I love my new Aqua and White Kitchen.
I had white cabinets at my last house and loved them. For some reason I thought since this house was a little more rustic that a white kitchen wouldn’t work. But I am so happy with the way this remodel turned out.
{NOTE — lots of pictures to come}
{The Keep Calm sign is from Barn Owl Primitives}
Here’s what the kitchen looked like when we bought the house 10 years ago — Corian counters and lots of brass.
A few years later we added some granite counters and a rustic backsplash:
But it wasn’t quite what I wanted. I needed something a little lighter and brighter.
So this summer we started working on making a pretty big change. We painted the walls from brown to a light grey –
Sharkey Grey from Martha Stewart Paint via Home Depot. And painted over the backsplash tile. We used a special primer for tile first. And it looks so great.
We ended up painting the entire first floor, except for the living room that color. It’s such a pretty shade of grey and so neutral.And it makes the house seem so much lighter and brighter than the brown color did.
We also painted the little nook in our family room white and added some beadboard to the back. It’s a great place to display family pictures!
There are also a few other projects that I did along the way that added to this project, like my Aqua Door:
Stenciled Pillows
Stenciled Faux Roman Shades
Family Organization Station
Beadboard Open Shelves
Wrapping Paper-Lined Cabinet
DIY Pendant Lights
Pennant Pantry
And I love the color we decided to paint the island. It’s Martha Stewart’s Rainwater:
Here are a few more pictures:
Just to let you know — we did pay someone to paint the cabinets. After painting my DIY Entertainment Unit, I knew I was way too anal to paint all of these cabinets myself.
So we hired a wonderful cabinet painter. He used a very high-tech spray gun with dyed polyurethane which is very durable and leaves no brush marks. I couldn’t be happier.
And now I have a bright & Happy kitchen/Family Room area.
It’s a great space to spend time as a family!!
xoxo
Have a Wonderful Day!!!
PS — Coming up tomorrow, a Valentine’s Day tutorial.
Oh my goodness!!! I LOVE IT!!! It’s so bright and happy! Love the aqua and white together! The island is awesome! Well done Jen!!!
I have absolutely fallen in love with this kitchen I”m pinning it to my dream kitchen board. Must have these colors!
Wow Jen! I just love how it all turned out! I love how bright and white the cabinets look. Your room feels so fresh and clean! You did a great job!
Your kitchen looks gorgeous! I know what you mean about grey. We’ve just re- decorated quite a lot of our house using a grey wallpaper. I was leery of grey at first but I think it is one of the most effective colours we have used.
just stunning Jen!! I love every little detail!
It is perfect. I so want to paint our cabinets, so I just may have to check into hiring someone. We just bought the house and the cabinets are beautiful, just not me. Your kitchen is such an inspiration!!
It looks fabulous Jen! I think I love the inside of your cabinets the best. So pretty with the bead board and wrapping paper! Funny how it’s always the little details that make the room! GREAT JOB!
WOW! So open and bright, it is absolutely gorgeous! Great job!
I love it! We’re moving soon and I will FOR SURE be using some of your ideas.
)
I am in love, I really like the color choice. The cabinets look so much better it makes the space look bright and fresh. I love the eating area and the open cabinets showcasing the the cake plates. So Pretty.
I just LOVE LOVE LOVE your kitchen makeover….did I mention that I LOVE it!!! Its absolutely beautiful!! And the pictures are amazing. I love the white cabinets and teal door and that island is to die for!!
Jill@ iknowtheplansihave4you.blogspot.com
WOW it is so purty. I want to just pick it up and put it in my house! I love it, the perfect combination!
Amy
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU so much for sharing the pictures of your kitchen. I installed beadboard wallpaper at the back of our newly opened cabinet and wanted to paint it aqua. But, everyone told me not to. Now that I see your’s I love it! And I wish we had an island to paint, I think I’m just going to paint the penisula back the aqua color.
i love it because it sooooo YOU! you covered every detail. gorgeous job!
good grief, girl – it looks like you could eat off your floors they’re so clean. beautiful!
xoxo
kellie
Im having a heart attack here…OMG I love it…can we have more pictures plz??? Love everyhting from the Aqua Island to that Aqua doors and those open shelves like really??do you wanna kill me or what???
)))
I love aqua I just posted today about my living and dining room the color is Turquoise..hope you like it but it is not like urs at all no comparison plz
It’s absolutely beatiful! I love aqua – probably the best color in the world. This looks amazing!
