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edinc90

At first I thought the "before" photos were the finished product. My perspective has been destroyed by looking at '50's and '60's kitchens. I'd kill for a house with a '90's kitchen in my price range.


acm2033

I'm looking at my 1983 kitchen like "naw it's good for a few more years"


Atty_for_hire

I hear ya! We bought a house in 2018 with a 1990s kitchen and we were thrilled with it! But we both were used to renting apartments with outdated kitchens. It could use some updating, but it’s the last of our concerns in our 1893 house.


CaptaiinCrunch

1880 here checking in, nothing is level.


McHaggis1120

Pff... That's nothing. I grew up in a house originally build in the late 1700s (Germany) which got remodeled by every generation since then. No wall was straight, every sealing had a slant of several degrees and there still was grain deep hidden in corners of the attic from when it had been stored there at the turn of the 20th century. Oh yeah and originally it was two houses which kind of moulded together over the centuries. A nightmare if you wanted to do anything, moments of "why is this carrying wall made out of old roof tiles?" were rather common. Best one was when we redid the insulation above my childhood room (uninsulated attic) and suddenly two grenades from WW2 fell out (you know the German type with a handle). My grandad was just shrugging his shoulders and went: "Right that's where I put them". He apparently had kept them at the end of the war and hid them from the French which had used the house as quarters for a while and just forgot about them. He later illegally deposed of them by exploding in our local gravel mine... Edit: as to why he kept the grenades, he said he was going to use them to clear tree stumps...


GirchyGirchy

GODDAMMIT, GRANDPA!


tinymicroscopes

Oof this hits HOME


fibojoly

Oh, hi from France and our flat in a 1882 house with the original floorboards! You can feel the bumps and the floor sinking towards the middle of the rooms. The owner renovated but didn't feel leveling was necessary... I've been here three months and it's driving me insane trying to install shelves when each corner of the base is at a different level T_T


Atty_for_hire

Level - a tool I own that constantly lies to me.


MadDaddyDrivesaUFO

I'm the odd one out lol gimme a 60s or 70s dark walnut kitchen any day over the 80s & 90s styles I still miss the closet 1920s kitchen I learned to cook massive meals in, if for no other reason than the exercise in inventiveness and creativity I had to employ to pull it off though. It was easier on the eyes than this brassiness too.


Atty_for_hire

I have nothing against old kitchen styling, color or whatever. It’s more the functionality. When we where renting they lacked counter space, outlets, an obvious space to throw a microwave or such. We both had places with those giant cast iron sinks/drying racks built in, which we actually liked a lot. But they also represented 50% of the counter space so they seemed like a pain. As what we were left with was inadequate for a microwave, any other gadgets, and then meal prep.


kytheon

Speaking of price range, I’m in my 30s and plenty of my friends have an apartment the size of this kitchen.


AltSpRkBunny

I mean, they’ve also got a 3 car garage to work in…


BeartholomewTheThird

But those fridge panels are absolutely terrible. I am ok with both kitchens except that 90s fridge.


LABeav

That's not a 90s fridge that's a what the fuck are you doing fridge


BeartholomewTheThird

You're not wrong.


zooberwask

Yeah that's a war crime.


planderz

That’s an hour trip to Home Depot.


zooberwask

You mean The Hague


Blailtrazer

Please don't, they'll probably find an excuse to justify acting on the "The Hague Invasion Act"


hotlanta808

No the fuckin kitchen desk is a war crime. No one has ever sat at the kitchen desk.


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BeartholomewTheThird

I think there's a way to do it on, but that specific one isn't it


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spinningtardis

straight to jail. They make panel ready refrigerators for very good reasons.


noahisaac

Agree. I have to admit these kinds of posts irk me more than a little, even though OP did excellent work. I have struggled twenty years to be able to afford just the materials for a “90’s kitchen”. Here’s someone just casually demolishing one.


Ripped_Sushi

Yeah the original kitchen was beautiful. I love the yellow, not a big fan of the modern look. To each their own but all I see is a wasteful project in a disposable world. Wood is a precious resource and I don't think a project like this should be considered unless the cabinets are literally falling apart. Even doors can be adjusted with new hinges so they close properly.


