This is the “Before” of our kitchen. That is Mr. Darcy knocking over his bowl to request a refill… I believe the previous owners had this kitchen done early-90’s. It is not terrible, but not very light and it is missing the utilitarian feel that I like kitchens to have. At some point in the near (1-2 years) future, we plan to add an addition onto the house that will triple the size of the kitchen and include a cozy hearth room. For the meantime, we planned a DIY (budget-friendly!) remodel to freshen up the space. DIY Backsplash and Open Shelving Update : -Remove Upper Cabinets from the Left side ($0) -Add Pine Wainscoting Back Splash ($60) -Add Open Shelving ($100) Total Cost = $160.00 Other Projects (we’ve already completed, and will be sharing this week…) : -Counter Tops -Light Fixtures -New Appliances -Revive Wood Floor I’ll be posting the rest of the “Progress” and “After” photos throughout the day and over the next couple of days… so, stay tuned!
Here is the Before of the Upper Cabinets. 
And the After. Much lighter and brighter, right?
Our first step was to remove the upper cabinets on the left side of the kitchen and to remove the dark tile. We decided to keep the upper cabinets on the right side so we would have some covered storage. They are visually blocked by the refrigerator, so removing them wouldn’t have really opened up the space anymore.
Now all of the tile has been removed. Ick.
Here, my Dad and Mike install the solid wood paneling that goes from the counter top to the ceiling.
They used construction adhesive on the back and finish nails to secure it.
Voila. There is a part of me that wanted to keep the rustic, raw knotty pine. Someday I’ll have cozy cabin and I’ll do the entire thing in this paneling! Installing paneling was a great option because : #1 – We didn’t have to repair the walls from the tile or cabinets. #2 – It was only $60 worth of paneling. #3 – The project to this point took my Dad and Mike about 4 hours. #4 – It gave the entire room a “fresh and new” feel for $60 in 4 hours.
Before priming and painting, I filled all of the holes with wood filler…
Then sanded. Doesn’t my manicure look lovely?
I painted it to match our trim : Benjamin Moore Navajo White in Satin
Here is the “After” photo of the paneling with the shelves installed. I didn’t take photos of the shelving installation… because… well, they went up so fast, I painted them and then they were finished before I knew it! Sorry. We got the birds beak brackets from Home Depot for about $10 each. The shelves themselves are 1x12x8 pine boards with 1 x 2 1/2 trim pieces on the perimeter. Mike secured 3 of 4 of the brackets into studs so the shelves are very sturdy. I still haven’t decided on an official display of my things on the shelves, but I’m working on it – probably an entire post in itself. As you can see, we also replaced the light fixtures – source links here : http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2012/09/house-tour-work-in-progress-progressing.html Next up, the counter tops! UPDATE : Here is the link to the completed kitchen!