Kitchen Inspiration: Transitional European Design
Hello & a warm welcome to my kitchen.
When I purchased my home in the fall of November 2020, this kitchen had been semi-recently renovated within the past 10 years with new countertops, cabinets, appliances, & lighting. Thankfully everything was in great shape and was well maintained and I had good bones to start off with. I knew I wanted to make small changes throughout the kitchen without having to demo it or make any major changes that would cost me a significant amount. Over the past 2 years I have embodied the mindset of slow curating and designing my entire home. I have been in no rush to finish the kitchen let alone any room in my home. My methodology has been based upon continually making improvements to the kitchen as I have had the money in my budget to do so. I went for a long time with no table and seating until I could find the items that perfectly fit my vision. I would find pieces here and there and I gradually began to see a transformation in my kitchen as I added each piece. Below you will find photos of my kitchen starting with the original listing photos for the house and the various stages of the curation process as it has continuously evolved over the past 2 years timespan.
Before Photos Of My Kitchen:
These are the listing photos of my kitchen and also include a few that I took myself before I moved in.
Makeover Phase 1 (First 8-12 Months):
Improvements:
Hardware
The original silver colored hardware that was on the existing cabinets & drawers when I moved in was easily changed to a matte black more modern style set of knobs & drawer pulls. I ordered both the knobs & pulls on Amazon. I definitely recommend using an electric/battery powered drill when unscrewing the old knobs on your cabinets & installing the new set. It will save you a significant amount of time in the long run.
Total Cost: $100
Time Spent: 1.5 Hours
Lighting
Total Cost: $63
Time Spent: 1 Hour
I replaced the pendant that was hanging over the area of the kitchen that I transformed into my version of an English style breakfast nook. I found the pendant on sale at a overstock/returns store that receives items from West Elm, Crate & Barrell, Amazon, Etc. I paid only $25 for the pendant and it cost me an additional $35 to have my handyman remove the old pendant and install the new one. Last item I required for this new shade was a hook to hang the cord from the ceiling (aka swag method/style) I chose a white one that blended in with my ceiling pant color for about $3.
See below for a couple of similar swag style pendants with a barrel drum style fabric shade.
Price: $69.95
This is the most similar option I could find to the one I purchased and is offered in the colors: Cream, Heather Gray, & Natural Linen (pictured to the right).
2 Light Swag Plug-in Pendant 16"w White Linen Drum with Diffuser, White Cord
Price: $104.49
This one is a great option if you don’t already have lighting wired up to the specific section of your kitchen ceiling and if you have an electrical outlet close by that you can connect it to.