Lail Blackburn of MLB Design Group
Before: Go ahead, try to spot free countertop space in this U-shaped kitchen. That wasn’t all these owners took issue with. Cherry-toned cabinets paired with black countertops created a dark vibe that only added to the cramped feel.
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MLB Design Group
Photos by Julie Mannell Photography
After: Designer Marie Lail Blackburn removed the old cabinets, appliances and soffits and started anew, adding details that fit with the Tudor style of the home. A slim, freestanding island topped with marble adds even more of the cherished counter space the owners wanted.
Read more about this modern-meets-traditional kitchen
Before Photo
TKS Design Group
2. Cool Condo
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Bryan and Lisa Kelly, co-founders of online retailer PrairieMod
Location: Wheaton, Illinois
Size: About 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Designer: Susan Klimala of The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn
Before: A peninsula and bank of upper cabinets made this condo kitchen feel closed off rom the main living areas. Meanwhile, the cherry cabinets and dark countertops “sucked all the light out of the space,” homeowner Bryan Kelly says.
TKS Design Group
Photos by Michael Alan Kaskel
After: This photo was taken from the same angle as the previous one. Designer Susan Klimala removed the peninsula and upper cabinets and added an island. White cabinets and light gray walls created a refreshingly bright and open atmosphere, while taking the cabinets to the ceiling and wrapping them around the back wall added tons of storage.
Read more about this condo kitchen renovation
Before Photo
Next Stage Design + Build
3. White-and-Gray Greatness
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired caterer, his wife and their two cats
Location: San Jose, California
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Designer: Samantha Hillstrom of Case Design/Remodeling of San Jose
Before: Linoleum floors, square-tile backsplash and countertops and honey-toned cabinets weren’t doing it for these homeowners, who hired designer Samantha Hillstrom to take the space down to the studs and start fresh within the existing footprint.
Next Stage Design + Build
Photo by Scott DuBose Photography
After: Gray Shaker-style cabinets (painted in puss*willow by Sherwin-Williams) and marble-look quartz countertops and backsplash gave the kitchen a fresh, transitional style.
The new flooring is luxury vinyl tile that looks like hardwood.
Read more about this white-and-gray kitchen
Harambee pendant lights: Sea Gull Lighting
Before Photo
4. Captivating Coastal
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Bobby Kaynor, a financial analyst, and April Kaynor, a real estate agent, and their three kids
Location: Quogue, New York
Size: 600 square feet (56 square meters), including mudroom area, butler’s pantry and bar area
Designers: Gianna Santoro of Deane (interior design) and Oscar Giraldo (layout)
Before: This closed-in kitchen seemed stuck in another era and didn’t take advantage of the amazing water views.
Photo by Paul Johnson Photography
After: Designer Oscar Giraldo reconfigured the layout to open the kitchen, allowing room for a 13-foot island and substantial eating area. He also raised the ceiling to add large windows on two sides and frame the picturesque view.
Read more about this coastal kitchen transformation
Before Photo
Julie Sheer
5. Historic Haven
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: The Wonson family
Location: Ipswich, Massachusetts
Size: 215 square feet (20 square meters), plus a pantry of 60 square feet (5.6 square meters) and a breakfast nook of 110 square feet (10 square meters)
Designer: Chloe Rideout of Cummings Architects
Before: Black appliances, insufficient lighting and standard white cabinetry didn’t exactly bring the charm worthy of this 300-year-old Massachusetts home.
Cummings Architecture + Interiors
Photo by Eric Roth Photography
After: Reclaimed-wood beams, flooring and shelving restored the character to the kitchen. A new shiplap-covered island, stainless steel appliances and new cabinets brought the space into the modern world. The perimeter countertops are leathered black granite.
Read more about this historic kitchen transformation
Before Photo
Crystal Kitchen + Bath
6. Breezy Modern Farmhouse
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Colleen and Javier Guzman and their two sons
Location: Minneapolis
Size: 122 square feet (11 square meters)
Designer: Carol Kornak of Crystal Kitchen + Bath
Before: It had been about 40 years since this kitchen was remodeled, and the owners wanted an updated look, built-in appliances, better storage and a breakfast bar.
