Before and After: Kitchens

There's nothing wrong with a good neutral color scheme, but sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. This suburban kitchen went from bland and boxy to bursting with texture, pattern, and personality -- and it was all accomplished within its existing floor plan.

Moving the sink to the window gave this kitchen a harder-working U-shape layout. Mushroom-color cabinets contrast with white quartz countertops and subway tile backsplash. The reasonably priced backsplash tile was taken up to the ceiling for an added sense of height. Brass cabinet hardware and vintage columns on the breakfast bar add history without dating the look.

This original kitchen was too small, and it was separated from the living room by a tiny dining area. Dated yellow appliances and a matching sink aged the room, as did fading dark cabinetry and beige floor tiles. The space was in need of major updates, including a more functional floor plan and a ceiling lift.

After removing walls and reconfiguring the layout to create a sunny, open space, homeowners used drywall, lattice strips, and metallic paint to make a focal-point range hood. The home's black-and-white palette continues in the kitchen, along with bold accent fabrics to tie it to the rest of the living areas.

The boxy design of this 1943 home needed a new plan that would remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room. During construction, the original 12×10-foot kitchen -- which housed only one small window -- was opened to an adjacent room, creating a 26×12-foot space. While updating the paint, hardware, cabinetry, and appliances, the homeowners also added three large windows, further expanding the visual appeal. 

Revved up with red, this kitchen lives large, thanks to DIY concrete countertops and an efficient U-shape plan. The counter-depth refrigerator has the appearance of a built-in model but is more affordable. The concrete counters add a rough, handmade feeling to the kitchen that complements a sleek stainless-steel backsplash and laminate cabinetry.

When time isn't on your side but motivation is high, try remodeling your kitchen in stages. Check out how you can work on just a few steps at a time.

Five years in a too-small space left these homeowners a clear vision of what they wanted for their new kitchen. An addition at the back of the circa-1920s house gave them the area they needed to bring their vision to life. With a tiny island but no room for a table, a true eat-in kitchen wasn't an option. For a sophisticated clean-line aesthetic with high-performance features, a total makeover was in the cards.

Inspired by a favorite restaurant, this family kitchen stretches out to become a hip, industrial-style hangout. Pale gray perimeter cabinets, a deeper blue-gray island, and steel shelves flank the range while delivering a bistro-like vibe. The kitchen’s large scale allowed the homeowners to forgo hanging cabinets for sleek metal shelves while also reorienting the island.

The homeowners had originally planned to live with this 1980s kitchen, but that changed when they realized its awkward layout. The couple shifted appliances and a doorway to create an efficient work core and improve flow. Moving a partial wall a few feet into the family room and shortening its length allowed space for a banquette.

White cabinetry and whitewashed oak flooring give this kitchen a beachy vibe. The double-wide island -- more than a foot wider than the original -- provides a focal point as well as a storage boost. Subway tiles in seafoam green (instead of the usual white) give the kitchen a color kick. The smooth, glossy tiles, which run to the ceiling, also provide a textural changeup from all the wood. A built-in fridge lines up with the island, allowing a straight path from the mudroom to the breakfast area. 

To break this dated kitchen out of its style rut, the homeowners needed a game plan. Their goal: to create a space that was not only bright and fresh but also functional. Painting the sea of wood was a must, starting with the cabinets. Other much-needed updates included opening up the kitchen's layout to capitalize on natural light, shifting appliance placement for better efficiency, redesigning the island, and installing a banquette breakfast area.

A perky paint job rescued this open kitchen from its sea of same-color wood finishes. With seating and storage, the new island brings distinct color and high function to a bright white kitchen. A notice-me island introduces a favorite color that might be too bold for perimeter cabinets. Moving the cooking appliances to the island made room for an over-the-sink cutout facing the sunny dining room that brings in natural light.

Don't empty your wallet for a kitchen update. Paint your kitchen cabinets instead of replacing them. You'll save big bucks and get a whole new look!

