Molly’s New (Old) House: Kitchen Progress

Welp, here we are. 2021 is coming to an end, we’re all moved into the new house, and – while not quite done – I finally have a fully-functional kitchen! As is always the case, getting to this point took a lot longer than I thought it would, so I wanted to share some updates and tips for anyone out there going through (or planning to go through) the same thing.

Here’s my first piece of advice: if possible, do not live in the house while your kitchen is being remodeled. Alternatively, don’t demo a perfectly good kitchen without having a firm delivery date on the new cabinets and appliances. You will eat too much take out and burn through too many paper plates and plastic utensils. You will have to wash your dishes in a bathroom sink. You will get sick of pizza. I’m sure most of you are like, DUH. But for those of you who think you can power through – learn from my mistakes!

Anyway… here’s where we started:

Here is the space after it was demo’d (4 months ago):

And here it is today!

Overall, I am SO happy with how everything came out and thought it might be helpful for Metropolitan Cabinets & Countertops to provide an overview of the process, since many potential clients come to us not knowing where to start!

1. Choose a trade professional – Remodeler, architect, interior designer, builder. Decide who will work as part of your team on your project as they will help you determine the scope as well as set a realistic timeframe for completing the project, from start to finish. Check references, ask for project photos, review their portfolio! Do not be afraid to ask for these things – it’s your home and your money.
2. Create a wish list – Establish priorities for your cabinets and countertops. Think about your lifestyle and how you want your room to be used. This can also include items featured within the cabinetry – spice rack pullouts, paneled appliances, etc. I really wanted cabinets that went to the countertop to hide appliances that we use regularly.
3. Select appliances – Before designing begins, it’s extremely helpful to select your appliances, as they are a crucial part of any project design and are a key factor in the design and layout. Given today’s appliance shortages and long lead times, it’s best to purchase these early in the process to ensure you have them when you want them – we are still waiting on a few things (thankfully, nothing too critical), and we ordered in early May.
4. Schedule a complimentary consultation – Contact one of the showrooms to schedule an appointment with a Metropolitan designer to discuss your project. Bring the room’s measurements, layout (if available), appliance specs and any inspiration photos. Be prepared to discuss your budget, list of wants and needs and your overall aesthetic.
5. Schedule a Proposal Appointment– Once your designer has created a preliminary plan and pricing, a follow up appointment will give you the opportunity to view the floor plan and renderings, discuss alternative layouts, and provide cabinet and countertop pricing that reflect the elements of your space discussed thus far. Once you decide you would like to work with Metropolitan, your designer will take a retainer deposit and schedule a site visit to take accurate measurements.
6. Design Appointments – This is the time you and the designer will flesh out the many details that go into creating a final design. Pick out cabinet hardware, cabinet color & style, countertops, faucets/plumbing fixtures, backsplash materials, flooring, etc. I went with classic shaker-style doors in Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige with the stiles to the floor so they looked more like furniture. I also added tongue & groove paneling to the sides of the island, since it’s so prominent right when you walk in the door.
7. Once you approve the final plans, your designer will keep you and your contractor updated on the cabinet ETA.
8. Countertops – Once the cabinets are installed (yay!), Metropolitan’s stone team will come out to measure. Once you have signed off on your stone order details, production takes roughly 10-13 business days depending on current lead times.

Once all the cabinets and crown moulding are in and I get the window seat cushions and window treatments installed, we’ll be shooting the kitchen and I’ll show you the real final product. For now, here are the final selections I went with:

cabinets: Metropolitan Cabinets & Countertops // tile: Tiles Plus More // countertops: Daltile // pendants // flushmounts // cabinet hardware: knobs, bin pulls, appliance pulls, latches // faucet, bar faucet, disposal air switch, soap dispenser // sink // art // stools (the green isn’t available any longer, but the light gray is pretty!) // antique secretary (I found mine on Facebook Marketplace)