When we bought our house in 2007 (pre-bubble burst… YAY), one of the first things on my to-do list was to give our very blah, very builder-grade kitchen a makeover. Well, this last fall, after tackling every other room in the house instead, we decided it was finally time to give this sage green behemoth its due. But first: the before photos!
There was nothing functionally wrong with this kitchen, it just didn’t match our style — AT ALL. (Remember what the rest of my house looks like?? Sage green and Oak have no place in this space!) Beyond that, it was definitely suffering from the “Builder-Grade Blues”.
Our home was built during that time when everyone was really super excited about building as many homes as they possibly could, as quickly as they possibly could. Things were hastily and sloppily done. Exhibit A:
“Details, schmetails!”
And Exhibit B, more of the same:
“Hey, let’s use the cheapest, ugliest laminate on the planet… and then smear caulk all over it!”
I’m all about details, you guys. Details and quality craftsmanship, which this kitchen a) didn’t pay attention to and b) had none of. I mean, look at that caulk job! There’s no way anyone with fine motor skills worked on this kitchen… right??
Beyond the cheap materials and poor craftsmanship there were a few other issues needing addressing, like a broken faucet and a dumpy oven door that nearly falls off every time you look at it. Oh, and the overall dark, cave-like feel of the space. And the ugly blinds. And and — you get the idea.
So. After years of putting up with a kitchen we hated, we finally took the makeover plunge! Check back on Wednesday to see my idea boards, inspiration, and the game plan!
