One Room Challenge: Week 6 final reveal

We made it, you guys! The final week of One Room Challenge! Are you still with us? Well, if there’s ever a time to tune back in it’s NOW! Sit back and enjoy an absurd amount of “before and afters”–it’s going be good!

If you’re just joining in, we focused our attention on this 6 week challenge with 20 other bloggers and a handful of generous vendors on Mary, our business director here at Lars, and the new house she bought a few months ago. It was in nice condition, just lacked…finesse and style. And I do believe that we BROUGHT IT!

What do you think?!

Read more about the vendors we worked with, what lessons Mary learned along the way, and the three things she’d recommend for an equally dramatic kitchen transformation.

To remind you, this is where we started:

And this is what shaped out:

I know. Don’t you love a good before and after? Let’s try it again!

Feels good, huh? How about another?!

Different angle:

Isn’t this fun?!

There’s clearly a lot to discuss here and I’m sure you have some questions about it, but let’s start with the basics.

TOP THREE GAME CHANGERS for a dramatic kitchen renovation

I asked Mary to share the top three design elements that were the most transformative for her. She had no hesitation in sharing the following:

WINDOWS: I’m amazed at how different the space looks with the new black casement windows from Amsco Windows Restoration Series. Everyone keeps asking me how difficult it was to make the windows bigger, and I delight in telling them that all the windows (except for the awning window over the sink) are the same size. With the casements, though, there are no horizontal bars cutting the windows in half, so every wall appears to have been lengthened. And the retrofit option was a breeze to install. (Take a look at WEEK 4 for more details.) If you can do just one thing to change your space, I’d recommend upgrading the windows.
WALLS: I wanted to open up the space, and we literally did that by knocking out a wall. Since it was a support wall, I thought the process would be messy, difficult, and expensive, but it wasn’t. Demo and the new support beam took just one day. And the finish trim from Metrie’s Option M added a timeless elegance. (Again, take a look at WEEK 4 for more details.)
CABINETS & COUNTER: Working with CliqStudios to select cabinets in Cloud White that go all the way to the ceiling was key to lengthening the wall. (Take a look at WEEK 1.) Working with Daltile to select a Panoramic Porcelain for the counter and backsplash in Diamond Mine finished the look with a white on white color scheme that removed the horizontal counter line that had previously intersected the kitchen. (Take a look at WEEK 5.)

With these three things in mind, let’s focus on the details.

WINDOWS

Mary wanted a bigger window over her sink, and she got a black awning retrofit from Amsco Windows Restoration Series that is the stuff of dreams. Additionally, in the remainder of the room, she completely transformed not only the light, but also the access to it with stunning matching casements. Take a look at WEEK 4 and WEEK 5 for more details.

CABINETS

We worked with CliqStudios to reconfigure the cabinets. We took them all the way to the ceiling and finished them with crown molding trim. And we knocked out a useless shallow closet, which gave us just enough room to add a pantry cabinet with roll out trays. We chose the

Dayton style in Cloud White. Take a look at WEEK 1 for tips on the design process, WEEK 3 for tips on demo and installation, and WEEK 5 for tips on working with an installer.

COUNTER & BACKSPLASH

Daltile introduced us to their new Panoramic Porcelain Surface, a product that comes in a huge slab and offers the look of stone with the performance of tile. We selected the Diamond Mine finish and the fabricators worked magic to install it in a way that seamlessly connected the veining from the counter to the backsplash to the intersecting windowsill. Take a look at WEEK 5 for more details about the product including a side-by-side of our inspiration image and the product we ultimately selected. We couldn’t be happier.

KITCHEN FAUCET

For the faucet, we chose the Trask™ Kitchen Faucet by Delta, available at Lowe’s, for it’s sleek, sophisticated, timeless look. In the Champagne Bronze finish, this faucet pairs elegantly with traditional, transitional and contemporary décor. It perfectly complements the gold accents in our lighting and hardware selections to create a cohesive, clean aesthetic we always wanted. Take a look at WEEK 5 for a detailed product overview.

SINK

Thank you to Standard Plumbing Supply for introducing us to the TopZero Undermount. It’s just rad. Take a look at WEEK 5 for details about how there really is no mounting lip. So sleek.

LIGHTING FIXTURES

We wanted sexy, sleek lighting fixtures that doubled as points of interest with artistry and intention, and we found them at Hudson Valley. We chose the Impulse chandelier in Textured Bronze, the Lola pendant in Aged Brass, and the Martini pendant in Black. The Martini will be available in June 2019, so stay tuned for it’s grand entrance into the space.

OUTLETS AND SWITCHES

Legrand’s adorne Collecton provided some of the polish that comes from careful attention to some of our favorite finishing details. Take a look at WEEK 4 to see all the clever outlets, switches, and plates we selected to contemplate the wall and backsplash surfaces.

HARDWARE

Emtek is a favorite source for elegant hardware in every style, with every function, and in every finish. The Unlacquered Brass of the Providence Knob and Quincy Keyed Style Side Plate will quickly develop an enchanting patina. And the Satin Brass Trinity Pulls are a capstone detail that completes the kitchen. Take a look at WEEK 5 for more details.

