Before and After: A Dark and Creepy Kitchen Gets a Bright and Beautiful New Start

You know what they say: The best home transformations come when the “before” photo looks like it came straight from a horror film (and if they don’t say it, they should!). Just take a look at this dark, spooky kitchen Patchi Cancado of Trendy Peas found at her recent project, “#flipmagnolia.”

The house, which had long been a rental, was in very poor condition when Patchi got hold of it. “When we purchased the house, we knew we would have to do a full renovation. The job was daunting but also exciting,” she says. Once started, the kitchen renovation took around four months to complete.

One major challenge was the layout: There was hardly any counter space, and a washer and dryer took up usable kitchen space. To make more room for cooking, Patchi had everything removed down to the studs and started fresh. She installed new plumbing, drywall, cabinets, flooring, completing as much of the work as she could herself to help stay on budget but bringing in contractors for the heavy lifting.

With the washer and dryer out of the way, Patchi was able to open up the wall between the kitchen and dining room, creating a beautiful wood-slab counter that fits three green vintage barstools. It also features an induction cooktop.

Patchi chose a sink and lower cabinets from IKEA, both in a crisp white. Brushed brass drawer pulls add some glitz. A pair of open shelves complements the warm wood tone of the bar countertop. In total, the kitchen redo cost $10,325. Patchi’s favorite element of the new space? “I love the flow and functionality of it,” she says. “The fact that this is such a timeless design makes my designer heart super proud.”

This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: Before and After: A Creepy Kitchen Gets a Bright and Beautiful New Start