Before and After: A Kitchen Transformation in Action

At Douglah Designs, we’re familiar with the feeling that many homeowners express: I have a space in my home that’s definitely outdated, but I don’t necessary want to do a full remodel. What are my options to give it a new look?

Projects that solve these design questions pose unique and exciting challenges for our team. The key is to find the best ways to cohesively implement the luxurious upgrade your space is craving, while not staying too far from the established design aesthetic. Read on to see how we gave a kitchen in Lafayette a major facelift, step-by-step.

First Things First: Get Rid of That Tile Countertop!

We like to call these projects “facelifts” because they involve the client picking and choosing which parts of the design they’d like to improve, without having to rip out the entire space and start from scratch. For this project, the client wanted a more luxurious feel to update some older features without completely modernizing their kitchen. They chose to keep the existing flooring and cabinetry, so we took this established palette and found matching materials that worked with the space.

One of the top priorities was replacing the tile countertop with a solid quartz surface. Why? The client found that the grout between the old tiles proved difficult to keep clean, and they were ready for the added luxury – and durability – that quartz countertops offer. This material is known and loved to be water, heat and scratch resistant and can be wiped clean in a snap!

New Lighting Fixtures Bring Natural Warmth

The next step was to update the lighting above the island. Cans in the ceiling may be a simple choice, but a pendant light can add personality and warm luminosity to replace the cans’ harsh lighting.

To make this space really glow, we also replaced the fluorescent lighting under the cabinets with LED lights to maximize visibility at the countertop with light that felt more natural and less glaring.

Luxurious Backsplash for Added Detail

One of the easiest ways to make an impactful difference in a kitchen is to update the tile backsplash. A tile pattern that runs horizontally through the entire kitchen offers the illusion of a larger space. Fun fact: throughout the designing, planning and execution of this project, no fewer than six different tile options we selected got discontinued! Still, we kept at it and finally found the right tile to create that perfect backsplash. The client absolutely loved how the grey palette blended seamlessly with the dark brown cabinetry and black kitchen appliances.

The Perfect Final Touch: Upgraded Sink Area

Once you start on a home improvement project, it can be hard to stop. Both our designers and clients agreed that an upgraded sink area was an absolute must-have final touch; having a spacious area with great functionality makes all the difference in how you spend your time in the kitchen. The client shared with us how much they enjoy cooking and entertaining in their space now. The sound of success!

We love being able to create our clients’ dream homes no matter the budget, vision or scope of project – it’s what we do best! To see more before-and-after photos from this “facelift” project and many more, please visit our Instagram page!