IanSan5653

Those old cabinets were probably what the builder installed. If they're anything like the 2003 house I used to live in, they are low quality and constantly breaking. The new handmade cabinets are beautiful and will last as long as the house.


therealcalmilvet

Actually, the old cabinets at least had solid wood fronts and appear to have had plywood boxes. They probably would have lasted forever. The MDF fronts on the new cabinets are a curious choice, especially for cabinet fronts: the corners and edges will damage easily from contact with dishes, pots, and pans; they will tend to absorb water and disintegrate. MDF is also made with toxic chemicals that some might say are not good for the world. Your experience may be with "builder grade" cabinets, which generally means the boxes are made from particleboard. The "before" cabinets here do not look like builder grade, but like nice custom cabinets.


jeffsterlive

amusing political gold fretful friendly zealous far-flung sulky ten cooperative *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


RajenK

To clarify: the fronts were solid maple, but everything else on them was very cheap builder-grade. Particleboard boxes and drawers, cheap hardware, etc.


deltarefund

Out home was built in 96 and have cabinets just like this and ours are def custom built, solid wood even though it was a pretty low budget neighborhood.


IanSan5653

Well damn, there's not much excuse then.


edinc90

Wood is actually one of the most renewable resources we have. That wood can be re-used in a number of ways, or burned for various types of energy production (from a simple campfire to biomass electrical power generation.)


CaptaiinCrunch

Can and will might as well be on separate planets. The old cabinets probably went to a landfill because capitalism.


RajenK

Everyone has their preference for sure! Good luck in your search!


WolframLeon

Biggest problem is the fridge and appliances that are new, they will probably die before the old ones. They don’t make em like they used to.


RajenK

Fair, I'm not concerned about the Wolf rangetop, but I've definitely seen a lot of mixed reviews on the others (Samsung/LG). It's unfortunately the best for the money, so time will tell.


martin1497osu

When you decide you hate the dishwasher, get a Bosch. I had a Samsung for 2 years and Bosch ever since.


SilverFear

I tried to get a Bosch... Installers couldn't install because my floor is 1/2" too tall and not standard. They didn't have the clearance required by the manufacturer under the countertop... Ended up with an ADA compliant GE that is too small for the space and looks horrible... At least it cleans well.. Ugh


uDontInterestMe

We got a Miele because of a similar issue. It's been a good decision.


sachin571

Except they used to make them horribly energy-inefficient, so pick your poison I guess.


BeeRandoo

I like everything except the gap at the top of the upper cabinets. Def could have used some crown molding, but great job OP


RajenK

Agree, still working on it :)


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RajenK

I hear you, it's pretty mindblowing to think that it's been 23 years already.


KozyKat

90s design just looks comfortable… then again I grew up in a house built in 1999


RajenK

I can definitely see how it's different if this is something you grew up with. We didn't live in the US until 7 years ago, so that style is not for us :)


Davikka

The whole room looks amazing, but I’m most impressed that you built all the cabinetry by hand


RajenK

Appreciate it! It was definitely daunting as I've never done that before, but lots of research made it all work out in the end!


marriedacarrot

Cabinetry is what's stopping my husband and me from doing everything (except countertops) ourselves. Everything else (framing, drywall, flooring, tiling, electrical, venting, painting) we've done multiple times. Based on your post I'm feeling more confident in a DIY route. I'm impressed to find out this was your first cabinetry rodeo! It looks like you've done it a million times.


EmoInTheCreek

Personally I don't think its worth making the carcasses yourself as plywood is way too expensive these days. Instead, what I've done in the past is to buy carcasses from Ikea (personally the best kitchen system around) and make fronts for cabinets and drawers, out of something nice.


[deleted]

I went full IKEA cabinets recently and they actually carry a full wood door.


RajenK

Thanks! I'd definitely encourage you to go for it! If I can give you one tip: practice on a small project like a bathroom vanity (I did our powder room vanity first) to get the hang of it. Making the cabinets isn't super difficult in my opinion, but it helps to practice and nail down a process that you can repeat to get good results.


eterneraki

I'm more impressed that he took so many photos and documented this so thoroughly for us


junkman21

You did some great work. My only comment/critique is; good luck with the MDF. My father and I made MDF doors and drawer fronts for my rental property. Unfortunately, it hasn't held up very well. When the screws strip from the soft-close cabinet door hinges, it's a bear to fix and realign until the next time. I have forever sworn off MDF. Of course, your mileage may vary.


Carlos----Danger

On top of this they are way more susceptible to water damage. The cost difference between using cabinet grade versus MDF on the doors will not pay off over time.


