And the Grand Prize Winner of The Big Reveal Contest Is…

Over the last month we published 40 kitchen before & after projects as part of our first ever kitchen makeover contest — and what a month it’s been! The Big Reveal was a chance for you, our readers, to share your kitchen transformations with the rest of the The Kitchn community, and we’re so glad you did. You all inspired us!

On Wednesday reader votes sent four finalists (all terrific!) into our final voting round, which closed at noon yesterday. Now we’re pleased to announce that the Grand Prize winner of The Big Reveal contest is…

We asked Sheryl to share a little more about her kitchen renovation, and here’s what she told us:

Advice on renovating a kitchen

Let go of “perfect.” The paint will chip on the walls and cabinets, the grease will build up around the range from using it as it should be used, the grid in the bottom of the sink will stain from tomatoes, beets, and cleaning solutions! Things will always need to shift and grow.

When the new fixtures arrive and something is broken, the cabinet hardware is backordered, the sink drain insert doesn’t fit the sink that cost as much as the bathtub – it is time to breathe and make a list and address each and every one of the issues head on. It is not worth freaking out over all these things because NOTHING is perfect and nothing will ever stay new. Remembering that there is an end to the project and that it will all work out for the best really worked for me.

On trusting your instincts

I love having my lighting on dimmers and everywhere – under cabinet lighting and the special touch of the lighting in the “windowed” upper cabinets as well. Since the kitchen is open to the dining and living areas, I like to be able to create the right feel and not have it look like a sore thumb when we sit down for a little dinner party or converse in the living room.

I also love having it be in neutral color tones. With the contrasting island colors and the crown moulding and trim this really makes it look like furniture. I never had a kitchen with so much detail! I realized when the island was delivered and I saw the color in person that it was exactly the same color as some of the clay in the clay cliffs in Aquinnah, one of my favorite places on Martha’s Vineyard and anywhere in the world. It made me love it all the more, and I know that because I went with my instincts with my choices and stayed true to myself, I ended up with exactly what I wanted.

I took a risk and chose the dark grout in the kitchen backsplash… I really like the interplay of contrasts in this kitchen and the versatility of its style; it is cottage-y, but also modern, and the stainless steel lends an industrial edge.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest this year!