RANGE & OVEN

The Bertazzoni Professional Series range & oven we selected, is an art piece in and of itself. Not only does it speak to Mary’s Italian soul, but it’s sophisticated elegance defines Mary’s style with one glance. Take a look at WEEK 3 for more details about its power, its versatility, and its refined and thoughtful design.

APPLIANCES

GE provided a French Door Refrigerator, 33 inch, an Over-the-Range Sensor Microwave Oven, and a Stainless SteelDishwasher all in a sleek black that frames the kitchen. Their combined effect is cohesive and timeless. Take a look at WEEK 3 for more details about how lovely it was to work with GE in selecting products that not only fit our space constraints but also enhanced our final design.

TRIM

Thoughtful trim details elevate a space, and we were delighted to once again turn to Metrie’s Option M to select the casing and trim for a newly opened wall. We selected architrave, crown, baseboard, and casing from the Vintage Industrial Collection. Take a look at WEEK 4 for details about our design and installation process.

For Furniture and Accessories, take a look at WEEK 2 for more details and our mood boards.

RUGS

Loloi is a favorite source not only for high quality rugs, but also a broad selection of elevated designs. From the Cascade Collection, we chose both the Ivory / Natural and the Ivory / Charcoal. And from Brea Collection created in collaboration with ED Ellen Degeneres, we chose the Ivory.

FURNITURE

We were delighted to work with Overstock in selecting furniture pieces for the space. The Aurelle Home Hausen Oval White Kitchen Table is an anchor in the kitchen both in terms of design and function. And then the Carbon Loft Bode Tan Leather Dining Chairs, the Jennifer Taylor Becca Tufted Settee, and a gold Serving Set added depth to the space by incorporating different fabrics and materials.

PILLOWS

Pillows from SWD Studio add some of our signature color and whimsy. We selected the Graffito Linen/Onyx, the Lindsay Lumbar in Pesto Giorgio Linen, and the Ingrid Lumbar Colour Block Giorgio Velvet Blush/Nutmeg.

ART

We dressed the walls with original art from Minted. We selected gold frames and white mattes to showcase Model9 by Miranda Mol, Son by Lori Wemple, and Reflection of the Taj Mahal by Heather Marie.

PLANTS

To finish our room, we accessorized with lifelike arrangements from NDI. We chose an Olive Tree, a Peony Arrangement, and a Dogwood Branch Arrangement.

Wooooweee! The transformation is so dramatic that I still can’t help but scroll through the photos myself!

Here are all the products in one tidy spot:

Ingrid Lumbar Colour Block Giorgio Velvet Blush/Nutmeg
Lindsay Lumbar in Pesto Giorgio Linen
Kelly Wearstler Collection – Graffito Linen/Onyx
Model9 by Miranda Mol
Son by Lori Wemple
Reflection of the Taj Mahal by Heather Marie
Carbon Loft Bode Tan Leather Dining Chairs
Faux dogwood from NDI
Aurelle Home Hausen Oval White Kitchen Table
Gold Serving Set
Olive tree
Jennifer Taylor Becca Tufted Settee
Cascade rug collection from Loloi in ivory and charcoal
Outlets and Switches from Legrand’s Adorne Collecton
French Door Refrigerator, 33 inch from GE
Over-the-Range Sensor Microwave Oven from GE
Stainless Steel Dishwasher from GE
Impulse Chandelier from Hudson Valley
Lola Pendant from Hudson Valley
Panoramic Porcelain Surface counter form Daltile
The Delta Trask™Single Handle Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet with Soap Dispenser, available at Lowe’s
Quincy Keyed Style Side Plate from Emtek
Trinity Pulls from Emtek
Providence Knob from Emtek
Bertazzoni oven range

LESSONS LEARNED

A 6-week renovation is always a little nutty, but when that renovation involves gutting your kitchen, the chaos that ensues reaches a new level crazy. Since we’ve now made it through successfully, we asked Mary to share her top three lessons learned, and this is what she said:

TIMING IS EVERYTHING: Spend time with your general contractor on the front end making a list of ALL your different construction and installation elements. Then work backwards from your final date. Appliances go in last. Refinishing floors happens just prior to appliance installation. Paint is just prior to floors. And so on. When you have a clear order of operations, your schedule becomes much easier to manage.
A GOOD TEAM MAKES A GOOD RENOVATION: Determine what you can do yourself and what you’ll need help with. And then ask for referrals. You often save both time and money AND you end up with a better finished product if you hire the right person for the job. Pop over to WEEK 5 for some tips on working with contractors.
IT’S OKAY TO CHANGE YOUR DESIGN AS YOU GO: As the design started to take shape, I realized that I didn’t love some of the things I’d picked out. I was hesitant to make changes because work had either already been done or product had been ordered. But I’m so glad I ultimately did. I’m in love with the space, and it’s some of those small pivot points that really contributed to this sentiment.

Thank you to all of our One Room Challenge Partners. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow Lars to create unique and inspired content for you.

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