Hi Savvys,
I am finally getting around to putting together a blog post about the details around our kitchen renovation that we completed back in September 2021.
I am so happy that we finally did it after living in our small 1100 sq foot townhouse for over 5 years. Originally, since Milton, Ontario was seeing huge increases in sale prices of homes, especially in townhomes , we were looking to upgrade our home during the pandemic. However there were so many bidding wars and even if we were able to sell our house, it was very hard to find a home that we wanted to upgrade to.
The pandemic allowed us to save loads of money we would have otherwise used for travel and decided to invest it in our kitchen and our home when we decided to stay, at least for a little bit longer. Even though Ezra was only a year old when we started construction, as well as us working from home full time. he actually adapted really well and it worked out for us in the end. We had set up a little station where we were able to to live on the top floor and utilize our bedrooms as different play stations for him. I was especially proud because out of the 6 weeks that it took to complete our kitchen renovation, I was able to make the majority of our meals at home – I think we only ended up ordering once or twice during the entire process!
Check out our rennovation vlog here
See below for the details of our before and after!
Our Old Kitchen:
The original layout of our kitchen wasn’t very optimal – there was a wall that created a hallway from our front door to the dining room / living room area. The kitchen itself had dark cherry wood cabinets and had a kitchenette that faced the front of the house. The space wasn’t optimal as we hardly ever used the kitchenette and there was a lack of sufficient pantry space so we had a large 5 x 5 Ikea Kallax unit that I got of Kijiji to hold all of our kitchen necessities. The floors were also very dated and overall the kitchen wasn’t really my style. Honestly, when we had originally bought the house, I had certain things on my wish list and literally nothing on it was met, so this kitchen was really getting on my last nerve especially spending so much time in it during the pandemic.
Originally I was going to DIY and paint the cabinets white and change the counter tops ourselves, however the space itself was still not an optimal layout and we decided that we would just invest in a rennovation as it would increase the value of the hosue, whether we were going to sell or rent it – either way, it was a plus!
The Interviewing Process:
I knew I wanted a farmhouse inspired kitchen with gold elements as well as a large farmhouse sink. Luckily for me, this is the style of most modern kitchens so when we were researching contractors, it was very easy to show them inspo photos for a quote.
We started the research for a contractor in May 2021 and had received quotes from 4 companies with the description of our dream kitchen in mind. We received a range from $30K to $80K for what we wanted to accomplish.
This included a full demolition, knocking down walls as well as changing our floors. The best advice I received when we interviewed different companies was that you didn’t want to necessarily go with the cheapest or the most expensive, and to choose the company where you could build a good relationship with.
In the end we decided to choose Eureka Kitchen & Bath for those reasons. They ended up being mid range and we decided to choose them because we got along really well with our designer, Annie. Annie really brought our vision to life and we worked together to incorporate things that were both functional and decorative as well as practical for our growing family.
Our New Kitchen:
The majority of the materials were included in our quote and I liked how the cabinets were also made locally in their facility in Oakville. The only materials that were not included was the flooring and light fixtures – however the flooring company, Milton Factory Tile Depot did give us a great discount.
We had implemented some upgrades, such as removing our popcorn ceiling, installing pot lights as well as lights under the cabinets, which was well worth it because it really helps to elevate the kitchen.
Originally we wanted a subway file for the backsplash, but decided to go with a herringbone pattern which I think elevates the look of the kitchen even further. We also upgraded our hood range (no more microwave for us! That’s right, we do not have a microwave in our home) and installed a drink station which is perfect for our family.
Our budget in the end was $50K and the kitchen cost us under $45K. We are very happy with the end results and even almost after a year later, the kitchen still feels very new and fresh! Can’t wait for our next potential renovation!
Products in our new kitchen:
–Kitchen Island Pendant Lights
Don’t forget to check out our video for the full reveal!
Now set forth and be savvy!
The Savvy Pantry 
Just wow! House looks so modern now 🙂
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