This kitchen, a true diamond in the rough, just needed a little polishing. Layers of laminate flooring were removed to make way for cork, and the brick that encases the lower cabinets was painted satin-finish white.

Homeowners installed the tile backsplash, while professionals handled the cork flooring and quartz surfacing. The quartz countertops -- less expensive than granite or marble -- were picked for practicality (it's essentially stainproof) and because of their modern feel. The new open layout was fully painted and updated except for the custom hood, which was original to the midcentury modern house.

Taking over the space of an unused porch allowed these homeowners to create a kitchen and breakfast nook that worked for their family of six. After their kitchen designer talked them out of pricey custom cabinets, the homeowners were able to save thousands of dollars by adding custom touches to stock cabinets to achieve the look they wanted. 

Barely-gray cabinets create a neutral kitchen with style. The granite countertops and gray subway tile backsplash pair perfectly with the color scheme, creating a soothing and timeless space.  Refined touches such as turned legs on the island and a custom vent hood create a kitchen that feels high-end and custom, but the durable granite counters and hardwood floors are perfect for this busy family's daily use. 

The kitchen in this charming Cape Cod home needed a lot of work, but that didn’t scare off these DIY-ready homeowners. To create a space large enough for their family, they knocked down the wall between the dining room and kitchen, installed recycled wood floors, and assembled and finished the stock base cabinetry themselves. 

Now the kitchen showcases the mix of modern and traditional elements that flows throughout the rest of the home. The island was built from stock cabinetry and topped with a combination of concrete and butcher-block countertops, while stainless-steel shelves replace upper cabinets, creating a kitchen that is bright and open.

This kitchen was remodeled in 1980 but didn't make good use of the room's size and shape.

Now, floor-to-ceiling cabinets take advantage of the room's high ceilings. One window was replaced by two to bring more light into the room, while white cabinets, countertop, and backsplash make the narrow room seem bigger.

The kitchen's dated white appliances and orangey oak cabinets stuck out in this well-appointed home.

For less than $9,000, the kitchen now sports dramatic painted-black cabinets and granite veneer countertops. Creamy white walls, brushed-nickel cabinet hardware, and glossy new appliances add to the kitchen's elegant facelift.

See the simple tricks that took this kitchen from builder-basic to personalized and personality-filled -- all on a modest budget.

This 13x13 kitchen didn’t fit with the rest of the charming Colonial home’s interior. To save money, the homeowners kept the appliances in their original locations, then added loads of charm to create a welcoming space for their young family.

Removing the island was the No. 1 priority in this kitchen remodel; a close second was replacing the builder-grade cabinets with semicustom cabinetry. The island was replaced with a peninsula, giving the homeowners better traffic flow and a casual seating area. A colorful yet subtle backsplash adds personality and charm to this kitchen remodel.

The galley kitchen in this 1920s home needed to be brought into this century. While the homeowners wanted to keep the original step-saving design, knocking out a wall between the kitchen and the dining room drastically changed how the space is used -- in a positive way. 

Removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room added 10 valuable inches to the galley. The homeowners also stole a foot of space from the dining room, making it possible to add a peninsula for added storage and a serving buffet. Timeless finishes outfit the vintage-style kitchen, including a subway tile backsplash and crisp white cabinetry.

An ideal neighborhood trumped a perfect interior, so these homeowners took to making this house a home, starting with the kitchen. Overall the layout was sound, but the kitchen lacked an island that could accommodate seating for guests and casual dinners. More than that, it lacked personality.

The existing cherry cabinets didn't fit the homeowners' style, but they didn't want to rip them out, so some of the upper cabinets got a coat of white paint, while the island was brightened with a pale blue hue. Stock cabinets and chunky traditional-style legs found online expand the island and create a much-needed seating area. A larger window and the painted cabinets help this kitchen feel airy and bright.