Our Ikea Kitchen: Small Space, Big Impact

After a journey spanning almost exactly two years since moving into our current home, our kitchen transformation is officially complete! What started as our most gradual kitchen renovation project has culminated in a space that is not only beautiful but remarkably functional. We’ve meticulously upgraded every key element: brand new cabinets, a stunning tiled backsplash extending all the way to the ceiling, pristine quartz countertops, and a much deeper, more practical sink that replaces its dated overmount predecessor. The heart of our home has truly been reimagined.

Our renovation also brought a discreet, hidden range hood, vastly improved storage with additional drawers, modern upper cabinets, and a generously sized pantry. This post is packed with inspiring before & after photos to showcase the incredible transformation, along with a complete budget breakdown to guide your own projects. Let’s dive into the details of how this dream kitchen came to life!

For us, this renovation felt like a continuous, evolving process rather than a single, disruptive overhaul, unlike the more intense gut renovation of our previous house’s kitchen. By tackling the upgrades in smaller, manageable phases over two years, we truly lived with the space, understanding its nuances and allowing the design to organically evolve. This gradual approach, though extended, yielded a transformation that feels incredibly dramatic and deeply satisfying when we reflect on the “before.”

Beyond the aesthetic relief of its completion, we are immensely grateful for the kitchen’s newfound functionality. Initially, I confess to harboring some skepticism about this space’s potential, but my partner Sherry, ever the optimist, always saw the vision. The end result has surpassed all expectations, becoming one of the most efficient and user-friendly kitchens we’ve ever had. This was a pleasant surprise, especially coming from a much larger kitchen in our last home.

The carefully optimized work triangle in this kitchen allows for seamless movement and fewer steps when preparing meals, whether it’s a quick lunch or an elaborate dinner. Remarkably, our current, more compact kitchen even boasts a larger pantry cabinet than its predecessor in our spacious Richmond home! This efficiency is a testament to the benefits of a phased renovation, allowing time to identify true needs and implement thoughtful solutions.

A key advantage of renovating in stages is the opportunity to truly live in and experience the space. This approach allows for the identification of specific challenges and the iterative testing of solutions before committing to a final design. Such thoughtful, phased development was instrumental in shaping the optimal layout and features of our current kitchen. To fully grasp the extent of this transformation, we highly recommend watching the video showcasing the journey from the original layout to its finished state. It truly offers a richer perspective than any series of photographs alone:

Note: You can watch our full kitchen transformation video on YouTube.

The Gradual Evolution of Our Kitchen Design

When we first purchased the house, the kitchen presented numerous opportunities for improvement, as documented in our initial tour. The list of desired upgrades included addressing the oppressive soffit that ran along two walls, the dated popcorn ceiling, and the mismatched appliances. The infamous “boob light” on the ceiling was also high on our list for replacement. It was a space crying out for a modern touch and enhanced functionality.

As part of our pre-move-in renovations, our contractor tackled significant structural improvements while we were still residing in Richmond. This included removing the soffit and existing upper cabinets, dismantling the obstructive peninsula, patching the floors (a necessity due to widespread moisture issues requiring new drywall and flooring throughout the first floor), and installing modern can lights. Surprisingly to many, we opted to keep most of the original kitchen elements intact for a phased personal approach.

Upon moving in, we began living with the kitchen as it was in May 2020. This period, characterized by frequent home cooking and dining, presented an initial adjustment. However, it proved that the space, despite its imperfections, was workable. Those first few weeks instilled confidence that we could comfortably live with the kitchen’s existing state for a while, granting us the flexibility to implement improvements slowly and deliberately over the next two years.

Our initial updates were swift and impactful. We installed open shelves, introduced a pendant light swagged over the dining table, and most notably, painted the cabinets a beautiful mauve to complement the existing laminate countertops. These early changes significantly enhanced the kitchen’s aesthetic and usability without a major overhaul.

