It’s reveal week, and I have to say I am happy dancing over here. This was my third One Room Challenge, and this one was GRUELING! But just like childbirth, it was totally worth it! I can say that now that we are on the other side. Why so grueling? Two things. I chose to update our Lake House kitchen, which is an hour and a half from our home. Weekends were the only time we had to work on it. And my friends that made for some really long evenings. Reason two, everything we did was new to us. The countertop install, the tiling, and wallpaper hanging… we were total DIY virgins with those things, and I did not factor the learning curve into our timeframe. Did I mention how happy I am that it’s done?!?!? And can I secretly mention I am already planning a bathroom remodel for the Fall??? I hope my husband is not reading this. He’s going to need at least the summer before I bring that up that to him. 🙂

Here was our progress by week: Week 1/ Week 2/ Week 3/ Week 4/ Week 5

And without further ado, our Kitchen Refresh at the Lake:

And just because I love a good before and after….here is what the space looked like when we bought the house 3 years ago.

This kitchen is a typical galley kitchen, and I love the white cabinets but wanted to bring it out of the dated 90’s feel it had. I also wanted to warm the space up a bit.

First, we added the wall mural by Anewall. I LOVE the beautiful blues that help capture the feel of sky and water. Perfect for a Lakehouse vibe. We also switched out the old lighting for this open, airy piece. I love that it has size and texture, but you can still see the view of the lake through it.

The main updates we wanted to complete were the countertops and backsplash. We decided on butcher block for the warmth (and cost) for countertops and then went with concrete on the bar top (it’s actually a skim coat product). I love how both turned out.

I partnered with The Tile Shop for the backsplash, and I LOVE the green glass tile we choose. It bounces light around much better than the previous stone tile, and the color actually ties in with the floors so well that I find I’m not hating on the floors nearly as much! As a bonus, my local team at The Tile Shop was extremely helpful with advice for us as first-time tile newbies.

Since we were removing the countertops, we took the time to update the sink to this new sexy beast by Kraüs. It’s HUGE and a single basin which I am loving. The faucet is by Kraüs also.

New Hardware is one of the quickest and easiest ways to update your kitchen cabinets. Ours had some swirly chrome pulls that screamed 1998. I chose a warm champagne bronze from D. Lawless Hardware with a simple profile, and it instantly changed the feel of the cabinets. The warmth of the champagne bronze looks beautiful against the green tile and the butcher block counters.

I also wanted to add some warmth to the breakfast nook. It gets a nice dose of sunshine, so it’s a perfect place to have a cup of coffee in the morning. I chose a new woven blind from Blindsaver to add some texture (and help with that morning sun) and painted the back of the built-ins, which turned out to be one of my very favorite changes. I also changed the light fixture to a more casual feel.

Once we were getting to the end of the refresh, I decided we needed something under the countertop where the barstools are. I had noticed that even though we had recently painted the wall, it was getting pretty scuffed from people’s knees and the grandkids eating there. It’s a high-use spot during the summer, so I decided to add something to protect the wall. I found Timberwall they specialize in wood products that are a breeze to install. Win-Win!

We then added the simple black barstools that have a lower profile. I love that the backs are not sticking up over the counter.

We are so excited to host guests again this summer.

I would like to take a moment to thank Linda at Calling it Home for this amazing event that I have come to love so much and Better Homes and Garden this year’s media sponsor.

I also want to thank the following sponsors:

Take a minute to go check out the other amazing spaces! I’m sure you will find them as inspiring as I do!

Featured designers are here, and Guest Participants are here!

That’s a wrap on the Spring One Room Challenge.

Until next time,

-Libbie