Farmhouse Kitchen Remodel: From Gutted Space to Dream Design – Simple Homemade Life Update

Welcome back to Simple Homemade Life! In this much-anticipated second episode, we’re peeling back the layers to reveal our completely gutted kitchen – a blank canvas brimming with potential. Join us as we dive deep into the exciting planning phase, discussing critical decisions around countertops, flooring, lighting, and appliances that will transform this empty space into our dream farmhouse kitchen. We’ll walk you through the process of designing a functional and aesthetically pleasing island, ensuring ample traffic flow for daily life. Brian will also share the now-legendary (and thankfully humorous) tale of installing the main beam. Plus, stay tuned for quick updates on other significant areas of our home renovation journey. Whether you prefer to watch, listen, or read, we’ve got you covered!

Experience the Farmhouse Kitchen Transformation

Our Simple Homemade Life series is designed to bring you along on our journey, sharing the realities and joys of creating a meaningful home. This episode is packed with visual insights and practical tips that we learned along the way. To truly grasp the scope of our kitchen’s transformation, we invite you to experience the journey through our dedicated video update.

Listen On the Go: Simple Homemade Life Podcast

For those who prefer to listen while multitasking, our podcast version of this episode offers all the insights and stories on the go. You can easily find and subscribe to our podcast on your favorite listening platforms, ensuring you never miss an update on our farmhouse renovation and simple living tips. Tune in to hear the full discussion on our kitchen plans, Brian’s beam adventure, and more, all while you’re commuting, working out, or tending to your own home.

You can also find this episode on popular podcast listening apps, making it convenient to follow our progress wherever you are. Simply search for “An Oregon Cottage Podcast” on any of the following platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Stitcher
• TuneIn Radio

Detailed Insights: Simple Homemade Life Transcript

Prefer reading to delve into every detail at your own pace? We understand! That’s why we’ve prepared a comprehensive transcript of this episode, allowing you to absorb all the information, tips, and stories without missing a single word. This is particularly helpful for taking notes, reviewing specific sections, or simply enjoying the content in a quiet moment. The transcript covers everything discussed in the video and podcast, offering an in-depth look at our farmhouse kitchen renovation plans and other home updates. It’s an excellent resource for anyone planning their own remodel or seeking inspiration for creating a beautiful and functional home.

Click here to open the full PODCAST TRANSCRIPT in a new window and read it at your leisure.

Some links in this article are affiliate links. Should you choose to click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our work and allow us to continue creating valuable content for Simple Homemade Life.

Unveiling Our Gutted Farmhouse Kitchen: Planning for Perfection

The image above captures our farmhouse kitchen in its raw, “gutted” state, as featured in the video tour. It includes our crucial island mockup and, of course, the now-famous (or should I say infamous?) beam. The story of that beam is one Brian loves to tell, a testament to the unforeseen challenges and eventual triumphs of DIY home renovation. We are incredibly relieved and grateful that everything worked out, and we can definitely laugh about the process now!

The Importance of Kitchen Mockups in Design

When you’re dealing with a completely gutted space, especially one as central as a kitchen, visual mockups are absolutely invaluable. They aren’t just a nice-to-have; they’re a necessity for effective planning. In our case, the island mockup was paramount. We needed to precisely determine its optimal size and placement to ensure it wouldn’t obstruct the natural flow of traffic from the living area into the back rooms of the house. A kitchen island is a focal point and a workhorse, but if it hinders movement, it becomes more of a liability than an asset. Our mockups allowed us to experiment with different dimensions and placements in real-time, preventing costly mistakes down the line.

Beyond the island, we meticulously used mockups to ascertain the ideal amount of space needed on the sides of the kitchen, as well as the critical clearance between the cabinetry on the back wall. This level of detail ensures both functionality and aesthetic balance. Too little space feels cramped; too much can feel disconnected. These early visualizations were SUPER helpful, leading to a wonderful realization: we could actually incorporate more cabinets than I had initially envisioned! This extra storage space is a huge bonus for any farmhouse kitchen, blending practicality with our desired rustic charm.

