Our final installment for this project is the Lake Forest Freshen Up: Kitchen + Breakfast Area. Below is a BEFORE photo of what the Kitchen looked like when the homeowners purchased their home. The previous homeowners wanted a “lodge” look but they did overdo it a bit with the ledge stone. We lightened up the Kitchen considerably by painting the cabinetry neutral white with a glaze. Creative Finishes by Kelly did an amazing job. The lighter cabinetry contrasts nicely with the hardware floor finish and the dark granite countertops. Even the ledge stone looks great! The island has a wonderful shape with an eating area on the end where 3 stools fit snugly underneath. The oversized pendants are the perfect scale for the large island. The unusual chandelier makes a statement in the Breakfast Area. We added a pop of color with the artwork and grounded this area with a fun geometric rug. There is a lot of cabinetry in this space so we broke up the desk area by painting it Sherwin Williams’ Gauntlet Gray (SW7019), the same color we painted the island column. The homeowners’ wine cabinet and two fun chairs that we reupholstered in a small geometric pattern finish off this area. This Lake Forest Freshen Up: Kitchen + Breakfast Area is truly a transformation without changing the footprint. When new cabinetry is not an option or your current cabinetry is in great shape but not a great finish, you should consider painting them. This project is proof that it can change the look of your entire Kitchen – for the better! Click here and here for other projects featuring painted cabinets. Enjoy!