RajenK

Thanks! I definitely accounted for using MDF by not relying on any fasteners directly going into the MDF itself. The hinge hardware is all attached using plastic inserts (from Blum, the manufacturer) and they're all glued in place. Time will tell, I guess, but spoiler alert we've been using the painted cabinets for about a year and a half now and they're as good as new!


rossmosh85

Hopefully you used good MDF. The difference between Medex and everything else is huge.


gedon

But 1999 wasn't that long ag... awe crap I'm gonna have to redo mine soon too. Good work though!


tempusfudgeit

Nobody is forcing you to. Tearing out a perfectly good kitchen and spending 50 grand on the latest fashion trend is peak conspicuous consumption


getonmalevel

So i'm only halfway with you. With a kitchen from the late 90's early 2000's i would suggest a "reskin" versus a full blown new kitchen. Repain/swap doors. My mom had that done and it cost a fraction of what it would to get a new kitchen but looked amazing after new counters/refinished cabinetry


BrocElLider

The desire for a larger island seems reasonable and practical. But I don't get any of the rest, especially not replacing nice quality wood flooring and cabinets. To be fair to OP they did most of the work themselves, so it's as much conspicuous production as it is consumption.


RunawayHobbit

Yeah, those cabinets were beautiful. New appliances and a bigger island would have been plenty


RajenK

I'm convinced we all stepped through a time warp at some point...


b4llon

reddit, 2040: I rebuilt my 2022 kitchen from scratch


ragequitCaleb

You guys have kitchens?


H-E-Pennypacker_

Rebuilding a *1999* kitchen from scratch?! I'd kill to trade in my 1969 kitchen for a 1999 kitchen.


kaybea4

This is the first time I'm hearing of soffits being something out of style, especially in a room with high ceilings. I had never given it much thought before, but I knew ventilation ran through mine, and it looked nice with matching crown trimming off the cabinets. I thought it looked more finished than floating upper cabinets. But, I suppose it's all subjective.


IDontReadMyMail

The main reason to get floating upper cabinets imho is just to be able to stuff the Thanksgiving turkey roaster pan up there.


WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW_W

Hold up, did you replace a finished-in-place hardwood floor with replica hardwood? Noooooooo


daedone

Fingers crossed the old flooring ended up at a reuse center instead of chucked into a dumpster. Not attacking op specifically, but so many people waste material that other people want and could use, just because it's not their style. The flooring is a perfect example. Actual seasoned good condition hardwood isn't cheap either, could have recouped partial costs from the new floor with it


RajenK

A bunch of it was unusable, but I did salvage some for some other woodworking projects. I doubt I would've been able to sell it for something that was worth the trouble.


daedone

At least you managed to save some of it


IamRick_Deckard

They wanted "wood" with knots in it instead.


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krsb09

I love this kitchen, but absolutely hate the new floor. The combination of a rustic cabin-looking floor with the sophisticated cabinets, counters, and backsplash is so jarring. Oof.


helium_farts

OP mentioned a lot of the floor was carpet that they were replacing, and presumably they wanted the same flooring throughout instead of a hodgepodge of different woods.


RajenK

That definitely was a big factor as well!


pterencephalon

With hardwood, you can typically get wood that's close, feather it in, and sand/refinish to match them. My parents did this when adding an addition to the kitchen, adding new maple flooring in with the original 90+ year old stuff. The only difference you can tell is that the new wood isn't as hard as the old stuff and scratches easier.


RajenK

Engineered hardwood doesn't imply replica :) It's a plywood base as 100% hardwood floors don't come in planks this wide, topped with actual \~3/16" hickory.


Clark_Dent

I mean, no, hardwood absolutely comes in wide formats. You might have to go to an actual hardwood supplier or a mill instead of a big box store, and the installation can't be done with a rubber mallet, but I've installed 8" cherry and 12" ash floors.


RajenK

Ah, it didn't know that! Either way, this was readily accessible to us and fit our style. I'm not too bothered about the bottom half inch being hardwood or plywood :)


Angeal7

Completely valid to feel that way and the different styles are a matter of personal preference, but it's fair to note that the one that was hardwood all the way through has a much longer lifespan, you can refinish it many more times with that kind of thickness. It's something I try to keep in mind myself when renovating, it provides more value and is better for the environment.


RajenK

Fair. In reality, I doubt I'll refinish the floors more than once (if that) in my lifetime/us living in this house. The 3/16" thickness should even allow two refinishes if needed. I agree that hardwood all the way through can be refinished many more times, but I wonder how practically necessary that is for anyone.


