Your kitchen's look is a little long on the vine? Don't despair; follow the lead of Mary Helen and Donald Swinney. With careful planning and a rock-solid spreadsheet, they turned their outdated cooking space into a beautiful spot ripe for gathering.
From Trendy to Timeless
The Swinneys' Georgia home was more than a decade old when they decided to update their kitchen. "It looked fine when we
did it the first time," Mary Helen says. "But how much ivy can you take?" She worked with Cartersville designer Beverly Baribault
to create a room that is less trendy, more classic, and utterly inviting.
First step: Remove the wallpaper. Now the walls are painted a rich neutral, Old Salem Gray by Benjamin Moore.
Cost: $103 for paint supplies, $550 for labor
Storage With Style
New cabinets weren't in the original plan. Mary Helen and Donald liked the basic layout and look of the originals but had
tired of the bright white surface. They compared the cost of supplies and labor to have the old ones painted to the cost of
new cabinets. Eventually, they decided to fork over the money--a wise investment in the long run. "Hopefully, it's going to
be the last time we redo the room," Mary Helen says. "New cabinets really made a big difference."
Beverly suggested the two-tone treatment, using a dark cherry finish on top and an aged green stain on the bottom. "At first
I was a bit nervous, but Beverly said 'You'll love it!' and she was right," says Mary Helen.
Cost: $7,389 for cabinets and installation
Top It Off
Using granite on the countertops and backsplash gives the space a more seamless appearance. Granite is a great choice when
you want a material that will stand the test of time because it is impervious to scratches and stains. Cost: $6,500 for materials and installation
- Loading comments...
