Our Bright and Airy Kitchen

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I’m so excited to share my updated kitchen with you today! You can read my original Kitchen Tour Blog post here if you want to see where we started.

When we moved into this house, the kitchen was truly captivating. I loved the detail of the trim work, the wall-to-wall windows in the breakfast nook, and the island right in the center of the kitchen. I never loved the wood top to the island, though, and it was in pretty rough shape when we moved in.

Our guess is that it was the original cherry countertop from when the previous owners built the home. I appreciated that it was different than the granite on the exterior countertops, but the wood was a little fussy for my taste and had a wavy, uneven finish making it hard to really seat a cutting board well on the surface.

In January of this year, we started the process of replacing the countertops. We also extended the island a bit, making it several inches wider and longer so it fit the space better. Originally we could only fit 3 barstools at the island, and now we can fit 4 chairs and two backless stools.

The countertop selection was challenging for a few reasons. First, I wanted to keep every other element of the kitchen the same. I loved the cabinets, the color of the island cabinetry, the wall color, and the pendant lights over the island. The only thing I wanted to change was the countertops, and I needed to find a lighter material that still had warmth running through it.

But I didn’t want it to look yellow or golden.

I walked through about 4 different warehouses with slabs of marble, quartz, quartzite, porcelain, and granite. The designer I worked with was with me, and we held up pieces of my backsplash and faces from both colors of the cabinets against the slabs to see how the colors fit together. My eye continually went to marble or porcelain, but after talking with my designer I knew that quartzite or quartz was going to be the best choice for what I wanted.

And after walking through aisles and aisles of slabs, I finally found the perfect quartzite for this kitchen. It’s called Mumtaz, and we were able to secure 3 slabs for the new island size and the exterior countertops as well.

The process of prepping the kitchen for the new counters was pretty straightforward, and after the new posts and build-up were installed, the old counters were removed and the new material was installed.

This all happened the evening of a dinner with my team, so I came home at the end of the night to, what felt like, a brand new kitchen. It was really exciting!

The simple act of replacing the countertops made everything look new. It made the colors look fresh and lighter, and the kitchen felt like it doubled in size. It’s pretty amazing what color and light can do to a room.

I was so happy with how it looked, and also really pleased that I was able to keep so much of the existing kitchen the same in the process.

It still feels like a treat every single time I walk into the kitchen, and I love how we’ve been able to use the space exactly how I hoped we would: with people gathered around the island and plenty of room to sit, eat, and spend time together!

Questions and Answers:

One. What else did you change? Nothing! We shifted the pendants over to be re-centered since the size of the island changed, but otherwise, nothing else moved. We considered adding a third light but I’m really happy that we didn’t. We also got to reuse our sink.

Two. Why did you paint the same colors? I love the colors but our walls were pretty covered in dings, scratches, and previously filled nail holes. The former owners also had heavy curtains hung in the breakfast nook, so when we took those down there was a lot of patching that needed to be done. The walls just needed to be refreshed.

Three. What is your favorite part? The island. I’m so happy with the size, and I love serving the kids a meal or snack and then sitting on a stool at the end of the island with them.

Four. Did you need to refinish all your floors since they moved the posts from the island? It was recommended to us to do that, but we declined. I knew the two spots that needed to have the stain touched up were going to be under chairs that were under the island so I wasn’t terribly concerned about a perfect match. The floor crew did a good job getting it as close as possible!

Five. Where did you get the shelf next to the oven? Click here for the link, I really love it.

Six. Do you have any links or information about the details of your kitchen? See below!

Paint: walls are Sherwin Williams Universal Khaki in flat, trim is Sherwin Williams Creamy in semi-gloss, the ceiling is 50% Universal Khaki in flat.

Countertops: Quartzite in Mumtaz. The island has a mitered finish to make it look thicker than the exterior counters.

Other: Pendant lights over island, kitchen table, island chairs, island stools, rug in front of the sink is originally from Target (cannot find online!)

Cabinetry Info: Perimeter cabinets are called Crystal White, with a brushed Chai glaze. Island cabinets are Heirloom Sandstone with a Coffee glaze. These colors are Conestoga Wood colors, not paint colors. Sandstone looks discontinued, but you can see Crystal White here!

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Michele says · 08.04.21

So pretty! We just chose a quartz slab to redo our counters and I can’t wait! We are also considering changing the color (or texture…or both!) of our island after seeing yours….and a few dozen others on pinterest! Such a great way to add personality to the space!

Did you have anxiety about choosing the countertop? I sure did…such an expensive potential mistake to make!

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Kate says · 08.04.21

Thanks! That is so exciting 🙂 . YES it is VERY hard to choose a countertop and really hard to tell if it’s going to be a great match even if you just have a sample. I’m sure you made a great choice!

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Kim Burleson says · 08.04.21

It looks beautiful !!! Quick question …what product do you find works best to clean your hardwood floors without making them look a little dull ?? Yours look amazing !
I’ve tried several myself – still searching 🙄
Thank you !