AMAZING!! I love it so much…and cabinets are fantastic! We actually painted our kitchen and our bedroom that Sharkey Gray color too and I LOVE IT! It’s my most favorite “greige” color!!
Your kitchen is so much fun, Jen. What a beautiful transformation! Great job!
Thanks Roeshel!!
You are so sweet. I appreciate you!
xxoxox
Jen
I LOVE the rug in front of your sink!! Where did you find it?
This kitchen is FANTASTIC! It all comes together so well.
Clean, refreshing, and happy all at once.
I especially like the little nook with the couch and dining table & chairs.
That whole ensemble flows perfectly with that kitchen!
Your kitchen is beautiful! I can picture spending ALOT of time in that kitchen! Also… I noticed you have a cavalier? Me too!!! S/he’s so pretty!
jen–your home is beautiful-right out of a magazine! I’m a “blue” girl, so of course I love the aqua. I’m also loving your table (black) I painted mine white, and not so fond of it. I do need to repaint my island and have been considering black. I think I’ll go for it.
Y’all have worked hard, but it is gorgeous! So happy for you!
gail
Adorable!! Great job!! I love the turquoise, your breakfast nook, that yellow letter H, the aqua door… sigh… Great job girlie!! xo, Reannah
It looks AMAZING Jen! So beautiful! All your hard work paid off! Now, can I move in??
Oh my gosh!!! Amazing! Love the new look:)
I love it! I really love the color you used for the island and I’m really getting interested in gray paint these days. I had a little chill when I read that you painted over the tile, but I really like the way it turned out. It is such a happy kitchen and I love the hints of yellow, but it also leaves open the possibilities of switching out for red, pink, navy, black…whenever you feel like a slight change. Great job!
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!!! I have been trying to get some inspiration for my kitchen and you knocked my socks off! THANK YOU!!!
I love the colors! I have dark cabinets and so want to have them painted as well. Everything looks amazing and much larger with the light colors.
Wow, Jen, it looks incredible! So refreshing, clean, and modern ~ love it! I especially love the open cabinets with the bead board as well as the blue door. Great design!!!
Lindsay
I LOVE the new kitchen!
Could you please please super please let me know where you found that awsome light you have above your table, that is super cool!
WOW!! I absolutely LOVE the colors!! Now I totally want to remodel my kitchen! lol Thanks for sharing!:)
Beautiful! Inspiring!
Love how you painted your tile. I have wanted to paint a strip of pastel tiles that run among my white kitchen tiles (love the 90′s) but not sure what paint and primer to use. Could you please post about this project? Does it look good or does it just look painted? Any info would be appreciated! Thanks.
Love how you’ve chosen to add the yellow with the blue. Looks so lite cheery. Could you tell me about the light fixture above your round kitchen table. I love it too!
love love love. how inspiring! Now to convince my husband to paint our backsplash tile!
Love the pops of yellow too!
It’s GORGEOUS Jen!!! Great job! I love how bright and airy it is, such a happy room.
Anna
http://www.askannamoseley.com
Jen – Your kitchen is BEAUTIFUL…and the rest of your house, too!! I love it! How has the painted tile held up? I had our backsplash tiled when they did our floors, but I didn’t put enough thought into my choice of tile. I would love to paint ours!
It’s so much brighter! Gorgeous, I love it…when we get a house, I want your kitchen so can you mail it to me? Thanks
WOWZERS JEN- I love it! I love LOVE LOVE color, so this is right up my alley. I too have the same colors in my home now even that green I spy. So I am majorally swooning here, GREAT job my friend. Enjoy it. I would be cooking and baking up a storm in that pretty new kitchen. xo.
Oh my JEN! So pretty! I really need to finish mine… Darling!
Awesome job! I love the aqua color, and I’m definitely inspired to use blues in my kitchen! Thanks for sharing your amazingness!
Hi Jen,
I love you blog. And you kitchen looks terrific. I have a question for you. What did you use to paint the backsplash? I have a tiled backsplash that I am not a big fan of. I was thinking about replacing it but it seems like a lot of work. Painting would be much faster and cheaper. Thanks
this is so beautiful! It is such a happy space now! I especially love the banquet! I actually just posted my kitchen remodel today too. check it out if you’d like.
http://www.sassysanctuary.com/2012/01/kitchen-reveal.html
I love it !! What made me smile was the before pictures because it was already a beautiful kitchen but now it is even better. We have those same type of cabinets and have lived in this house almost 10 years. Up to this point, I would NEVER have thought to paint over them because they are in perfect condition. I painted our kitchen red about 7 years ago and I have been thinking of going lighter but it was such a pain the first time. Not sure I could get my “co-painter” on board!! This is an inspiration.
