2025 kitchen makeover

Hello everyone, welcome back to my channel! Today I'm so excited to share every detail and change we've made to our kitchen since moving in. This has been a space in progress, layered with intention, love, and a little trial and error and I can't wait to walk you through it. We purchased a custom new build, but it was a spec home, we didn't get to choose any of the finishes or colors. While the layout was perfect and the design had so much potential, I knew I wanted to make it feel more like us. But as time went on, we realized that darker cabinetry, while beautiful, wasn't practical for our everyday life. With little ones running around and the dark finish made every fingerprint and smudge painfully visible. To make things more frustrating, the original paint job was poorly done. Within a month of moving in, we noticed chipping and it was clear that we eventually had to repaint. So that as our first project is to repaint the kitchen cabinets. In previous homes, we've always painted cabinets ourselves, but with the size of this kitchen and the attention to detail it required, I knew this was a job we needed to hire out. I tested a few swatches and eventually chose natural linen, a soft warm tone that brightens up the room without making it feel stark. I moved the swatches throughout the kitchen in different lighting to make up my final decision and it was natural linen by Sherwin-Williams. I found a local contractor who was looking for work. He gave me a fair quote and a few days later he called me back. He told me he would do the job for whatever price I could offer. He just needed to feed his family and that hit me hard. It reminded me so much of my dad and he's also a contractor. So I couldn't bring myself to negotiate and we went with the price he originally gave us, which was a really great deal. We felt grateful to be in a position to support someone who really needed work and I've never once regretted that decision. When I asked him about his painting method, he described exactly what my dad always taught me, the bulletproof process, which is sanding down everything, applying two coats of oil-based primer, sanding again with a fine grit, and finishing with two coats of Sherwin-Williams emerald paint. He even sanded lightly between each coat, which is totally not necessary, but it made a big difference. His attention to detail was incredible and he completed the entire job within two weeks. Once the cabinets were done, I knew I wanted to swatch out the builder grade hardware. I wanted something that felt a little more elevated, something that reflected my style. The contractor patched the original holes, allowing me to start fresh. I chose tiny round knobs in a antique brass finish for the bottom cabinets, coordinating pulls for the drawers, and for the upper cabinets, I used the same round knobs, but I added a stunning backplate for an extra layer of detail. Every piece came from Amazon and together they gave me a high-end look for a fraction of the cost. Another detail I felt the kitchen was missing was sconces. When we toured the home, I remember thinking the walls felt bare, specifically above the kitchen windows. I searched for weeks until I found the perfect pair on Amazon. They do come in a brass finish, but I chose a black to contrast and create a mixed metal look in the kitchen. The adjustable shade, the curved arm, the sleek backplate, everything about them was just perfect. To stay within the budget, I used rechargeable light bulbs. Yes, they can be a little high maintenance and I do not like that, but since I don't rely on them for everyday lighting, they work perfectly fine. Toward the back of the kitchen, I had more empty wall space. It just it felt like it was asking for something special and I had to add more sconces, so I found another pair also from Amazon. These look identical to a style sold by McGee and Co. at a fraction of the price. If I'm not mistaken, these are the exact style because they showed up at my house with the boxing Jonas on them and that is installed them and stepped back, I was genuinely speechless. The way they elevated the space was exactly what I envisioned and it looks really beautiful day and night. Now, while I love a good save, I'm also a firm believer in the occasional slurge, especially when it comes to something that supports our family's needs. These stools were in and out of my cart for months. I had a specific list. I wanted rounded legs and supports, mainly for my youngest, Mona. She cut her earlobe on our previous set and that alone was not negotiable because it had really sharp edges, so rounded legs and I wanted either no cushions or removable ones to make cleaning a little bit easier and these offered just that. The high backs provided support for my kids and design-wise, the detail, the seagrass texture, the wood stain, it was everything that I was looking for and of course, I had to splurge because I could not find anything else that checked off all my boxes. Amber Interiors sells a identical style for over $2,000 a stool and I purchased mine for less than half the price at Home and Kids Co. I also love that they snap on instead of being tied on. I know my kids will constantly untie them and throw them on the floor, so with the snap-ons, they haven't been removing them, which is also a plus. Another change I made that was small but impactful, I added a sleek brass bar. Technically, it's a towel bar at the end of the island to hide an outlet that I've been way too lazy to replace. It's from Amber Interiors and I installed it by pre-drilling holes and centering it with the island. It's the perfect spot to hang a soft towel or add a decorative touch. It's simple, but those kind of details can make the biggest difference it makes a world of a difference and that's runners. There's something about the warmth, color, and texture a good runner brings to a kitchen. It softens the space, adds pattern, and ties everything together in such an effortless way. For me, it's more than just decor, it's functional comfort. I honestly can't imagine working in a kitchen without one. Looking around now, the kitchen feels like it was always meant to be this way, curated, intentional, and much more me. I've kept the decor minimal for now, but in my next video, I'll be layering in some fun spring touches with a full decorate with me, so keep an eye out for that one. Thank you so much for watching. I hope you enjoyed spending time with me as much as I enjoyed filming this for you and I will see you in my next video.