Recently I just completed a Postbox for a young couple, getting ready to move from their starter house into a new (to them) house. Their new house is a great size, and in a great location, but the kitchen certainly didn’t match their vision of a dream kitchen. After interviewing them, they both liked the Fixer Upper style filled with neutral tones, open shelves, and anything farmhouse. She also wanted some unique elements that didn’t make the space look too cookie-cutter. But they were also on a budget so they wanted to be careful with the materials they chose.
Doesn’t that sound like 99% of us out there?!
I loved being able to work with them at this point in their process-I completed their Postbox for them BEFORE they moved in, so they could move into their new home with a plan-how great is that?
Here is the kitchen they are moving into. To start with, the kitchen is closed off from the rest of their house with a tight layout. It also has some dated cabinets, but due to budget, they needed to keep them. So how do you turn an outdated sage green kitchen into a farmhouse dream, without a total tear out?
Their first step when moving in will be to remove the wall dividing the kitchen and living room. Not only will that open up the spaces, but it gives them room now for an island with barstools. They are also tearing out the bulkheads, which will make the kitchen seem larger and more spacious. They asked me to help them choose fixtures and finishes that could help them create their dream kitchen within their budget.
Luckily, the farmhouse style dictates simple materials and an open and airy look! With careful choices they can absolutely get the look they love:
1 & 2: One way to create a farmhouse look is to tear out the upper cabinets and replace them with open shelves. I included a tutorial for them to create DIY wood shelves for just a few dollars, along with inexpensive metal industrial brackets to complete the look.
3: I’m actually a HUGE fan of matte black laminate (we did it at my old house and it looked fantastic!). They already have laminate countertops, so they can hire someone to go over their existing dated laminate tops with this updated look for a fraction of the cost of soapstone or black granite.
4: White Shaker cabinets are the classic farmhouse look. To save tons of money, I suggested they keep their existing cabinet boxes but just remove the doors. They can get custom sized doors for around $50 per door, then paint them white. In their Postbox I included samples of white paint color options.
5. I’m in love with a bridge style faucet, but they usually come with a hefty price tag. I found this inexpensive beauty in polished chrome to give them the look at a fraction of the cost.
They are planning on using a woodgrain vinyl plank for the floor, similar to this rustic finish I show on their Mood Board. I remember when vinyl planks started coming out….it has come so far that sometimes I have to literally bend down and touch the floor to see if it is real or not. I’m a fan!
And finally, for the backsplash, they lucked out. The existing homeowners had updated the backsplash with an elongated modern subway tile. They can either keep the existing backsplash as is. Or they can continue the same tile all the way to the ceiling for that Fixer Upper style look, like the inspirational photo I included for them.
Now for the island…
The island is where they wanted to spend most of their budget, and to really make it the focal point. So here is the Mood Board I created:
1: Wisely, they wanted to save money on the perimeter countertops but splurge a bit on the island countertop. This is a great compromise for anyone on a budget! This new quartz countertop mimics the look of Cararra marble, but without the price and maintenance.
2. She (rightly!) loves the look of lantern style pendants, so I found a great priced matte black one that gives them the room to hang two over their island.
3. One thing they both agreed on was they wanted a gray island with an “X” on the sides. I found them a tutorial for creating the “X” accent, and found these soft gray cabinets from a local big box store.
4. Upholstered stools give a soft look to the island, and if you have little ones, you can still go upholstered! I would suggest buying a busier fabric, or spray with Scotchguard if going for a solid fabric.
5. Neutral greige walls are a farmhouse staple, and lets the beautiful simplicity of the kitchen shine.
6. They can use the polished nickel cabinet hardware that I selected for their kitchen on the island as well. But these matte black cup pulls add an industrial cottage style look to the island.
7. I gave these clients an alternative option to pre-made cabinets with a DIY option. They could buy pre-made unfinished cabinets and paint their island themselves with this gorgeous dark gray color. Cabinet samples and paint samples were both included in their Postbox.
Want some more inspiration? I always ask clients to create a Pinterest board for their room to show me the style, here are some photos from this client’s actual Pinterest board she created:
I love the chunky open shelves and white subway tile with the black accents in this kitchen:
This island shows the rich gray finish with the “X” accent and a marble top, along with these island lanterns she was coveting:
Here’s another version of mixing dark and white cabinets, along with taking the subway tile to the ceiling:
So there you go: a Fixer Upper farmhouse style kitchen in a box….custom made for this young couple. I wish them all the best of luck with their big move and DIY transformation! A kitchen is truly one of my favorite rooms to design, so if your kitchen needs a little lovin’ too, I would love to chat with you! We can talk at kristin@thompsonremodeling.com or contact me at Postbox Designs where you can see other Real Postbox Projects!
Jennifer says
What color is that gorgeous dark grey island?!
PostboxDesigns says
Hi Jennifer! That island is from another designer, so I’m not entirely sure the color. BUT you will give a pretty close match if you use Benjamin Moore’s “Kendall Charcoal” (which is one of my favorite deep grays). Hope that helps! Kristin