Simple Stylings’ Bright & Renovated DIY Kitchen

I recently caught up with the lovely Summer Hogan, brains behind lifestyle site, Simple Stylings, and she was kind enough to share her stunning DIY kitchen remodel with me, along with insight into her design goals & the challenges she encountered amidst the process. What began as a need to replace some 15+ year old buckling linoleum, morphed into a full-blown gut remodel (as many home projects do!), and the result is equal parts beautiful and functional with a side of bright & happy. If you’re considering tackling a DIY kitchen remodel or just plain love a good BEFORE & AFTER, read on for loads of insight and inspiration.

Let’s start with a look at the BEFORE & the fully gutted space…

And now for the AFTER:

 What were your main goals for the new kitchen design? My main goals were to create a beautiful space that is also functional for our family. A place where we talk, hang out and cook together. The bar and stools definitely help make the space conducive for that.

What was your biggest design challenge and how did you solve the issue? The biggest challenge for us was cabinets. Brand new custom cabinets were not in the budget and it didn’t make sense to put new countertops, appliances, etc in and leave or just paint the old cabinets. So we compromised and went with the off-the-shelf cabinets from Lowe’s and I stained them myself. I think they turned out great for a fraction of the cost and so far we’ve been happy with them.

What is your most favorite part about your new kitchen? My favorite element is the counter to ceiling subway tile with open shelving but the overall best part is how bright and happy it feels now.

Such a gorgeous end result, right?! I can just imagine many a delicious weekend brunch taking place in here! Check out Summer’s blog, Simple Stylings, for the full DIY diary and thought process behind her design plan & material selections.

Photo Credit: Laura Sumrak (@laurasumrak)

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