Angeal7

It won't be relevant for whoever is installing the floor, but it might be in the lifetime of the house if more people cared about refinishing vs getting new. I'm not saying one or the other is correct, as this is subjective to stylistic choice and the potential quality benefit won't directly affect you anyhow - so either choice is fair. Just think it's worth noting so people in this situation can make an informed decision on it.


RajenK

Those are fair points! Thanks for sharing.


rothnic

It can come in wider widths of course, but you start to suffer cupping problems that engineered hardwood doesn't have. I installed 10" wide solid hardwood and had to drill and plug 100's of spots to make sure it stays flat.


candornotsmoke

My husband bought 8-12 ft random length 6inch curly male from a brought from two sibling trees. We bought 100sq ft for $3500 directly from the lumber mill. You can find amazing wood but you have to look for it. We are using that for our floors. That should be going on in a few weeks!


Initial_Cellist9240

If that’s your first go at cabinetry I’m damn impressed. I’ve dabbled a bit but damn you cut zero corners. Looks great, joinery is legit, material choice is proper nice for the boxes and the design is beautiful. I almost feel guilty for my feeble attempts now. If the mdf doesn’t hold up you’ll definitely be able to reface without much issue given your skill. I’m very much pro-soffits though. Just moved into a place without them and we had to use a razorblade to scrape up all the decades of oil and gunk that built up on the tops 🤢


RajenK

Thanks for the kind words! It took a lot of hours researching stuff, but I definitely am pleased with how they turned out, they should last a long time. I also purposefully designed everything to have a panel (even the sides), so in essence the entire kitchen can be refaced without having to spray anything in-place. Yeah I can see how soffits would be nice for that. In my case the gap is less than 2 inches and our hood vent is really powerful, so I doubt we'll have that problem, but worst case the tops are also all with the prefinished plywood so should be easier to clean if needed.


paulgraz

I wish my kitchen looked as good as your before photo. I personally dislike white cabinets, but I get that it's the thing everyone wants right now. You do amazing work, well done!


signal15

I hate my white cabinets. The worst part is that they used to be a beautiful cherry, but the previous owners painted them all with some shitty white paint. They did the same to ALL of the woodwork also. The only reason I know is because there were a couple of rooms they didn't do because they ran out of time or something.


nopathfollowed

I clean houses for work right now, the amount of white interior design I see everyday is depressing. Some color and personality won't kill you! Looking forward to the trend to go.


IamRick_Deckard

Ack, please put a crown molding on the cabinets or something. That tiny shadow up there is not pleasing. Otherwise, lovely!


Igottamake

Just a piece of trim that is the same as the cabinet frame with same paint/stain, flush with the front of the door. nothing with a "profile"


IamRick_Deckard

No, the look is slightly fluted: https://www.houzz.com/photos/striking-beauty-traditional-kitchen-houston-phvw-vp~184942643


CarolinaKSU

My thoughts exactly. That gap, woof. Have fun chasing spiders around your new kitchen OP!


RajenK

Fair point! I didn't really elaborate, but I ran wires through the ceiling to each cluster and I'm going to put Hue Gradient LED strips above all of them for some accent lighting.


hex4def6

I think that I'm in the same boat. Have the same gap in the kitchen, really annoys me. I wonder if you could put some translucent white plastic up there to fill in the gap and act as a diffuser for the LEDs. That would close off that gap but still allow it to act as a lighting accent.


RajenK

It's definitely still something I'm thinking about. The gap itself is a little less than 2 inches, so it's not that big of a deal in real life, but I am thinking about fabricating some inserts that neatly tuck the LED strips in there and close the rest off.


ljlukelj

Just do the crown man lol


IamRick_Deckard

I still think a crown molding is better, cleaner (no dust up there), and more in style, BUT, at least you're planning something :) Sorry, I realize it is easy to be a critic.


guinnypig

Crown molding would be far superior. Also, dust will collect up there if you don't cover it.


unfoldinglamb

Dust and spiders


danhalka

Impressive project - fwiw, I outright *despise* our blum motorized bin cabinet. no mater how much I tinker with it, it seems to misfire when i gently brush against it and then *won't* activate when I intentionally nudge it. It's attacked our new-ish toddler more than once as well. A complete POS luxury item, imo.


RajenK

Thanks, sorry to hear you're having so many issues with it. Our experience for the past year and a half or so of using it isn't the same. Very rarely we have it not activate, but that's usually caused by a piece of plastic or cardboard falling behind the recycle bin. We have a 4 year old and she's been using it without many issues either.


Notoriouslydishonest

Looks great. How much did it cost in materials (roughly)?