Crystal Kitchen + Bath
Photo by Spacecrafting
After: Without removing walls or changing the footprint, designer Carol Kornak created a bright and airy kitchen with Shaker-style cabinets, an apron-front sink, glossy gray backsplash tile and a small breakfast bar. The flooring is vinyl planks that look like wood.
Read more about this modern farmhouse-style kitchen
Before Photo
7. Ra-Ra Retro
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Amy and Mike Gennrich; their two kids; and their wiener dog, Daisy
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: The combined kitchen and dining area is 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Designer: Justin Quick of
Before: A cramped layout, dilapidated cabinets and a mostly unused screened-in porch gave these homeowners reason to renovate and expand.
Photo by Ryan Davis | CG&S Design-Build
After: Looking from basically the same angle as the previous photo, the new kitchen now opens to what once was the screened porch but now is an enclosed dining area, creating the feeling of a larger, more open layout.
Meanwhile, minty green cabinets and penny backsplash tile modernize the look while honoring the midcentury origins of the house.
Read more about this retro-style kitchen
Before Photo
Clearcut Construction, Inc.
8. Open and Elegant
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with one child
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters), including a walk-in pantry
Designer: Richard Ryder of Clearcut Construction
Before: A wall with a pass-through previously cut this kitchen off from an eating and living area. And the homeowners disliked the 8-foot ceilings so much that they considered moving rather than renovating.
Clearcut Construction, Inc.
Photo by Bob Fortner Photography
After: Designer Richard Ryder removed the wall to create an open floor plan. He raised the ceilings to 12 feet in the kitchen area by stealing space from an unused attic.
A dark island (painted in Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams) with X details on the end, crisp white perimeter cabinets and brass fixtures set against a marble tile backsplash laid in a herringbone pattern create an elegant, stylish space.
Read more about this transitional kitchen
Before Photo
Precision Cabinetry and Design
9. Two-Tone Transformation
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Josh and Maria Knox; their daughters, Emma and Sophia; and their two dogs
Location: El Dorado Hills, California
Size: About 185 square feet (17 square meters)
Designers: Renee Jordan of Precision Cabinetry and Design (kitchen design) and Diana Westerberg of DW Designs (interior design)
Before: The homeowners referred to their existing curved kitchen island as the “sushi bar” and they wanted to brighten the dark, contemporary feel of the space.
Precision Cabinetry and Design
Photos by Stephanie Russo Photography
After: The team removed the existing island and added a more user-friendly L-shaped island that offers dual work zones and a built-in banquette with custom pillows.
Two-tone cabinetry — crisp white on top and navy on the bottom — paired with brass finishes gave the kitchen a breezy, modern-day look.
Read more about this California kitchen
Before Photo
J. Timothy Hance, Architect, P.A.
10. Soft and Stunning
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Retired couple Mike and Linda Brawner
Location: Columbia, South Carolina
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters)
Designers: Steven Ford (interior design) and J. Timothy Hance (architecture)
Before: An awkward layout with an extra-wide, oddly shaped, multilevel island that wasted precious floor space sent these homeowners into remodeling mode.
The Artisan Company
Photos by Claretta Kaufman
After: Seen here from the same angle as the previous photo, the transformed kitchen enjoys a more user-friendly layout that’s 80 square feet larger and set within a more workable width.
Decorative pine beams, a soft color scheme, custom cabinets, marble countertop and gold tones in the fixtures and range hood create luxurious style.
Read more about this elegant, breezy kitchen
Before Photo
11. Richly Restored
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Minneapolis
Size: 336 square feet (31 square meters); 24 by 14 feet
Architect: Mark Nelson of David Heide Design Studio
Before: After a fire destroyed this historic Mediterranean-style house, its owners embarked on a detailed renovation to capture its original 1928 style.
Dovetail Renovation, Inc.
Photos by Susan Gilmore
After: Pale green cabinets, quartzite countertops, mahogany casem*nt windows, fir ceiling beams, a large stand-alone island and an antique reproduction light fixture make this kitchen look like it’s always been there.
Read more about this old-fashioned kitchen
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