

I write about a lot — like, hundreds — of kitchen makeovers on Apartment Therapy, and I have a soft spot for those that salvage old stuff and give it new life. I’m all for anything that can prevent old countertops and cabinets from ending up in a landfill somewhere, and I’m incredibly impressed by the creativity it takes to tame down the especially garish countertops, cabinets, and tiles I’ve seen.


Why I Love This Kitchen Makeover
I love this previously published kitchen redo by interior designer Andrea Granger (@hunt.and.scavenge) because she keeps the existing countertops, which were a lot to begin with. The swirly brown counters had an almost tiger stripe to them, and in combo with the dark brown cabinetry and tan floor tiles, they made the whole kitchen feel dark — or, as Andrea put it, “Brown, brown, BROWN!”
But Andrea says “keeping the ‘good parts’ was very important,” in this kitchen makeover, and the counters were high-quality. With a new paint color, a statement hood, the elimination of a “suffocating” soffit, a new backsplash, and wooden open shelving instead of the upper cabinetry that was there before, the kitchen now feels totally unrecognizable, and the countertops look meant-to-be.