I LOVE it! It is SO bright and cheery! You can’t help but be happy in a space like that! I am one week away from the big finish in my kitchen. I added a little aqua too, I love what it does for a room. Here’s a sneak peak: http://homeyhomedesign.blogspot.com/2012/01/were-almost-there-kitchen-project.html
It’s a huge transformation and I LOVE it!!
Absolutely beautiful! And, I LOVE your doggi!
Love it! and I LOVE your kitchen layout. You have a great eye for design!
. However, if I do change the color to a brighter white, we may price out a paitner to re-do just the doors!
I just did my kitchen too. Light blue walls, off white cabs, and a bit darker blue island. Can I ask what color white you used for the cabinets? I am not convinced I love the color of my cabients. I went a little off-white, but am rethinking it. It was a HUGE project, and it’s not perfect, but we already had to do a million other fix ups with our house, so paying a painter was out of our budget
Holy smokes! That looks fantastic! Our home is also in the ‘rustic’ style with the same builder-grade cabinets. I have been wanting to lighten things up and paint our cabinets, but wasn’t sure if it would work for our style of home. I am totally showing your post to my husband!
W-O-W. It’s really (really) lovely!! Good work, as always : )
Jen!!!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! Its so completely you and totally makes me want a white kitchen!!
Love your guts
mandi
I love what you have done. I was searching for inspiration for the kitchen in our new house. It just looks so bright and inviting.
I think my biggest question is about your cavie. Do you keep your dog’s hair cut short all of the time and does that cause skin problems?I want our Emma To have shorter hair but our groomer said it could cause her to have a rash. I am just so tired of having hairballs everywhere (especially with a 9 month old in the house).
This is Jen’s husband answering this one … Trixie seems to like it better with shorter hair … she has more energy that way. We keep her ears and tail fairly long, as you can see. We haven’t had any problems with skin problems. And … as you said … when her hair is longer she sheds more.
LOVE!
Jen, it’s amazing! I love everything about it…can I live with you?
IT’S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING THAT I SEEN!
Debbie
I am so impressed. Everything came together so beautifully. Well done!
I LOOOOVE your kitchen!! We are building our house now, and now I have so many great ideas for the kitchen!! Thanks for sharing!!
It looks so fabulous!! What a beautiful space.
Awesome – just gorgeous! Love that you posted so many pictures!
I knew I would love it before I even looked
And I was right! So many perfect little details… The aqua knobs, the open shelving, the rainwater island… and of course, the aqua pantry door. The cabinets look so good and I like the new wall color too. I am needing a living room color for my walls, and had been thinking of something similar. It’s nice to see it on your walls in real life as reference.
Enjoy your GORGEOUS new space!!
Ohhh, it’s gorgeous!!! I love the colors you chose and those little pops of yellow are so cheery! Fabulous job… wanna come do mine now?!
xo,
Laurie @ Gallamore West
p.s. LOVE your breakfast nook too!
I love it…so open and airy!!! Beautiful colors. Your painted pantry door had gotten me thinking about painting mine! So fab.
Sincerely beautiful! You did such an amazing job!! I love how the colors compliment the happy green in the next door room as well. I am such a HUGE fan of white kitchens – I love all the pops of aqua and yellow!! ENJOY your space!!
Oh I am in love! How gorgeous! It turned out beautifully!
GORGEOUS Jen!!! I absolutely LOVE everything about this kitchen!!
Jen your kitchen looks amazing! I love how bright the white cabinets make the room! My favorite part has to be the aqua door! It adds so much personality to the room! Makes me wish I had a door to paint in my kitchen:)
AMAZING! Everything about it! I love the wall color. We have beige walls and they are driving me crazy! I must get to home depot and look at the gray choices!
I can’t really describe how much I love this! I’ve been trying to talk my husband into letting me paint our cabinets blue for awhile now! This after might just helps sway him! Great job, now take a day or two off!
Jen!! This space is fabulous! You are my DIY hero.
SO gorgeous, Jen!!! You are my DIY hero!
