Small Condo Kitchen Remodel Before And After – Design and Decor, Money and Finance / June 10, 2021 We Transformed 55+ Community Condos from the 1970s into a Modern Classic
This is a long post – I wanted to share all the details of our condo conversion to help you on your condo remodeling journey.
Small Condo Kitchen Remodel Before And After
It’s #TLDR – This is Part III, the last post in the condo conversion series. We purchased an investment property in a 55+ active living community in Rancho Bernardo. It took a lot of hard work, but we got a lot. Read the shopping story to know our negotiation strategy.
Condo Kitchen Remodel Ideas
Goal: Complete a beautiful budget renovation and release within 6 weeks. Find out how we transformed this old condo into a modern classic. I share the exact products and strategies I use to save time and money. Skip to the end if you’d like to see a list of materials/costs, before and after photos, and if this is a good investment.
Disclosure is here! It’s amazing to complete your project and see the results of hours and days of research, design, planning and coordination come together into a beautiful finished product. To recap, for any new readers, here we are:
I’ll split the article into sections, so feel free to jump to any areas of interest:
It makes sense to start with the most impactful thing in your space – FLOORS. They draw your eye to the ground and really set the stage for the overall feel of your space. You can see what a big difference your flooring upgrade can make in our other amazing flooring transformations in Del Sur.
La Jolla Condo Kitchen Remodel — Embellish Designs
The original floors were pink speckled square tiles with gray – we could have kept them and saved ~$3k, but they were pretty “meh”. It didn’t feel right to change almost everything in the house and not touch the floor.
We didn’t want to install wood on a luxury vinyl plank (LVP) rental, but we realized that installing vinyl plank would mean replacing baseboards/slabs and door casings – an expense we didn’t want. This is because when you unlay the tiles, the height of the vinyl planks becomes thinner, so there is a gap that you need to fill.
That’s why we decided to stick with tiles – an efficient and cost-effective option. We chose light wood grain ceramic tiles with colorful textures arranged in a pretty pink pattern.
We chose ceramic over ceramic because it is denser, harder, and more porous than porcelain. Changing (hitting) the pattern was the key to building a habit of the house.
Cambridge Condo Full Remodel
There are many variations of wood plank tiles, and only certain lengths and widths work best for a tile layout—the plank shouldn’t be too short or too long. Generally, the length should be 5 times the width (5:1). Our table was 6″ x 24″, so the ratio worked out to 4:1, which I think was perfect for the 210 square foot area. See here for a better idea of how different table lengths can affect your space.
When you have tile, you have grout lines and grout lines. So which color do you choose for your wooden floor tiles? It depends on the look you want, but if you want something that matches the look of natural wood, choose a color that is somewhere between the lightest and darkest “grain” color of the tile. A mix of colors creates a more unified look.
If you choose too dark a color, it will also look unnatural. Wood that is too dark or too light = visually distracting and takes away from the natural wood look you want.
What about fuel lines? The seamless look requires grout lines to be as thin as possible, but there’s a limit to how thin you can go with tile—some tiles you can’t install are too tight. Because grout acts as a sealant, it allows for proper thermal expansion and prevents damage (i.e. cracking), so follow the grout line width recommended in your tile installation document.
Small Kitchen Makeover
We went as thin as we could – 1/8 and although 1/16 would have been great, I’m still very happy with the result.
Tip: It’s not just about changing your floor. Replacing flooring includes updating or replacing baseboards, trim and door casings, and painting. If you choose tile, consider ceramic for durability. The color of the soil and the width of the soil also make a difference. Choose a combination of a mid-tone color and the thinnest grout line you can. If you decide on a bone pattern, check the length and width of your board. Also, be prepared for additional labor costs (1.5x-2x) for non-standard sample installation.
We kept the kitchen light and bright with a selection of classic yet modern Snow Bay White raised panel cabinetry. What I love about this design is the detail and depth created by the slightly raised center panel. The standard shaker style is a flat cabinet. Shakers are great because they are timeless and can go with any style, but in this small space I thought it would be too basic and I wanted to add some dimension to this white kitchen.
The ceilings aren’t particularly high or short—8 feet is standard, so we chose 36-inch upper cabinets to be as close to the ceiling as possible. It would be nice to have a little bit of space between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling. If you have very high ceilings, instead of having cabinets that go up to the ceiling, you can add additional small cabinets at the top as well as add crown molding.
Condo Remodel Before And After
I’m above the cabinetry decor that cuts through the ceiling, where fake plants and figurines lie forever in the filth.
We chose Calacatta Nobel/Noble for the top for its elegant and timeless look. We purchased the quartz from a local San Diego stone and cabinet company.
The cabinets, top, and kitchen sink were purchased from a small local cabinet store. You walk into a showroom/shop and tell them your measurements and they will do a digital drawing on the spot and give you an instant estimate. A few days before installation, they stop and measure again to ensure accuracy and make any adjustments if necessary. This was the easiest and smoothest part of the project!
For the kitchen hardware, we chose matte black to counter the bright white. A simple square black cabinet – really no need to spend big here – my draws were $2.25 each. If you want a clean and modern look then this is exactly what it is.
Oh Crepe, Now This Is A Renovation!
I went back and forth on the previous splash design – thinking of different patterns and styles – should it be hexagon, chevron, subway?
Finally I decided to incorporate classic subway tile! But there are many different types of subway tile to choose from. I built a subway with Artisan Frost glossy tiles to reflect more light. These tiles had a beveled (instead of straight) edge to add some character to the edge.
We even climbed up to the ceiling around the kitchen window. There wasn’t much room for tile, so adding a little extra filled the space.
Tip: Ordering your cabinets, countertops, and kitchen sink from the same store makes coordination a lot easier and makes the process a whole lot easier – measurements and cuts have to be accurate!
Condo Kitchen Remodel The Cleary Company Remodel Design Build Columbus Oh (6)
The washing area in the middle of the kitchen was rough and very dirty as it was the only open space. We surrounded this area by adding a white bi-fold door and replacing the handles with black fabric handles from our $40 Amazon order. We bought a pre-made bi-fold door, but still had to adjust it and add door jambs to the space. This is where having a cabinet professional is important, and I work with a great many for whom I am very grateful. A beautiful double door made the whole kitchen space more harmonious.
I’m really happy with how the bathroom turned out – what do you think made the biggest difference about this bathroom?
Since the bathroom is very small (~50 sq ft) without a window, I wanted to create a sense of spaciousness and fluidity. My strategy was to choose a tile for the floor and wall of the walk-in shower, and tile up to the ceiling. I think it draws the eye up and behind the bathroom – deepening and expanding the size of the room.
The mosaic tile features a medium-sized pattern with lots of pops of black, and the tile itself is estimated to be large (18 x 18).
Before And After: Revealing Our Stunning Small Condo Transformation
I thought about going with a bold pattern or a more intricate pattern, but decided in between because I felt it suited the space. may be a large sample
Hi, I am Erick Norman. A blogger specialist in Kitchen Design.