Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays
  • Videos
  • current issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      Hot off the minds of Midwest travel writers: a fresh look at where to eat, drink, play and stay around the region. Read More
    • Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      One has conquered the world of plant-based baking. Another runs a microbakery from her home. Two own businesses with their spouses. And the fifth is a James Beard finalist chef. The common thread? Absolutely delicious cakes. Read More
    • The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      For many Midwesterners, holiday feasting kicks off with a relish tray. We dare not mess with an icon—at least, not too much. Read More
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    At Wisconsin supper clubs, the steak is served rare and the traditions are well done. Like the brandy in an Old-Fashioned, these timeless institutions only get better with age.
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Family Travel
    • Around the Region
    • Beyond the Region
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    This sleeper hit of a weeknight dinner comes from Food Network star Molly Yeh's cookbook Home is Where the Eggs Are—and is basically a vehicle for Parmesan and garlic toast. No complaints! (The alternate version, with ham and cream, is excellent too.)
    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    With visions of dinner parties and game nights dancing in their heads, a Chicago couple renovated their historic (and first) home, one DIY project at a time.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden
    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    Author Lisa Eldred Steinkopf shares how to make blooms last longer—and repeat.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Buses, trains and very few automobiles—check out these out-of-the-ordinary holiday lights displays.
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Tamales are a project, but many hands—even tiny ones—make lighter work.
    • Brighten Your Front Door with This Colorful Easter Egg Wreath
    • These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing
    • Ring in the New Year with This Glam Star Garland
    • How to Make a Modern Fruit Cake Box
    • An Eye-Catching Oval Treat Box You Can Make
    • Make a Colorful Paper Raffia Wreath to Welcome Fall
    • How to Make a Dried Floral Arrangement
    • How to Make an Easy Pina Colada
    • How to Make an Amazing Pavlova
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
    • DIY Pistachio Wheat Stalks for Fall Decorating
  • current issue

    current issue

    See All current issue
    About Us

    About Us

    • March/April 2022 Issue
    • January/February 2022 Issue
    • November/December 2021 Issue
    • September/October 2021 Issue
    • July/August 2021 Issue
    • May/June 2021 Issue
    • Summer 2022 Issue
    • Fall 2022 Issue
    • Winter 2022 Issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Homes
  3. Decorating Ideas
  4. Before and After: Kitchens

Before and After: Kitchens

May 31, 2013
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Colorful past (after)
These 12 kitchens illustrate the gamut of updates—DIY to additions—that can transform your kitchen from bland to beautiful.
Start Slideshow

1 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Surface treatment (before)

Surface treatment (before)

This kitchen had good bones and solid workmanship, just no style. The next slide shows what a little paint can do.

1 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Surface treatment (after)

Surface treatment (after)

The original cabinets and flooring remain, but sophisticated colors enrich the once all-white kitchen. The palette lightens as it moves from newly stained oak floors to the brown island and peninsula to cafe au lait upper cabinets. New materials in the counters and backsplash reference all the hues.

2 of 24

3 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Tasteful updates (before)

Tasteful updates (before)

Dark and busy decor dates this kitchen. Click ahead to see how paint and inexpensive hardware make it modern. 

3 of 24

Advertisement

4 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Tasteful updates (after)

Tasteful updates (after)

Cottage colors on cabinets set the stage for tasteful updates. Pendant fixtures are a praticial addition because they bring light closer to the counter. Wrapping the counter in stainless steel is a modern and work-tough application. Curving brackets add visual dash. Laminate flooring was a snap to install over old vinyl. The green glass tile ribbon is a smart investment of funds in a field of inexpensive subway tile.

4 of 24

5 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Take aways (before)

Take aways (before)

Sometimes it is just as much what you remove as what you add in a redo. Click ahead to see how removing cabinets shapes this space. 

5 of 24

6 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Take aways (after)

Take aways (after)

It's still an all-white kitchen, but the shelves now provide storage with period appeal. Clean-lined doors and hardware on base cabinets keep the look simple. Subway tile and Carrara marble sparkle; wood floors warm. And sunshine floods the space via the box bay window behind the sink.

6 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Knock downs (before)

Knock downs (before)

A neo-Tudor home had separate breakfast and cooking areas. Tearing out a wall connected space in ways that impress. Click ahead to see. 

7 of 24

8 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Knock downs (after)

Knock downs (after)

Knocking down a wall opened the opportunities in this 1926 neo-Tudor home. A new marble-topped island adds prep and eating space, and white paint transforms oak flooring. But it's the high-gloss, European-style laminate cabinets that establish the modern aesthetic, enhanced by the elegant marble backsplash.