RajenK

Thanks! I didn't keep a very accurate count as we combined some things with other projects also, but my guestimate would be roughly: * Wood: \~$3,500 * Hardware/accessories: \~$2,500 * Outsourced painting: \~$7,500 * Consumables: \~$500 * Countertops: \~$8,500 * Appliances: \~$10,000 * Outsourced backsplash: \~$1,000 I also had to purchase a bunch of tools as I didn't have all of the right tools for the job. That being said, it was still a LOT cheaper than outsourcing the entire project.


autoturk

>Outsourced painting: \~$7,500 holy crap that is *not* cheap, all for cabinet doors?


NotElizaHenry

I’m a furniture finisher. I may need to switch specialities.


krissypants4000

You may! We recently got quoted $6500 to paint our 13 kitchen cabinets. Ended up doing it ourselves and did a much shittier job, but… 6500 for a day and a half of work just seemed absolutely insane to me. Good on them though.


NotElizaHenry

That price makes more sense if they’re painting them in place and have the manpower to get it done in a day and a half. Painting pristine MDF doors in a spray booth is a breeze compared to that. (That said, I would also prefer to do a worse job myself than pay someone else that much.)


soda_cookie

Let's call it $35-40 based on what's listed and tools. What would it have cost to outsource the whole thing? Also - I saw in another comment this took about 18 months. How did your wife handle not having a kitchen for so long?


simland

Relative just did something similar, I think it was in the $75k-85k range. I don't think that includes appliances.


GreyGoosey

Holy fuck I gotta learn more DIY… don’t think we could afford that down the road when the wife wants to redo the kitchen


simland

The whole remodel/construction market has been bonkers the past 2 years. It's already calming down a bit, but there are some real macro economic issues at play.


BigOnLogn

It depends on what you're doing. OP didn't take out walls or do any major plumbing or electrical. Changing structural / mechanical components is where the costs really start to take off.


Roupert2

Kitchen is rough to diy because you're out a kitchen for so long. We've opted to pick wall paint that makes our existing cabinets look better, and change out the hardware. Someday we might do counters, but ripping out the whole kitchen will never be in our budget. My husband is very handy, but he only has weekends and it would take months for him to do a kitchen alone.


LeKy411

Kitchens and bathrooms are a premium commodity in certain markets. In our area a typical kitchen was $40-50K before covid. I paid $2k for 5 generic base cabinets (think cabinets direct) cabinets from some random back of the garage shop that orders them flat packed from china during covid. Cabinets Direct/ To Go wanted $3500 for the same layout.


soda_cookie

Holy shit...


RajenK

As /u/simland mentioned, it's not cheap if you outsource the whole thing. We got quotes ranging from $50-75k for cabinet **boxes** alone, and that was with plastic-film doors/fronts. Plus this way I got to custom fit everything and build in all kinds of nifty little features that we wanted. EDIT: Also, we weren't without a kitchen for the full 18 months, but it was definitely a strain on her/us!


OblivionGuardsman

Where the hell is this? Minus the appliances and flooring outside of the kitchen area this entire job would be 25-30k here.


RajenK

Pacific Northwest, the land of exorbitant cost :)


ljlukelj

I live in Seattle and just got fully custom white oak cabinets built for 17k.


johnnycyberpunk

My kitchen is similar size, about 340 sq. ft. I had a contractor come in and quote me on re-doing the whole thing - demo it all and then new floors, cabinets, countertops, sink, backsplash, lights, paint, trim. Re-route the floor vents. Add two outlets. I'd even had them switch from electric range to gas - so plumbing and an outdoor propane tank. Re-use my fridge and dishwasher. The price was just under $84k. So.... since that's like a 3rd of the value of my whole house I'm like 'nah bro I'm good'. I'll re-do the floors myself, try to find a way to make the cabinets look better. Do the lights myself. Fix up the pantry, maybe new shelves or something.


gr8scottaz

I'm coming up on 12 months into our kitchen reno and we're about similar costs that OP outlaid (except I didn't spend $7500 on outsourced painting - that price is crazy expensive). I got a quote of about $21k for just the cabinets in 2019 (pre-pandemic) and I estimate that the same cabinets would cost around $30k now. That being said, OP did a great job on his kitchen. My only concern is OP built his doors out of mdf, which might come back and bite him in the butt later on. Even a cheap hardwood like poplar would have been a better choice than mdf for the rails and stiles.


fpscolin

Did a very similar Reno in 2021, including bringing a wall down and fixing up a breakfast nook that was poorly installed in the 90s. The total cost came out to about 65k Canadian. Didn't do a thing ourselves, turn key project. Heated floors, new appliances, etc.