Approximately a year into our residency, our vision for the finished kitchen became much clearer. We strategically relocated the refrigerator and constructed a substantial pantry cabinet around it, dramatically boosting storage capacity. A larger dining table was introduced to accommodate more guests, and a new door replaced an old window, providing direct access to our grill and s’mores pit. More shelves were added, and we even playfully adjusted the pendant light. Each tweak was a step towards optimizing the space for our family’s needs.

This spring marked the final phase of our renovation. We replaced the original cabinets with more functional Ikea units, painting them the same beloved mauve color. New countertops were installed, and for the first time, we added upper cabinets and a full tiled backsplash. A new woven pendant light was mounted as a semi-flush fixture, creating an airy and simplified aesthetic compared to its previous swagged placement. The substantial brass faucet below harmonizes beautifully with the brass hardware, adding a touch of elegance.

The subtle backsplash, described by Sherry as a “pearly-blue color, reminiscent of an oyster shell, perfect for a beach home,” paired with classic marble-like quartz counters and our consistent mauve cabinet color (Artsy Pink by Sherwin Williams), has created a cohesive and serene atmosphere. This color scheme, deeply rooted in the room’s original character, feels meant to stay. We are genuinely delighted with the final outcome, which reflects both our evolving style and functional needs.

Let’s delve deeper into some of the latest additions that truly define this space.

Our Stunning New Tile Backsplash

The decision to install a new backsplash was the catalyst for this final renovation phase, a classic “If you give a mouse a cookie” scenario. We understood that a backsplash would only make sense after replacing the countertops, which in turn necessitated new cabinets. These were long-term goals, but the desire for that perfect backsplash propelled us to accelerate all three projects. Additionally, our old sink was notoriously shallow, with even a small cup visibly protruding over the rim – a situation that has been dramatically improved by our new deep sink, perfect for concealing dirty dishes!

Our primary goal for the backsplash was to introduce texture and subtle sheen, avoiding a bold pattern or overwhelming color, unlike some of our past projects. We envisioned a light, relaxed, and distinctly “beachy” feel. Since the kitchen shares space with a sitting area and is visible from the front door, we wanted something timeless that wouldn’t quickly fall out of favor. We quickly settled on this affordable 4×4″ zellige-style tile in the “Sky” colorway. Its soft blue-gray tone with a beautiful sheen is incredibly difficult to capture in photographs but is truly captivating in person.

The entire backsplash wall cost approximately $325 and was completed in about 2.5 days, including grouting. While we won’t detail every step (you can find our comprehensive backsplash tutorial, complete with a video, here), the process was straightforward, delivering the desired shine and subtle texture. It genuinely evokes the serene beauty of the inside of an oyster shell, perfectly capturing our beachy vision.

A crucial tip for any tiling project, especially a kitchen backsplash, is meticulous layout planning. Taking the time to visualize and dry-fit your tiles before applying adhesive is paramount. This minimizes awkward small slivers of tile around edges, such as ceilings or cabinets, ensuring a professional and symmetrical finish. Adjustments can be made to the bottom row cut or the centerline alignment with a grout line or tile center, optimizing the overall aesthetic.

We spent considerable time dry-fitting our tiles, leaning them against the wall without mastic to test various arrangements. This allowed us to ensure a perfectly even and symmetrical layout around the window, despite its off-center placement, and along the side walls. This preparatory step, though time-consuming, was essential for achieving the polished look we desired. For zellige or zellige-inspired tiles, pre-sorting is also key. Pay close attention to variations in sheen, texture, and subtle “direction” of the tiles. Some might appear more matte, while others have distinct vertical, horizontal, or even circular patterns due to their handmade nature. Deliberately placing differing tiles next to one another and rotating them helps create a beautifully randomized and authentic look. For grout, we opted for a favorite: Mapei Flexcolor grout in “Warm Gray” to blend seamlessly with the tiles, allowing their unique character to shine.

