Open Concept Kitchen & Dining Room Update: Before & After Photos

Revere Pewter, Quartz Countertops, White Oak, & Little KLC!

After years of bouncing around, updating, and climbing the real estate ladder, we’ve finally found a home to settle down in (famous last words, right?) I MEAN IT THIS TIME!

And by the way, the exterior is WAY different now – stay tuned for THAT blog post

If you aren’t aware of the long and sordid drama about our six-month forever ‘summer home,’ here’s the gist…

There weren’t many homes on the market, and we walked into this gorgeous newer house with a killer 180-degree ocean view and were like, ‘Sure, let’s do it; let’s raise our family here.’ A newly built home was a new concept for us, seeing as EVERY home we’ve owned needed updating/renovating *needed being a relative term. This house was only a year old and needed NOTHING.

However, it was a home with no heart – it was an almost tangible thing, and we had to get out of there.

Don’t let it suck you in…sure it looks cute, but it bites

Luckily, I have a very understanding husband who agreed that the house was sucking the life out of us. We were able to sell it and buy our friggin’ DREAM HOME! Seriously, I’d stalked this house for years as it was in our old neighborhood. I’d walk by it whispering, ‘Oh yes, you will be mine, one day you will be mine…’ and now it is. I am that creepy.

Long story kind of short, we gutted it (naturally) and did a remodel on most of the rooms. And rather than drag it out over the years, which is our habit, we did most of it in one shootin’ match (minus some bathrooms/laundry). We did this with the idea that we could then relax and enjoy it. But you know me, I’ll ALWAYS find projects to do.

Are you ready to dive in? After sharing the entryway last month (above), it’s time to look at the kitchen and dining room!

Check out this before photo showing how our entryway and stairs tie into the kitchen. I tried to get the whales in the bargaining process, but no such luck. Just joking; those damn whales still haunt my dreams.

FREE FRIGGIN’ WILLY!

SHUT THE FREAKIN’ FRONT DOOR! Just LOOK at the difference. I mean, the kid’s college fund is dry, as is the bottom of my wine keg, but it sure looks pretty!

Before we get much further, let’s give credit where credit is due. This WHOLE project was brought to you by Jackson Triggs, Robert Mondavi, and Tanqueray – proud supporters of my drinking habit, which was further encouraged by the FREAKIN’ STRESS OF THIS RENOVATION! Seriously though, regarding credit, I’ll touch on the trades/companies within this article.

OUR ‘TWEAKED’ REVERE PEWTER KITCHEN

Looking at this next photo, I’m not going to lie and say it was a terrible kitchen; it wasn’t. It just wasn’t MY kitchen. This seems funny since I tried to cook Mr Noodles the other day (which Maggie fondly refers to as ‘non-gender specific noodles’) and actually burnt the water and ruined the pot. But regardless, I wanted a pretty kitchen…

And I got my pretty kitchen…

Just LOOK at how much brighter and welcoming it is. It almost makes me want to cook. Just kidding. Nobody needs to suffer through that.

In this next before photo, we’re looking the other way, so you’re seeing a snippet of our backyard, which is our oasis (and will be another blog post unto itself), as well as a dark and dismal dining area…

I’m sure THOUSANDS of you recognize this granite from the early 2000s! 

Ideas to Update Older Style Granite Countertops

After, I can’t even tell you how restful these spaces make me feel. Because it is all about me, am I right?

And you even get a sneak peek into the living room – you can see the before and after photos HERE.

I also chose a consistent undertone between the island, cabinets, backsplash, and countertop – green. If you’d asked me a few years ago what my least favorite undertone was, I would’ve said green. Well, I change my mind about my favorite colors as often as I change my underwear, so I’ll let you figure out how often that is.

The 6 Best Paint Colours for Kitchen Islands & Bathroom Vanities

THE DINING ROOM UPDATE

Before, the light fixture (with matching island pendants) was like a bug zapper. If you have a mosquito problem, let me know, and I’ll pop these babies in the mail for you.