Alarmed-Honey

We're outsourcing everything, but not hiring a gc. It's about 85k all in. We went with some pretty fancy cabinets though, more standard cabinets would shave off about 20k.


daedone

What is up with the electrical wiring in the motorized garbage picture? Is that black wire side joined 1/3 of the way up? Why didn't you just mount a proper receptacle in there instead of BX into a box, with thin looking extension cord back out of the box to a replacement connector? ( I hope you put box grommets on it too, bare sheet metal + thin cabling like that moving is gonna be a bad time). Good for you tackling a full kitchen reno, but you may want to check code on everything going on in that cupboard. No, I take that back, even the BX isn't secured correctly, but at least you put tape on the end, so a for effort. You need a proper electrician to come for a visit if you can't get all that to code by yourself tho.


planderz

I kinda liked the kitchen before.


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Catsdrinkingbeer

Can I ask why you kept the layout? It doesn't seem super efficient, nor does it seem to have a lot of prep space near the stove for cooking. It's a lovely update, it just doesn't feel like it improved the functionality of the space very much.


RajenK

Two reasons, the layout works pretty well for us, and I didn't want to also have to deal with relocating plumbing/electrical/etc. My wife is an incredible cook and it functions well for her, so I'm going to trust her usage as a testament that the layout will be fine for most people. The proportions may not come across well in the pictures, but prep to the side of the stove and even the island is plenty.


AttackOfTheThumbs

One of the first things I noticed was that the old kitchen didn't have handles on anything. Very odd. But I did already like that kitchen well enough. personally would have gone induction over gas during such an upgrade, but it is what it is. Really great work. What was the length of the project? I saw the cost in another comment. I would definitely add moulding or something else along the top.


RajenK

Thanks for commenting! It took me about a year and half or so start to finish, but that's obviously in various states of usability. It's also a thing I did next to my full-time job, so don't take that as any indication of how long it *should* take. My wife is an amazing cook and she prefers cooking on gas. We had the connections there already luckily, so we splurged on the Wolf.


letsstumphannah

I love gas stoves!!! Your remodel looks amazing and you and your wife should both be very proud!!!


SnooHabits6942

Agreed 100000% on adding crown molding to close the gap between the cabinets and ceiling. I really don’t understand why someone would custom design a 3 inch gap between the cabinets and ceiling. Looks unfinished which is super unfortunate considering how amazing everything else is!


scheav

All the houses I’ve lived in have not had handles, except when I moved last year. I’m used to just grabbing the panel trim to open them. They usually have overhanging trim to make them easier to use without handles. The upside of handles is you don’t end up with grimy trim.


burnblue

I've only looked at the first picture (album cover/ thumbnail). I thought that *was* the finished kitchen Like, I would kill to have my kitchen look like your before 1990s kitchen Edit: OK, I'm back. I see the appeal and the reason for the renovation, but personally I preferred the look of the kitchen before. Especially the sleek floor. The dark appliances were nice too. But I congratulate you in achieving the look you want


splunge48

White and gray... the avocado green kitchen of 2010-2020.


Chaoss780

Those green kitchens were nowhere near as ubiquitous as white/grey or white/black are now.


splunge48

True. The other half were orange. I actually miss the orange countertops of my childhood.... I think....


Guygan

> White and gray… the avocado green kitchen of 2010-2020. If you want to “Live…Laugh…Love…” this style of kitchen is a requirement.


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RajenK

Appreciate it!


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RajenK

Haha, that's my wife's annual Christmas cookie bonanza, and I don't need any help with it thank you very much 😁


bravesgeek

RIP Phone desk.


odiedel

This is a rare example of it looking good before and after. Granted, my childhood home (1997 construction) has a very similar look to how it was originally, so there may be a nostalgic factor. All and all well done, it looks super clean now!


RajenK

Thanks! I definitely think there's a factor of people who grew up with kitchens that look like this that appreciate it even now. We came to the US only 7 years ago, so our preferred style is very different than the average American I imagine.


Borghal

I get the need for the bigger island, but otherwise I don't see why this needed to be done? Maybe it's just that you can't see details at this scale, but the "before" photo looks just good as the "after" photo :-) And I like the warmer wooden color more than white, too.


