1980’s Kitchen Gets Massive Makeover: A Design Connection, Inc. Featured Project

Walking into this kitchen was like entering into a perfectly preserved Throwback Thursday time capsule from 1980. See this kitchen’s drastic transformation in our Before & After pictures!

You know the phrase, “If These Walls Could Talk”? When walls talk, I listen. Some walls ask me for a brighter coat of paint. Some walls beg me to knock them down. The walls in this kitchen didn’t talk to me. They screamed at me. They longed to be free, having been held captive by flowery Waverly wallpaper for the last 25 years.

Even though this Kansas City kitchen hadn’t seen an update in a quarter-century, the bones were in great shape. You don’t have to completely gut your kitchen in order to achieve a complete transformation; this kitchen is a perfect example! Design Connection, Inc. took this kitchen from Homely to Heavenly in less than two months.  By updating a few key items, you can drastically change the look of your kitchen without drastically denting your wallet.

The dated cabinetry was dismantled and darkened with a custom faux paint while the handles and hinges were replaced with updated hardware. Reusing, refurbishing and recycling what we can, like kitchen cabinetry, is not just eco-minded, it’s budget-minded. Wear and tear and years of repeated abuse required the laminate countertops to be removed along with the center island. Those aqua blue tiles had to go!

In order to maximize on space and accommodate the new Wolf gas cook-top, a custom island with an aged, textured finish was created. After 25 years with the same wallpaper, the homeowners wanted the walls to be bold and spicy. Once the wallpaper was removed, a custom mixed orange-red paint was applied. The hardwood floors were also in exceptional shape; the honey colored stain was updated and darkened to compliment new look of the cabinets.

A custom tile backsplash elegantly wraps around the new granite counters and GE Monogram ovens in this updated Kansas City gem. New overhead lighting and under-cabinet LEDs were also incorporated in the design, shining a new light into this beautifully updated space.

It’s amazing to think that just two short months ago this kitchen was a time capsule from 1988; and now, after 25 years, this space finally reflects the homeowner’s personal style and flair. If your kitchen walls could talk, what would they say? Paint me? Tile me? Knock me down?

Listen to your kitchen walls. They’re telling you to seek professional help. Professional Interior Design help, of course! Take advantage of our free in-studio interior design consultations. Our knowledgeable Design Team can help update your space and tackle your home décor dilemmas big and small throughout Kansas City, Overland Park and all of our surrounding cities.