Designing Around Key Features: Windows, Counters, and Stove

Furthermore, seeing the window sizes within the mocked-up layout played a pivotal role in shaping our decisions regarding the countertops and stove placement. Window placement influences natural light, ventilation, and the overall feel of the kitchen. By visualizing how the counters would meet the windows and where the stove would sit in relation to them, we could make informed choices that optimized both utility and visual appeal. This iterative process of planning, mocking up, and adjusting is fundamental to achieving a cohesive and highly functional kitchen design that truly reflects the farmhouse aesthetic we are striving for.

Our goal for this farmhouse kitchen is to blend timeless design with modern convenience. This means carefully selecting materials that are both durable and beautiful. For countertops, we are exploring options like quartz or granite for their hard-wearing properties and classic look, considering how they will complement our chosen cabinetry and wall colors. Flooring is another crucial element; we’re leaning towards options that are easy to clean, resilient to spills, and can withstand the heavy traffic of a busy family kitchen, all while maintaining a warm, inviting farmhouse feel.

Lighting is also being approached thoughtfully, with plans for a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting to create a well-lit and welcoming atmosphere. From overhead fixtures to under-cabinet lights, every choice is aimed at enhancing both functionality and mood. And finally, appliances – we’re selecting modern, energy-efficient models that seamlessly integrate into the farmhouse style, providing all the conveniences without compromising on aesthetics. Each decision, from the smallest fixture to the largest appliance, is a step towards crafting a kitchen that is not only beautiful but also a true heart of our home.

Beyond the Kitchen: Updates on Our Home Addition

As you saw from the kitchen tour, our renovation extends beyond just one room. We also walked through the addition, providing a couple of insightful updates. It’s important to clarify the terminology we use: while the actual structural addition to the end of the house is only eight feet, encompassing newly created space, we tend to refer to the entire area as “the addition” due to the extensive work involved. This larger scope includes the transformation of the hallway, the new laundry room on the right, and the refurbished bathroom to the left, all of which were part of the original structure but underwent a complete gutting and rearrangement of walls.

This comprehensive approach ensures that the new construction flows seamlessly with the renovated existing spaces, creating a cohesive and modern living environment that still respects the farmhouse character. The process of blending old and new has its unique challenges and rewards, requiring careful planning and execution to maintain architectural integrity while upgrading functionality.

For those interested in our full renovation journey and how far we’ve come, we’ve documented our progress extensively. You can delve into the history of this project and witness the incredible transformation from its very beginning:

• Get a full tour of the house as it was when we bought it here, offering a stark contrast to its current state.
• See what we accomplished during the challenging first year here (spoiler alert: stabilizing the foundation took up a significant portion of that time!).
• And for the latest progress, review our year two farmhouse fixer review here, showcasing how much has been achieved.

These links provide a complete narrative of our renovation, highlighting the monumental effort and careful planning that goes into transforming a fixer-upper into a dream home. Each stage, from foundation work to interior design, has been a learning experience, filled with moments of both frustration and immense satisfaction.

What’s Next on Simple Homemade Life: Back to the Garden

After all this talk of interior renovations, we’re excited to shift our focus back to the great outdoors for our next episode of Simple Homemade Life. We’ll be heading into the garden to share some invaluable tips and tricks for successful gardening, particularly focusing on how to maximize your tomato harvest. Get ready to learn an easy and effective way to trellis tomatoes, ensuring they grow strong and healthy, remain disease-free, and produce an abundant crop. This method not only supports the plants but also makes harvesting a painless and enjoyable experience, allowing you to reap the rewards of your hard work with ease.

Our upcoming episode will cover everything from selecting the right trellising system for your garden size and tomato variety, to proper plant maintenance that promotes vigorous growth and protects against common ailments. We’ll show you how to set up your supports, prune your plants for optimal fruit production, and keep those delicious tomatoes healthy from seedling to harvest. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, these practical insights will help you achieve a bountiful and painlessly harvested yield of homegrown tomatoes, perfect for all your culinary adventures.

See you then for more simple homemade living strategies and garden wisdom!

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