One Room Challenge: Week 3

It’s already week 3 of the One Room Challenge -can you believe it?! I am so excited to share what we’ve been up to! I feel like we have really hit our stride, and the kitchen is really starting to come together. In case you forgot where it all began, you can read week one’s post here.

Here’s a run-down of everything we accomplished this week:

• Made final selections for cabinet hardware, counter stools, and lighting
• Returned cabinet doors and drawer faces to the bases
• Completed island treatment
• Closed the gap above the fridge

The Details:

This week was all about details, so we made our final selections for cabinet hardware, counter stools, and lighting! Here’s a look at some of the “runner-up” options we had in the mix:

And here are the ones we landed on:

Return of the doors/drawers!

Toward the end of the week, we added the doors and drawer faces back on. This was, like, THE moment for me when it started feeling real. Our hard work was paying off! Hardware came next, and it was the cherry on top! I wasn’t sold on the hex knobs at first. They felt heavy and chunky. I am on the fence about them at this point, and I do have some others (these) coming in the mail soon, so we will see which ones I land on once those arrive.

The Island Treatment:

Next, we worked on the island treatment, and I don’t think you guys are even ready for the difference it made in here. I had considered adding larger “sides” to the island, but then thought “meh – the board and batten will be sufficient enough.” So, I added the board and batten (it was a quick and simple project), and I LOVED it.

Then, the next day came and it just kept nagging at me that the kitchen would look even more custom if we added some “bulk” to the island, too. I decided to just roll up my sleeves and get it done. Yes, this meant undoing some of my work from before, but thankfully I hadn’t caulked or done a final coat of paint, so it really wasn’t too bad. I removed the boards I needed to, and got to work. Sometimes, we just have to go that extra mile, you know?!

Here’s how I did it:

• First, I added sanded plywood to the sides of the island with brad nails. You could also use glue here, but I opted not to because I was slightly concerned that I wouldn’t like how it looked and then I would for sure be stuck with it.

• I glued another piece of plywood to the inside part of the island, so I’d have a nice smooth finish on both sides, AND some more stability.

• I filled any small holes and sanded with a fine grit paper (400 grit).
• Then, I primed and painted so that when I added the trim/boards on, I didn’t have to get into all of those crevices.
• Finally, I added the trim/boards (we used 1×3 MDF) to the new plywood sides, and secured with brad nails.

We still have to add trim to the front and back to cover the edges of the plywood/trim. It also needs caulking and one last coat of paint, but LOOK at this! I love the custom feel and the little “nook” it created for our stools! What do you think?

Closing the gap above the fridge:

Little details in a space add up, and closing the gap above our fridge was a detail I didn’t want to skip! This was a super quick little job, and I am glad we took the 20 minutes to complete it.

First, we added some scrap MDF piece behind the existing cabinet molding, using our brad nailer. We also added some to the sides, but I forgot to take a photo -oops!

Then, all we did was cut a piece of MDF to size, and then nailed it in from the back. Caulk, paint, and voila! Easy peesy!

Our To-Do List, Revised:

• BONUS: Close the gap above the fridge
• BONUS: turn island 90 degrees
• paint kitchen cabinets
• replace cabinet/drawer hardware
• remove non-functional corner cabinet (trust me – its awful when it comes to storage/being able to reach things)
• remove broken microwave + replace with a range hood (and pretty DIY hood cover!)
• find long-term, functional counter stools
• extend the backsplash to the ceiling
• dress up the island with a treatment (shiplap or board and batten)
• add open shelving to the corner (in place of the cabinet) to hold cookware, plants, canisters, etc
• add pendant lighting

Whew! What a week! These were some major steps toward completing my vision for the kitchen, and I couldn’t be happier with the progress so far!

Here’s how the kitchen looks today:

I am SO excited to partake in the One Room Challenge as a guest participant, and am truly looking forward to the inspiration I know I will find from everyone else who is participating! Be sure to check out the ORC site here for tons of inspiration! 

Be sure to also follow my day-by-day progress on my Instagram, here!