Have you ever heard the term '#KitchenGoals'? If you search it on Instagram, you are sure to find some of the most beautiful and flavorful kitchens you have ever seen. From contemporary cabinetry to modern styled lighting to an island you could practically sleep on, there are so many charming elements to each and every kitchen viewed simply by using this hashtag. Not only is Instagram a popular tool when picking out preferred kitchen designs, but Pinterest (please give me a follow :)) has also become a fan favorite as well. When Ryan and I moved in to our house in the mountains of North Carolina in 2014, we knew that redesigning our kitchen would be a goal of ours. We love our house because it is very spacious and functional. However, what the house had in practicality, it lacked in kitchen space. One could not open the refrigerator and the dishwasher at the same time because they would clash. Counter space was limited, everything was very closed off and natural light was only view-able through a small window. Here are a few photos of our kitchen before. We knew this kitchen would be temporary so we saved for five years so we could build our dream kitchen. Then, in the Fall of 2018, we met with our contractor Ronnie Jones Construction and started the process to build our brand new kitchen. After our initial meeting with plans for demo day to start within a few weeks, I knew it was time to find someone to help me design this kitchen. If you know me at all, you know that spreadsheets, planning and organization are my strengths. If you come to me with an idea for an event, it will likely be fully planned within the next week. I take pride that my mind operates that way; however, I can also humbly admit that when it comes to being creative or having a knack for design, this is an area I struggle in. Thankfully, my best friend of 20 years Jenn, with Jenn Fussell Interiors, has immaculate taste in pretty much everything and came to my rescue. Since the day we moved in to our house, Jenn has been instrumental in the design of it all. She drove to Boone on my 29th birthday and helped me pick out paint colors for every single room in my house. I knew with her taste in paint colors alone, that she would be the right person to design this kitchen. Getting Started With this kitchen remodel, we knew we wanted to make our new kitchen more 'open concept' (thank you Joanna Gains for giving me life with this new term). Not only did we want to remove all the enclosing walls, but we also wanted to expand by blowing out the two existing hallway closets. When we met with our contractor Ronnie he gave us an even better suggestion and recommended that we extend our kitchen out as well, which would double the size of the kitchen. Done, Done and Done! Then, on October 25th, with our design drawn up and permits pulled, we officially started construction on our new kitchen. Over the first few weeks, Ronnie's team worked diligently on the extension of the kitchen before starting on the interior. It was neat to see the footers laid and the cement poured, followed by the actual extension added on (picture below). It was perfect timing because our contractor finished the exterior just about the time Boone winter settled in. For anyone who has never experienced a high country winter, it can be quite beautiful but also quite chilly. Demo Day For any of you that love HGTV's Fixer Upper as much as I do, you know when you hear Chip Gaines say his infamous 'It's Demo Day', it is a very good day. This day happened for us on December 1, 2019. I remember the feeling of coming home and seeing all the walls blown out and already feeling a sense of wonder as I experienced how much bigger my home already felt with this added and renovated space. Here a few pictures below to capture the difference from the beginning stages of the interior demolition Throughout the next two months, Ronnie and his team continued to work on the interior of the kitchen from early to late hours. His team was diligent in working hard and providing a quality end result. Because the walls that were removed were load bearing walls, we needed to put a few beams in to hold up the second floor. It was very impressive to see these beams come together and we loved them so much that we ended up creating additional 'fake' beams to match. Meanwhile, while the contractors were hard at work, Jenn and I were in full planning and accessorizing mode. The wonderful thing about Jenn is, while I am on the mountain and she is in Mount Airy, NC, she could still help me with every single detail from a design perspective. No matter what time of day, I could Facetime, message or call and get her thoughts on how to move forward on a certain design element. From the layout of the beams, to the placement of the lighting, to the cabinet colors, to the countertop design, to the brand of appliances, Jenn was there every step of the way helping me pick out items that would not only look good together but also match our vision for this kitchen. Here are a few more pictures capturing the interior renovation: The Finishing Touches In February 2019, our kitchen renovation was starting to come to an end. We could see the final product was in sight so we headed to Charleston, SC for my husbands art show and let Ronnie's team finish up the final touches. When we returned home on Tuesday, February 19th, we walked in the door to a complete kitchen. I truly wished it was an episode of Fixer Upper and there was a camera crew following Ryan and I around so our reaction could be captured. We were both in awe and immensely impressed with the end result. Everything came together so well and flowed so naturally. Below are the final photos capturing our dream kitchen. To express how much I love this kitchen would be hard to do. While there are still some things I want to do such as window treatments, accessorize with area rugs and other decor, that will have to come in a later blog post. For now, I am thoroughly enjoying this new space. I love looking out the window and watching my toddler play on his swingset. It is truly the perfect place to cook, entertain and congregate with my family. I am grateful to our contractor Ronnie Jones Construction for their hard work on this project. I am especially thankful to Jenn Fussell Interiors for making this vision a reality. Finally, I am thankful to my husband for supporting this idea and helping bring this idea to life.
To view this whole process from start to finish, please give me a follow on Instagram at @mtnmommanc and view the 'Kitchen' highlight. This is also where I will post more photos as I continue to add more bits of flavor, design and decor to this new kitchen. For a list of all vendors used, please see below and thanks for following along :). List of Vendors
2 Comments
Debbie jackson
5/4/2019 01:29:01 pm
Congrats! It’s beautiful!
Reply
11/30/2022 12:43:57 am
Thanks for sharing such a informative blog! HUGE discounts once you have bought your first ticket! Ready to join the good life? All of big incredible prizes could be yours for just £9.99/month!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
I am a wife and momma to a sweet boy named Rhett. I live in the mountains of North Carolina and am saved by grace. I believe in all things family, all things food and all things fun. Archives
November 2018
Categories
All
|