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Kitchen remodel before & after: A few changes brighten up this space

Check out this Redditor's very own kitchen remodel

Doing a kitchen renovation can seem like a daunting task, especially if you are tackling it yourself and not hiring a contractor. But since the kitchen is where most of us congregate to cook, eat, work, and entertain, it’s one room that deserves to look and feel bright and warm. If you’ve not spent any time on Reddit, it’s a great place to go to get inspired and see real kitchen before and after pictures posted by others. One Redditor posted a stunning kitchen remodel that they’ve done, and seeing what it looked like before and now gives you perspective on how small changes can add up to big improvements.

Redditor kitchen remodel

“It’s not perfect or even esthetically pleasing but I love the progress we’ve made!” Redditor Hairy_Opportunity_11 said in the subreddit page r/Home Decorating, next to a picture of their kitchen before. The kitchen was dark, with not a lot of light coming into the room. The cabinets, flooring, and even the rug and curtains were darker, making the space feel closed in and not very welcoming.

During the remodel, the homeowner replaced the doors and trim, painted the cabinets a vibrant cream color, and added new countertops. They also replaced the old vinyl flooring with a lighter wood, which also made a big improvement. Finally, they swapped out the outdated curtains for lighter drapes and replaced the kitchen table with a darker version to give it more depth. Still to go, according to the comments, are some lighting changes and decor.

The feedback is in!

People were quick to comment about all the changes and what an improvement the homeowner made to the feel of the room. “Love the flooring! This is great progress. I would be very pleased with this makeover,” one person commented.

“So much improved! Bravo,” another added.

Another agreed, adding, “Absolutely love the flooring! The kitchen cabinets look great, and I love the shiplap. So much lighter and brighter!”

They also seemed to inspire others to take on a kitchen renovation of their own: “Wow, what a huge difference! Makes me think about doing something similar for my kitchen!”

While it can be an expensive endeavor to tackle a kitchen remodel, it can add so much enjoyment to the space (not to mention more money if you decide to sell). If you don’t have the money or ability to make big changes like flooring or countertops, giving the room a new, lighter paint color, replacing light fixtures and decor, and adding new curtains, rugs, or painting old cabinets can go a long way to improving the feel of your kitchen. If you need inspiration, look no further than Reddit to give you some new ideas.

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Julie Scagell
I am a freelance writer based in Minneapolis, MN. My passions include my dogs, talking about my dogs, and taking pictures of…
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