{"id":1593,"date":"2026-01-12T16:47:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T16:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/?p=1593"},"modified":"2026-01-12T16:47:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T16:47:04","slug":"before-and-after-traditional-kitchen-update-with-character","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/?p=1593","title":{"rendered":"Before and After Traditional Kitchen Update With Character"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-94bc23d7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DGO1TXRRb20\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DGO1TXRRb20\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DGO1TXRRb20\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">A post shared by Emily Wainwright (@home.with.em)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This kitchen transformation didn\u2019t happen all at once, and that\u2019s honestly part of why it feels so special to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we first moved in, the kitchen was the original 1980s build. It was small, dark, and very much not pretty. At the time, a full renovation just wasn\u2019t possible, so we did what we could afford. We painted the cabinets and swapped out the hardware to make it feel a little more livable. It wasn\u2019t perfect, but it was a start, and it held us over until we were ready to do more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once we had the ability to truly rethink the space, the biggest change came from opening up the kitchen. There was a small window that separated it from the living room, and removing that barrier completely changed how the room functioned. Even though it\u2019s still a galley kitchen, opening that wall allowed the kitchen to visually connect to the living room, making the entire space feel larger, brighter, and more social.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We extended the countertop slightly to create an overhang, which added bar seating on the living room side. That one decision added so much functionality and extra seating, especially when we\u2019re hosting. It made the kitchen feel like part of the living space rather than a separate, closed-off room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inside the kitchen, we centered the sink and chose a handmade brass-finish faucet to bring in warmth and character. That faucet alone adds so much personality and gives the space a collected, lived-in feel rather than something that looks builder-grade or overly modern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the countertops, I originally dreamed of soapstone, but it just wasn\u2019t realistic for our budget. Instead, we chose laminate countertops that mimic the look of stone, and honestly, they\u2019ve been such a great solution. They give us the visual feel we wanted without the stress or cost, and they work beautifully in a busy, everyday kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also replaced the floors with a classic checkerboard tile, which instantly pushed the kitchen in a more traditional direction without feeling out of place for an 80s home. That balance was really important to me. I didn\u2019t want the kitchen to feel like it belonged in a different era entirely. I wanted it to feel timeless and traditional, while still honoring the bones of the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of my favorite details is the pantry door. We removed the old door and replaced it with a custom wood door with glass and a beautiful knob. It brought in so much texture and warmth and added another layer of character that the space was really missing before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cabinets themselves are from Shiloh Cabinetry in the color \u201cBeige,\u201d which was the perfect neutral. They\u2019re warm without being yellow, soft without feeling bland, and they tie everything together in a way that feels classic and enduring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This kitchen went from very 80s and purely functional to warm, traditional, and full of character, without becoming too precious or overly styled. It feels like a space that\u2019s meant to be used, lived in, and gathered around, which was always the goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below, I\u2019ve linked everything from my kitchen so you can shop the pieces we used and recreate elements of this transformation in your own home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-94bc23d7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"boutique-widget\" data-widget-id=\"1298083\">\r\n                <script type=\"text\/javascript\" language=\"javascript\">\r\n                    !function(d,s,id){\r\n                        var e, p = \/^http:\/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https';\r\n                        if(!d.getElementById(id)) {\r\n                            e     = d.createElement(s);\r\n                            e.id  = id;\r\n                            e.src = p + ':\/\/widgets.rewardstyle.com\/js\/boutique.js';\r\n                            d.body.appendChild(e);\r\n                        }\r\n                        if(typeof window.__boutique === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') {\r\n                            window.__boutique.init();\r\n                        }\r\n                    }(document, 'script', 'boutique-script');\r\n                <\/script>\r\n                <div class=\"rs-adblock\">\r\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/assets.rewardstyle.com\/images\/search\/350.gif\" style=\"width:15px;height:15px;\" onerror=\"this.parentNode.innerHTML='Turn off your ad blocker to view content'\" \/>\r\n                    <noscript>Turn on your JavaScript to view content<\/noscript>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/category\/shop-my-home\/\">Shop my Home<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--2\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/category\/shop-my-finds\/\">Shop my Finds<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--3\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/category\/shop-my-home\/kitchen\/\">Shop my Kitchen<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--4\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shopltk.com\/explore\/home.with.em\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Shop my LTK<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--5\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/rivr.link\/Eaw-Homedecoramazonstorefront\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Shop my Amazon Storefront <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This kitchen transformation didn\u2019t happen all at once, and that\u2019s honestly part of why it feels so special to me. When we first moved in, the kitchen was the original 1980s build. It was small, dark, and very much not pretty. At the time, a full renovation just wasn\u2019t possible, so we did what we [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":150533,"featured_media":1599,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[108,77],"tags":[1247,168,1246,9,1245],"class_list":["post-1593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kitchen","category-shop-my-home","tag-cabinets","tag-counter-tops","tag-countertops","tag-kitchen","tag-make-over"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/150533"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1593"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1593\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1600,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1593\/revisions\/1600"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homewithem.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}