To further enhance the cohesive, tonal effect, we painted the window trim the same shade as the tiles. Previously, its bright white finish felt discordant against the intentionally muted back wall; now, it recedes seamlessly with the backsplash. Our choice of a gray-toned quartz countertop beautifully complements the blue-gray backsplash and soft cabinets, creating a calming, layered visual effect that is truly subtle and sophisticated in person. The video offers the best representation of this nuanced color scheme, as no picture can fully capture its depth.

Upper Cabinets & The Integrated Hidden Hood

This final renovation phase saw us transition from open shelving to closed upper cabinets, a decision we debated extensively but ultimately embraced for two compelling reasons:

1. The addition of more hidden storage significantly reduces visual clutter, creating a calmer, less “busy” aesthetic, especially since we still have open shelves in the dining area.
2. It allowed for the seamless integration of a hidden range hood. While not mandated by code, a functional hood was always a desired feature for enhanced air quality and cooking comfort.

Interestingly, the addition of these ceiling-height upper cabinets visually expands the kitchen, making it feel both larger and taller in person. Friends have often commented on this unexpected effect, noting how the back wall appears to recede and gain height. It’s a clever design trick that maximizes the sense of space in a compact footprint.

While we’ll elaborate on the organization and contents of these new cabinets in a future post, we wanted to highlight the cleverly hidden range hood cabinet above the stove. This innovative solution, a technique we previously employed in our duplex kitchens, utilizes the Ikea OMSINNAD range hood, designed to fit seamlessly within an upper cabinet. Though not the most budget-friendly option, its ability to maintain the symmetrical and balanced aesthetic of the back wall made it the perfect choice for our design vision.

After living without a range hood for nearly two years, we deeply appreciate having one again. It significantly improves indoor air quality by removing cooking odors and airborne grease, and as an added bonus, it provides convenient under-cabinet lighting on one side of the kitchen. A deep, single-bowl stainless steel sink remains our favorite choice for a kitchen, consistently outperforming double bowls and even white cast iron sinks in terms of practicality and ease of cleaning (stainless steel sinks are also surprisingly satisfying to clean!). Paired with a pull-down faucet offering single-hand control via a toggle bar, this combination is simply ideal for our daily needs.

The decision to incorporate the range hood and upper cabinets, once a point of debate, now feels undeniably right. These additions have been instrumental in transforming this kitchen into one of the most efficient and enjoyable cooking spaces we’ve ever experienced, rivaling even the well-designed work triangle of our first house’s kitchen, but with significantly more pantry storage.

The kitchen’s compact size, ensuring everything is just a few steps away, significantly contributes to its efficiency. Moreover, the addition of a new door leading to our new kitchen porch, complete with a grill just five steps away, has made the entire space exponentially more functional and enjoyable. It’s truly a “winner winner chicken dinner” situation!

The transformation from the original kitchen, viewed from the same angle, is truly remarkable. Removing the soffit and converting the window into a door has dramatically increased the perceived ceiling height and brought abundant light and connectivity to the outdoors. This seemingly minor change has had a monumental impact on the entire space’s openness and flow.

Having an outdoor grill this close and easily accessible from the kitchen is an unparalleled convenience, significantly increasing our frequency of grilling. We also have an outdoor cabinet on order that will extend our kitchen counter space directly to the grill area, providing essential storage for grilling tools and additional prep surface outside. This thoughtful integration blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor living.

Thanks to our new kitchen porch, we now have the delightful option of dining al fresco, which we cherish. This flexibility is invaluable when entertaining: kids can gather inside while adults enjoy the outdoor ambiance, or vice versa. For larger gatherings, the expansive table on the upper deck comfortably seats eight more, offering yet another inviting space for post-dinner games or relaxation. Options truly enhance our living experience!