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Kate says · 08.04.21

Hi Kim! We have a home cleaned and the crew uses Bona for the floors 🙂

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Melanie says · 08.04.21

I love this kitchen!

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Christina says · 08.04.21

I love your kitchen. That’s actually my dream kitchen. We don’t own a house so all i can right now is dream. Praying that God will extend our territory and will help us establish our own house.
Blessings to you and your household.

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Lindsay says · 08.04.21

What did it look like before? It looks awesome.

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Kate says · 08.04.21

I shared a link to the before photos right at the top of this post in the copy 🙂

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Megan says · 08.04.21

Pretty! Do you have any tips on keeping the flat paint from Fingerprints with the littles. (Or cleaning flat paint) Something we are really struggling with with our SW flat paint.

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Kate says · 08.04.21

well, this is a fresh paint job so I don’t have a ton of experience but we are pretty consistent with wiping hands after handling food. Beyond that, I’ll just do my best and likely plan for a fresh coat of paint in about 10 years 😉

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Dawn says · 08.04.21

Nailed It!

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Molly says · 08.04.21

when you say the ceiling is 50% universal kahki, what does that mean?

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Kate says · 08.04.21

Sorry, it’s 50% of the opacity of Universal Khaki. It’s a pretty typical thing to do for ceilings 🙂

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Krysia says · 08.04.21

Looks amazing! (Although it looked pretty great to begin with!) Can I ask where is the tray on your kitchen table from? I’ve been looking for something similar for our kitchen island. Love your blog and IG!

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Kate says · 08.05.21

I found it at Target, from the Magnolia section!

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Krysia says · 08.05.21

Thank you!

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Kate says · 08.04.21

Pretty! We installed Taj Mahal quartzite in our laundry-I think it’s the same as Mumtaz??

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Kate says · 08.05.21

I think they are from the same family, yes!

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Jennie says · 08.04.21

I love your new counter tops. Do you know what tile you used for your backsplash and what color grout is used? We are in the middle of a kitchen facelift as well.

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Sara Henderson says · 08.05.21

Love the white cabinet refinishing! It’s so airy and pretty.

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Renae Dyer says · 08.06.21

Thanl you for sharing your beautiful kitchen update.

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Sharon says · 08.06.21

Where is the light fixture over dining room table from?
Love it all—so dreamy!

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Kate says · 08.06.21

Unfortunately it’s out of stock from Wayfair!

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Jen says · 08.08.21

Just gorgeous! I loved your kitchen before but I must say it’s even prettier now if possible! Also so glad you kept those pendants, they are stunning and so different than what most bloggers are going for these days. Classic and traditional, so up my alley! Quick question, how do the backless bar stools feel comfort wise? Are they super stiff? I’ve been eyeing them for a while and although they look stunning of course I want to be sure they’re comfy for my kiddos too. Thanks for sharing as always! 🙂

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Krista says · 08.13.21

I love your kitchen Kate! It looks so good. What are the measurements of the new island? We’re building a new house and will have a large island (one side will be cabinets and the other end will be like a built in table). I’m just having second thoughts because I don’t want it to look obnoxious.

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Kate says · 08.13.21

We ultimately landed on 55 x 105 !

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Karyn says · 08.24.21

So pretty! I would love to see the overall color/marbling up close!! Could you share an up close shot of the countertop? Thanks so much!

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Ngoc says · 08.31.21

Kate! Is there any way you can provide any of the dimensions of your island? I’m about to re-do our basement and using your blog as inspiration!!

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Kate says · 08.31.21

hi! The island is 105 x 55 !

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Tanya says · 02.26.22

Love your kitchen! Curious how the quartzite is doing after months of family living. We’re getting our kitchen redone and I love the look and colour of quartzite but read mixed reviews on how durable it is. Was there anything you were told to do in terms of maintenance?

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Kate says · 02.27.22

We’ve had it less than a year but I haven’t noticed a single problem! I was told quartzite was pretty durable, easy, etc.

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Melissa says · 01.09.23

When the old countertops were removed, was there any damage to your cabinets? I am curious about replacing my granite but I don’t want to have to replace the cabinets too $$$

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Kate says · 01.09.23

There were a few very small dings and scratches but nothing major!

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Lori Doyle says · 05.05.23

Hi, this information is very helpful. Thank you. How do you like your farmhouse sink? We’re doing a kitchen renovation now and I’m considering getting a farmhouse sink but I am concerned glass items might break in the sink. What are your thoughts on that question? Thanks so much for your input. I love your account and your kitchen is absolutely stunning. 😊

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Oneida says · 09.06.23

“Your bright and airy kitchen is an absolute dream! ☀️🍽️ The natural light and open design create a welcoming atmosphere that’s perfect for cooking, dining, and making lasting memories. Thanks for sharing this glimpse into your home; it’s truly a source of inspiration. Bon appétit! 🌟🏡 #KitchenGoals”
https://www.essentialsfix.co.uk/kitchens–furniture-459-c.asp

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