Here’s the dining room with my new art from Ronei…

I’m in LOVE with our new light from Wayfair with its clean, simple lines…

THE PAINT COLORS WE USED

And you might be wondering what the kitchen cabinet colour is (or not). Either way, I’m gonna tell ya! It’s Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter, darkened by approximately 25%. My clients often say, ‘If you have to darken it by 25%, why don’t you just choose a different color?’. Because if there were a color nicer than this, I would’ve chosen it. I played around and hit JUST what I wanted – a warm, soft, earthy gray with a green undertone.

The 6 Best DARK GREIGE Paint Colors

The island is Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze, a completely badass mix of greige and green. Tims says it’s gray…but it’s not.

What’s the paint color on the walls?

Finding the PERFECT off-white is like finding that random hair that’s slipped down the front of your shirt and is tickling you, but you just can’t seem to find the damn thing, so you reach in and plunge your hand around looking for the damn thing while people stare at you strangely. Anyway, I picked Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray, 75% lighter.

I know I’m anal, but I want what I want when I pick a colour – whatever that takes. And with Edgecomb Gray 75% lighter, I’ve got this whisper of warm gray/greige with the tendency to FLIP through undertones throughout the day. The trim is Benjamin Moore White Dove.

WANT TO LEARN MORE: Our Kitchen Remodel – All of The Details

And check out our big hunka wood dining table – MAD LOVE…

THE PANTRY AREA

I don’t have a great before photo of this next area, but note the built-in microwave and the side of the pantry door…

We opened that area with a small counter above our wine fridge and painted the pantry door to tie into the cabinetry. This also makes the kitchen look wider. The microwave is now in the pantry.

As for the pantry itself, it’s not as big as I would love, but better than nothing. One day, I’ll organize it and show it to you…maybe.

OUR OFF-WHITE QUARTZ COUNTERTOP

The quartz countertop slays me (in a good way). It’s Brittanica WARM by Cambria Quartz. It has a white/off-white base, soft, greige warmth, and even a wink of modest taupe-beige. While it’s AMAZING, I’ve got more warm-toned countertops for you to check out here, if you’re curious.

Is Revere Pewter the Best Cabinet Color for YOUR Kitchen?

THE SUBWAY TILE BACKSPLASH & STOOLS

As for the backsplash, OH, THE FRIGGIN AGONY!

I can advise clients on what to do all day long, as I have the KNOWLEDGE without the emotion attached (you know I love y’all, though.) Making decisions for myself gives me serious hyperventilating, twitching in the corner angina. Seriously. I look forward to renovating, but the process just about does me in.

As for the counter stools, I usually prefer a stool with a full-height back for better badonkadonk support; Tim asked for backless ones, so I listened to him (first time for everything).

The backsplash tile is an Ames Tile (sadly, they don’t carry this exact tile anymore) and was installed by none other than BE Tile. The cabinets were custom-made from Mid-Island Cabinets. Notice that the grout is OPPOSITE the norm, as I opted for a DARK contrasting colour rather than the usual white/gray.

I’m also noticing that some of these photos look like they have a filter on them (thanks to my epic photography skills). I’m going to get better ones – stay tuned. But in the meantime…

4 Ideas to Jazz Up a Simple Subway Tile Backsplash

Here’s another shot of the foyer, looking into the kitchen and dining room. Notice that I painted the handrail to match the kitchen island…

All of the painting, including the walls, ceilings, trims, and stair railing, was done by the most patient and talented duo of Delea and Shalyn of Details Painting.

If you want to look closely at our entryway remodel and how it relates to the kitchen, visit this blog post – Our Entryway Remodel, from Dark and Dismal – To DAMN Gorgeous HERE.

READ MORE

A Tudor Kitchen Makeover (With Revere Pewter!)

Is Revere Pewter the Best Kitchen Cabinet Colour for YOU?

The 5 Best Off-White Paint Colours

Ideas to Update Older Granite Countertops

6 Budget-Friendly Kitchen Update Ideas

NEED HELP?

Check out my Online Paint Colour Consulting packages! 

Chat soon,

2019/UPDATED FOR GRAMMAR N’ STUFF IN 2023