On the opposite side of the kitchen, mirroring the porch door, lies a utility closet nestled beneath the stairs. We recently undertook a significant overhaul of this closet, vastly improving its functional storage. It houses our HVAC system and, until recently, our water heater. Previously, this meant the space was largely blocked and inefficient. However, by upgrading to a tankless water heater, we unlocked a remarkable amount of bonus space within the closet! While it can never be a true pantry due to the HVAC system, we’ve installed clever storage solutions and even a worktop surface. It’s now the organized home for our vacuum, broom, and other household essentials. We look forward to sharing detailed photographs and the full story of this closet’s transformation in an upcoming post.

This kitchen’s remarkable efficiency is amplified by its multi-functional design. It’s not merely a cooking area but seamlessly integrates a comfortable lounging and entertaining space right alongside, fostering a truly inviting and versatile environment for family and guests alike.

The view from this area has dramatically improved since the initial renovation phase. The progress made in transforming this space is evident in every detail, reflecting careful planning and execution.

The Integrated Kitchen Sitting Area

Approximately half of this expansive room is dedicated to the kitchen zone, with the other half serving as an incredibly useful sitting area. We spend countless hours here daily, and after two years, we simply cannot imagine our home without it. Initially, we weren’t sure how much we’d use this space; it was an experiment. We considered moving the dining table here or adding a kitchen island if it didn’t work out. But it has become an indispensable hub for our family.

When we acquired the house, this area featured an open layout, part of which was later enclosed to create our bedroom. We speculate the previous owners might have used this section as a dining area. Another “before” perspective reveals the old kitchen peninsula in the foreground and our front door, suggesting it might have functioned as a combined dining room and foyer. For us, however, it has seamlessly transformed into a perfect downstairs sitting area, ideal for reading, relaxing, or hosting friends while their children play elsewhere.

This space has become central to our daily routine, especially during meal times when our children gather here. Navigating the placement of furniture to accommodate two doors within this area required strategic selections. The cozy loveseat and our new round terrazzo coffee table, for instance, were chosen to optimize flow and functionality. The result is a welcoming and highly practical zone that exceeds our initial imaginings. In a smaller home, the luxury of having a downstairs hangout zone in addition to an upstairs TV/movie room is invaluable. It allows for distinct spaces for different activities, making the house “live large” by preventing us from feeling cramped or on top of one another.

For a better sense of scale, here’s a candid shot of us lounging with our dog, Penny. This scene is quite typical, though I’d probably be engrossed in Wordle while Sherry, ever the charming New Jerseyan, showers Penny with affection and perhaps even attempts to beat me at the game with playful banter. While we adored our old storage coffee table, we recognized that a round table would significantly improve the room’s flow. Over time, as we added more built-in storage throughout the house – including bedroom wardrobes, fireplace flanking cabinets, and an upstairs media cabinet, and even the recently optimized kitchen utility closet – our need for coffee table storage diminished. Sherry had admired this terrazzo table from CB2 for quite a while, making it an easy and aesthetic choice once the functional requirement for storage was met elsewhere.

Despite its substantial stone construction, the light color of the terrazzo table contributes to a more open and airy feel on this side of the room, a notable improvement over our previous table. The terrazzo’s unique texture also harmonizes beautifully with the durable metallic rug that has graced our home for years, creating a layered and inviting aesthetic.

Speaking of a room that works tirelessly for us, let’s turn our attention to another highly functional zone within this space: the laundry closet. Yes, tucked behind those two doors is a complete laundry station! This room truly maximizes its utility for our family.

A peek inside reveals the thoughtful organization:

And here’s the full view of our highly efficient laundry station:

For a fun comparison, let’s flash back to a “before” shot from the same angle. The laundry closet used to be narrower, featuring only a single door, and inexplicably led into one of the bedrooms (which already had a separate entrance). We promptly closed off the back of the closet to create a more sensible and enclosed laundry area. It feels incredibly satisfying to have a kitchen that is both functional and streamlined, complemented by a settled, inviting sitting area and a highly efficient laundry zone.

