The Details Of Our Kitchen Remodel
This kitchen has been a dream in the making since we moved in two years ago. When we bought our home, we knew we wanted a fixer-upper so we could design it exactly how we envisioned - but living through the process, especially with two little ones definitely takes its toll. Standing at the finish line now, the longer road was absolutely worth it. There’s still a bit to do—organization, counter stools, window shades, and some styling. In time we might add some type of shelving on the right side of the window, or maybe just keep it as a rotation art wall. I’m excited to see how this space continues to transform with our family’s style. Going back about 8 months, before we started the kitchen renovation we moved a wall in the office over a few feet to incorporate a woking pantry area. We also moved the fridge over to that side to free up space for the range and more countertop space. This was the first phase of the project, and it opened up the space tremendously.
THE BEFORE…
Overall Vibe & Inspiratoin
I wanted the feeling of the kitchen to be light and unique—by light, I mean a space that didn’t feel heavy or weighed down. That’s mainly why I chose to eliminate upper cabinets. With lower ceilings, I knew removing them would help the room feel more open and airy. The kitchen flows into the breakfast nook, and living room so keeping the color white was a must, so that everything flowed nicely. The house is located in a beach town, so overall that is the feeling we were leaning towards too. I also wanted a beautiful marble to serve as the centerpiece of the space. Having previously worked in the stone world, this was the element that excited me most during the design process. The stove and hardware were chosen to be the “jewelry” of the kitchen—those intentional details that add personality, character, and a touch of elegance.
Design notes I had in mind:
no uppers
expand current window
mixed metals
fabulous countertops, probably marble
water filtration system
larger sink and stove
wine fridge
drawer storage for plates and glasses
more storage space
Appliances
When you begin to look at appliances it can be overwhelming. The key for us was going to a reputable company that had good support during and after the purchase. For us that was Yale Appliances. Their showrooms were large and had many displays to look at. Their customer support was excellent and warranty and post-purchase support were reputable and the best that we seen. We didn’t want to purchase something online, have issues and then be left weeks on end with suppliers trying to fix problems. After touring the Yale Appliance showroom we seen the AGA range and we both instantly fell in love but we didnt’ know if we wanted to make that big of an investment. When going through renovations its a lot of dancing between where do we splurge and where do we save. We had considered the stunning Ilve brand of ranges made in Italy. The 36” gas range we were looking at was a lot less than the AGA but ultimately we wanted local support and a great warranty incase anything went wrong. Getting an appliance fixed can be incredibly frustrating with long lead times especially when parts are coming from overseas. So ultimately for us that decision was the AGA Elise 36” Gas range . We paired it with this 34” hood insert. It has only been a few weeks and we are so happy with the decision.
The fridge we had moved to our pantry work space on a previous part of renovations. We went with the Signature 36” panel ready model. We absolutely love this so far, great lighting, easy to clean and lots of space.
Hardware
I cant tell you the number of times that I went back and forth on the faucet finishes. From the beginning it was domino affect with the cabinet colors. We went with brass appliances pulls for the fridge because it went better with the wood toned paneling. I didn’t want that to be the only brass element at eye level, so I tied in unlacquered brass faucets to create balance and continuity throughout the space.
Medium drawers: Charlotte 6" Centers Bar Pull in Polished Chrome
Large drawers: Charlotte 12" Centers Bar Pull in Polished Chrome
All Pulls: 1" Egg Knob in Polished Chrome
Main faucet (unlacquered brass): Waterstone Industrial Plp Pulldown Faucet
Drinking tap(unlacquered brass): Waterstone filteration faucet
When looking at faucets on Pinterest, I’m always drawn to the unlacquered, well-loved look. But as we moved through the design process, it became clear that we lean a bit more modern overall—especially when it comes to simplicity and function.
I knew I only wanted one handle, since I usually only have one hand free, so that was an important design decision from the start. A pull-down faucet was also a must, especially with a large sink.
The sink itself was a tougher call—we debated between a porcelain farmhouse sink and 32” stainless steel. Ultimately, the stainless steel option was about $1,000 less, which made the decision easier. In hindsight, I think it was the right choice. It feels more industrial and works beautifully with the space and the range.
Cabinets
I worked with Nicole at Signature Cabinets & Design in Norwell MA. She was so fabulous to work with, a truly great experience from the very first time I walked into the showroom to completion. She helped layout the design, and walked me through the entire process. Cabinets are such an important factor to how your space functions, so I knew that I needed some extra guidance here. For the extended pantry area we used US cabinet depot as more of a budget friendly option. For the kitchen area we used Fabuwood.
COUNTERTOPS
This truly deserves its own blog post—it was quite the journey. From the beginning, we knew we wanted something bold and beautiful. A honed finish was a must, and we also had to meet the full length of our island at 121”, which immediately narrowed our options.
We were drawn to the look of Arabescato, but as anyone who has sourced natural stone knows, availability is everything. Several slabs we loved ultimately fell through due to quality control issues or sizing limitations. It was a lesson in patience—and flexibility.
In the end, we found a Calacatta Viola that checked all the boxes and felt even more special than what we originally envisioned. Looking ahead, I’ve definitely learned to secure slabs well in advance on future projects—but thankfully, everything worked out beautifully in the end.
Marble: Calacatta Viola Honed 2cm
Sourced from: UMI Stone. They have a stunning warehouse and very efficient operation. Customer service nd follow up was top notch, also highly recommend!
Fabrication: Quartz & Granite Pro. They were so fantastic to work with. A family run business, a great experience the entire way through. Highly recommend if you are in MA and surrounding areas.
Upgrades
I’ve wanted a reverse osmosis system for clean, high-quality water for so long—such a meaningful health upgrade. There are so many great options on the market, but we chose this brand because you can monitor the quality and filtration levels directly from an app on your phone.
Another huge draw for us was that it adds minerals back into the water after the filtration process, which was really important to me. So far, we’re absolutely loving it.
I also wanted the main tap to be filtered—especially for washing fruits, vegetables, and everyday use. We went with the Mountain Plumbing Full Flow Water Filter System which allows the primary faucet to deliver filtered water without the need for a separate drinking tap.
I hope you enjoyed this little design tour and found a little inspiration along the way!
