Inspired: Mary’s Dreamy White Kitchen

There is just something special about white kitchens; they are timeless, on-trend, and always unique, even when the same materials appear to be selected time and again.

Yesterday, I shared a sneak peak into my friend, Mary’s kitchen. I built the triple-potted planter for her windowsill as a spring project. But really, I just wanted to give her something special for her new kitchen.

It fits the bill for what she had been looking for and is the perfect little addition to the dream kitchen she worked so hard to make a reality.

When I met my neighbor, Mary, a couple of years ago, one of the first things she said to me when I stepped into her kitchen, was how much she hated her dated kitchen. Here’s a before shot.

I told her, without hesitation, that her kitchen had fantastic bones and all she needed to create the kitchen of her dreams was to paint her cabinets, and update her backsplash and countertops.

It sounds like I created a whole bunch of work for my friend Mary, but she had the luxury of living close by and carefully watched and took notes as we made over our kitchen and then our master bathroom.

I kept encouraging her. She could do it! I never doubted that fact for one second. But she readily admits she struggled with committing to the myriad of choices and options. I think she is like many DIY’ers who want to be absolutely sure they are making the right choices and know every detail of how to tackle a project before they can ever make a move. And why most people hire an interior designer like myself to help with a renovation of a kitchen or bathroom especially.

Ultimately, she chose the exact cabinet paint color and countertop as I used to update our kitchen. I was completely flattered, especially considering her discerning taste, while also slightly bewildered as she had often stated that she would go with marble countertops. She had marble in the past, and I thought this trend would follow through!
Click here to see more about my kitchen remodel.

While my kitchen is charming, hers is truly the stuff of dreams.

From the marble backsplash to the herringbone inset under the oversized hood. From the clean-lined, sparkly pot filler to the high-end cooktop, this is one stunning kitchen.

Her careful planning and hard work paid off. She used a sprayer to paint the cabinets and set all the tile on the backsplash!

She kept the original floor plan of her cabinetry but removed an awkward desk area and added pull out pantry and microwave station.

Her previous countertop had an awkward L-shape at the end, close to the fridge. Installing new countertops, made that an easy fix for extra food prep and a more fluid design. She raised the cabinet above the hood to create more dimension and height.

She was a smart shopper and secured her appliances through promotions and during sales.

She found the perfect barstools while we were shopping together at a local interior store. The price was right and they were exactly what she had been searching for. Proof that shopping locally can be the best option.

The wall color was the last selection she had to make to complete her transformation. I gave her my advice when I popped over for some reason or another. Thankfully, my off-the-cuff suggestion worked out beautifully. (Repose Grey by Sherwin Williams)

I think she may trust my judgment a little too much. She didn’t even sample the color on the wall first!

I often end a post with the vote of confidence that you to can do it! And look, Mary did it! She created the kitchen of her dreams from a kitchen she thought she hated.

Her kitchen is exactly what I hoped this blog would produce–inspiration for everyday women, and sometimes men, to be moved and to have the confidence to tackle the projects that create a beautiful, happy home.

Don’t forget to enter my Spring Cleaning Giveaway featuring the tutorial of Mary’s windowsill planter. You can enter at the end of this post. Click here.

If you love white kitchens too, then you might enjoy following my Dream Kitchen Board on Pinterest.