We experimented with countless layout ideas for the sitting area before discovering a configuration that truly worked. So, if you’re struggling with a tricky space, don’t be discouraged! Continue to try new things and rearrange elements. Two years later, you might just find yourself exclaiming, “This is IT!”

Before we dive into the numbers with our budget breakdown, let’s take one last moment to appreciate the true star of this room, Penny, curled up in one of her favorite spots. Our beloved Chorkie, Penny, clearly loves this loveseat as much as her brother, Burger, did. Their comfort is a testament to the warmth and inviting nature of this re-envisioned space.

The Kitchen Renovation Budget Breakdown

Compiling this budget was particularly challenging due to the renovation’s extended timeline, spread across many months. However, I’ve diligently itemized all major renovation elements visible in the finished kitchen, including the pendant light, new faucet, cabinets, countertops, sink, disposal, tile, paint, appliances, and hardware. This budget is strictly for the kitchen renovation and materials, intentionally excluding decorative items like the fruit bowl, toaster, dining table, and chairs, as tracking every single accessory would make the budget unnecessarily complex and divert from the core renovation costs.

Contractor costs from our initial house update, prior to moving in, are also excluded, as the kitchen largely remained intact then (original cabinets, counters, and sink were kept). Isolating specific kitchen expenses from our original renovation, which included broad line items like “whole house new drywall” and “whole house floors patched,” proved impractical. Therefore, this budget begins from a foundational point where the room had finished drywall and intact flooring, a common starting point for many renovations. All other work, including cabinet installation, painting, and backsplash tiling, was done ourselves, hence no separate labor costs for these tasks. The countertop installation by professionals is, however, included in the price below:

• Ikea SektionCabinets, Veddinge Fronts & Interior Organizers: $3,330
• Cabinet Paint & Supplies: $130
• All Appliances (Including Hood): $930*
• Quartz Counters, Sink & Disposal: $4,340
• Brass Faucet: $465
• Cabinet Hardware: $85
• Backsplash Tile (Including Mastic, Grout & Supplies): $485
• Pendant Light& Light Kit: $120
• TOTAL: $9,885

*Our stove, dishwasher, and refrigerator were acquired second-hand for an incredible $500 through Facebook Marketplace and with assistance from our realtor, representing one of the best deals of our lives. The appliance total of $930 above includes the cost of the Ikea hood.

Note: The conversion of the kitchen window to a door was part of a larger contractor project for redoing our entire kitchen porch. We estimate this specific part of the job cost approximately $1,270 (around $900 for labor + $370 for the door), though costs can vary significantly based on individual circumstances and door selection.

For those interested in further budget comparisons, you can explore the costs of our duplex kitchens here, and discover another inspiring budget-friendly kitchen renovation we previously featured right here. This comprehensive post, filled with numerous photos and a pivotal video, truly captures the essence of our finished kitchen. We sincerely appreciate you joining us on this journey through our most gradual, yet incredibly rewarding, kitchen renovation. Each small victory, from finally having a dedicated pantry to installing a functional range hood, brought immense satisfaction.

It’s incredibly gratifying to finally declare this project complete, marking the successful culmination of two years of thoughtful design and dedicated effort. If you’re curious about our past kitchen transformations, we’ve compiled a list of all the kitchens we’ve renovated over the years, showcasing our evolving style and passion for home design:

• Our First House Kitchen (2008)
• Our Second House Kitchen (2012)
• Our Previous House Kitchen (2016)
• Our Beach House Kitchen (2018)
• Our Duplex Rental Kitchens (2019)

This latest project marks our seventh kitchen renovation, a significant milestone that feels like a perfect “lucky seven” place to conclude our personal kitchen renovation adventures. While this might be our last, Sherry did assist a neighbor with updating her kitchen while preserving her beautiful wood-toned cabinets, a project we hope to share on the blog soon. Thank you for following along as we transformed this space into the functional and beautiful heart of our home!

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