8 of 24

9 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

To the top (before)

To the top (before)

Modernizations had stripped the style from this kitchen. See how all-new elements give it vintage style on the next slide.

9 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

To the top (after)

To the top (after)

A modest-size kitchen got vintage style and to-the-ceiling storage with custom cabinets outfitted with reproduction brass hardware. Because there is no plumbing or electrical in the island, they fashioned it to look like moveable furniture.  

10 of 24

11 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Point of interest (before)

Point of interest (before)

This builder-standard kitchen lacks any personality. Click ahead to see how the homeowners added interest.

11 of 24

12 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Point of interest (after)

Point of interest (after)

Though the white and dark wood cabinets lend visual interest, it's the accent tile behind the range that adds oomph to this redo. Keeping tile to a confined spot lowers cost and creates a focal point. Building cabinetry around the refrigerator also is a cost-saving move that provides the look of built-ins.

12 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sturdy scene (before)

Sturdy scene (before)

Stuck in the past, this kitchen also didn't work for an active family. The next slide shows how it became fabulously functional.

13 of 24

14 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sturdy scene (after)

Sturdy scene (after)

Kid-friendly materials withstand knocks while adding style. Acid-etched copper on cabinet doors creates a play of light on the dark purpleheart wood. Both materials withstand the knocks of soccer balls and grimy fingers. A cooktop in the island means mom can supervise the kids while working in the kitchen. 

14 of 24

15 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Period details (before)

Period details (before)

Abundant storage doesn't compensate for a kitchen that doesn't suit the 1875 home. Click on to see stylish upgrades.

15 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Period details (after)

Period details (after)

Storage still reaches the ceiling, but now it is clad in style. Cane-paneled doors conceal the refrigerator so it resembles an antique armoire. Appliances are in cabinetry with period details. The carved wood range hood was painted to mimic forged iron.

16 of 24

17 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Efficiency expert (before)

Efficiency expert (before)

A convoluted layout undid any charm in this century-old home. The next slide shows changes that add both charm and workability.

17 of 24

18 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Efficiency expert (after)

Efficiency expert (after)

Stylish is functional with an efficient work triangle, seamless solid-surfacing countertops and angled countertop forming a peninsula. Note the rug of teak laid in the  tile.

18 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Spacious addition (before)

Spacious addition (before)

Cramped and isolated, this kitchen needed square footage added to solve its problems. Click ahead to see the solution.

19 of 24

20 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Spacious addition (after)

Spacious addition (after)

An addition at the rear of the house integrated the kitchen with the home. The new layout added space for a wood-topped island. Glass subway tile and granite countertops show off shades of green that pop against white cabinets.

20 of 24

21 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Style statement (before)

Style statement (before)

This Disco Inferno was no place to fix family meals. The next slide shows the new hit wonder.

21 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Style statement (after)

Style statement (after)

Gone are the funky glass blocks and lackluster pickled oak. Now sleek stainless-steel appliances and glass-front cabinets set the stage for a bistro look. Stainless-steel panels back the revamped island.

22 of 24

23 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Colorful past (before)

Colorful past (before)

The charming Cape Cod home's kitchen didn't fit the rest of the house. See how they gave the room fitting style.  

23 of 24

24 of 24

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Colorful past (after)

Colorful past (after)

Modern and traditional elements combine now. Stock cabinets form the island base. Replacing upper cabinets with stainless-steel shelves keeps the space bright and open. Cape Cod blue on the base cabinets speaks to the era of the home.

24 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 24 Surface treatment (before)
    2 of 24 Surface treatment (after)
    3 of 24 Tasteful updates (before)
    4 of 24 Tasteful updates (after)
    5 of 24 Take aways (before)
    6 of 24 Take aways (after)
    7 of 24 Knock downs (before)
    8 of 24 Knock downs (after)
    9 of 24 To the top (before)
    10 of 24 To the top (after)
    11 of 24 Point of interest (before)
    12 of 24 Point of interest (after)
    13 of 24 Sturdy scene (before)
    14 of 24 Sturdy scene (after)
    15 of 24 Period details (before)
    16 of 24 Period details (after)
    17 of 24 Efficiency expert (before)
    18 of 24 Efficiency expert (after)
    19 of 24 Spacious addition (before)
    20 of 24 Spacious addition (after)
    21 of 24 Style statement (before)
    22 of 24 Style statement (after)
    23 of 24 Colorful past (before)
    24 of 24 Colorful past (after)

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Midwest Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Renew this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program
    • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
    • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
    • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
    • Video
    • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMidwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Midwest Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Before and After: Kitchens
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.