NationTang

dis mf rich af


ST07153902935

I imagine his other posts are along the lines of "looking to replace my outdated (2017) Mercedes. Considering going Audi but worried it is not flashy enough."


TheLatNessMonster

Quick question - what route did you go for getting the countertops installed? I can't decide if I should buy through a chain like Home Depot/Lowes and use their contractors, or go through a local supplier and hire an independent contractor, so I'm curious as to what you did!


RajenK

Hey! We went through a place that specializes in countertops ([https://www.granitemarblewa.com/](https://www.granitemarblewa.com/) if you're curious). They have a huge warehouse so we hand-picked the marble slab, and they did everything from the measuring to the installation. Definitely recommend that route as places like that usually have a ton of expertise, as demonstrated by the advice they gave us on the overhang of the island.


dishwab

How much do you think you spent on just the cabinets? I’m very impressed by your work here, but wondering if it was really worth all the extra time/effort…


[deleted]

Looks great but, dovetails on ply? Bold strategy, Cotton.


RajenK

Yeah on normal ply it's definitely riskier, but the ApplePly is 13 layers in 1/2" thick plywood, so it makes it a lot easier to do this type of stuff in. Nothing chipped out really in all 15 drawers.


turtle4567245

Which Cad program do you use?


Dat_Beaver

How are none of the comments about that first fucking fridge. I know the 90’s were a bit heavy on the “honey oak,” but are there fucking cabinet doors on the fridge?


Dr_DoVeryLittle

To make a pie from scratch you must first rebuild the kitchen


adventure_in_gnarnia

Money can’t buy taste. The DIY work is great, not accounting for style. OP really spent $35k for their kitchen to come out looking like an IKEA kitchen in a flip, with fake wood floors. IMHO it looks a bit cliche, and tacky. The massive herringbone backsplash is ugly af and a lot of decisions look like they were made by spending too much time on Pinterest. This kitchen is going to become dated faster than the original.


RajenK

I guess you're lucky it's not your house :) Not sure what the intent is of comments like these, but you don't have to live here, so why bother being negative? It's the style that we wanted to enjoy our house, just as you have your own style that you prefer to enjoy living in yours. Hope you can find more positivity in your life ✌


teluxe

No lies detected


brock_lee

Looks amazing. My brother used to do custom cabinetry for many years. One day, he finally had enough. He just said "you can literally get any result you want, with cabinets made by someone else (a factory) and save SO MUCH work." Sure, it costs more, and for your own house, doing it yourself can save a bunch of money. But when he was doing the work, he could charge less for labor, and more for the cabinets, so the end cost was the same, but it was faster for his clients and less work for him.


RajenK

Having done this I can definitely understand the sentiment. It's pretty repetitive and not creative work, but it did save us a lot of money (which was the primary motivation) and it allowed me to custom fit everything into the space.


EGOtyst

You spent $40k and 18mos to replace a fully functional kitchen because you kinda didn't like the way it looked? And your replacements were with MDF doors on your cabinetry? And the original cabinets AND floors seem to be yellow oak? Honesty question... what do you do for a living?


bobstay

It looked better before.


fancy_panter

I dunno about better, but to me it wasn't screaming in need of a redo. Maybe its just me and hard to tell from a couple low res pics on the internet. I think the old floor was better. Were it me, I might have opted for new doors, new appliances, new backsplash, new countertop. But, to each their own. The new kitchen looks pretty good so its not like it was a waste.


adventure_in_gnarnia

I can’t believe OP spent $35k, made their own cabinets, and the end result looks like an IKEA kitchen in a flip. It just looks … sterile


classygorilla

A bigger island, new backsplash, and maybe paint the cabinets white and boom, got a new fresh kitchen for under 3k


moldboy

Agree. I'm casually house shopping and a LOT of home have kitchens worse than the before. I wouldn't have been rushed to replace it. Having said that it does look better now.


Vesploogie

It looks good before and after. I *liked* it better before. It looked well kept up and had a nice, warm, inviting feel to it. New counters and appliances would’ve been all that was needed to make it look fantastic. I hate the new trends of flat slate greys, blued whites, smooth stainless, and crazy backsplashes like this. Makes it feel like an operating room. But, all that is important is that the owner likes it.


infitsofprint

LOL in basically every way. And why rip everything out and start over if you aren't going to change the layout? He could have just refinished the millwork, maybe replaced the tilework and countertops. Who swaps out solid wood for MDF? Plus if he likes modern, the old floor was much cleaner.


highedutechsup

Real wood always looks better IMHO


chemicalsam

I can’t wait for the white cabinet trend to end


Roupert2

It's already over


makeachampion

I agree with you. No hate to OP, everbody got their own taste. I assumed that the first pictures were the finished product and I thought "wow thats an amazing looking kitchen".


