The split level kitchen remodel before and after is complete and in my opinion, is probably one of the best split level kitchen remodels on google and pinterest right now. Since posting the Wolf kitchen cabinet review (one of our fabulous sponsors for this kitchen!) of this space a couple months ago, many of you have reached out asking questions about how to start a kitchen remodel, the cost and how to find a contractor. I will share a blog post on all those details soon. Lets take a look at this 1970s kitchen makeover and how it’s changed over the last several months.
This post is sponsored by Horner Millwork and Wolf Cabinets. I have also included a few affiliate links as well for your shopping convenience.
Split level kitchen wall removal
If you have been following our split level house remodel from the beginning (take a tour of the house before we started demo), you know that this 1970s kitchen was tiny, dark and dated beyond words.
Here is the old 1970s kitchen below.
The first step of opening up the kitchen into the living room was to remove the kitchen wall which was a load bearing wall.
We also decided to remove the old ceiling in the kitchen and living room once the wall was removed in order to create a vaulted ceiling.
Be sure to check out how we installed shiplap ceiling planks by Armstrong ceilings. A vaulted or cathedral ceiling in the kitchen living room area is by far, the biggest feature you can add to make a split level home – not look like a split level home if you know what I mean!
Do you like the white ceiling planks by Armstrong? I love them! We used their White Country Classic Ceiling Plank and you can check them out at Armstrong Ceiling Planks! They are very affordable added so much character and dimension to this kitchen living room layout.
The white kitchen cabinets from Wolf Kitchen Cabinets are beautiful, great quality and they have varying lines to suit every budget. To get all the details on these cabinets and design features, be sure to read the “Wolf Kitchen Cabinet Review” blog post I wrote a few weeks ago.
In order to remove a load bearing wall, Jim needed to install an engineered beam to support the structure (roof) above. Be sure to read our blog post on “opening up a load bearing wall between the kitchen and living room,” to see all the details of removing the kitchen wall.
Open concept split level kitchen remodel
One of the biggest issues we had with this split level house was how dated and small the house seemed. This is very common for homes that were built in the 1970’s. The rooms are boxy and the ceilings are typically low.
Yep, Jim and his crew blew out the ceilings in both rooms in an afternoon and made a serious mess! You can see that entire day by reading this blog post, “how to add shiplap to a cathedral ceiling.”
Black Pendant Light above the sink | White Apron Farmers Sink | 5″ modern cabinet pulls | Brushed Nickel Kitchen Faucet
The kitchen countertops are Calcutta Sponda and the most affordable quartz on the market to get that white and gray marble look.
Trust me, I checked out many countertop slabs and researched pricing, this is the best option for that look if you want to stay within a budget. We get all of our countertops from Discover Marble and Granite in Millbury so if you are local to Massachusetts, check them out! Ask for Ben and be sure to let him know I sent you :).
I love how the Calcutta Sponda Quartz countertop and white herringbone style subway tile look together. We used platinum colored grout on the backsplash to tie in the gray veins of the countertop as well as 5″ black matte cabinet door pulls.
We decided in order to modernize this split level house, we needed to remove the ceiling and walls in the kitchen and living room.
White Apron Farmers Sink | Brushed Nickel Kitchen Faucet
If you already read our post, “selecting quality kitchen cabinets from Wolf Cabinets,” you know that we opted for white kitchen cabinets and a gray island. The farmers sink and herringbone white subway tile tie in perfectly with the modern farmhouse theme.
The existing kitchen was a small L shape so once we removed the kitchen wall, we decided to add a buffet wall with cabinets and a pantry to create more kitchen storage. The design team at Horner Millwork was amazing to work with and had so many great ideas to create a functional and stylish kitchen.
You can see how Jim created a similar buffet wall in his split level home he sold a year and half ago.
Pretty dramatic difference right?
When I designed this kitchen with the Horner Millwork team at their kitchen design center in Sommerset, Massachusetts, one of the biggest things I wanted to ensure was that the kitchen had enough storage for pots, pans, dishes and food!
Recessed Lighting| Dimmer Switches
There is not a designated pantry in this kitchen so we opted to add a large cabinet pantry with pull out drawers which could ultimately be used for food.
Split Level Kitchen Island
Adding a kitchen island to any home, especially if you are removing walls to open up the space, is a great way to add a visual barrier between the two rooms. In this case, the island separates the new kitchen from the living room.
The Wolf Cabinets are packed with convenient storage features like pull out drawers, soft close doors and pull out trash bins.
I love the kitchen cabinet in the island with the trash bin pull out feature.
Split level kitchen and living room layout
By removing the wall and ceiling in the kitchen and living room, we were able to create the open concept kitchen and living room layout we wanted.
Everytime I look at these kitchen remodel pictures I shake my head with how different it looks. I love everything about it!
I love how the modern black ceiling fans from Hunter look against the shiplap ceiling.
As you know, the kitchen is the heart of most homes whether it be just family members going about their daily routine or while entertaining guests.
Under cabinet lighting is one of the best things you can add to your kitchen to create a custom look and it doesn’t cost that much money.
People are opting for open concept kitchen and living rooms today vs. boxy rooms that are separated by walls and a doorway.
This particular split level plan allows everyone to gather and commingle at the same time while still having a living space to watch tv.
The wall color is Platinum by Behr and the oak floors were sanded down (the previous color was an ugly warm orange brown color) and refinished with a natural light gray stain to create a neutral seamless look throughout the house. We opted for a satin finish on the floors to eliminate any shine.
Entryway Pendant from Amazon
We added a gas fireplace with faux rustic wood mantel (you can find it on Amazon!) as well to the living room wall which Jim added molding and trim around to finish it off.
There you have it! The split level kitchen remodel before and after is complete and it came out amazing! This flip house project was so much fun and stay tuned, I’ll be sharing a new project that we have been working on all winter. If you follow us on Instagram, you know that we are fixing up a small lake house in New Hampshire that we will hopefully be renting out seasonally this Spring/Summer. I haven’t shared any of those projects or even the new purchase yet here on the blog as my time these days seems to be limited. If you don’t follow us on Instagram, consider it as Instagram stories is where I share all our daily “real time” projects.
Shop the lighting, kitchen fixtures & mantel below by clicking the image.
Want to see all the projects that went into this remodel? Check out our Split Level House Renovation page!
If you missed last weeks post showing the split level exterior remodel before and after featuring the black windows and white board and batten siding, be sure to check out that post! Many of you loved the barn style 2 car garage :).
Before I sign off, I want to thank Horner Millwork and Wolf Cabinetry for this amazing partnership. This project was so much and we love how the kitchen turned out! All opinions and words are 100% my own.
The post Best Split Level House Kitchen Remodel Before and After appeared first on Four Generations One Roof.