When we moved in, this was fine. It was dated for sure, with white laminate countertops, a solid shelf system, fridge, and sink.

It would certainly make for a great wet bar, or kitchenette, for entertaining.

The overall look was quite dated however. The cabinets were custom back in the day, but were rather tired. The fridge I think was original. It held a temp, but probably quite inefficient, and rather dirty.

And the sink was green. All due respect to Michigan Spartans, but that color doesn’t work in this room.

We started with removing the cabinets, fridge, sink, and shelves. We had the flooring done when we moved in last year. (Previously it was white shag carpet…)

The cabinets are from IKEA, which we love. We did our kitchen last year using IKEA design and it continues to be a fantastic decision.

We preserved the cedar board front of the cabinets, facing the common area. That wood is the same as the ceiling in our upper level great room. It’s a nice architectural feature that fits the home and offers some continuity as we continue to upgrade the house.

We struggled with the decision on countertops because Granite/Marble were exorbitantly expensive for such a casual spot, and the idea of laminate/Formica (although not as bad as it used to be) still looked a little shabby.

We chose to go with Concrete countertops. That alone was a project, but it worked out quite well, we believe.

Planning a wine fridge in the hallway around the corner, we chose to install an under-counter freezer – in order to keep frozen appetizers, snacks, and craft ice cubes (balls and squares) ready for entertaining!

The mural on the back and side wall is a map of Paris – we loved the colors, and it’s cool seeing the design of such a cool city on the walls. It also warms up the room as the black cabinets, bronze hardware, and concrete countertop provide a rather cool appearance.