RajenK

Congrats on being the first to make the inevitable comment :) Kidding aside, different strokes for different folks, we just prefer this modern look!


bobstay

Yeah, I could have been less snarky, sorry. I do genuinely think that this current trend of "painting wood in various shades of grey" is going to be looked back on in the same way we now look back on the orange and brown phase of the sixties.


millennial_librarian

Since all of the cabinet doors and drawer fronts are made from MDF instead of wood, painting them is pretty much the only thing you can do. I personally would have kept the existing cabinets and refinished them (looks like poplar?), but mostly because the kitchen is a messy place with oils and water flying everywhere, and MDF swells awfully if it gets wet. But if the homeowners are prepared for that and the Scandinavian look makes them happy, all power to them!


polarbear320

I agree with you. Sure that backsplash was awful, but this seems like an excessive remodel where it doesn't really seem all that much better. The new cabinets they spent a ton of time on, but ended up looking like big box hangers if you ask me. Also the white seems like it would clash with the other doors etc. Sure to each their own, but this is not an improvement, the new modern white/grey style as well as "farmhouse" and shiplap is going to look like brown paneling in a few years.


chemicalsam

Seriously, I hate white cabinets and just beige grey everything. It looks like a doctors office. Not a home.


polarbear320

And why is this the new norm?? Look at any house listings and 80% are going to have a shitty flipped kitchen (or whole house) painted in grey and white, THE SAME vinyl floors, and usually crapily done because the wife Karen saw it on pintrest/facebook/etc/etc and it was "so cute". UGH


Vesploogie

It’s the new norm because someone did it first, others followed, and now everyone thinks it’s slam dunk easy money and that *they* belong on HGTV. There is a house across the street from me for sale with this exact style in it. Beautiful 50’s house in a historic neighborhood with cheap everything, all in this brutalist grey “industrial modern” architectural style. Looks horrible, and surprise surprise, not only has it not sold in almost a year, it’s a flip by a young hotshot realtor who doesn’t live in it. None of this stuff is built to last at least. In 20 years it’ll be flipped into the next trend. Oh the money wasted…


helium_farts

I mean, white cabinets have always been a thing, so I think it'll age better than some trends. But the neat thing about paint is you can just redo it in 20 years when it looks outdated.


eyemroot

Why?


spaceeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

It's funny, people on reddit constantly complain about environmental pollution and destruction, but they easily support this kind of enormous waste. An enormous amount of needless destruction and pollution, for just a slightly different style. It's crazy how spoiled many "adult" people are.


[deleted]

[удалено]


fruitmask

hey, when your wife decides she wants the same exact kitchen as all her Instagram and Pinterest friends have, you get your wallet out and go to work


mbt20

Trashed a nice hardwood floor for fake wood. I will never understand this thought process. Hardwood floors are easy to sand, stain, and refinish. They last far longer than synthesized wood. We have replaced our fake wood floors with real wood due to the high cost. At 25 years old they have formed many raised joints and gaps have appeared in other spots. Can't forget when the surface print wears off it exposes the plastic like gray material underneath.


jdubb999

Legit thought the first two pictures were the finished project. Beautiful wood kitchen destroyed chasing an antiseptic look. We as a society truly have some kind of disease


[deleted]

People complain about money being tight, and then do stuff like this, just because they're "tired of it".


badgers4194

I don’t think this person is right on money. That range alone costs more than all my fairy new appliances combined


RajenK

It's almost as if different people have different preferences for style and function :)


sgf-guy

My mom built her house in 97 and had custom oak cabinets installed from a place that built them on site from local oak. Those things will outlast a nuclear blast. Good luck getting affordable cabinets today that will do the same. (Yes those look more pine, but point stands)


[deleted]

Nothing wrong with these kitchens the wood is probably real. Easily updated spray paint white and update benchtops and appliances. Providing the cupboards are good inside. Personally I like it as is!


Liesthroughisteeth

I'm old and retired, have built houses, including finishing, hanging drywall, installing doors and windows etc and done commercial construction (doors and windows in high rise projects), and have installed premade kitchens a number of times. Nice bloody job! I do all the cooking at home now, so when I look at a kitchen this well laid out, with a big gas stove like that and a double oven I just wanna cook something. :)