Feb 12, 20213 min read

Friday Five Roundup: 5 Perfect Features Of My Kitchen That Didn't Break The Bank

If you've been around these parts long enough, you may have seen photos of my personal kitchen.

If not, here's a quick backstory.

That's Me In the Kitchen. Photo By Colleen Scott

Back in 2018 I bought a new construction builder basic home with zero upgrades from the builder, and instead completely renovated it after market, starting with the kitchen

Here's a little video tour I did with Berry Ave, showcasing some of what I did

I was going for an "unkitchen" kitchen where it didn't feel like a brand new off the shelf kitchen. I wanted it to feel a bit patina'd, collected and stylish.

This meant I wanted to bring in my signature style of pattern and color mixing. Typically I achieve that layering through textiles, but since this is a kitchen with not very many opportunities for textiles, I decided to use the patterns and textures in the materials I chose. From the porcelain slabs on the countertops, to the cement tiles on the backsplash, to the porcelain parquet style tiles on the floor, it is perfectly my style.

Now that you know the back story and my intent, and watched my awkward video, let's talk about the 5 perfect features that I love, that didn't break the bank

Replaced cabinet doors with drawers

Katy Texas Kitchen With Deep Drawers Instead Of Doors

I cannot express enough how much I LOVE having drawers on the lower cabinets throughout my kitchen instead of cabinet doors. The only doors remaining are the ones underneath the sink, and those had to stay for access to plumbing.

The drawers are deep and wonderful and I can get to every single item in each one. I have extra space in them and no clutter.

Because I used the existing cabinet boxes and simply had my carpenter make drawers to fit, they didn't set me back too much.

The cabinet hardware

Katy Kitchen Drawers With Campaign Style Cabinet Hardware

They are absolutely my favorite feature in the kitchen.

Remember when I said I was going for an unkitchen kitchen? The hardware is really what drives that home. The campaign style gives them a vintage furniture vibe that I just love.

Can you imagine anything more perfect?

The pantry door

Katy TX Kitchen With Herringbone Pine Wood Pantry Door

The pantry door is one of those features that I cannot imagine the kitchen without, yet it was so simple and super unique.

The home came with a standard builder basic door. Instead of replacing it, I had my carpenter add pine wood on the facade in a herringbone detail.

It gives the kitchen the patina'd lived-in feel I was after. I love the long gold hardware with the rich glow against the rustic pine wood

Glass fronts on cabinets

Katy TX Kitchen With Porcelain Countertop And Cement Tile Backsplash

I am a collector at heart, and if you know any collector, you know we love to show off our wares. And show off we do, every chance we get.

My kitchen was a great place to showcase my collection of white ceramics. Some of these pieces date back to when I got my first apartment about a year after moving here to the United States. They are a wonderful reminder of how far I've come and how great this country has been to me. I love to look at them everyday.

All glass cabinet doors may not be ideal for everyone, but for me, they are perfect.

Again, these were the same cabinet boxes that came with the house, and I had my carpenter build the new doors, and had my local glass guys add the glass inserts. So clean and open now.

Before we get to number 5, here is a before sot of the kitchen that I captured during construction of the new house

The hood

The vent hood is not necessarily one of the sexiest features, but it is a lot better than the ugly basic microwave that was there before. The hood itself was custom built by my carpenter to give it a unique flavor with the cabinets.

One last unique feature that didn't make the roundup is the millwork detailing that I had added to the island and the visible sides of the upper cabinets. I dislike plain sides on cabinets, and that little detail gives the cabinetry a custom touch.

I love everything about my kitchen. I may not spend a ton of time cooking, but it is such an inviting space to start my day everyday

Here's a full view of it!