So pretty! I love the colors you used. This is kind of what I want to do in my bathroom, white walls, pale blue ceiling and pale blue cabinets. This gives me the inspiration I need to go with it!
I had trouble getting your site to load for me this morning, Jen, but it’s probably b/c you broke the internet with all this fabulousness. The Before and After shots are amazing. The old kitchen was very nice too, but the difference that white makes is huge. The room looks more spacious and open. I love it!!
This is just too TOO gorgeous!! You have such a good eye, Jen. SOOOO jealous!!
It’s absolutely fabulous! So jealous, you have my dream kitchen
Oh,great…Very beautiful…This is never out of the kitchen…Very nice..
Be happy….
You never cease to amaze me!! Amazing, amazing, amazing! So clean and fresh! Job well done! Now, enjoy that breakfast nook, pour yourself a glass of wine, kick back, and soak up a job well done! Amazing … have I mentioned that yet … well, it’s AMAZING!!!!
LOVE this. You are a creative interior genious. Such a pretty and warm area! LOVE.
Your kitchen makes me happy Jen- LOVE how bright it is and the colors. SO fun! xoxo
It looks beautiful, Jen! So light and bright!
Jen , I love it, love it, love it!!!!! Great job! I adore the whites, blues and pops of yellow.
Wowzer! The transformation is amazing, and I get over how much larger everything looks! Absolutely gorgeous
Love it!
WOW!!!!!! It came out absolutely gorgeous!!!! LOVE the colors and how everything flows from one room to the other. You are so taleneted, you didn’t miss one detail. Thanks for sharing. I totally enjoyed it:)
~Debra xxx
Capers of the vintage vixens
An absolute beautiful kitchen. House Beautiful or any of the decorating magazines would have a field day with this kitchen!!! I don’t know if you have thought of entering it, but it’s just lovely. I certainly would love to walk into that kitchen each morning to get my morning coffee!!! WOW!
Gorgeous! I would never have thought to paint the island a different color, but it is so striking. Lovely paint colors too.
fantastic make-over it looks so open & fresh i love it……..the eat in area have you ever posted about that? i would love to do something like that in the near feature if possible i have 2 large pieces in my area that are family antiques that take up 2 walls i would never sell them but i could move to another room down the road….i am just loving the eating nook……anyways great job its beautiful!!
I absolutely love it!! The colors, the accessories are perfect. Great job!
Love this kitchen. You did a great job and gave me some inspiration…I have to redo my kitchen this spring/summer…I can’t wait. You have lots of great ideas and I’m sure I can use some of them. I love the open cabinet space and the colors are wonderful. Like an ocean beach front home!! You did a great job and thanks for sharing with all of us!!
What a dramatic transformation! I love all of the pops of aqua against the white cabinets, and the island color is just lovely. I have always loved that rainwater color. Well done!
Jen – it is just gorgeous! The whole thing is just so clean and bright without being sterile. It looks like a place to come hang out and enjoy. What a beautiful job.
LOVE LOVE LOVE
We just bought a new house and the colours we chose for our kitchen cabinets are identical to your Before pictures. I have been rethinking our choice since we moved in a year ago, but it isn’t in our budget to change so we will have to make do.
Wow your kitchen is beautiful! It’s HUGE too! Amazing
I love the eat in area too with the sectional going around the table. Looks so comfy!
It looks wonderful! I love the colors you used and all of the updates you’ve implemented.
It looks beautiful – I love that you didn’t match all the turquoise shades. Great work!
Jen-I’ve blog stalked you for a bit now, but I just have to comment on the beauty of this room. I love your white cabinets and the Island? Magnificent! It all looks so bright and yet warm and cheery at the same time. Enjoy your new space. A lovely transformation.
Wow!! That looks gorgeous!! I love it. It’s so bright and happy. I can’t wait to get rid of my oak cabinets and dark walls.
Looks great!! We’re thinking of going white with our cabinets, but would have to change the back splash tile. What kind of primer did you use?
Wow! It looks fantastic! I wish I could convince my dear husband that we need to paint our kitchen units, but no such luck. Absolutely loving yours though, and the splashes of aqua.
Just lovely. Aqua is my favoutire colour and I absolutely love how you have converted your kitchen. It’s wonderful.
Wow! I have been loving aqua for about a year and I just love all of the aqua in your house. The kitchen looks amazing! And I love the aqua pantry door!